Article 1, Section 3, Paragraph 2
Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies*.
Assembled in Consequence
Meeting in consequence controls agendas.
The Senate was to meet in “consequence.” This was a guide to the purpose of the Senate.
When certain things happen, the Senate was to meet as a result to organize a response and decide appropriate action.
It was thought that there would not be an occasion to meet regularly. Important matters could be decided quickly in this group.
This would keep meetings to a minimum allowing Senators to earn their own living. It would also control the agenda to include only those things that are necessary. Having an open ended agenda provides an opportunity for people to clutter it with all manner of worthless time consuming clutter. It also opens the door for needless lawmaking.
A large concern was for the allowance of the Senators to continue their business endeavors with comparatively very little interruption. There would normally be many months the Senators would not need to meet. At other times, some Senators may find attendance was irrelevant.
When called to assemble based on a particular reason, Senators could make their first vote on the issue by their attendance or lack thereof. A lack of quorum would indicate the issue was not worth the Senate’s time or expense.
This Country was to be a land of few laws and regulations. A rarely convening Senate would help insure that Federal laws remained simple and few.
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