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Jensen, Merrill (ed.) / Ratification of the Constitution by the states: Delaware, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut
(1978)
A. Reports of the vote for ratification, 9-12 January, pp. 564-567
Page 565
VII: A. REPORTS OF RATIFICATION56 1. RC, Knox Papers, MHi. Parsons mistakenly dated the letter "7 O'Clock Thurs- day Evening" [10 January]. Knox caught the error, and in his reply of 13 January, he thanked Parsons for his note of "Wednesday evening.", Knox also declared that "The business now draws to a crisis. If Massachusetts adopts it [the Constitution] with a considerable majority, all will go well, otherwise we must all, I believe, become inhabitants of Ohio" (Charles S. Hall, Life and Letters of Samuel Holden Parsons . . . [Binghamton, N.Y., 1905], 512). Jeremiah Wadsworth to Henry Knox Hartford, 9 January1 This moment from Convention-where the proposed Constitution was passed 127 [ 128 ] yeas, 40 noes-it ought to be remarked that all the first characters in the Convention were for the Constitution, and General James Wadsworth the only man of any real consequence who was against it. Our governor, deputy governor, late Governor [Matthew] Grisswold, and all the judges of the Superior Court were present except one-and for it. All of the Council for (one against it, General Wadsworth). 1. RC, Knox Papers, MHi. Wadsworth misdated the letter "1787." He was probably answering Knox's letter of 6 January, in which Knox asked for informa- tion about Connecticut (Mfm:Conn. 62). Upon receiving Wadsworth's reply, Knox wrote that Connecticut's ratification of the Constitution "does my heart good"l (to Wadsworth, 13 January, VIII below). Letter from a Member of the Convention Hartford, 9 January' This day the NEW CONSTITUTION was RATIFIED and CON- FIRMED by this state in Convention-ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN [1281 YEAS to forty NAYS. It is remarkable that no man of consequence in Convention was among the nays but W-, Esquire, well known here by the name of - Wronghead. P.S. This business being just finished by a vote and the Ratification not signed, the Governor cannot send on an official account, but will do it as soon as possible. 1. Boston Gazette, 14 January. This item, reprinted five times in New England by 21 January, was headed: "Extract of a letter from a Member of the Convention in Connecticut, dated Hartford the 9th January, 1788." Jeremiah Wadsworth was probably the writer, since the extract is similar to his letter to Henry Knox on the same day (immediately above). If so, the recipient was probably Samuel Breck of Boston. See Breck to Wadsworth, 12 January, VIII below. Governor Samuel Huntington to Secretary Charles Thomson Hartford, 9 January' I have received your favor of the 27th ultimo, covering the act of Congress to which it refers. 5, 6 5
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