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Says he has probably already heard of the results of the Constitutional Convention. Says The propositions being essentially different, in many respects from the existing Confederation, and which will probably produce different national effects, are contemplated by the public at large with an anxious attention. The discussions are commenced in the news papers & in Pamphlets, with all the freedom & liberality which challenge a people who are searching by their own experience after a form of government most productive of happiness. Expresses his affinity for a stronger national government and believes the new constitution will provide it. Goes on to claim it is not a perfect document though and There are several things in it that I confess I could wish to be altered. Says the people are ready for the change and that it will be discussed fully. Predicts parties will be raised during the debate. Discusses state ratification. Will send an update from time to time. Mentions European affairs and fears French aggression. Asks for news. Says Washington is doing well, but that his crops are injured by severe drought. Encloses a copy of the Constitution (not included). Docketed by William Knox.
Contemporary secretarial copy of a letter sent to Lafayette. References Lafayette's letters from November 1787 and February 1788. Says that The Convention by you Mr. Jefferson and Common Sense [Thomas Paine], judge wisely respecting the New Constitution requiring some amendments & of the time they should be effected. Of the Constitutional Convention says The unanimity of the former convention may be regarded as a rare evidence of the empire of reason. Believes there will not have to be another convention. Says it is likely that nine states will accept the constitution over the next 2-3 months. Says New York will have its ratifying convention in June and hopes the acceptance of other states will influence them to vote for it. Goes into other state's conventions. Lashes out at Rhode Island. Gives Lafayette an update on Catherine Greene, the wife of the late General Nathanael Greene. Seems like she wants to send her son George to France to study. Asks for an updated list of French officers in the Society of the Cincinnati so he can send them diplomas. Says war seems less likely in Europe now, but that the English however are haughty and overbearing - too much so I am apprehensive, for a firm and durable peace. Below the docket, a later note initialed by EY sums up the letter and states that Lafayette's letters to Knox referenced in this letter is feared lost. In the hand of William Knox.
Says he has not heard from Lafayette in some time. Mentions that he wrote on the constitutional convention by the last packet. Reports on states that have called ratifying conventions to approve or reject the constitution. Has doubts specifically about Virginia and New York. Says Rhode Island has too many schemes of convenience to approve it. But says it is highly probable that it will be adopted in the course of the year 1788 by nine states and more. Says he is anxious about rumors of war between France and England. Reports that those in the know claim the event is inevitable. Worries about the situation of the United States if such a war broke out. Wants an updated list of French members of the Society of the Cincinnati so he can make up diplomas. Reports that Lucy Knox has given birth to their eighth child. No signature at closing.
Marked Copy. Letter in a secretarial hand. Says that Joel Barlow, later known as one of the Connecticut Wits, will deliver this letter. Knox identifies Barlow as the author of The vision of Columbus, a long epic poem in heroic couplets. Barlow went to Europe as an agent for a company that wanted to sell western lands to French emigrants. Knox says Barlow is traveling with the son of Nathanael Greene, George Washington Greene, who is to study with Lafayette in France. Says Catharine Greene and Colonel Wadsworth have written him on the subject of Master Washington's education, and he will not say much on it. Proceeds to say The Classics and modern languages as being the work of memory will probably constitute his first studies, together with learning the necessary personal exercises to form his manners. Says mathematics, geography, astronomy, and drawing should come later. Says his removal to France will honor the memory of his father. Praises the young man's character and disposition. Says his last letter to Lafayette was on 26 April. Thanks Lafayette for sending the Dutch patriot Vander Kemp to meet him. Updates him on state conventions on the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Says Maryland was the 7th state to ratify. Says the election for the New York convention delegates has recently taken place, but that the results are not known yet. Believes it will be a balanced delegation of those for and against it. Says Were the New Constitution to have required the Unanimous assent of all the states it would never have been adopted - But as it require only nine states in the first instance, it may be in full operation, in one year from the present time. In the hand of William Knox.
