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-tadly if it’s rejection endangered a dissolution of our union at this
incipient stage, I should deem that the most unfortunate of all consequences,
to avert which all partial and temporary evils should be yielded. I proposed
to him however to dine with me the next day, and I would invite another friend
or two, bring them into conference together, and I thought it impossible
best that reasonable men, consulting together cooly, could
fail, by some mutual sacrifices, of opinion, to form a compromise which was to
save the union, the discussion took place. I could take no part in it, but an
exhortatory one. because I was a stranger to the circumstances which should
govern it. but it was finally agreed that, whatever importance had been
attached to the rejection of this proposition, the preservation of the union,
& of concord among the states was more important, and that therefore it
vould be better that the vote of rejection should be resiended, to effect
which some members should change their votes, but it was observed that this
pill would be peculiarly bitter to the Southern states, and that some
concomitant measure should be adopted to sweeten it a little to them. there
had before been propositions to fix the seat of government either at
Philadelphia, or at George town on the Patomac; and it was thought that by
giving it to Philadelphia for ten years, and to George town permanently
afterwards, this might, as an anodyne, calm in some degree the ferment which
might be excited by the other measure alone, so two of the Patomac members
(White & Lee, but White with a revulsion of stomach almost convulsive)
agreed to change their votes, & Hamilton undertook to carry the other
point, in doing this the in- |
