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Ratification of the Federal Constitution by Massachusetts

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BOSTON, February 8.

Ratification of the Federal Constitution by Massachusetts.

With the highest satisfaction we announce to the public, that the Convention of this commonwealth, on Wednesday last, at five o'clock, P.M. ASSENTED TO the CONSTITUTION, proposed by the late federal Convention. On this pleasing event, we do heartily congratulate the public, and do express our sincere wishes, that the general joy which it has diffused thro' all ranks of citizens, may be an auspicious omen of the superior advantages which will undoubtedly result from the establishment of such a federal government as this constitution provides.

Immediately on the news of this joyful decision being announced, the bells in every public building in this metropolis began to ring, and continued to sound the glad tidings for two hours. At sun-set the convention adjourned: after which, a multitude of people, from all quarters, moved into State-street, were they manifested the joy they felt from this event, by incessant tokens of approbation, and loud huzzas.—The bells of the north church continued to chime harmonious peals of gratulations the whole night and part of the next day. Illuminations were made and other insignia of joy exhibited.

The yeas and nays, on the question of adoption, being taken, agreeably to the order of the day, were as follows, viz.

YEAS.

His Excellency John Hancock, Esq. President. Hon. James Bowdoin, hon. Samuel Adams, hon. William Phillips, hon. Caleb Davis, Charles Jarvis, esq. John C. Jones, esq. John Winthrop, esq. Thomas Dawes, jun. esq. rev. Samuel Stillman, Thomas Russel, esq. Christopher Gore, esq. hon. William Heath, hon Increase Sumner, James Bowdoin, jun. esq. Ebenezer Wales, esq. rev. Nathaniel Robbins, hon. Richard Cranch, rev. Anthony Wibird, hon. Cotton Tufts, hon. Benjamin Lincoln, rev. Daniel Shute, rev. Jos. Jackson, rev. Thomas Thatcher, Fisher Ames, esq. col. William M'Intosh, capt. John Baxter, jun. hon. Elijah Dunbar, mr. Thomas Mann, mr. George Payson, hon. J. Fisher, mr. Thomas Jones, rev. Phillips Payson, mr. Ebenezer Warren, Richard Manning, esq. Edward Pulling
mr. William Gray, jun. mr. Francis Cabot, hon. Michael Farley, J. Choate, esq. Daniel Noyes, esq. col. Jonathan Cogswell, hon. Tristram Dalton, Enoch Sawyer, esq. E. March, esq. hon. Rufus King, hon. Benjamin Greenleaf, Theophilus Parsons, esq. hon Jonathan Titcomb, hon. G. Cabot, mr. Joseph Wood, capt. Israel Thorndike, Isaac Manafield, esq Jonathan Glover, esq. hono. Azor Orne, John Glover, esq Daniel Rogers, esq John Low, esq. capt. W. Pearson, John Carnes, esq. capt. John Burnham, mr. William Symme, jun. Bailey Bartlett, esq capt. Nathaniel Marsh, mr. Israel Clark, dr. Samuel Nye, mr. Enoch Jackman, capt Benjamin Lurvey, mr. Willis Patten, Daniel Thurston, esq mr. Jacob Herrick, mr. Simeon Miller, hon. Francis Dana, Stephen Dana, esq. hon. Nathaniel Gorham, hon. Joseph Hosmer, hon. A. Fuller, capt. Lawson Buckminster, Benjamin Brown, esq. Daniel Whitney, esq. capt. Asahel Wheeler, capt. Benjamin Blaney, capt. Abraham Bigelow, major-general J. Brooks, dr. Charles Whitman, Leonard Williams, esq. hon. J.B. Varnum, hon. J. Pitts, hon. E. Brooks, esq. William Pynchon, esq hon. Caleb Strong, mr. Benjamin Shelden, capt. Lemuel Pomeroy, brig. gen. Elisha Porter, hon. Noah Goodman, hon. J. Hastings, John Ingersoll, esq. mr. Ebenezer Janes, Abner Morgan, esq. capt. David Shepherd, mr. Jesse Reed, Nahum Eager, esq. col. Benjamin Bonney, major Thomas J. Douglas, mr. Aaron Fisher, mr. Edmund Lazell, capt. Thompson Maxwell, mr. Elihu Colton, Joshua Thomas, esq. mr. Thomas Davis, mr. John Davis, hon. William Cushing, hon. Natham Cushing, hon. Charles Turner, hon. George Partridge, rev. William Shaw, Daniel Howard, esq. mr. Hezekiah Hooper, capt. Elisha Michel, mr. Daniel Howard, jun. rev. Isaac Backus, Isaac Thompson, esq. capt. John Turner, mr. Josiah Smith, William Sever, jun. esq. hon. Joseph Cushing, rev. Samuel Niles, mr. Freeman Waterman, col Israel Fearing, Shearjashub Bourn, esq David Thatcher, esq. capt. Jonathan Howet, hon. Soloman Freeman, capt. Kimbal Clark, rev. Levi Witman, capt. Joseph Palmer, James Williams, esq. hon. Elisha May, capt. Moses Willmarsh, col. Silvester Richmond, hon. William Baylies, hon. Thomas Durfee, Israel Washburn, esq. hon. Walther Spooner, rev. Samuel West, mr. William Almy, Nathaniel Barrell, esq. rev Moses Hemmenway, hon. Nathaniel Wells, Thomas Cutts, esq Jacob Bradbury, esq. capt. John Low, mr. William Mayhew, esq. mr. Cornelius Dunham, hon. John Sprague capt. Seth Newton, hon. Samuel Baker, major David Wilder, mr. Matthew Patrick, Mr. Josiah Goddard, capt. Ephraim Wilder, John K. Smith esq. mr. John Fox, capt. Joseph M'Lellan, David Mitchell, esq. Samuel Merrill, esq. William Thompson, esq. capt. John Dunlap, capt. Isaac Snow, mr. Joshua Dyer, rev. Samuel Parley, Thomas Rice, esq. mr. David Sylvester, mr. Nathaniel Wyman, Mr. David Gilmore, William M'Cobb, esq. capt. Samuel Grant, Moses Davis, esq. David Fales, esq. Dummer Sewal, esq. John Athley, jun esq. hon. Elijah Dwight, hon. Theodore Sedgwick, hon. Jonathan Smith, hon. Thompson J. Skinner, mr. Elisha Carpenter, capt. D. Taylor. 187

