The writings of James Madison, comprising his public papers and his private correspondence, including numerous letters and documents now for the first time printed. |
TO GEORGE WASHINGTON. |
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 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
TO GEORGE WASHINGTON.
Another mail has arrived from Boston without
terminating the conflict between our hopes and
fears. I have a letter from Mr. King, of the 27
which after dilating somewhat on the ideas in his
former letters, concludes with the following paragraph[47]
:
"We have avoided every question which
would have shewn the division of the House. Of
consequence we are not positive of the numbers on
each side. By the last calculation we made on our
side, we were doubtful whether we exceeded them
or they us in numbers. They however say that they
by no means despair." Another letter of the same
date from another member gives the following picture[48] :
"Never was there an Assembly in this State
in possession of greater ability & information than
the present Convention. Yet I am in doubt whether
they will approve the Constitution. There are unhappily
three parties opposed to it—1. all men who
are in favor of paper money & tender laws; those are
more or less in every part of the State: 2. all the
late insurgents & their abettors.—In the three great
western Counties they are very numerous. We have
in the Convention 18 or 20 who were actually in
Shays' army;—3. A great majority of the members
from the province of Main. Many of them & their
Constitutents are only squatters on other people's
land, and they are afraid of being brought to account
—they also think though erroneously that
their favorite plan, of being a separate State will be
defeated. Add to these the honest doubting people,
and they make a powerful host. The leaders of this
from the province of Main. A Docr. Taylor, from the
County of Worster & Mr. Bishop from the neighbourhood
of R. Island. To manage the cause agst. them
are the present and late Govr., 3 Judges of the supreme
Court. 15 members of the Senate; 20 from
among the most respectable of the Clergy, 10 or 12
of the first characters at the bar, Judges of probate,
High sheriffs of Counties & many other respectable
people Merchants &c. Genls. Heath, Lincoln, Brooks,
& others of the late army. With all this ability in
support of the cause, I am pretty well satisfied we
shall lose the question, unless we can take off some
of the Opposition by amendments. I do not mean
such as are to be made conditions of the ratification,
but recommendations only. Upon this plan I
flatter myself we may possibly get a majority of 12
or 15, if not more."
The Legislature of this State has voted a Convention
on June 17.
The preceding portion of King's letter is as follows:
"We make but slow progress in our convention, the Friends of the
constitution who in addition to their own weight, are respectable as
they represent a very large proportion of the Good sense and Property
of this state, have the Task not only of answering, but also of stating
and bringing forward, the objection of their Opponents—The opposition
complain that the Lawyers, Judges, Clergymen, Merchants and
men of Education are all in Favor of the constitution, & that for this
reason they appear to be able to make the worst, appear the better
cause—But say they if we had men of this Description on our side we
should alarm the People with the Imperfections of the constitution,
& be able to refute the Defense set up in its favor—Notwithstanding
the superiority of Talents in favor of the constitution yet the same
infatuation, which prevailed not many months since in several counties
of this state, and which emboldened them to take arms agt the Government
seems to have an uncontroulable authority over a numerous
part of our Convention—their objections are not directed against any
part of the constitution, but their opposition seems to arise from an
opinion, that is immoveable, that some injury is plotted against them,
that the system is the production of the Rich, and ambitious; that
they discern its operation, and that the consequence will be, the establishment
of two orders in the Society, one comprehending the opulent
& Great, the other the poor and illiterate—
"The extraordinary union in favor of the constitution in this state,
of the wealthy and sensible part of it is a confirmation of their Opinions
and every Exertion hitherto made to eradicate it has been in
vain."—Mad. MSS.
| The writings of James Madison, | |