University of Virginia Library

TO EDMUND RANDOLPH.

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

We have not more than two or three states attending.
It is altogether conjectural when the deficiency
of a quorum will be made up.

No recent indications of the views of the States as
to the Constitution have come to my knowledge. The
elections in Connecticut are over and, as far as the
returns are known, a large majority are friendly to
it. Doctr. Johnson says, it will be pretty certainly
adopted, but there will be opposition. The power of
taxing anything but imports appears to be the most
popular topic among the adversaries. The Convention
of Pennsylvania is sitting. The result there will
not reach you first through my hands. The divisions
on preparatory questions, as they are published
in the newspapers, show that the party in
favor of the Constitution have 44 or 45 vs. 22 or 24
or thereabouts.

The enclosed paper contains two numbers of the
Federalist. This paper was begun about three weeks
ago, and proposes to go through that subject. I
have not been able to collect all the numbers, since
my return from Philada, or I would have sent them
to you. I have been the less anxious as I understand
the printer means to make a pamphlet of
them, when I can give them to you in a more convenient

form. You will probably discover marks of
different pens. I am not at liberty to give you any
other key, than that I am in myself for a few numbers
& that one besides myself was a member of the
Convention.

I wish you all happiness and remain my dear sir