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Extract from Melancton Smith’s Notes of Debates, 21 July 1788

Extract from Melancton Smith’s Notes of Debates

[Poughkeepsie, 21 July 1788]

Mr. Jay Standing Troops will be enlisted during the war—If they have command of the Mil[iti]a & want 20.000. they may raise 10.000 & depend upon 10.000 Militia— If you limit them they may be under a diff[icult]y—1

If they must call the Legisl[atur]e. it will. More safe, as it will prevent the necessity of standing Armies—

Confidence for national affairs in nat[ional] gov[ernmen]t—for State affairs in State gov[ernmen]ts.2

AD, N: Melancton Smith notes; DHRC description begins John P. Kaminski, Gaspare J. Saladino, Richard Leffler, Charles H. Schoenleber, and Margaret A. Hogan, eds. Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution (28 vols. to date; Madison, Wis., 1976–) description ends , 23: 2258.

1. The amendment being considered reads as follows: “That no standing army or regular Troops shall be raised or kept up in Time of Peace without the Consent of two thirds of the Senators and Representatives present in each House.” AD, NN: McKesson.

2. See also Daily Advertiser (New York), 25 July, Extract of a letter from Poughkeepsie, dated July 22, covering the debate of 21 July; and DHRC description begins John P. Kaminski, Gaspare J. Saladino, Richard Leffler, Charles H. Schoenleber, and Margaret A. Hogan, eds. Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution (28 vols. to date; Madison, Wis., 1976–) description ends , 23: 2262–64.

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    Jay Papers
    Title
    Extract from Melancton Smith’s Notes of Debates, 21 July 1788
    Author
    Jay, John
    Date
    21 July 1788

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    Cite as
    “Extract from Melancton Smith’s Notes of Debates, 21 July 1788,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-05-02-0034. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 5, 1788–1794, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2017, p. 50.]