Replies to her letter from 2 May (GLC02437.03539). Discusses a financial matter involving Winslow Warren (Warren's son), Mr. Hawkins, Knox's brother William, and Mr. Breck. Apologizes for not being able to fully comply with her request from 2 May due to William's limited power in that regard. Knox discusses the present state of government, and the divided nature of the states, in the context of the Constitutional Convention, which gathered at Philadelphia 25 May. Discusses the present awful crisis- I arrange in my imagination two or three hundred millions of [our] posterity with their eyes fixed on our conduct, ready to applaud our wisdom or to execrate our folly. Praises a book by Mr. Adams, noting that it should have been called The Soul of a Free Government, (likely commenting on John Adams's book, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America). Comments that paper money - and ex post facto Laws are the main springs of the American governments. Mentions the Cincinnati (likely the Society of the Cincinnati). Reflects on the Constitutional Convention and the men attending it: Should they possess the hardihood to be unpopular and propose an efficient national government from the entanglements of the present defective state [systems], we may yet be a happy and great nation. Adds, Should they possess local and not general views should they propose to patch up the wretched & defective thing called the confederation- look out ye patriots- supplicate heaven separate anarchies will take place... Discusses the issue of state's rights versus national power, The state governments should be deprived of the power of injuring themselves or the nation. The people have parted with power enough to form an excellent constitution- But it is intercepted and diffused among hordes which cannot use it to good purpose- It must be [concerted] in a national government. The power of that government should be divided between a strong executive, senate, and assembly.... every thing should be defined, marked, and checked according to the highest human wisdom- an attempt to overleap the bounds of the Constitution should be punished on the absolute certainty of great severity. Writes that in this letter, he only suggested the smallest possible changes that can be made to the government. Anything less will be to precipitate us in to the gulph of separate anarchies or the issue of which we may see established seperate tyrannies. This is Knox's draft. The sent copy of this letter is in the Warren-Adams Papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Mentions that Samuel Shaw is probably in Canton, China and was in India during the last year. Updates Fleury on the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia and the progress of ratifying the constitution in each state. A convention or representation of all the States excepting Rhode Island met in Philadelphia in the month of May last and after four months deliberation agreed on the Constitution herein enclosed (not present). Goes on to state, This constitution is to be submitted to a convention chosen by the people of each state, and adds that Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey have already adopted it. Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire will probably adopt it in a few more weeks. The states most opposed are Virginia, New York and Rhode Island but Knox believes all the states will eventually adopt it. Reports from Europe indicate a war between England and France. Knox says that come when it may he wishes France all possible success. Docket, in the hand of William Knox, notes this as a copy.
Says it is a long time since he has heard from Lafayette. Is glad that the packets between American and Europe will soon be re-established. When he can communicate better says he will update Lafayette on affairs in America. Says You will have been informed already that our Constitution is established and fully in operation - That the Glorious Washington is at its head, and that therefore it will have the fairest chance for success. Ends by introducing a Mr. Colden (there is a space where the first name was supposed to be filled in) of New York. Colden wants to go to France to study before settling in America.
Discusses the ratification of the Constitution and states that [t]hings look pretty well. Though there is an opposition preparing - but I do not think it will be sufficient to answer the intention of some. Lists opponents and supporters of Constitution in Massachusetts, Gov. Hancock [Mr.] Bowdoin & Parson Stillman will be of the convention from Boston - the choice of the latter will undoubtedly be attended with good consiquences in attaching the Baptists. Encloses a letter to Benjamin Franklin (not present) in which he asks for a copy of a speech Franklin made to the constitutional convention in order to publish it.
Provides an account of Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts. Claims the discontents in Massachusetts were speedily and effectually suppressed. Says these discontents were immersed in Opinions which perhaps were necessarily diseminated previous to and during the revolution [which] seem to produce effects materially different from which they were intended. Discusses the debts, factions, and the recourse to arms of the farmers of Hampshire, Berkshire, and Worcester counties. Discusses the government's reluctance to resort to bloodshed in suppressing the rebellion, which consisted of 2,000 farmers and war veterans who shut down the court in Worcester. Says Governor James Bowdoin called for 5,000 troops to be led by General Benjamin Lincoln. Mentions that Captain Shays, one of the leaders of the uprising, was under Lafayette's command in 1780. Goes on to describe Lincoln's victory over the rebels. Says he can trust the news in this letter because he has received updates from Lincoln himself. Says that Arthur St. Clair has been elected president of the Continental Congress. Says Congress has many weighty affairs to consider. Noted as a copy on the docket.