[1.]A writer then attacking the Hancock party. See The Independent Chronicle for Aug. 23, and Sept. 15, 20, 1787. Ed.[2.]Shay's Rebellion. Ed.[3.]Massachusetts newspapers published in Northampton and Boston. Ed.[4.]The administration of Governor Bowdoin. Ed.[5.]The author of the productions under the signature of Numa, it is said, is a gentleman of the cloth, in one of the Western counties.[6.]John Hancock. Ed.[7.]A writer in the Massachusetts Gazette, Oct. 30, Nov. 6, 13, 16, and 23. Ed.[8.]The Legislature of Massachusetts was then so styled. Ed.[9.]In the Massachusetts Gazette, for Nov. 2, 9, and 20, 1787. Ed.[10.]See the letters of Agrippa in this work. Ed.[11.]Probably Elbridge Gerry, delegate from Massachusetts to the Federal Convention. Ed.[12.]Anti-federal scribblers in the Mass. Gazette.[13.]Referring to Rhode Island. Ed.[14.]Harvard University Library, of which James Winthrop was librarian.—Ed.[15.]Said to be by James Winthrop. See the letters, printed herein.—Ed.[16.]Printed in Elliot, I, 492.—Ed.[17.]“An Address of the subscribers, members of the late Houses of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to their constituents,” printed in the Pennsylvania Packet, Oct. 4, 1787.—Ed.[18.]Referring to Shay's rebellion.—Ed.[19.]Act of 1786, providing that executions issued for private debt may be satisfied by articles particularly enumerated, at an appraised value from impartial men.—Ed.[20.]No attempt had been made by Massachusetts for several years to pay the interest on its debt, except by the State Treasurer's issuing “consolidated notes” or “certificates” of indebtedness, bearing 6 per cent. interest. Though these were by law receivable for taxes, they had sold as low as 4/ in the pound.—Ed.[21.]The sales to the Ohio Company.—Ed.[22.]By Act of July 5, 1786.—Ed.[23.]Probably an allusion to the Phelps and Gorham purchase.—Ed.[24.]An allusion to the proceedings in the Convention of Pennsylvania.—Ed.[25.]Cf. with page 85.—Ed.[26.]Robert Yates, John Lansing, Jr., Luther Martin, James Francis Mercer, Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry.—Ed.[27.]The speech of Caleb Strong in the State Convention, Jan. 16, 1788.—Ed.[28.]Delivered Oct. 6, 1787. Printed in Ford's Pamphlets on the Constitution, p. 155.—Ed.[29.]No record of this is given in the Debates in the Massachusetts Convention.—Ed.[30.]Printed in Elliot, I, 492.—Ed.[31.]Printed in Ford's Pamphlets on the Constitution, p. 327.[32.]Richard Henry Lee.[33.]Saturday, September 15. See Papers of James Madison, III., 1593.[34.]The paragraph containing Mason's objection to the mere majority power of Congress to regulate commerce, was included in all the southern papers, but omitted in copies furnished to the papers north of Maryland.—Ed.[35.]Mason proposed in the convention that the President should have a privy council of six.—Ed.[36.]This is an error. It was moved by Mason and seconded by Gerry. Cf. Papers of James Madison, III., 1578.[37.]See letter of William Williams in this collection.—Ed.[38.]John Lamb, Marinus Willetts, Melancthon Smith, George Clinton and Robert or Abraham Yates, the principal anti-federalists of New York.—Ed.[39.]See counter-statements of Gerry and Martin in their answers.—Ed.[40.]Cf. Papers of James Madison, III, 1595.[41.]The Convention of Connecticut, which was to meet Jan. 4.—Ed.[42.]The Landholder, IV-VIII, were reprinted in The Maryland Journal, and the attack on Gerry in them, drew from Luther Martin a defence of that gentleman, which is printed in this collection. To that the Landholder replied as above, but this one of the series was not printed in The Connecticut Courant, its place being taken by the number X., printed immediately after this letter.—Ed.[43.]June 9.—Ed.[44.]This is a misstatement. The motion to elect representatives as the state legislature should direct was made by C. C. Pinckney, was seconded by Martin, and approved of by Sherman, and on being put to a vote was favored by Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware and South Carolina. Cf. Papers of James Madison, II., 925.—Ed.[45.]Mr. Gerry agreed with Mr. Martin on these questions.[46.]By direction of the General Assembly of Maryland, Martin reported the proceedings of the federal Convention to them, and this was afterwards printed in pamphlet form under the title of Genuine Information.—Ed.[47.]June 9, according to Madison, the Journal and Martin's Genuine Information.—Ed.[48.]Gerry, though defeated in an election to the Massachusetts Convention, was invited by them to attend, in order to furnish information to the members.—Ed.[49.]
To prevent any misconstruction the following is the publication entire:
(This note is by the Landholder, and is followed by the article already printed at p. 127. It therefore seems unnecessary to add it here.—Ed.)
I will not say this writer makes a distinction between a thing done in convention and a thing done in committee. Be this as it may, he confesses more than Mr. Martin; for it seems that Mr. Gerry proposed that “the public debt should stand on the same ground it now stands on by the articles of confederation.” He might have subjoined that Mr. Gerry prefaced this motion by observing that it was the same in substance as his first, in as much as it included his first. But notwithstanding this motion was readily agreed to without his explanation being contradicted, yet he never afterwards favoured the convention with a look of peace, or a word of reconcilement.