The New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan was introduced to the delegates yesterday by William Patterson, a delegate from New Jersey. It created a three-branch government that had a single legislatire which required equal representation from every state, no matter the size or population. The New Jersey Plan protects against one ultimate power. THis allows the people to select legislative members who in turn select Exective member who then select memebers of the Supreme Court. The government will be able to levy taxes, regualte trade, and import duties

 Franklin began the Convention with the issues of unity and the states’ “inability to rally.” Franklin also addressed the struggles of the states as he spoke, “I hope to never to see the day when we the people will become so degenerate as to need an autocratic government." After which the Virginia Plan was introduced, and then the New Jersey Plan. 

The plan proposed the following:

1. The Articles of Confederation should be amended.
2. Congress should have the ability to raise funds via tariffs and to regulate interstate commerce and commerce with other nations. 
3. Congress has the authority to collect taxes from states based on the npopulation and 3/5ths of slaves in that state.
4. The federal judiciary is represented by someone appointed by the federal executive, which has authority in federal impeachment cases and as the appeal of last resort in cases dealing with national matters.
5. The Articles of Confederation and treaties are the supreme law of the land. The federal executive is authorized to use force to compel non-compliant states to observe the law.
6. A policy of admission of new states should be established, as well as single naturalization policy.
7. A citizen of one state can be arrested by the laws of another state in which the crime was committed.

 Ultimately,the New Jersey Plan was rejected and combined with the Virginia Plan to create the Conneticiut Comprimise. Although some ideas from the New Jersey Plan were added.The most important change was a multi-branch legislature with the U.S. House of Representatives apportioned by population, as desired by the Virginia Plan, and the Senate granted equal votes for each state.  This will hopefully grant the citizens of out country popular sovereignty and we will be able to vote for our officials!