 The most contentious disputes revolved around the composition and election of the Senate , how " proportional representation " was to be defined ( whether to include slaves or other property ) , whether to divide the executive power between three persons or invest the power into a single president , how to elect the president , how long his term was to be and whether he could run for reelection , what offenses should be impeachable , the nature of a fugitive slave clause , whether to allow the abolition of the slave trade , and whether judges should be chosen by the legislature or executive . Most of the time during the Convention was spent on deciding these issues , while the powers of legislature , executive , and judiciary were not heavily disputed . Once the Convention began , the delegates first agreed on the principles of the Convention , then they agreed on Madison 's Virginia Plan and began to modify it . A Committee of Detail assembled during the July 4 recess and produced a rough draft . Most of this rough draft remained in place , and can be found in the final version of the constitution . After the final issues were resolved , the Committee on Style produced the final version , and it was voted on and sent to the states . 
