The Federalist Legacy: The Ratification of the Constitution

8/12/2019 The Federalist Legacy: The Ratification of the Constitution

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The New Federalist June 30, 1988 Pages 5 & 8

American Almanac

The Federalist Legacy: A Bicentennial Remembrance

of The Ratification of the Constitution

by Sanford Roberts

A giant float featuring a ship named theHamilton was the centerpiece of a

Federalist-organied parade through !anhattan on "uly #$% &'((% to cele-brate the ratification of the Constitution by the re)uired nine states* Three

days later% +ew ,or leaders% meeting in .ougheepsie% also ratified the

founding document of /*S* national go0ernment*

June 1988 marks the tw hundredth anni!ersar" # the rati#icatin # the

$%% 'nstitutin% (ast "ear)s *icentennial cele+ratin ailed the dra#ting #


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the dcument, +ut the +itterest, and mre liticall" r#und, +attle +rke

ut !er the -uestin # whether the "ung $nited tates wuld actuall"

adt the 'nstitutin as its +asis #r g!ernment%

The drama # the #inal cn#rntatin, which ccurred in June 1.88, was

catured +" /erge ashingtn in his a" 28, 1.88 letter t the ar-uis de(a#a"ette 4The lt thickens #ast% A #ew shrt weeks will determine the

litical #ate # America #r the resent generatin and r+a+l" rduce n

small in#luence n the hainess # ages t cme% huld e!er"thing r

ceed with harmn" and cnsent accrding t ur actual wishes and e6ec

tatins7 will cn#ess t "u sincerel", m" dear ar-uis7 it will +e s much

+e"nd an" thing we had a right t imagine r e6ect eighteen mnths ag,

that it will demnstrate as !isi+l" the #inger # Pr!idence as an" ssi+le

e!ent in the curse # human a##airs can e!er designate it%4

er" #ew Americans #ull" areciate that the 'nstitutin was nt uni!ersal

l" acclaimed when the Philadelhia 'n!entin made it u+lic in etem+er

1.8.% Althugh there were n /allu llsters at the time, the e!idence

suggests that nents # the rsed lan were numericall" e-ual, i# nt

suerir, t its ad!cates% The 'nstitutin +ecame the law # the land

+ecause # the litical will, leadershi, and rgani:atin # a small num+er

# Federalists wh, 200 "ears ag, triumhed !er the enemies # the

'nstitutin%

The Federalist e6amle ser!es t remind us that the 'nstitutin is ntsmething t +e taken #r granted, then r nw% Althugh the 'nstitutin

#stered the de!elment # a reu+lican natinstate unaralleled in human

histr", there are thse wh urge the cn!ening # anther cn!entin t

radicall" re!ise the dcument r t scra it altgether% There are thers,

rinciall" centered in the ;eartment # Justice tda", wh a" hmage t

the 'nstitutin while imlementing a lice state t relace it% The +reed

ing grund #r these assaults n the 'nstitutin, +th !ert and c!ert, is

the #ear, aath", and c"nicism # ur #ellw citi:ens%

Americans must understand nce again that the li#e # a reu+lic is nl"sustained +" the minds and hearts # its citi:ens% n this electin "ear, when

American litics has descended int an a+"ss # ettiness and stuidit", we

retell the str" # the #inal +attle #r the $%% 'nstitutin in hes that

Americans ha!e nt "et lst the a+ilit" t understand, resect, and there#re

emulate, the Prmethean e##rts ur #re#athers made t gi!es us #reedm

under the law%


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The Crises Confronting The Founding Fathers

