New York Ratifying Convention. Notes for a Speech, [20 June 1788]

New York Ratifying Convention. Notes for a Speech1

[Poughkeepsie, New York, June 20, 1788]

Various Interests

Navigating and Non Navigating—

Great and Small—

Struggle for Commercial point two thirds

Struggle for equal power—

Some small states non navigating—

Hence tendency to combination

Necessity of accommodation—

Oeconomy—

Relate difficulties on this point

As to the ratios of representation

Character of slaves mixed persons & property

In many states persons included in census who have no vote in the state—

III

Representation & Taxation being upon the same scale will favour impartiality—

As to the number

Three objects

1	safety
2	knowlege of local circumstances
3	few—above the many

ob:

Nothing more difficult than to fix the degree of numbers requisite—constitutions of diff States differ

Ratio ought not to be the same in a large as in a small nation—

III

first census	100—
25 years—	200
fifty—	400

Numbers will not be augmented

Large states to increase influence will be for increasing representation2

Knowlege of local circumstances

Objects to be considered—

These commerce taxation

As to taxation state systems—

Elevation of few

No qualifications either for electors or elected

5000 not less fit to choose than 500—not—so easily corrupted—

III

How would Governor &c be chosen—

AD, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.

1. This outline, with the exception indicated in note 2, was made by H for his speech of June 20. See “New York Ratifying Convention. Remarks,” June 20, 1788.

2. Although he presumably intended to do so, H did not make this point in his speech of June 20. It was included instead in his first speech of June 21.

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Source Project: Hamilton Papers
Title: New York Ratifying Convention. Notes for a Speech, [20 June 1788]
Author: Hamilton, Alexander
Date: 20 June 1788

Reference

Cite as: “New York Ratifying Convention. Notes for a Speech, [20 June 1788],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-05-02-0012-0004. [Original source: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 5, June 1788 – November 1789, ed. Harold C. Syrett. New York: Columbia University Press, 1962, pp. 14–15.]