1Appointment as Commissioner to the Annapolis Convention, 5 May 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
Resolved (if the Honorable the Assembly concur herein) that Robert R. Livingston, James Duane, Egbert Benson, Alexander Hamilton, Leonard Gansevoort and Robert C. Livingston Esquires, or any three of them, be Commissioners on the part of this State, to meet with such Commissioners, as are, or may be appointed by the other States in the Union; at such Time and place, as shall be agreed upon by...
2New York Ratifying Convention. First Speech of June 21 (John McKesson’s Version), [21 June 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I endeavoured to Shew that the Contending Interests of the States produced that Compromise— That it would finally produce Safety— That all Attempts to vary that Clause will be useless— That it will finally from Circumstances & Cause produce a sufficient Represantation— I Contend that 65 & 24 will [be] sufficient for the Safety of the Country—the [number] will encrease—in 20 or 25 years be 200...
Mr. Lansing stated the differences between him & Mr. Hamilton on Saturday— Mr. Hamilton stated the sentimts. he had held forth— And denied that he ever was for Subverting the State Govts. or reducing them to the State of Corporations— Mr. Lansing—The Question is what were the Sentimts. the Honoble. Gent maintained. The Idea he held up was it necessary to reduce the State Govts. to the...
4New York Ratifying Convention. Second Speech of July 2 (John McKesson’s Version), [2 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
The Gent says if they are disinclined to a War they will clogg it agreed —but his Amendment is to encrease their Power If the President interposes Objections from Local Views it is an evill which can only be remedied by ⅔ds— The Gent would have 2/3ds in all Cases—This encreases the Evil— The fisheries are claimed by France England & the Eastern States The Navigation of the Mississippi Our...
5New York Ratifying Convention. Second Speech of June 21, [21 June 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton I do contend that this Constitution is a federal Republic. John McKesson MS Notes, New-York Historical Society, New York City. In the McKesson account of Melancton Smith’s second speech of June 21 this statement by H is included. It is preceded by the following statement by Smith: “When the People do chuse their Rulers—must not these rulers in a Republic be a complete...
6New York Ratifying Convention. First Speech of July 2 (John McKesson’s Version), [2 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Loans in Time of Peace peculiar to our Govt. because made thro Necessity— The Inconvenience of being in Debt is a sufficient restriction— If I was reason I would The Only Method of preventing Loans to an improper Degree [is to] give them all the Resources of the Country that they may be able by their Own Efforts to avoid the Necessity of Loans— Neither should their Power be restrained— When...
7New York Ratifying Convention. Third Speech of July 2 (John McKesson’s Version), [2 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton—I add to enforce the Ideas of the member who spoke last The Gent from Dutchess says it is less dangerous to grant power to restrain an Act than a power to do Here the Power to restrain is as dangerous as to do an Act—The Power to restrain here is to restrain you from your defence— The Gentleman contends that there may be corruption in a Majority or the whole— We contend that there...
8New York Ratifying Convention. Third Speech of June 21 (John McKesson’s Version), [21 June 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Under the present Confederation 26 Men may do every thing that the proposed Governmt. may do—and 18 of these may form a Majority— Under the new Governmt. the proportionate Streng[t]h in the Legislature is gain[e]d because the Vote per Capite— —Members will attend as their State Constitutents will require it—As to the Albany Member The Representation ought to be small because you will more...
9New York Ratifying Convention. First Speech of June 23 (John McKesson’s Version), [23 June 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
It is true the great object of the Smaller States was an equal Suffrage in Senate—but some of them also wished to retain what advantages in Suffrage the[y] Could in the other House. I was absent 10 days—found on Return the plan as it now is—A Motion was made to encrease the Numbers—It was declared that the Number was the Effect of Compromise—New Hampshire & the South declared the difficulty of...
10New York Ratifying Convention. First Speech of July 3, [3 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I suppose It intends that a Vessel bound from one State to another— If she puts into any port in another State [to] which She is bound She shall not there be Obliged [to] enter clear or pay Duties John McKesson MS Notes, New-York Historical Society, New York City. H’s remarks were made in reply to Melancton Smith’s request that H explain the clause in the Constitution which reads: “Nor shall...