I.
THE DEBATE OVER THE
CONSTITUTION IN NEW YORK
21 July 1787-31 January 1788
Introduction
Public Commentaries on the Constitution
Between 17 September 1787 and 31 January 1788, ten newspapers
and a monthly magazine were printed in New York. Two newspapers
were dailies; three were semiweeklies; and four were weeklies. The tenth
newspaper, the New York Journal, was a weekly until 15 November, after
which it became a daily. Nine newspapers printed the new Constitution
between 21 September and 4 October. (The tenth newspaper, the Albany
Journal, did not begin publication until 26 January 1788.) By the end of
1787, the Constitution had also appeared in several pamphlet and broad-
side editions and in almanacs. (See "The Publication of the Constitution
in New York," 21 September 1787-June 1788, below.)
Newspapers reported on discontent, turmoil, and violence in Dela-
ware, Georgia, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Caro-
lina, and Virginia. Articles and squibs criticized the Rhode Island leg-
islature for its radical financial policies and its refusal to send delegates
to the Constitutional Convention. Items appeared regarding the navi-
gation of the Mississippi River and the dangers of Shays's Rebellion,
including the fate of Shaysite leaders. Newspapers printed reports of
or the proceedings of public meetings in other states recommending
the Constitution's ratification; the text of Congress' resolution of 28
September transmitting the Constitution to the states for their ratifi-
cation; the texts or reports of speeches by state executives forwarding
the Constitution to their state legislatures; squibs speculating about the
prospects of ratification in New York and other states; reports of or the
proceedings of the legislatures of every state on the calling of state
conventions to consider the Constitution; reports of the refusal of the
Rhode Island legislature to call a state convention; reports of the elec-
tions of delegates to state conventions; reports of instructions to state
convention delegates; reports of or the proceedings of state conven-
tions; reports of ratification by state conventions; and reports of cele-
brations of ratification. Numerous brief items appeared praising both
George Washington, the president of the Constitutional Convention,
and Benjamin Franklin, its elder statesman; while other items criticized

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