NAYS.

Capt. Jedediah Southworth mr. Nathan Comstock, mr. Benjamin Randall, mr. M. Richardson, jun. rev. Noah Alden, hon. Israel Hutchinson, capt. Peter Osgood, jun. dr. Thomas Kittridge, capt. Thomas Mighill, hon. Aaron Wood, capt. Ebenezer Carlton, dr. Marshall Spring, capt. Timothy Winn, mr. William Flint, mr. Peter Emerson, mr. Jonas Morse, major Benjamin Sawin, William Thompson, esq. major John Minot, capt. Gilbert Dench, mr. Jonathan Keep, doct. Benjamin Morse, Jos. Shepple, esq mr. Oba. Sawtell, mr. Daniel Fisk, capt. Daniel Adams, capt. John Webber, capt. Sta. Chamberlain, mr. Asa Parlin, capt. J. Harnden, mr. Newman Scarlet, mr. Samuel Reed, mr. Benjamin Adams, mr. Hezekiah Bread, capt Jonathan Green, mr Phineas Gleazen, col Benjamin Ely, capt John Williston, capt Phi. Stebbins, mr Daniel Cooley, mr. Benjamin Eastman, mr Josiah Allis, mr William Bodman, mr Samuel Field, mr Moses Bascom, mr Robert Wilson, capt Consider Arms, mr Malachi Maynard, capt Zacheus Crocker, mr Moses Severance, capt. Asa Fisk, mr Phineas Merrick, mr Adam Clark, capt Nathaniel Whitecomb, mr Timothy Blair, mr Aaron Merrick, mr John Hamilton, mr Clark Cooley, mr John Chamberlin, Mr Justus Dwight, mr Samuel Eddy, mr Isaac Pepper, capt John Goldbury, capt Agrippa Wells, mr Ephraim William, mr Asa Powers, capt Silas Fowler, mr John Jennings, mr Jonathan Hubbard, mr Benjamin Thomas, mr Isaac Soul, mr Nathaniel Hammond, mr Abraham Holmes, mr. Francis Shirtliff, mr Elijah Bisbee, jun doct Thomas Smith, mr Thomas Nye, Col Nathaniel Leonard, mr Aaron Pratt, capt Phanuel Bisher? major Frederick Drown, William Windsor, esq. mr Christopher Mason, mr. David Brown, hon. Holder Slocum, mr. Melatiah Hathway, hor. Abraham White, capt Ebenezer Tiswell, esq. John Pratt, capt. Esaias Preble, mr Mark Adams, mr James Neal, capt Elijah Royce?, doct Nathaniel Low, mr Richard Foxwell Curtis, mr. Thomas M. Wentworth, major Samuel Nasson, mr Moses Ames, mr Jeremiah Emery, rev. Pelatiah Tingley, mr David Bigelow, Edward Thompson, esq. mr Daniel Forbes, mr N Jenks, capt Jeremiah Learned, mr Caleb Curtis, mr Ezra M'Intier, mr. David Harwood, hon Amos Singletary, col Samuel Denny, mr James Hathua, mr Asaph Sherman, mr Abraham Smith, capt Jonathan Bullard, capt John Black, capt John Woods, capt Benjamin Joslyn, capt Stephen Maynard, mr Arte Brigham, capt Isaac Harrington, capt John Fuller, mr. Daniel Putnam, doct Samuel Willard, Josiah Whitney esq mr Jonathan Day, capt Thomas M. Baker, capt Timothy Parker, major Martin Kingsley, rev Joseph Davis, hon. John Taylor, doct Joseph Wood, Jonathan Grout, esq capt Samuel Peckham, John Frye, esq mr Stephen Holden, capt Joel Fletcher, mr Timothy Fuller, mr Jacob Willard, mr Moses Hale, capt Josiah Wood, mr Joseph Stone, mr David Stearns, mr Jonas Temple, Daniel Issley?, esq mr S. Longfellow, jun mr. William Wedgery, capt David Murry, hon Samuel Thompson, mr Jonah Crosby, mr Zacheus Beal, William Jones, esq capt James Carr, mr Joshua Bean, mr Valentine Rashbun, mr Comstock Betts, mr Lemuel Collins, capt Jeremiah Pierce, Ephraim Fitch, esq major Thomas Lusk, mr John Hurlbert, capt Ezekiel Herrick, mr Joshua Lawton, mr Timothy Mason, Ebenezer Pierce, esq, mr David Vaughan, capt Jesse Bradley, mr Zenas Noble, mr John Picket, jun. 168

