University of Virginia Library

TO THOMAS JEFFERSON.

Being just acquainted by letter from President
Griffin that Mr. Paradise is in N. York and proposes
to sail on the first packet for France I drop you a
few lines which will go by that conveyance if they
arrive at N. York in time; which however I do not
much expect.

The proposed Constitution still engrosses the public
attention. The elections for the Convention here
are but just over and promulged. From the returns
(excepting those from Kentucky which are
not yet known,) it seems probable, though not absolutely
certain that a majority of the members
elect are friends to the Constitution. The superiority
of abilities at least seems to lie on that side. The
characters of most note which occur to me, are
marshalled thus. For the Constitution, Pendleton,
Wythe Blair, Innes, Marshal, Docr. W. Jones, G.
Nicholas, Wilson Nicholas, Gabl. Jones, Thos. Lewis,

F. Corbin, Ralph Wormley Jr., White of Frederick,
Genl. Gates, Genl. A. Stephens, Archd. Stuart, Zachy.
Johnson, Docr Stuart Parson Andrews, H. Lee Jr.,
Bushrod Washington, considered as a young gentleman
of talents: Agst the Constitution, Mr. Henry,
Mason, Harrison, Grayson, Tyler, M. Smith, W.
Ronald, Lawson, Bland, Wm. Cabell, Dawson.

The Governor is so temperate in his opposition
and goes so far with the friends of the Constitution
that he cannot properly be classed with its enemies.
Monroe is considered by some as an enemy; but I
believe him to be a friend though a cool one.[61] There
are other individuals of weight whose opinions are
unknown to me. R. H. Lee is not elected. His
brother, F. L. Lee is a warm friend to the Constitution,
as I am told, but also is not elected. So are
Jno. & Man Page.

The adversaries take very different grounds of opposition.
Some are opposed to the substance of the
plan; others, to particular modifications only. Mr.
H—y is supposed to aim at disunion. Col. M—n
is growing every day more bitter, and outrageous in
his efforts to carry his point; and will probably in the
end be thrown by the violence of his passions into
the politics of Mr. H—y. The preliminary question
will be whether previous alterations shall be
insisted on or not? Should this be carried in the
affirmative, either a conditional ratification, or a
proposal for a new Convention will ensue. In either
event, I think the Constitution and the Union will

be both endangered. It is not to be expected that
the States which have ratified will reconsider their
determinations, and submit to the alterations prescribed
by Virga.. And if a second Convention should
be formed, it is as little to be expected that the same
spirit of compromise will prevail in it as produced an
amicable result to the first. It will be easy also for
those who have latent views of disunion, to carry
them on under the mask of contending for alterations
popular in some but inadmissible in other parts
of the U. States.

The real sense of the people of this State cannot be
easily ascertained. They are certainly attached and
with warmth to a continuance of the Union; and I
believe a large majority of the most intelligent and
independent, are equally so to the plan under consideration.
On a geographical view of them, almost
all the Counties in the N. Neck have elected federal
Deputies. The Counties on the South side of James
River have pretty generally elected adversaries to
the Constitution. The intermediate district is much
chequered in this respect. The Counties between
the blue ridge & the Alleghany have chosen friends
to the Constitution without a single exception.
Those Westward of the latter have as I am informed,
generally though not universally pursued the same
rule. Kentucky it is supposed will be divided.

Having been in Virga. but a few weeks, I can give
you little account of other matters, and none of your
private affairs or connections, particularly of your two
nephews. The Winter here as everywhere else in the

U. S., was very severe, which, added to short crops
of corn, threatened a great scarcity & a high price.
It is found however that neither of these evils has
taken place. Corn may be purchased for 2 dollars,
and even IOS. per barrel. Tobacco is as low at
Fredg. as I8S. Per Ct., and not higher at Richmond
than 22 or 23S. There is at present a very promising
spring especially in the article of fruit. The night
before last was so cold as to produce an alarm for
the vegetation of all sorts; but it does not appear
that anything less vulnerable than young cucumbers
had been injured.

I shall ask the favor of Mr. Griffin to send you by
Mr. Paradise, or if he should be gone by some other
hand, the Debates of the Conventions in Penna. &
Massachusetts, and any other publications worth
your reading.