XXVII. William Grayson to James Monroe.[1]
N York May 29th. 1787.
The draught made from Congress of members for the Convention has made them very thin & no business of course is going on here: I do not believe that this will be the case untill that body shall be dissolved, which I hardly think will be the case these three months. What will be the result of their meeting I cannot with any certainty determine, but I hardly think much good can come of it: the people of America don’t appear to me to be ripe for any great innovations & it seems they are ultimately to ratify or reject: the weight of Genl. Washington as you justly observe is very great in America, but I hardly think it is sufficient to induce the people to pay money or part with power.
The delegates from the Eastwd. are for a very strong government, & wish to prostrate all ye. state legislature, & form a general system out of ye. whole; but I don’t learn that the people are with them, on ye. contrary in Massachuzets they think that government too strong & are about rebelling again, for the purpose of making it more democratical: In Connecticut they have rejected the requisition for ye. present year decidedly, & no Man there would be elected to the office of a constable if he was to declare that he meant to pay a copper towards the domestic debt:—R. Island has refused to send members—the cry there is for a good government after they have paid their debts in depreciated paper:—first demolish the Philistines /i, e, their Creditors/ & then for propriety.
N Hamshire has not paid a shilling, since peace, & does not ever mean to pay one to all eternity:—if it was attempted to tax the people for ye domestic debt 500 Shays would arise in a fortnight.—In N. York they pay well because they can do it by plundering N Jersey & Connecticut.—Jersey will go great lengths from motives of revenge and Interest: Pensylvany will join provided you let the sessions of the Executive of America be fixed in Philada. & give her other advantages in trade to compensate for the loss of State power. I shall make no observations on the southern States, but I think they will be/ perhaps from different motives/ as little disposed to part with efficient power as any in the Union.
XXVIII. Henry Knox to General Washington.[2]
New-York 29 May 1787
As you will have states sufficient to proceed to business, we hope