The open, manly and honourable conduct of the gentlemen who composed the minority in the great question yesterday taken in the Hon. Convention, was very different from the turbulent opposers of the Constitution in Pennsylvania, who, not content with their declamatory and odious protest against its adoption, are now endeavouring to involve their country in all the horrors of a civil war, by exciting tumult and insurrection. On the vote of ratification being declared.

Hon. Mr. White, rose and said, that notwithstanding he had opposed the adoption of the Constitution, upon the idea that it would endanger the liberties of his country, yet as a majority had seen fit to adopt it, he should use his utmost exertions to induce his constituents to live in peace under, and cheerfully submit to it.

He was followed by Mr. Wedgery, who said, that he should return to his constituents, and inform them, that he had opposed the adoption of this Constitution---but that he had been overruled, and that it had been carried by a majority of wise and understanding men:--that he should endeavour to sow the seeds of a union and peace among the people he represented,--and that he hoped, and believed, that no person would wish for, or suggest the measure of a PROTEST; for said he, we must consider that this body is as full a representation of the people, as can be conceived.—After expressing his thanks for the civility which the inhabitants of this town have shewn to the convention, and declaring, as his opinion, that they had not in the least influenced the decision—he concluded by saying, that he should support as much as in him lay, the Constitution, and that he believed, as this State had adopted it, that not only 9, but the whole 13 would come into the measure.

Gen. Whitney said, that though he had been opposed to the Constitution, he should support it as much as if he had voted for it.

Mr. Cooley, (Amherst) said, that he endeavoured to govern himself by the principles of reason—that he was directed to vote against the the adoption of the Constitution, and that in so doing, he had not only complied with his directions; but had acted according to the dictates of his own conscience; but that as it had been agreed to by a majority, he should endeavour to convince his constituents of the propriety of its adoption.

Dr. Taylor, also said, he had uniformly opposed the Constitution, that he found himself fairly beat,--and expressed his determination to go home, and endeavour to infuse a spirit of harmony and love, among the people.

Other gentlemen expressed their inclination to speak, but it growing late, the convention adjourned to this morning at ten o'clock.

Let this be told to the honour of the Massachusetts; to the reputation of her citizens, as men willing to acquiesce in that great Republican principle, of submitting to the decision of a majority.

Tuesday last, in convention, a motion was made by Mr. Dench, of Hopkinton, for adjournment that hon. body to a future day. The question being put, there appeared in favour of the motion 115—against it, 214—majority against adjourning, 99.