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The Rocky Road to Ratification - Part IV

© Christina Coruth

Ratification!

With the Convention set to reconvene on June 18, 1788, each side had four months to ensure a victory. Anti-Federalists worked to secure more delegates with written instruction. However, they realized that they would have won a vote in Exeter and were feeling secure about their ability to defeat the adoption of the Constitution.

The Federalists were not secure and began an all-out campaign to win votes. They continued to inundate newspapers with articles calling for ratification and explaining its benefits. They got some unexpected help in spreading the word when the pro ratification Hartford Courant newspaper of Connecticut increased its area of circulation to include two additional New Hampshire counties. Clergymen continued to endorse ratification from the pulpit.

Federalists secured six additional votes when they convinced some towns to release their delegates from the written instruction to vote "nay." There were more delegates who wanted to vote favorably, but would not violate their written instruction, which their towns would not rescind. Federalists suggested that the way out of their dilemma was to simply not attend.

A new tactic was introduced to the fight - personal attacks on Anti-Federalists. The two main targets were Joshua Atherton and Nathaniel Peabody, the most outspoken and effective leaders of the opposition. Atherton had been a loyalist when the Revolution began. Federalists reminded people of that fact and accused him of wanting to defeat ratification due to a continued loyalty to the Crown. Peabody was one of the few Anti-Federalists who had a great deal of influence in the state legislature. They accused him of wanting to defeat the adoption of the Constitution out of fear that his influence would be diminished if it passed. Still others attempted to link Atherton, Peabody, and other Anti-Federalists with the paper money riots.

Delegates Samuel Livermore of Holderness and Francis Worcester of Plymouth, both Federalists, took to the road. They spent the four months crossing the state by horseback to personally lobby delegates who were opposed to ratification or who might be wavering.

One final boost came for the Federalists. By the time the Convention reconvened in Concord on June 18, two more states had ratified the Constitution. The honor of being the ninth state to ratify and, therefore, "laying the keystone" to the new government could go to New Hampshire - if they voted for ratification before Virginia, which was also convening its Convention in June.

As the Convention reconvened, the Federalists had cause for optimism. Of the 113 elected delegates, 90 attended. Sixteen of the missing 23 delegates represented Anti-Federalist towns. Apparently, some of the delegates heeded the suggestion to stay home. The Boscawen and Walpole delegate elections were under dispute. The rules committee settled those in favor of the Federalists. Once all the housekeeping business was taken care of, the Federalists were eager to skip any further politicking or debates.

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