COMMENTARIES, 28 SEPTEMBER 1787

that the influence of a powerful few, or the exercise of a standing army,
will always be directed and exerted for your welfare alone, and not to
the agrandizement of themselves, and that it will secure to you and
your posterity happiness at home, and national dignity and respect
from abroad, adopt it-if it will not, reject it with indignation-better
to be where you are, for the present, than insecure forever afterwards.
Turn your eyes to the United Netherlands, at this moment, and view
their situation; compare it with what yours may be, under a government
substantially similar to theirs.2
Beware of those who wish to influence your passions, and to make
you dupes to their resentments and little interests-personal invectives
can never persuade, but they always fix prejudices which candor might
have removed-those who deal in them have not your happiness at
heart. Attach yourselves to measures, not to men.
This form of government is handed to you by the recommendations
of a man who merits the confidence of the public;3 but you ought to
recollect, that the wisest and best of men may err, and their errors, if
adopted, may be fatal to the community; therefore, in principles of
politics, as well as in religious faith, every man ought to think for him-
self.
Hereafter, when it will be necessary, I shall make such observations,
on this new constitution, as will tend to promote your welfare, and be
justified by reason and truth.
Sept. 26, 1787.
1. Reprinted: Philadelphia Freeman's journal and Philadelphia Independent Gazetteer, 3
October; Albany Gazette, 4 October; Boston American Herald, 8 October; Pittsburgh Gazette,
10 November. The Philadelphia Freeman's journal inserted the heading " To the People of
America" in place of " To the CITIZENS of the STATE of NEW-YORK," even though it indicated
it was reprinting the article from the New York Journal.
2. For the political situation in The Netherlands, see RCS:Va., 1088n-89n. "A By-
Stander," Philadelphia Independent Gazetteer, 9 October, criticized "Cato" for comparing
the Constitution to the constitution of The Netherlands (Mfm:Pa. 116).
3. The reference is to George Washington, who as President of the Constitutional
Convention, sent the Constitution to the President of Congress on 17 September (Ap-
pendix III, below). "Caesar" I, Daily Advertiser, 1 October, attacked "Cato" for criticizing
Washington (below).
Elias Boudinot to William Bradford, Jr.
Elizabethtown, N.J., 28 September 1787 (excerpt)'
... P.S. I forget to mention that from the best accounts I can get from
New York, the Governor seems rather to be laying by and not decisive,
waiting to see how the wind will blow-The People of Character & Prop-
erty are universally for the Constitution of the Convention. . ..

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