[draft] My dear Sir The [struck: occasion] [inserted: circumstance] of a new constitution being proposed to the people of the United States [struck: induces] occasions [inserted: at this time] my presenting myself [inserted: confidentially] to your remembrance [struck: at this time] - Conscious [inserted: as I am of a solid friendship for you] [struck: of a respect for] the result of a long [struck: friendship] [inserted: acquaintance], I persuade myself [struck: of that] of [struck: sentiments somewhat] of the possibility [strikeout] that you may entertain similar sentiments towards me - The time has arrived, when the [struck: well intentioned] [inserted: well principled] and independent minds of [struck: this country] [inserted: the United States], are required by the high obligations of love to their Country, to declare themselves [struck: unreservedly] [inserted: freely] on the most interesting points than can be submitted to their consideration - Whether they are to approximate to [struck: good government] [inserted: happiness] [2] by realizing all the blessings of a government of Laws [struck: and not of men], or whether they are still to follow the misrule of anarchy [struck: and] [inserted: or] a government of convenience & caprice The proposed Constitution has been the result of the [struck: most laborious] deepest investigations and deliberations on [struck: the govern] government suited to the various interests of the [struck: Union] [inserted: States] It is [inserted: therefore] an amicable compromise [struck: of the various interests of the respective States] of the different parts of the Union - If it should not perfectly correspond with the theory of the closet [struck: of some suspicions] in every minutia, it ought [struck: perhaps] to be considered as the only [inserted: constitution] which could [struck: be peaceably] [inserted: be] obtained [inserted: in a peaceable manner] - But a candid [struck: investigation] [inserted: examination] of it, will most probably produce a conviction that it is one of the best models [inserted: of a republican government] ever presented [3] models ever presented to the sons of men - It is not for the constitution itself to detail its operations - explanations and Laws [inserted: will] naturally spring [struck: up] out of its administration - sufficient it is [inserted: that] it contains the great principles, by which liberty and property are to be secured - If some points are not amply [struck: explicit] [inserted: clear now] [struck: to minds which [think] darkly] the first Legislature will [strikeout] [struck: by passing certain] [struck and inserted: pass] [inserted: enact] [inserted: such] fundamental Laws, [struck: which] [inserted: as] will remove all doubts and apprehensions But there are people who will oppose it - plausible and delusive reasons will be held out as grounds for an opposition - The state demagogue will declaim on the inroad on State power [4] power and sovereignty [struck: Some] men in [inserted: some of] the southern states will [strikeout] harrangue on the subject of [struck: the of] their being sacrificed to the commercial interest of the eastern States - The orators of the small states will talk loudly on their being sacrificed to the large States in the house of representatives, and the [struck: speakers] [inserted: opposers] in the large states will bring forward the [struck: unequal representation on the states] [inserted: undue advantage of the small States] in the Senate - In short as the proposed constitution affects deeply the projects of the paper money, and convenient politicians, it will set in motion every subelty [sic] and art they possess to retard its progress and frustrate its adoption [struck: And] there [struck: will] [inserted: may also] be some well meaning people who will oppose [5] it because it militates with some darling speculation they may have entertained - However, it is to be hoped that [inserted: a majority of] the people of the respective States, [struck: see] will reflect maturely on their present situation - That they will see the contempt with which the american name is [struck: regarded] [inserted: treated] abroad - [struck: They That they will] That the goverment [sic] at home is in the last gasp of a deadly consumption - without money & without credit - unable either to resist the smallest faction [inserted: [rather to chastise [inserted: the despicable] bands of murdering savages on the frontiers - It is easily demonstrable that if the proposed constitution should be rejected with the visionary hope of [6] obtaining some unimportant amendments that such an event never [struck: can happen] can take place - [struck: perhaps] There are [inserted: influential] men in [inserted: almost] every state who were a convention to be again chosen, would cause instructions to be given which would effectually prevent an agreement even of the majority of the States much less an unanamious assent - Indeed the [struck: probable] discussions on the Subject [inserted and struck: Indeed] will [struck: most probably] [inserted: most probably] beget heats and animosities, that would in case of another convention prevent a general acquiscence [sic] in any plan - The present ship is unfit to encounter the rising storm, it will [strikeout] not answer even for the smooth surface of peace - it must sink - Let us then [inserted and struck: wisely] embark on board the new ship [7] [struck: proposed] offered by the united [struck: del] [strikeout] [inserted: wisdom] of our country - If it should not on experiment work perfectly well, we shall have [struck: plenty of materials to repair it] [inserted: the means of repairing or altering it in our] possession - But if we should decline embracing the present offer because [struck: we] [struck: some of the ornaments] some of the rigging or ornamental parts are not to our liking, we ought to apprehend the most fatal consequences - And posterity will [struck: say that we justly men mended our [future] our folly -] [inserted: execrate us for] On Friday Congress unanimously decided eleven states being present to transmit the new constitution for the purposes and objects specified in the resolves of the convention [8] Hitherto Heaven appears to smile on the [struck: honest] [inserted: honest] labors of our country to amend their political constitution - Should the eastern States adopt it readily there can be no doubt but it will obtain generally every thing depends on Massachusetts should she set the bright example, [struck: It would add [push] dignity to her importance] [inserted: She will derive additional dignity from the circumstance] - Pennsylvania is the only state whose Legislature is at present in session - Most probably it will [strikeout] direct the Convention to be called at some early day I rely on your goodness [struck: I beg] you to excuse my prolixity on this truly important Subject - [struck: Have the goodness] [inserted: please] to present me affectionately to the members of the Stone house Club & believe me to be with great sincerity My dear Sir your most obedient humble servt HKnox