Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-04-12
Contest Over the Adoption of
Our Constitutions.

In this country the opponents of the Goa
stitution of 17S7-our happy Constitu i'm
were quite as sure that that terrible instru-
ment would destroy popular liberty as Lord
Shelburne was that the British star would set
if America became independent. '"Iis real
ly astonishing said Richard Henry Lee,
''that the same people who have just emerged
from a long and cruel war in defense of liber-
ty should now agree to fix an elective despct-
ism upon themselves and their posterity." I"
"Some of the powers must be abridged said
Samuel Chase, ''or public liberty will be en-
dangered, and in time destroyed" Joshua
Atherton congratulated anti Constitution
members of the New York Convention that
they had the opportunity ''to save our de-
voted country from impending
ruin" George Clinton said of the
same Convention 'sThe friends to the rights
of mankind outnumber the advocates of des-
potism nearly two to one." -
Nor was the opposition confined to words.
The spirit of party was fierce. Mr.. John c.
Hamilton asserts that there was party com
bination to take the life of his father, the
great champion of the Constitution, by the
duel; and Colonel Oswald did certainly chal-
lenge him, but upon explanation withdrew
the challenge. On the Sd of July, 1888,
twenty days before the New York Conven-
tion adopted the Constitution, came the news
of the ratification by Virginia. The friends
g fI,a oh tO ba in, L
bany, read it aloud with exultation, and fired
a salute. The next day, the 4th of July, the
opponents of the Constitution, who believed
that its adoption would be the setting of the
star of American liberty, marched to the fort
and burned the charter. Its friends, rejoicing
in prospective victory, attempted to pass tri-
umphantly the house where the other party
were holding their celebration. But the lat
ter fell upon them and drove them back. The
Constituencies rallied, and approached by
another street. But again the otber party
were ready, and had planted small cannon
loaded with stones to repel the assaulting col
umn. The Constitutionalists pressed on, and
as the dragons at their head began the
charge, the nti-Constitutionaists tried to fire
cannon. But it had been spiked, like the gun
in Governor DORIS assault upon the Provi-
dence arsenal in 1912. or the priming was
wet, and it would not explode. A conflict
followed, and the stony battle of Green Street
is historical.
In the city of New York, after the Const-
tuition was adopted, its friends resolved TO
punish its opponents by destroying the press
Of the publisher Grcenleaf, whose paper had
been the organ of opposition. They assaulted
his house. He fired pistol among them, and
gallanty defended his castle. But the mob
triumphed. Greenleaf and bis friends fed,
and the publication of the paper was suspend
ed for many days. The rioters also proposed
/ to visit General John lamb, tough old sol
der of the Revolution, who was Collector of
the Port under the State governnent, and
who was subsequently appointed to the same
position under the new Constitution by Presi-
dent Washington. Lamb was as brave as q
lion. He made due preparation. Four vet
erars of the war, Two young men, and col
ored servant who had attended Lamb at the
battle of Monmouth, composed the garrison
of the house. Tie general directed in per-
son. His house was on the south side OF
Wall Street, midway between Pearl and Viii
| liam Streets, about the present site of the