By the Count de Moustier I received your favour of the 8th of October.(1) I recd. by his hands also the watch which you have been so good as to provide for me, and for which I beg you to accept my particular thanks. During that short trial I have made, she goes with great exactness. Since the arrival of the Count de Moustier, I have recd. also by the Packet Mr. Calonne's publication(2) for myself, and a number of the Mercure's(3) for Mr. Banister. The bearer was a Mr. Stuart. I had a conveyance to Mr. Banister a few days after the Mercure's came to hand.
The Public here continues to be much agitated by the proposed foederal Constitution and to be attentive to little else. At the date of my last Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey had adopted it.(4) It has been since adopted by Connecticut, Georgia, and Massachusetts. In the first the minority consisted of 40 against 127. In Georgia the adoption was unanimous. In Massachusetts the conflict was tedious and the event extremely doubtful. On the final question the vote stood 187 against 168; a majority of 19 only being in favor of the Constitution. The prevailing party comprized however all the men of abilities, of property, and of influence. In the opposite multitude there was not a single character capable of uniting their wills or directing their measures. It was made up partly of deputies from the province of Maine who apprehended difficulties from the New Government to their scheme of separation, partly of men who had espoused the disaffection of Shay's; and partly of ignorant and jealous men, who had been taught or had fancied that the Convention at Philada. had entered into a conspiracy against the liberties of the people at large, in order to erect an aristocracy for the rich, the well-born, and the men of Education. They had no plan whatever. They looked no farther than to put a negative on the Constitution and return home. The amendments as recommended by the Convention, were as I am well informed not so much calculated for the minority in the Convention, on whom they had little effect, as for the people of the State. You will find the amendments in the Newspapers which are sent from the office of foreign affairs. It appears from a variety of circumstances that disappointment had produced no asperity in the minority, and that they will probably not only acquiesce in the event, but endeavour to reconcile their constituents to it. This was the public declaration of several who were called the leaders of the party. The minority of Connecticut behaved with equal moderation. That of Pennsylvania has been extremely intemperate and continues to use a very bold and menacing language. Had the decision in Massachusetts been adverse to the Constitution, it is not improbable that some very violent measures would have followed in that State. The cause of the inflamation
Congress have done no business of consequence yet, nor is it probable that much more of any sort will precede the event of the great question before the public.
The Assembly of Virginia have passed the district Bill of which I formerly gave you an account.(6) There are 18 districts, with 4 new Judges, Mr. Gabl Jones, Richd. Parker, St. George Tucker and Jos. Prentis. They have reduced much the taxes, and provided some indulgences for debtors. The question of British debts underwent great vicicitudes. It was after long discussion resolvd. by a majority of 30 agst. the utmost exertions of Mr. Henry that they sd. be paid as soon as the other States sd. have complied with the treaty. A few days afterwards he carried his point by a majority of 50 that G.B. should first comply. Adieu, Yrs. Affety., Js. Madison Jr
P.S. Mr. St. John(7) has given me a very interesting description of a System of Nature lately published at Paris -- will you add it for me. The Boxes which were to have come for myself, G.W. & A.D. &c have not yet arrived.
RC (DLC: Madison Papers). Madison, Papers (Rutland), 10:518-20.
1 For Jefferson's October 8 letter of introduction for the comte de Moustier and his sister-in-law, the marquise de Bréhan, see ibid., pp. 187-88.
2 The "publication" by Charles Alexandre de Calonne, who had been discharged as controller general of finance in April 1787, was apparently his defense of his tenure, Rêquete au Roi. Adressée à Sa Majesté, par M. de Calonne, Ministre d'État, published in London in 1787. See Jefferson, Papers (Boyd), 12:246-47.
3 That is, the Mercure de France.
4 See Madison to Jefferson, December 20.
5 At this point in the manuscript Madison later inserted an asterisk to which he keyed at the bottom of the page: "see letter from Col. Davie to J.M.," an apparent reference to a June 10, 1788, letter from William R. Davie discussing attitudes in North Carolina toward the Constitution, which is the only extant Davie letter in Madison's papers.
6 That is, in his letter of December 9.
7 Michel-Guillaume St. Jean de Crèvecoeur.