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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