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568                              CONNECTICUT/ 10 JAN.
B. Commentaries on the Convention
10 January-10 March
Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. to George Washington
Hartford, 10 January (excerpt)'
With great satisfaction, I have the honor to inform that last evening
the Convention of this state, by a great majority, voted to ratify and
adopt the new proposed Constitution for the United States-yeas 127
[128], nays 40.
With additional pleasure, I can inform that the debates on this
subject have been conducted with a spirit of great candor., iberality,*
and fairness- and the decision received with the universal applause of
a numerous body of the people of the state, who attended the public.
deliberations of their Convention and expressed their cordial assent
on the moment of decision with a general clap.2
The great unanimity with which this decision has been made, and
the liberality with which its previous deliberations have been con-
ducted in this state, I hope will have a happy influence on the minds
of our brethren in the M assachusetts- their Convention is now col-
lecting and will be favored with this information tomorrow.
It may not be amiss to mention that in the list of affirmants in this
state stand the names of all our principal characters with the men of
liberality, sentiment, and influence.
Altho not honored with the appointment of a delegate3 (being,
in my particular circle, under the cloud of commutation and Cincin-
nati), I have attended the debates, of this Convention from their be-
ginning to the close and have been amply compensated by the pleas-
ure, the satisfaction, and instruction [as if] I have participated on
the occasion.
1. RC, Washington Papers, DLC. Trumbull misdated his letter 9 January. Since
the vote was taken late on the afternoon of the 9th, the letter was evidently written
on the 10th.
2. For a conflicting description of the manner in which the debates were con-
ducted, and the reaction to them, see Hugh Ledlie to John Lamb, 15 January, VII: B
below.
3. Trumbull had represented Lebanon in the House of Representatives in 1774-75
and 1779-81. The town voted twice to reject the Constitution, the second time by
a vote of 81 to 41 (see Lebanon Town Meeting, IV above). William Williams and
Ephraim Carpenter represented the town in the Convention, where Williams voted
to ratify and Carpenter voted against ratification.
568