RATIFICATION OF THE
CONSTITUTION BY THE STATES
Tihis third of five volumes on New York ratification
is divided into two approximately equal parts. The
lirst part (a continuation from New York Volume
2) contains the public and private debate over the
Constitution during the meeting of the New York
Convention from 17June through 26July 1788. Vir-
tually all of the serialized essays (both Federalist and
Antifederalist) that had previously filled New York's
newspapers, and that had been widely reprinted
throughout America, had been completed by this
time. With the completion of the election campaign
for delegates to the state Convention by late April,
newspapers and private correspondents speculated
on what the Antifederalist-dominated Convention
might do and tried to influence the delegates elect-
ed to the Convention.
Even before the New York Convention opened
in Poughkeepsie, Federalist and Antifederalist
leaders had planned their strategy. With more
than a two-to-one majority, Antifederalists were
confident and willing to debate at length, but they
were unwilling to adopt the Constitution without
prior amendments. Federalists sought to delay a
final vote on the Constitution, hoping for support
from other states.
Federalists in the New York Convention awaited
news from the New Hampshire and Virginia conven-
tions. The express systems arranged by Alexander
Hamilton and others to race the news of ratification
by New Hampshire and Virginia to Poughkeepsie
worked well. Although New Hampshire's ratification
provided the requisite nine states to implement the
(onstitution, New York Antifederalists continued to
oppose ratification without prior amendments un-
Iil word arrived that Virginia had also ratified. This
turn of events prompted a new Antifederalist strat-
igy. Massachusetts Antifederilists Nathan Dane and
Samuel Osgood (both based in New York City, the
Iormer a delegate to Congress and the latter a mem-
,er of the Confederation Board of Treasury) each
wrote pragmatic and persuasive letters to two of the
New York Convention's Antifederalist leaders-Mel-
,ncton Smith and Samuel Jones-explaining why
NewYork should ratify with recommendatory rather
than prior amendments.
New York Federalists used the Fourth ofJuly cel-
ebrations to demonstrate support for the Constitu-
tion, as illustrated by the celebrations in ten towns
and cities covered in this volume. The Albany cel-
chration, however, led to a bloody riot between
Federalists and Antifederalists. Federalists in New
'ork City also showed their overwhelming support
I or the Constitution by planning and staging a mas-
sive procession of the city's tradesmen and profes-
,ions. After several delays, the federal procession

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