IV. CONVENTION ELECTIONS

and give your vote in its favor-This I remarked, was my opinion of all
Sensible, candid and Good Men when the wisdom, Importance, and
Necessity of the plan should be Clearly [e]xplained. But I never told
Mr Gaasbeek that you was a foederal man or that you had in Conver-
sation with me in your house, or else where, or ever expressed your
Self to that [aspect?] -
My Uncle and Father, together with Mr DeWaal were present, When
Mr Van Gaasbeek and I had the Conversation above mentioned; and I
have neither before nor Since that time, spoken to him on the Same
Subject. I refer you to the above Gentlemen for a Confirmation of what
I have wrote you-
1. Copy, Van Gaasbeek Papers, NKiSH. This item is docketed, "Copy of A Letter/taken
from the/original-sent/to John Addison/byJno. C. Wynkoop/Apl. 7-1788." This copy
was probably obtained from Adrian Wynkoop who received a copy from John C. Wyn-
koop. On 3 May the latter wrote Van Gaasbeek suggesting that he contact Adrian Wyn-
koop, who had previously been instructed to let Van Gaasbeek see the copy of the letter
to Addison, but that Van Gaasbeek should not be allowed to copy it. SeeJohn C. Wynkoop
to Peter Van Gaasbeek, 3 May (below).
For another version of the conversation mentioned in this letter, see Peter Van Gaas-
beek to John C. Wynkoop, 17 April (below). Wynkoop was an attorney.
2. William DeWaal of Kingston.
A Dutchess County Anti-Federalist
Poughkeepsie Country Journal, 8 April 17881
To the Antifederalists of Ulster County.
Among the many privileges secured to us by the Constitution of this
State, that of personally voting our representatives in Legislature, is one
of the most essential. Your inattention to the exercise of this right, for
several elections past, fills me with serious apprehensions of the same
supineness of conduct in the ensuing. 'Tis not uncommon to hear
many people censure the conduct of the Legislature for acts which they
have passed, complain of the weight of taxes and the inequality of
county quotas, while these very people have not stirred to give a single
vote for a representative, though within one mile, perhaps one hundred
yards of the place of election. To such a man, the non-exercise of the
right of election is the same as its non-existence. Ought the man who
voluntarily suspends his right of electing his representatives to find fault
with a body of men in whose appointment he neglected to have any
agency? He who does not vote ought not to complain.
This year every freeman above the age of twenty-one, is called upon
to vote delegates to form a state-convention for the adoption of a Fed-
eral Constitution.2 'Tis by the fiat of the people alone, that this consti-
tution can start into existence. They must breathe into it the breath of

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