Paterson, William (1745–1806)

• Author: Richard E. Ellis
• Pages: 1882-1884

Page 1882

William Paterson played a major role in the framing of the United States Constitution. His stubborn advocacy of state equality influenced the kind of government that was formed. He also was an active member of the United States Supreme Court who served as an important link between the Framers of the Constitution and the Supreme Court of JOHN MARSHALL.

Born in Ireland, Paterson moved to New Jersey at an early age, graduated from the College of New Jersey (Princeton), studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1768. Supporting the movement for independence, he soon became a prominent member of New Jersey's revolutionary generation and served in its provincial legislature. Paterson drafted the state's first constitution and became its first attorney general. During the 1780s he built up his legal practice by defending the interests of wealthy landowners and creditors. In the political battles of that decade he advocated the supremacy of the peace treaty of 1783 over state laws, opposed the emission of paper money, and supported the movement to create a strong central government.

In 1787 New Jersey selected Paterson as one of its delegates to the CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. Although he favored increasing the power of the national government, Paterson vigorously opposed the proposal of the VIRGINIA PLAN, as drafted by JAMES MADISON and presented by EDMUND RANDOLPH, that REPRESENTATION in both houses of the national legislature be apportioned according to population. Paterson feared this provision would give too much power to the larger states and place smaller states like New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware at a disadvantage. As an alternative he proposed the NEW JERSEY PLAN of government. Its principal feature was the continuance of the unicameral legislature of the ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION in which each state had only one vote. The plan also would have: provided the federal government with the power to levy imposts and regulate trade and collect funds from states that did not comply with federal requisitions; created a Supreme Court with broad powers; and made the laws and treaties of the United States the supreme law of the land, with the state judiciaries bound to obey them despite any contrary state laws. Should a state or individuals within a state refuse to obey the laws of Congress or its treaties, the federal government would have had the right to use force to compel obedience. In other words, the central issue separating the proponents of the New Jersey Plan from those who favored the Virginia Plan was representation, not nationalism. Although the convention rejected Paterson's proposal, the delegates from the small...