The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787/Volume 3/Appendix A/CCLXXI
ⅭⅭⅬⅩⅩⅠ. Anonymous Letter to Alexander Hamilton.[1]
A publication appeared some time since in Greenleaf’s paper, charging you with having moved in Convention that the Goverment of the United States should be by a King, Lords & Commons—I took some pains to discover the author of that piece, but without success—But a conversation lately happened between Comodore Nicholson & Mr. Leonard Bleeker, in the hearing of others, in which the Commodore said; he had read the piece before alluded to, but doubted the truth of it untill it was lately confirmed by Mr. Abraham Baldwin, who was also a member of the Convention—This Mr. Baldwin did publicly in a pretty large company at the Commodores own Table. He said your motion was seconded by Mr. Gover Morris & that you was so chagrined when it failed that you left the House in disgust; That you returned however on a subsequent day, delivered your sentiments in writing, & Came off to New york, declaring you intermeddle no farther in the matter—Notwithstanding you returned, & assented to the Constitution as it is—This writing he suggested contained your Ideas of the kind of Government proper to be adopted—In repeating from other persons, words are often changed; but the foregoing is the substance of what the Commodore reports Mr. Baldwin to have said—I leave to yourself the expediency of taking any notice of it.
- ↑ Documentary History of the Constitution, Ⅴ, 249–250.