Newspaper Report of Antifederalst Convention Delegates Meeting: Massachusetts Centinel (July 26, 1788)

What principles actuate some of the flaming opposers of the Federal System, may be discovered in the late conduct of the Hon. Mr. Mason, of Virginia. This gentleman, after the Constitution was ratified, requested the minority to meet at a publick place, for the ostensible purpose of addressing their constituents-recommending to them a cheerful acquiescence in the adoption that had taken place: But when thus assembled, he introduced a fiery, irritating manifesto-which he would have sent out to divide the State, had it not been for the patriotism of a majority of the persons assembled-who seeing the serpent in the grass, exposed it, and prevented any thing of the sort taking place.