To Alexander Hamilton from John Langdon, [21 June 1788]
From John Langdon1
State of New Hampshier
Concord June 21th. 1788
Dr sir
By the Desire of our Mutual Friend Rufus King Esqr.2 I have the great pleasure and satisfaction of informing you, that this State, has this day Adopted the federal Constitution; this al-important Question, was Carried by a Majority of Eleven 57 Yeas 46 Nays. Excuse hast and Believe me, with the greatest Respect
Dr: Sir: Your Mot: Obt: Servant
Jno: Langdon
P: S: this letter goes to Springfield by an express which Ive sent for this purpose to the Care of William Smith Esqr: of that place3 who is to forward it to you.
Honble. Alexander Hamilton Esqr:
ALS, James Madison Papers, Library of Congress.
1. This letter was enclosed in a letter which Philip Schuyler, on behalf of H, wrote to Madison on June 24, 1788. Schuyler wrote: “Colonel Hamilton is in convention and has requested me to forward this advice to you.… If the convention should rise before the stage, which is now here, leaves this, Colo Hamilton will probably write you by that Conveyance.” Schuyler’s letter is in the James Madison Papers, Library of Congress.
Langdon, several times a delegate to the Continental Congress, was president of New Hampshire in 1788, and a member of the New Hampshire Ratifying Convention.
2. King had promised H to send him the results of the New Hampshire Convention (King to H, June 12, 1788).
3. Smith, who had been a colonel during the American Revolution, was a partner with Charles Sheldon in the merchant firm of Smith and Sheldon in Springfield, Massachusetts.