Extract of a letter from a gentleman at Poughkeepsie, dated 21 [23] June 1788. "On Sunday, about three o'clock, I arrived at Poughkeepsie, where I was
friendly received by
Federal men, and very particular
attention paid me by the
Chancellor. [never was
I taken so much
charmingly superlative notice of before!] To day, at the usual hour, the Convention was opened by a person
whose name I know not. [here the chancellor's
attention was entirely thrown away—for our narrator, it seems,
did not know his name!]
The point which claimed the attention of the day, respected the number of Representatives.
1 The argument was brought on by Richard Harrison, who spoke with modest diffidence, commanding respect and deserved attention: he was on the floor about twenty-five minutes. [Mr. Harrison is here most
excruciatingly honored!] He was followed by
John Lansing, who was
miserably wretched and
deformed in every
public feature. [what a fatal
thunder-bolt for poor
John Lansing—surely he never need make another attempt!] After him arose the
Chancellor, who spoke
charmingly indeed.
He let his fancy rove unchecked, and such
bold and
figurative language
I before had
never heard. The house was
perfect silence—the eyes and MOUTHS of every man were
fixed and OPEN—and his
eloquence, like a
river which had been
abridged for a time,
burst forth IRRESISTIBLY.—When he first rose his
eyes bespoke passion, his
countenance indicated an
injury received, and it required no great sagacity to pronounce him a
speaker in quest of revenge. [Oh! what a
sweet little
enchanting body the chancellor is! the gods adore him—he has more power over our sex than the statue of
Venus de Medicis:—how astonishing it is, that the audience, with their
open mouths, had not have eaten him up in their fit of love and transport: his cunning and
sagacity is so exquisite, that he could
smile in his neighbour's face, and run him through the body at the same time, out kind and most
sagacious REVENG!] "The day before
my arrival, it seems that Mr.
Melancton Smith had taken some very
improper liberties with the Chancellor, such as
pointing at his means, which were
devoted to luxury; his
apathy towards the
poor, his
extensive property; his
great ambition: subjects introduced to
win the popular affections, and to create the most
violent popular prejudices. [Mr. M.
Smith was
insolent indeed—who could have thought of his
daring to speak to the
Chancellor!] In speaking of
poverty and
riches, the Chancellor was
fancifully eloquent, and
feelingly descriptive; in remarking on his property, he was
delicately pleasing, but in speaking of his ambition,
the greatness of his mind and the virtues of his soul shone BRILLIANTLY SPLENDID, and even his enemies, who would feign be blind to his talents, could not but view his VIRTUES with
envy and
admiration. Mr. Smith had hinted, that the Chancellor wished an
aristocratic form of government. Smith pointed out the
abilities necessary to the form of an
aristocracy, and, in a great measure, discovered his IGNORANCE of the
plan of such a government. He having
committed himself in this way, the Chancellor took him by the hand; and if ever a man was
ridiculously introduced into a public assembly, HE was. The Chancellor EMBRACED
him about twenty minutes; during which
contact the prayer of the House was, that
the Lord should have mercy on his FEELINGS! When he took his leave of him he
compared him, as a
politician, to an
airy phantom who had only a
local habitation. [here our
hero became quite lunatic by the force of the
bright,
brilliant,
resplendant, shining,
vivifying, and
intoxicating VIRTUES, and ABILITIES of the chancellor, and poor Smith falls a victim to the
sublime,
heroic,
seraphic discernment of his
petit maitre-ship; oh! what wrapturous
kissing and ogling!] "After the Chancellor had concluded, Mr. Jay arose, commanding great respect and remarkable attention; he was heard with great pleasure and satisfaction; and,
no doubt, he spoke convincingly on the points raised. He has the most peculiar knack of expressing himself
I ever heard. FANCY, PASSION, and in short every thing that marks an ORATOR,
he is a stranger to; and yet none who hear but are pleased with him, and captivated beyond expression. He appears to me not to speak as a
scribe, but as a
man having a right to speak, and at the same time having
authority to
command them to obey:—he was up about fifteen minutes. [his ideas of Mr. Jay discovers him to be a perfect master of
imagery,
tropes,
figures! &c .] "WE
understand that the paragraph to-day was one of the
favorite Anti-federal points! but if their other
objections are not more
formidable than the ones they have raised, WE
shall carry the government unquestionably! because
I am satisfied that all sides to-day were
abundantly convinced of the
wisdom of the paragraph debated. The
Governor nor any other GENTLEMAN have
not yet spoken. [to conclude,
WE and
US and
I are sure beyond any manner of
argumentation, or
qualification, or
debation, or
varificafion, or
horrible violation—that the GOVERNOR is a GENTLEMAN, and that WE shall carry the
government.] Thus, sir, are the fathers of the country exposed to nonsensical animadversions. I am your constant reader, SNEER.
June 28 [29].