The current Virginia government under the Confederation did not meet the required standards therefore there was a need to do something to cure the situation. So, plans were recruited for a new national government, which was during convention been represented. Republic of Virginia had a plan that specified that the states should have representation in the regime by definite number of representatives for population. This makes Virginia to have most populous state at the time with more congress representatives (Cunningham, 2000).
Alternatively, the New Jersey Plan recommended that the congress should be embodied by two representatives for each state. However, both plans included things to improve the states. Contrary, Virginia plan was to have a firm and strong National government that would enforce, amend laws as well as collecting taxes. It elaborated that the people would be ruled by two governments that are the national and the state. While in the New Jersey Plan there was equal house of congress (McAlester, Virginia, McAlester, and Alex, 1994).
In structural branches of government there were three branches that are legislative, judicial and executive which is similarly in the Virginia Plan. Though, in New Jersey Plan legislature was to appoint representatives to serve in the executive branch. While the executive branch was to selects the justices of the Supreme Court. Again, the Virginia Plan had three major bodies that constitute in it divisions. These include legislative, a division which was more powerful since it chooses representatives to serve both judicial and executive branches.
The two plans had differences in number of houses in the Congress. The New Jersey plan, in its legislature there was one house also referred as unicameral. Each state would be represented equally therefore all the states experienced same and equal power. While in the Virginia plan the legislature had two houses therefore referred as bicameral. The representatives’ house was elected by the people while the senate was voted by the state legislatures. In both houses there was equal and proportional representations (Cunningham, 2000). Selected executive council serves for one four year term.
There were transformations in congressional representation since terms of office were unspecified. However the popularly elected members of the legislative chamber and executive could not be selected for an undecided time thereafter. The legislative subdivision would have the power to deny and correct state laws if they were thought to be unsuited with the articles of union. The idea of balances and checks was embodied in a provision that legislative acts could be vetoed by a council composed of the executive and selected members of the judicial branch; their veto could be overridden by an unspecified legislative majority (McAlester, Virginia, McAlester, and Alex, 1994).
Additionally, the New Jersey plan elected federal executive could not be re-elected thus they were recalled by the congress when only requested by the majority of executives of the answerable states. Congress could also force states to obey federal laws due to the power it had over the Articles. This two plans brought up a comprise since small states feared that larger states would have advantages over them therefore dominate them under the Virginia Plan
Since senates were voted on the basis of equal representation, the small states would have few representatives proportional to their areas, while the large states get control of the house as per it proportional to it representatives. Here tyranny of number rules. Also in creation of laws on taxation and the way fund will be spent the larger states become more influential than small states. Congress had more additional power of setting and collecting taxes. The two plans brought compromise on slavery in the states. In United States, the founding father who participated in amendment of the constitution opposed slavery. However, Constitutional convention had discovered that agricultural plantations depend on slavery as it is in history of slavery.
Under the New Jersey plan, national government and its laws were supreme over state laws. On the other hand, Virginia plan legislature can override federal laws while in New Jersey plan government can force agreement to national laws. In state laws the great compromise was national supremacy (Cunningham, 2000). The executive subdivision has varied in both plans, for instance in Virginia Plan the size is undetermined since representatives are voted but only removable by the congress. While in New Jersey plan there is more than one person to represent the state, however removable by majority.
Judicial branch is composed in a way that, in Virginia plan judiciary is capable to vote legislation in council of revision. Consequently it becomes life tenure. While in New Jersey plan judiciary had no power over all states. In conclusion New Jersey had control over justices since Supreme Court is selected by executive branches. While in Virginia plan the legislative choose people to serve in the judicial subdivision. New Jersey delivers more power to the new federal government since it empower national legislature. National legislature nominates the national executive and creates the national judiciary therefore New Jersey become more powerful in the new federal government (McAlester, Virginia, McAlester, and Alex, 1994).
Works Cited
Cunningham, Noble E. Jefferson vs. Hamilton: Confrontations That Shaped a Nation. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. Print.
McAlester, Virginia, A L. McAlester, and Alex McLean. Great American Houses and Their Architectural Styles. New York: Abbeville Press, 1994. Print.
