COMMENTARIES, 19 JULY 1788

1. This editorial statement was not the first time that Thomas Greenleaf insisted that
his New York Journal was open to all parties. See RCS:N.Y, Vol. 1, pp. Ivii-lxi; and New
York Journal, 19 May, RCS:N.Y, 1105.
New York Journal, 17 July 17881
The states are now fully represented in Congress.
When the debates came on in that hon. body, for fixing the seat of
the federal government, last week, it was resolved, That the final decision
respecting it be postponed until after the result of the debates at
Poughkeepsie be known. The account of this postponement was im-
mediately sent off to Poughkeepsie, which, says a writer from that place,
had rather a bad tendency.2
1. Reprinted in three Connecticut newspapers between 21 and 24 July. For Congress
and the location of the federal capital, the subject of this item, see "Confederation Con-
gress Makes Provision to Put the New Government Under the Constitution into Opera-
tion," 2 July-13 September (above).
2. On 14 July the New York Morning Post published an extract of an 11 July letter from
Poughkeepsie which stated, in part: "We received by express, the account of the post-
ponement in Congress for fixing the seat of federal government, in order to have an
opportunity of establishing it at New-York-but it had rather a bad tendency; for they
[the opponents of the Constitution] treated it as a feint-One of their shrewd ones
ridiculed the idea, and asked whether a Spider did not always put himself in the middle
of his Web" (VI, below).
Theodore Sedgwick to Governor John Hancock
Stockbridge, Mass., 18 July 1788 (excerpt)'
... A spirit of keen animosity prevails in the convention of N York, A
very great majority is doubtless antifederal. yet it is my opinion the con-
stitution will not at the present session be either ratified or rejected. The
leading characters have artfully so inflamed the people that an adoption
would at present be dangerous. The popular passions must first subside.
nor do I believe they possess sufficient hardihood to reject. It is therefore
probable that an adjournment will be the present result.-
1. RC, Sedgwick Papers, NHi. Hancock (1737-1793), a Boston merchant, was a Mas-
sachusetts delegate to Congress, 1775-78, serving as president from 24 May 1775 to 29
October 1777. He signed the Declaration of Independence. Hancock was governor of
Massachusetts, 1780-85, 1787-93. He was president of the Massachusetts Convention,
where he proposed recommendatory amendments to the Constitution and voted to ratify
the Constitution in February 1788.
Seth Johnson to Andrew Craigie
New York, 19 July 1788 (excerpt)'
. .. By accounts from  our Convention, it is probable they will adopt
the new constitution. this manner is proposed. that the state will ratify

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