The 'nstitutin relaced the Articles # 'n#ederatin s"stem, a


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Federalist Leaders

Ale1ander 2amilton 3eorge 4ashingtonAuthor of The Federalist 5rganied a military

fight for the Constitution

"ames !adison Ben6amin Franlin

4ashington7s Chief of Staff Father of the Constitution

Franklin imlred the delegates n the #inal da" # the Philadelhia 'n!en

tin t swallw an" ersnal di##erences the" ma" ha!e had with ne art #

the dcument r anther, and clse ranks arund the cmsitin as a whle%

>e understd that the rati#icatin #ight which la" ahead wuld re-uire as

much unanimit" amng the delegates as culd +e mustered%


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The clsing r!isin # the 'nstitutin mandated that 4the @ati#icatin #

the 'n!entins # nine tates, shall +e su##icient #r the sta+lishment #

this 'nstitutin +etween the tates s rati#"ing the same%4 This ninestate

threshld was nt met until New >amshire ga!e its assent n June 21,

1.88% !en the rati#icatin +" New >amshire was insu##icient t cmlete

l" esta+lish the authrit" # the 'nstitutin, since the #irst nine states did

nt include irginia and New Brk, tw states whse cn!entins were in

rgress when the #inal !te ccurred in New >amshire% A $nin withut

irginia and New Brk, tw # the #ledgling reu+lic)s largest and mst

cmmerciall" rserus states, was incncei!a+le%

The resistance t the $%% 'nstitutin arse well +e#re the instrument was

ut in #inal #rm and ##iciall" signed% e!eral delegates t the 'nstitutin

al 'n!entin le#t the rceedings e6ressing their disagreements with the

general lan +eing hammered ut in Philadelhia% Three delegates, irginia)s dmund @andlh and /erge asn, alng with l+ridge /err" #

assachusetts, remained until the #inal da" when the" re#used t amiltn rgani:ed the mst am+itius and enduring r


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authred +" >amiltn, his #ellw New Brker Jhn Ja", and James adisn

# irginia, was nt an i!r" twer anal"sis, +ut a lemical e6sitin n

reu+licanism and cnstitutinal g!ernment designed t cunter the h"er

+le, misreresentatin, and utright #alsehds circulated +" the si

tin% As >amiltn cncei!ed it, each aer wuld +e cntemraneusl"

u+lished in the ress, and then the entire cmilatin wuld +e searatel"

circulated t ensure the widest ssi+le reading # the material% n this

regard, the New Brker relied un the lgistical sueririt" # the Federal

ists) #rces, a ractical realit" which re#lected a critical hilshical

di##erence +etween the tw cams%

Althugh much has +een written a+ut the di##erences +etween the Federal

ists and their nents, ne !erwhelmingl" imrtant di##erence was the

AntiFederalist cred that the $nited tates culd nt +e g!erned as a

reu+lican natinstate% nMen of Little Faith, the histrian 'ecilia Cen"nwrte, 4The #undamental issue !er which the Federalists and AntiFederal

ists slit was the -uestin # whether reu+lican g!ernment culd +e

e6tended t em+race a natin, r whether it must +e limited t the cmara

ti!el" small litical and gegrahical units which the searate American

states then cnstituted%4 The AntiFederalists, ad!cates # a smallis

+eauti#ul hilsh", +elie!ed that a reu+lican g!ernment culd nl"

sur!i!e n a limited e6anse # territr", such as the /reek cit"state #

anti-uit"% Accrding t ne AntiFederalist, tr"ing t rule the whle $nited

tates +" a single reu+lican g!ernment was like 4tr"ing t rule >ell +"

ra"er%4

The Federalists, men # larger !isin, knew, as >amiltn, ashingtn, and

Franklin did, that the $nited tates culd +ecme a highl" integrated and

rserus cmmercial reu+lic under the rule # a strng and energetic

central g!ernment% n the ninthFederalistaer, >amiltn shwed his

cntemt #r the smallis+eauti#ul idelg" which he redicted wuld lead

ine6ra+l" t 4an in#init" # little


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critical ints in the +attles !er rati#icatin, the AntiFederalists su##ered

