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CONVENTION DEBATES AND PROCEEDINGS, 15 JULY 1788
for those as mentioned in these propositions the Members of NY
would pledge themselves to endeavor for their adoption- [Gilbert
Livingston, Notes, NN]
[For the form of ratification and the amendments read by Alexander
Hamilton on 15 July, see Convention Debates and Proceedings, 17 July,
RCS:N.Y, 2205-8, 2218, note 19.]
JOHN LANSING, JR. Let us take the Question whether we will adopt
the Constitution Conditionally or absolutely-
Many of these Ideas are valuable and ought be introduced into the
Amendments- [McKesson's Notes, NHi]
LANSING. wishes the gent. who read his propositions [Alexander
Hamilton] would make a formal motion to bring them before the
house-does not wish to reject them entirely-as there are many good
Ideas in them-but wishes the questn to be taken wheather the con-
vention will adopt the constitution without conditional amends. [Gil-
bert Livingston, Notes, NN]
JOHN JAY. We are endeavouring to agree-Gent See we have brot
forth valuable Amendmts. Cannot the Conditional Amendments be
paired down so that we may agree
We honestly think Congress must reject such an Adoption-Cannot
we endeavour further to Accommodate-The Gentlemen have ad-
vanced for Accommodation-We have now advanced for Accommodat.
[McKesson's Notes, NHi]
JAY. it must be evident from the props. that they wish to accommo-
date-& pledge themselves to endeavor an Amendt-
does not this weigh-to unite all our force-is it not certain that the
conds. will render our admittance into the Union uncertain-all has
been said, that can be-that the conds will amount to a rejection-
declare that they think it will destroy the constitution-shall we not
accommodat[e] -each appear to have a disposition to advance-had
we not better wait, and endeavor to meet- [Gilbert Livingston, Notes,
NN]
WILLIAM HARPER. We are now where we were 3 or 4 days ago-
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