1. DEBATE OVER CONSTITUTION

For my part, I am not personally acquainted with the Governor, or
with Col. Hamilton, and of course cannot be influenced by any undue
partiality to either, but I cannot help thinking that the former (even
admitting the assertions against him to be strictly true) has been very
ill used.
I must beg leave to ask Aristides the following questions:
1st. Why should the Governor, or any other man, in a free state, be
precluded from the privilege of speaking his sentiments in a matter of
general concern?
2d. Why should the Governor, or any other man, be reprobated for
differing in sentiment from a majority in Congress, or legislature of the
state?
It is foreign to my purpose, at this time, to enter into a particular
discussion, concerning the propriety of the appointment of the Con-
vention at Philadelphia; but was I fully persuaded that their appoint-
ment was ill judged, and that much evil instead of good would result
from their deliberations, I should conceive myself highly criminal in
not communicating my ideas, although they might differ from the pre-
vailing opinion.
The free citizens of this continent will never consent to have a con-
stitution crammed down their throats. They have an undoubted right
to examine before they accede, and to deny if they do not approve.
Although much is to be expected from the wisdom of the Convention
in forming the constitution worthy of being received; it is still to be
remembered, that the wisest men have often been guilty of very capital
errors, and that, "notwithstanding the various forms of government
hitherto recommended to the observance of men, very few are ren-
dered better. ["] If, therefore, our worthy Governor, or any other man,
conceives, that by attempting a cure, the malady will be increased, it
becomes his duty, as far as in him lies, to stem the tide of congressional,
legislatorial, or popular prejudice.
But the design of Aristides and his colleague, in thus endeavouring,
by unjust stigmas and innuendoes, to cast an odium on our Governor,
is too obvious to be concealed. I must tell him plainly, that his trick
wont take. The people are not so easily gulled. Let him forward his
squibs to a certain northern county, where they may be useful to his
friends at some future day; but here, and in other parts of the state,
where the people have too much wisdom and spirit to be imposed
upon, or browbeaten, they will only serve to bring the author, and his
connections, into contempt.
1. Reprinted: Hudson Weekly Gazette, 27 September. On 13 September the printer of
the New York Journal stated that "Anti-Defamationis" could not be inserted in that issue,

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