III. DEBATE OVER CONSTITUTION

Little Hamilton shines like a star of the first magnitude-Think how
great his Victory in our Convention when with only 19 Foederalists,
opposed to 46 most violent Anti's with Clinton, Yates, Lansing, Smith
& Jones at their head, after six or seven Weeks, he triumphed & gave
us the Constitution-
We have had here a decent & splendid procession for the ratification
of the Constitution by 9 States-Such was the Ardor of our fellow Cit-
izens on this account, that they could not be restrained, till our State
had come in-I send you four news papers containing but a lame acct.
of it, tho' the best we could get-These please to distribute among
your friends, as they may furnish some Amusement. ...
1. RC, Sargent Papers, MHi.
2. On locating the federal capital, see "Confederation Congress Makes Provision to
Put the New Government Under the Constitution into Operation," 2 July-13 September
(above).
3. See "The New York City Federal Procession," 23 July, especially the "Description of
the New York City Federal Procession," Daily Advertiser, 2 August (Appendix I). Platt was
chairman of the committee of arrangements.
John Brown Cutting to Thomas Jefferson
London, 22 August 1788 (excerpt)'
. .. There are letters in town from New York of the 6th of July. Most
of those whose written opinions have been communicated to me con-
cur in believing that a majority in the Convention of that State will
refuse their assent to the new Constitution; notwithstanding the deci-
sion of Virginia has been announced to them: It seems however that
they were not in haste to decide ultimately-as the debates thereafter
continued. Congress as soon as the ratification of the ninth state
reached them officially took order for the immediate issue of precepts
to organize the national government2-This is written from Mr Contee,
Delegate for Maryland to his brother here-dated July 2d. He adds,
"the accession of Virginia it is thought will induce a reluctant vote for
ratification on the part of New York." . . .
1. RC, Jefferson Papers, DLC. Printed: Boyd, XIII, 535-36. Cutting (c. 1755-1831),
apothecary of the Hospital Eastern Department and the Middle Department during the
Revolution, studied law with John Lowell of Boston in 1783 and was in England to com-
plete his legal studies. In September 1787 Cutting went to France and was given letters
of introduction to Jefferson from John Adams, the painter John Trumbull, and Adams's
son-in-law William Stephens Smith, all of whom recommended Cutting highly. Smith
described him as "remarkably well informed" (Boyd, XII, 124, 138, 145-46). When Cut-
ting returned to England, he often wrote to Jefferson commenting on American politics.
2. See "Confederation Congress Makes Provision to Put the New Government Under
the Constitution into Operation," 2 July-13 September (above).

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