ary in your proceedings, that it will
be impossible to set you right, even in idea, without recurring to
previous transactions and recalling to your view the whole history of your
conduct in the convention, as well as the subsequent display of patriotism
contained in your publication. I undertake this business, not that I think
it possible to help you out of your present embarrassments; but, as those
transactions have evidently slipt your memory, the recollection of the
blunder into which your inexperience has betrayed you, may be of eminent
service in forming future schemes of popularity, should the public ever
give you another opportunity to traduce and deceive them.

You will doubtless recollect the following state of facts--if you do not,
every member of the convention will attest them--that almost the whole time
during the setting of the convention, and until the constitution had
received its present form, no man was more plausible and conciliating upon
every subject than Mr. Gerry--he was willing to sacrifice every private
feeling and opinion--to concede every state interest that should be in the
least incompatible with the most substantial and permanent system of
general government--that mutual concession and unanimity were the whole
burden of his song; and although he originated no idea himself, yet there
was nothing in the system as it now stands to which he had the least
objection--indeed, Mr. Gerry's conduct was agreeably surprising to all his
acquaintance, and very unlike that turbulent obstinacy of spirit which
they had formerly affixed to his character. Thus stood Mr. Gerry, till
toward the close of the business, he introduced a motion respecting the
redemption of the old Continental Money--that it should be placed upon a
footing with other liquidated securities of the United States.(39) As Mr.
Gerry was supposed to be possessed of large quantities of this species of
paper, his motion appeared to be founded in such barefaced selfishness and
injustice, that it at once accounted for all his former plausibility and
concession, while the rejection of it by the convention inspired its
author with the utmost rage and intemperate opposition to the whole system
he had formerly praised. His resentment could no more than embarrass and
delay the completion of the business for a few days; when he refused
signing the constitution and was called upon for his reasons. These
reasons were committed to writing by one of his c