Benjamin Goodhue to Michael Hodge (August 20, 1789)

We have been for some time past and still are upon the boundless field of amendments, and whether we shall bring any thing to issue or not is uncertain, for the opinions are almost as various as there are members, a few antis are perplexing the House and taking up their precious moments in propositions which are of such an inadmissable a nature as invariably to meet a rejection which they so justly merit,1 they say the propositions reported by the committee of eleven are only calculated to amuse without materialy affecting those parts of the Constitution which were particularly objectionable and therefore unavailing—its true they do not answer their unwarrantable purposes of weakening the constitution which they are aiming at, but I presume they go as far towards quieting the honest part of the dissatisfied, as any friend of an energetic national government can go. I am sorry the subject has been taken up at this time since its likely to be of so long a continuance. the reasons urged for it were that a few simple amendments would probably give general satisfaction and accelerate the adoption of the Constitution by the States of N. Carolina and R. Island. The fact is it has always lain on my mind, and what I sincerely believe is founded in truth is, that so far from the State Governments being in hazzard from the National Government, the danger is wholy on the other side, and the latter wants an acquisition of strength rather than a diminution.