#rm a de+ilitating lack # chesin amng their #rces, as well as a nagging

lack # intelligence n +reaking e!ents%

The Federalists arached the cntest !er rati#icatin like a militar"

camaign% As ne +igraher # /erge ashingtn wrte, 4ashingtncunted the #es # the 'nstitutin and, as in war da"s, did nt under

estimate the strength # his nents% % % % The /eneral reared #r the

cntest, with adisn in sme sense his 'hie# # ta##, and he mustered his

wn arguments and resurces%4

The arenas # cn#lict were the cn!entin halls # Pughkeesie and @ich

mnd, rather than the +attle#ields # aratga and Brktwn% The" were less

+ld" than the itched +attles # the @e!lutinar" erid, +ut ultimatel"

the" were as imrtant, i# nt mre s, t the sur!i!al # the "ung reu+lic%

The earl" surt # the natin)s tw mst resected and admired men,

Franklin and ashingtn, ga!e the Federalists an immediate ragandistic

ad!antage% At the dawn # the rati#icatin camaign, ne crresndent #r

thePennsylvania Herald wrte that 4the arguments, i# the" +e arguments,

mst insisted un in #a!r # the rsed 'nstitutin are that i# the lan

is nt a gd ne, it is imssi+le that either /eneral ashingtn r ;ctr

Franklin wuld ha!e recmmended it%4 /u!erneur rris rerted t

ashingtn that his ar!al # the 'nstitutin was # 4in#inite ser!ice4 t

the cause # rati#icatin and that 4i# "u had nt attended the cn!entin, andthe same aer had +een handed ut t the wrld, it wuld ha!e met with a

clder recetin, with #ewer and weaker ad!cates, and with mre and mre

strenuus nents%4

The Federalists struck #ast and hard in states where the" en


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a +ill # rights% ince the incetin # the rati#icatin camaign, the Anti

Federalists #rm ne end # the cuntr" t the ther had demaggicall"

attacked the 'nstitutin #r the a+sence # a +ill # rights% This tactic was

+lunted when the assachusetts Federalists made the #llwing ##er t the

sitin @ati#" the 'nstitutin nw and we shall amshire +egan its cn!entin ne week later% Again,

the Federalists #aced a numericall" suerir enem", +ut this time ten da"s #

de+ate #ailed t ersuade their +stinate #es% @ather than su##er their #irst

de#eat, the Federalists #rced the cn!entin t ad


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re!er, the AntiFederalists in irginia and New Brk were cmmitted t

an unhl" alliance which the" +elie!ed culd surmunt the ninestate

rati#icatin% The" reasned that i# the tw states ut u a reamshire, the Federalists, utnum+ered in Fe+ruar", had gained su+stantial

strength +" June% This de!elment was assisted +" the success#ul rati#ica

tin camaign in ar"land and uth 'arlina, and +" signi#icant inut

#rm rminent Federalists, including /erge ashingtn)s ersnal

secretar"%

?n June D, 1.88, >amiltn wrte t Jhn ulli!an in New >amshire,

e6hrting him t ush the state)s cn!entin t a seed" cnclusin s thatthe news culd then +e crss#ired int the New Brk 'n!entin scheduled

t meet in Pughkeesie n June 1. 4Bu will n du+t ha!e understd

that the AntiFederal art" re!ailed in this tate +" a large ma


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.atric 2enry 3eorge !ason 9dmund Randolph

Conni0ing to create Refused to sign Courted by

a southern confederacy the Constitution both sides

The lan t arrange an e6ress rider with the a##irmati!e news #rm thecn!entin in 'ncrd, New >amshire was imlemented in less than a

week)s time% ?n June 12, @u#us Cing, the rincial Federalist erati!e in

New ngland, wrte +ack t >amiltn with cn#irmatin # the arrange

ments% Cing rea##irmed that his surces had redicted the utcme # the

New >amshire cn!entin 4will +e as we wish%4 Cing #urther nted that

the 4accessin # New >amshire will resent the u+amshire and New Brk cn!entins ened n the same da"

June 1., 1.88% hile the Federalists rceeded with disatch in New

>amshire t su+due the sitin, the New Brk Federalists led +"

