The Convention adopted strict secrecy as its rule, so that its proceedings were not known by the public nor was any satisfactory report of them kept and published.

At the time there was objection to this provision, and now, after more than a century and a third, we must regret that we can never know many points in regard to the actual give and take of discussion in this the most fateful of all assemblies.

But from Madison's memoranda and reminiscences we can infer a good deal as to what went on.
The wisdom of keeping the proceedings secret was fully justified.

The framers of the Constitution knew that it was to a large degree a new experiment, that it would be subjected to all kinds of criticism, but that it must be judged by its entirety and not by its parts; and that therefore it must be presented entire.

At the outset some of the members, foreseeing opposition, were for suggesting palliatives and for sugar-coating.