opportunity of paying some attention to, and giving a testimony of their approbation of, one of their own sons who had done them so much honor by his public conduct. And, as it has been my peculiar happiness to know, perhaps more than any of them, your usefulness in an important station, on that and some other accounts, there was none to whom it gave more satisfaction than to, sir,

"Your most obedient humble servant,

"Hon. JAMES MADISON.

J. WITHERSPOON."

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Convention of Massachusetts - Political Parties of that State - Prevailing Jealousy of Federal Power - Samuel Adams, Mr. Hancock, Nathan Dane - Letters of Mr. King and Mr. Gorham to Mr. Madison, describing Composition and Divisions of the Convention — Singular Social Contrasts exhibited in the Body - Their Influence on its Deliberations - Specimens of ultra-Democratic Jealousy and Doctrine Constitution ably and eloquently supported by Mr. Ames, Mr. Parsons, Governor Bowdoin, and Mr. King - Friends of the Constitution resort to the Expedient of Propositions of Subsequent Amendment — Ratification finally carried by small Majority - Convention of New Hampshire meets, and adjourns without coming to a Decision-Proceedings in Maryland - Constitution vigorously opposed there by Mr. Luther Martin and Mr. Samuel Chase — Unqualified Ratification voted by large Majority of her Convention

Convention called in South Carolina - Preliminary Discussions in the Legislature - Mr. Rawlins Lowndes, the Great Adversary of the Constitution there -Answer of Mr. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney to the Objections urged against vesting in Congress Unrestricted Power of regulating Commerce - Convention ratifies Constitution by large Majority, with Recommendatory Propositions of Subsequent Amendment Virginia, Great Battle-field of the Controversy on Adoption of the Constitution—Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, and Patrick Henry, Leaders of the Opposition to it -The late Governors, Nelson and Harrison, also opposed to it-Judge Pendleton unites with Washington, Madison, Wythe, and Blair, in Support of it- Activity and Zeal of the Opposition described by General Washington - Meeting of the Legislature - Its Sentiments at first favorable to the Constitution-Great Change effected by Personal Influence and Exertions of Mr. Henry and Colonel Mason- Conven

tion not to meet until June of the following Year- Mr. Henry commits the Legislature to the Policy of Amendments - Anecdote in a Letter of Mr. Monroe to Mr. Madison, showing Omnipotence of Mr. Henry's Influence in the Legislature - Letter from Mr. Madison to Mr. Jefferson, then in Paris, describing in detail the State of Parties and Public Opinion in Virginia relative to the Constitution Course of the three Great Leaders of the Opposition, Colonel Mason, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Henry - Letter of Rev. John B. Smith, President of Hampden Sidney College, giving an Account of Mr. Henry's Arguments and Exertions among the People - Position of Governor Randolph - Elections for the Convention - Solicitude of General Washington, that Mr. Madison should be a Member - Correspondence between them on the Subject — Earnest Applications to him from his County He is elected - General Result of the Elections leaves the Issue on the Constitution in some DoubtSecond Letter of Mr. Madison to Mr. Jefferson on the State of Parties in Virginia - Geographical Classification of the Sentiments of the Different Divisions of the State Mr. Monroe's Opinions Successive Phases of Mr. Jefferson's Opinions on the Adoption of the Constitution - Finally declares himself warmly for its Adoption - His Letters to Mr. Carmichael, General Washington, and Mr. Rutledge.

ON the 9th day of January, 1788, the convention of Massachusetts assembled in Boston to deliberate on the acceptance or rejection of the new Constitution. The rank which this State had long held in the councils of the Confederacy; her revolutionary fame; her importance in wealth and population; the influence which her example was likely to have on other States, particularly the two adjacent and doubtful States of New York and New Hampshire, - all these considerations conspired to attach a high degree of public interest and anxiety to her decision. At the same time,

very grave doubts hung over the issue of her deliberations.

Her public councils had habitually shown great jealousy of Federal power. One of her delegates to the late Federal Convention, Mr. Gerry, had refused his signature to the Constitution, and had since appealed to his constituents in a firm though temperate address, setting forth his objections to it. Another of her leading public men, Mr. Nathan Dane, had, as we have seen, met it with indications of decided hostility, on its first communication to Congress. Mr. Samuel Adams was believed to be opposed to it; Mr. Hancock, then Governor of the State, appeared lukewarm and doubting; and that large body of her population, infected or sympathizing with the spirit of the late civil commotions, was warmly arrayed against it. To breast these influences, stood, on the other hand, the bench, the bar, the clergy, the mercantile class, and the men of education and property generally, all, more or less, the objects of democratic jealousy.

The convention was a very numerous body, consisting of near four hundred members, and forming a most motley and grotesque association of the two extremes of the social scale. We cannot give the reader a better idea of the composition and features of this extraordinary assembly than by presenting to him a portrait of it drawn by one of its members, Mr. Rufus King, in a letter written to Mr. Madison on the 27th of

January, 1788, when it had been in session more than two weeks.

"We make," he said, "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 objections of their opponents. The opposition complain, that the lawyers, judges, clergymen, merchants, and men of education, are all in favor of the Constitution; and that, for this reason, they are able to make the worse

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, and be able to refute the defence set up in its favor.

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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 against the government, seems to have an uncontrollable 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, which is immovable, that some injury is plotted against them; that the system is the production of the rich and ambitious; that they discern its operation; that the consequence