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“Yes, around the margins there was much debate, especially over questions of how, logically, “property” could be counted as “people”, and ending with the notorious 3/5 rule.”

Now Brother Joe, I don't want to upset you, but check my history.

If I recall, the South wanted “all other persons” to be counted as whole people for the purpose of political representation in Washington, but the northern states didn't want to count these human beings at all; or as one-half a human. These northern states were so, so ... well notorious, to use your word.

But I guess the 3/5 compromise was pretty cozy for the northern states (and the southern states too).

I can't understand how the northern states could do this (shaking my head). We need to take down the state flags of the notorious northern states. Every time I see the flags of one of the northern states I'm reminded of the 3/5th compromise and slavery.

Just a random shot across the bow from the peanut gallery:

It behooves me that a grown man of today, 150 years after the Civil War ended, cannot bring himself to capitalize the letter "n" when referring to the North. It is as if "North", spelled with a capital, is your n-word. Please try it just once. Even if it is to argue that the North defended slavery. But to continually discuss the Civil War and refuse to capitalize the "n" in North is a stumbling block to you ever being able to successfully argue any point.

I know that you can type a capital letter "N". I have seen them in your comments.

jeffersondem: "If I recall, the South wanted 'all other persons' to be counted as whole people for the purpose of political representation in Washington, but the northern states didn't want to count these human beings at all; or as one-half a human.
These northern states were so, so ... well notorious, to use your word."

Northern states counted their free blacks as 100% persons, and in some states they voted.
But slaves were defined as "property", and so Northerners responded that if slave-holders could count their "property" as people, then Northerners should be able to count their livestock as people too.

They objected to the idea that a Southerner with 100 slaves would have the same representation as 100 free men, white or black.

So, they compromised & split the difference -- 3/5.
Still, it had the effect the Southerners intended, beginning in 1800 when Thomas Jefferson was ultimately elected by those 3/5 slaves increasing Southern representation in the House of Representatives.

And it continued to give the South domination in the electoral college, and in Congress all the way up until the election of 1860.