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564                          CONNECTICUT/9 JAN.
shown to anyone from Connecticut because "some of these harpies"
express their "malevolent, vindictive tempers"9 toward "anyone that
dare either write, speak, or act or even think against their new
Dagon Constitution" (to John Lamb, 15 January, VILB below).
William Williams, in requesting a Connecticut congressman in New
York to send him a copy of an Antifederalist pamphlet, asked that
the request be kept confidential because, if known, it would be con-
sidered "treason" by "the hot Constitutionalists" (to Benjamin Hun-
tington, 21 October 1788, Mfm:Conn. 100).
Connecticut newspapers also continued to reprint Federalist ma-
terial from other states. Among the items were Francis Hopkinson's
"New Roof," 29 December 1787, and "A.B.," 6 February 1788; Tench
Coxe's "Philanthropos," 16 January; and a bogus "Centinel" XV,
16 February (all in Commentaries on the Constitution). The news-
papers also continued their virtual boycott of Antifederalist writings.
Two doubtful exceptions were responses to the assertion of the Hart-
ford newspapers in December that they were nonpartisan and willing
to print material opposed to the Constitution (see The Hartford
Newspapers Deny Partisanship, 10, 24 December, V above and Mfm:
Conn. 64, 77).
Connecticut newspapers and most Connecticut leaders th erefore re-
mained overwhelmingly Federalist as they awaited the decisions of
other states in the months that followed Connecticut's ratification.
A. Reports of the Vote for Ratification-
9-12 January
Pierpont Edwards to Samuel Russel
Hartford, 5:30 P.M., 9 January'
We have this moment finished taking the yeas and nays, and by
the enclosed copy of the roll of theConvention you will learn that
there were 128 for and 39 [40] against adopting the Federal Consti-
tution.
1. Broadside, American Broadsides, Bienecke Library, OtY. Russel owned a to-
bacco manufactory in New Haven. This letter, received in New Haven at 10:30 P.M.
on 9 January, was part of the broadside entitled Glorious News. See Mfm:Conn. 69
for a photographic copy of the broadside.
Samuel Holden Parsons to Henry Knox
Hartford, 7:00 P.M., 9 January1
Huzza for good times. The vote is this moment taken. Yeas 128,
nays 40 on the question of adopting the new Constitution.
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