by Mr. Monroe, who sought an explanation on these very
points. We quote from the debates in the Virginia convention upon
the adoption of the Federal Constitution:

Mr. MONROE wished that the honorable gentleman who had been
in the Federal Convention would give information respecting
the clause concerning elections. He wished to know why
Congress had an ultimate control over the time, place, and
manner of elections of Representatives, and the time and
manner of that of Senators, and also why there was an
exception as to the place of electing Senators.

Mr. MADISON: Mr. Chairman, the reason of the exception was,
that if Congress could fix the place of choosing the
Senators, it might compel the State Legislatures to elect
them in a different place from that of their usual sessions,
which would produce some inconvenience, and was not
necessary for the object of regulating the elections. But it
was necessary to give the General Government a control over
the time and manner of choosing the Senators, to prevent its
own dissolution.

With respect to the other point, it was thought that the
regulation of time, place, and manner of electing the
Representatives should be uniform throughout the continent.
Some States might regulate the elections on the principles
of equality, and others might regulate them otherwise. This
diversity would be obviously unjust. Elections are regulated
now unequally in some States, particularly South Carolina,
with respect to Charleston, which is represented by thirty
members.

Should the people of any State by any means be deprived of
the right of suffrage, it was judged proper that it should
be remedied by the General Government.

It was found impossible to fix the time, place, and manner
of the election of Representatives in the Constitution. It
was found necessary to leave the regulation of these, in the
first place, to the State Government, as being best
acquainted with the situation of the people, subject to the
control of the General Government, in order to enable it to
produce uniformity, and prevent its own dissolution. And,