Stephen Hall to George Thatcher (May 12, 1789)

Congress, I guess, will cut the matter of amendments pretty short in Righteousness: for I believe they will consider the federal Government, as a Government of thirteen, or at present, of Eleven great & honest, & good Personages, each too important easily to be affronted. Therefore having declared the Idea in which they adopted the federal Constitution, by the Amendments proposed, I think they are pretty safe without Congress reducing Those Amendments to a regular system; for if my memory serves me, their general tendency is to secure a good administration of the Constitution, rather than really to alter it.1 This you will say is very general reasoning. I mean it only as an hint; for to be particular upon the subject, when writing to a Member of Congress would rather savour of arrogance.