COMMENTARIES, 1 JULY 1788

that Virginia and NH both would Adopt: and that they Were Deter-
mined that they Would not Adopt Without Previous Amendments)
The federalists notwithstanding had hopes that the News from N
Hamshire Would have Struck a damp on the Spirits if not thrown the
Majority on the federal Side-but Mr Euger (the Member from South
Carolina)5 Informs that he was at Pogkepse When the News arrived
And that it made no impression on the Convention at all-So that they
recur to their old hopes to git the Members Devided or to an Adjor-
ment
They seem to be Confident that the Anties Will not agree among
themselves-Coll Lewis6 told me that he knew of two principal Mem-
bers that were of opinion that they by the Resolution of the Legislator
of last february had no other powers but to Adopt or Reject-I tell
him the federal Gentlemen had the Most Extraordinary talents of Swal-
lowing Cammels themselves7 And Recomm [endin]g Others to Stick at
nets-
I belive however that the Chief expectation is to git an Adjornment
by which they Will have a farther Opportunity to shew their dexterity
at Managment in [-- -] --- -] probably 10 States With The Mem-
bers as Well as in the papers-for upon During the Adjornment of the
Convention the State would be in one Continual Convulsion Willet told
me to day that Brockolts Livingston Esqr had asked him to Subscribe
to the expences of a federal Ship to be used in a procession the 4
July. . . .
1. FC, Yates Papers, NN. Because of internal evidence, this undated draft has been
placed under 1 July. Yates struck a jagged vertical line through the letter's first three
paragraphs, the first of which also included a marginal note. The text of the marginal
note is within angle brackets. For the complete letter, see Smith, Letters, XXV, 203-4.
2. No such Yates letter to Clinton has been found. See Yates to Abraham G. Lansing,
25 June, for a letter perhaps similar to the letter to Clinton.
3. Possibly De Witt Clinton, the governor's nephew and secretary, who was attending
the Convention debates as an observer or John De Witt, one of Dutchess County's dele-
gates to the New York Convention, of which Governor Clinton was also a delegate.
4. Ezra L'Hommedieu, a state senator, lived in Southold, Suffolk County. Dr. Thomas
Tillotson, a state assemblyman, was a resident of Rhinebeck, Dutchess County.
5. Daniel Huger, a South Carolina planter, represented that state in the Confederation
Congress, 1786-88, and the U.S. House of Representatives, 1789-93.
6. Colonel Morgan Lewis, a New York lawyer and a clerk in chancery, was Chancellor
Robert R. Livingston's brother-in-law.
7. Matthew 23:24.
8. Marinus Willett was a prominent Antifederalist. The "federal Ship" which would
eventually be part of the 23 July procession was named Hamilton in honor of Alexander
Hamilton. (See "The Federal Ship Hamilton," 8-24 July, Appendix I.)

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