>amiltn, Ja", and @+ert (i!ingstn tk the site arach% The

Pughkeesie cn!entin ened with a se!eralhur ratin +" (i!ingstn

attacking the insu##icienc" # the Articles # 'n#ederatin and e6tlling the

!irtues # the rsed 'nstitutin% Then (i!ingstn and >amiltn laced

a reslutin +e#re the assem+led delegates which recluded an" !te n the

'nstitutin r rsed amendments 4until a#ter the said 'nstitutin and

Amendments shall ha!e +een cnsidered 'lause +" 'lause%4

The 4clause+"clause4 reslutin assed +" a unanimus !te% The Anti

Federalists) agreed t the reslutin, #ull" cn#ident in their ma


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teadiness # ur Friends, we see n ;anger in this de and we came int

it t re!ent the ?sitin #rm charging us with Preciitatin%4

?ther Antis were nt s sure that a dela" was harmless% A+raham (ansing,

the +rther # AntiFederalist leader Jhn (ansing, warned that 4the Federal

/entlemen will n du+t a!ail themsel!es # and rcrastinate the +usinessas lng as the" ssi+l" can% % % % The decisin # the ther tates ma" als

ha!e a Tendenc" t in#luence the cnduct # sme # the em+ers=A

Friend returned #rm Pughkeesie last e!ening, in#rmed us that he was

arehensi!e that the Federalists wuld erate un the >es and Fears #

sme% he m" #ears ma" +e ill#unded=+ut am arehensi!e we will

e!entuall" +e inenr", the li+ert"rdeath #rmer g!ernr # the

'mmnwealth whse #ulminatins against the 'nstitutin ccu" ne

#i#th # the entire cn!entin recrd%

There was !irtuall" nthing in the 'nstitutin which escaed >enr")s

censure% >is ening attack #cused n the #irst three wrds # the dcu

ment% Althugh the delegates t the 'nstitutinal 'n!entin were 4!ener

a+le men,4 said >enr", 4gi!e me lea!e t demand what right had the" t sa",)e the ele)G " litical curisit", e6clusi!e # m" an6ius slicitude

#r the u+lic wel#are, leads me t ask, wh authri:ed them t seak the

language # )e the ele), instead # )e the states)G % % % The ele ga!e

them n wer t use their name% % % % Bu must, there#re, #rgi!e the

slicitatin # ne unwrth" mem+er, t knw what danger culd ha!e


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arisen under the resent cn#ederatin, and what are the causes # this

rsal t change ur g!ernment%4

;uring the curse # the cn!entin, >enr" assailed the ta6ing, sending,

and cmmercial wers gi!en t 'ngress, the esta+lishment # a #ederal

enr")s

rhetric +eat the heart # a man cnni!ing t create a searate uthern

cn#ederac"%

n his #irst seech t the @ichmnd cn!entin, @andlh tld the Anti

Federalists that nt rati#"ing the 'nstitutin r making rati#icatin

cnditinal un the accetance # amendments was cntrar" t the +est

interests # the cuntr"% The 'nstitutin must +e assed withut dela"%

@e#lecting the imact # ashingtn)s letter, he dramaticall" tld the


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cn!entin, 4And will assent t the ling ## # this lim+ Emeaning his

arm +e#re assent t the disslutin # the unin%4

>enr" cuntered @andlh)s a+ut#ace with a trrent # in!ecti!es and

eithets% hen @andlh resnded in kind, the !er+al insults escalated t

the int # h"sical cn#rntatin% ?n June 9, >enr")s secnd called un@andlh)s t make rearatins #r a duel, +ut the situatin was -uickl"

de#used% The nl" dueling was dne #rm the seakers) rstrum inside the

cn!entin which cntinued its clause+"clause de+ate !er the 'nstitu

tin%

The Resistance Crumbles

*" June 1., the cn!entins in all three states were de+ating the 'nstitu

tin simultaneusl"% n New >amshire, the Federalists -uickl" de#eated a

mtin t make rati#icatin cnditinal un the assage # amendments%The 4seed" decisin4 urged +" >amiltn came a+ut in #ur da"s% ?n June

