1787-1788 Debates Over Ratifying The Constitution

Introduction

The Massachusetts Ratifying Convention contacted in Boston from January 9, 1788 to February 5, 1788 to discuss "the adoption of the federal Constitution." 370 delegates had been elected on October 25, 1787, and when the last ballot was taken on February 3, 355 registered their vote.

In attendance from the Philadelphia Convention were Caleb Strong, Rufus King, and Nathaniel Gorham. They were joined by Fisher Ames, James Bowdoin, Francis Dana, and Theophilus Parsons in defending and explaining the Constitution. The fourth Philadelphia Convention delegates Elbridge Gerry—who declined to signal the Constitution on September 17, 1787—was not in attendance. Within the first week of the Convention, although, "a motion was made and passed, that the Hon. Elbridge Gerry be requested to take a chair in the Convention, to response any questions of detail, from time to time, that the Convention may inquire, respecting the passing of the Constitution." Gerry agreed to the invitation the very next day. But Gerry not ever makes it to the floor of the convention and after January 19, he disappears from view. Absent Gerry, persons with less prestige and know-how led the opposition (Brown 685).

Unlike the Virginia Convention, the Preamble did not appeal the primary attention of the delegates. Instead, after settling housekeeping affairs during the last cited part of the first week, they launched right into a discussion of Article I, Section 2 which agreements with the electoral provisions of the House of Representatives. Yearly elections end, tyranny begins," was deemed by traditional Republicans to be "one of the first securities of well liked liberty. And so the first two days of grave argument focused on it or not the two-year period provision in Section 2 was consistent with "popular liberty." The delegates focused most of their attention on this section and Article I, Section 4 over the second week, the first full week of deliberations. On Monday, January 21, the start of the third week, they turned their attention to Article 1, Section 8, namely, the forces of Congress clause and concluded on Saturday, January 26 with a discussion of Section 9. So this much is known: the forces of Congress item received six days of coverage. During the first four days of the fourth week—Monday, January 28 to Thursday, January 31—the delegates covered the balance of the Constitution whereas there is no record of any discussion of Article IV! (Cooke 785)

Near the end of the morning session on Thursday, January 31, The Recorder affirms that the conversation on the Constitution, being ended, Mr. Parsons moved, that this Convention manage assent to, and ratify, this Constitution.

Some of the most interesting discussion at the convention takes location over the last week. There was a try by before calm Samuel Adams and John Hancock (he didn't join until January 30 because of gout and had not announced his stance on the Constitution) to accommodate the opposition by suggesting that amendment suggestions be annexed to the ratification. But in the ...