Conceived in Liberty, Volume 5: The New Republic: 1784–1791

The first of the state conventions to make its decision was New Hampshire. Between the adjournment in February and the resumption in June, Federalist votes and propaganda had been executed to the maximum. The energetic Federalist-controlled press naturally excluded Antifederalist material, and personal influence by prominent men did its work, with Judge Samuel Livermore succeeding in converting many of the northern towns. Also, the Connecticut River towns were strong in their adherence to the Constitution, both they and the north were influenced by the ratification in Connecticut from which many of their citizens had migrated from. This influence was spurned by a propaganda campaign directed from the Connecticut River towns in Connecticut toward ex-citizens living in New Hampshire. A major feature of this campaign involved whipping up fears of foreign invasion from Canada against New Hampshire’s northern frontier. The upshot was that thirteen towns on the Connecticut River voted for the Constitution and only three against, while the northern towns now supported the Constitution by a margin of 11-3. The most important change, however, was the defection from the Antifederal cause of many towns in the previously solid interior of the state. Influential in all these defections was the powerful example provided by the ratification in Massachusetts. After all, New Hampshire’s two nearby neighbors had now both ratified the Constitution. Personal deals, patronage, promised amendments, and bribery dispensed by the political leaders of the state also played a role. As Joshua Atherton bitterly wrote, “I believe it will be conceded by all, they did not carry their Point by Force of argument and Discussion; but by other Means, which were it not for the Depravity of the humane Heart, would be viewed with the warmest Sentiments of Disapprobation.” The result of all their influence is that New Hampshire ratified the Constitution on June 21 by the slim margin of 57-47.

Of the delegates to the New Hampshire convention, the wealthy, the educated, the merchants, and the prominent were almost all Federalist; the majority of farmers were Antifederal. Thus, of eight merchant delegates, all were Federalist, as were five of the seven large landowners and five of seven ministers; on the other hand, the farmers split 19-15 against the Constitution.

Nine states had ratified, and the Constitution could now go into effect. But no Union could hope to get underway without Virginia and New York, so the drama of ratification now reached its climax as it was do or die in these two states.