21, 1.88, New >amshire, +" a !te # 5. t H., +ecame the ninth state t

rati#"% ?n this date, the 'nstitutin ##iciall" +ecame the law # the land%

mmediatel", >amiltn)s e6ress rider, 'lnel >enle", tk ## #r Pugh

keesie% Three da"s later, a#ter deli!ering the eagerl" awaited news t >am

iltn at the New Brk 'n!entin, the rider tk ## tward @ichmnd t

in#rm the delegates in sessin there% *" the time the news arri!ed, the issue

was mt%

The Federalists in irginia, under the #lr leadershi # adisn, /erge

Nichlas, (ight >rse >arr" (ee, and #uture 'hie# Justice Jhn arshall,

r!ed t +e e6ceedingl" ersuasi!e in their cmrehensi!e de#ense # the

'nstitutin% ?n June 23, the @ichmnd 'n!entin #inished its clause+"

clause cnsideratin # the dcument% ?n the #llwing da", +th sides

summed u%

adisn warned the @ichmnd delegates that the reenr" addressed himsel# t adisn)s erratin% 4>e tells "u,4 >enr"

relied, 4# imrtant +lessings which he imagines will result t us and


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mankind in general #rm the adtin # this s"stem% see the aw#ul

immensit" # the dangers with which it is regnant% see it% #eel it% see

+eings # a higher rder an6ius cncerning ur decisin%4 uddenl", the

+eings # a higher rder unleashed a #ercius strm un @ichmnd7 the

intense thunder and lightning a+rted the >enr" summatin% That da", a

sa"ing was +rn 4nl" /d can silence Patrick >enr"%4

Perhas nl" /d culd ermanentl" silence the +m+astic >enr", +ut n

June 25, 1.88, the Federalists stilled his tngue +" calling the -uestin% *"

a !te # 88 t 80, the delegates !ted against re#erring re!ius amend

ments t ther states +e#re assage # the 'nstitutin% Then, the cn!en

tin !ted 89.9 #r rati#icatin%

metime in late June, >amiltn)s rider galling suth with news #rm

New >amshire encuntered anther curier tra!eling in the site direc

tin with the results #rm @ichmnd% 'lnel >enle" instantl" wheeled his

hrse arund and headed +ack tward Pughkeesie% The intelligence #rm

@ichmnd was deli!ered t the New Brk 'n!entin n Jul" 3%

n midJul", >amiltn and (i!ingstn tld the cn!entin that rFederalist

New Brk 'it" was reared t secede #rm the state, i# Pughkeesie

declined t a##irm the 'nstitutin% The AntiFederalists knew that the

secessin # New Brk 'it" made the state)s hldut status untena+le% hile

the" cntemlated the threats made +" the Federalist cam, anther e!ent

ccurred which reciitated the rati#icatin rcess in New Brk%?ne # the mst e##ecti!e tactics which the Federalists eml"ed thrughut

was the rgani:atin # large and sectacular rcessins, art #esti!e arade

and art litical rall", in cele+ratin # the rati#icatin in se!eral states% The

AntiFederalists generall" derided the imrtance # these uturings #

ular surt% The New Brk Federalists decided t snsr such a r

cessin while the Pughkeesie 'n!entin was still ending%

?n Jul" 23, se!eral thusand New Brk 'it" residents tk t the streets%

The centeriece # the New Brk 'it" e!ent was an enrmus, hrsedrawn

shi#state atl" named 4>amiltn,4 a tri+ute t the authr # The Federal-

istand the #actin leader in Pughkeesie% The shi was a 4#rigate # thirt"

tw guns, twent"se!en #eet keel, and ten #eet +eam, with galleries, and

e!er" thing cmlete and in rrtin, +th in hull and rigging7 manned

with uwards # thirt" seamen and marines in di##erent uni#rms7 cm

manded +" 'mmdre Nichlsn and drawn +" ten hrses%4


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The artisan nature # the cele+ratin was unmistaka+le% TheNew York

Journal # Jul" 2H rerted the di!ided reactins% 4The r antis generall"

minded their +usiness at hme thers, wh were sectatrs at an aw#ul

distance, lked as sur as the ;e!il% As #r the #eds, the" re

Documents

The Federalist Legacy: The Ratification of the Constitution