Smith's Constitution Happiness: A Complex Affair

Merchant, lawyer, and New York delegate to the Continental Congress, Melancton Smith (1744-1798) was an outspoken Anti-Federalist during the Constitutional Ratification Debates. Smith's ideas were prevalent in several Anti-Federalist Papers, including those written under the pseudonyms 'Brutus' and 'Federal Farmer'. Smith's stance on the new Constitution was that it should be framed to include not only the first class in the community but also a sufficient number of the middling class to control them. He believed that this combination would result in the abilities and honesty of the community, with a proper degree of information and a disposition to pursue the public good. However, Smith eventually voted for the Constitution, breaking Anti-Federalist ranks, although he recommended amendments.

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Melancton Smith's views on representation

Melancton Smith (1744-1798) was a New York merchant, lawyer, and delegate to the Continental Congress. He was also one of the most prominent Anti-Federalists during the Constitutional Ratification Debates and played an active role in the writing of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.

Smith's views on representation were informed by his belief in the importance of liberty and independence for the colonies. He argued that representation should be based on the "true doctrine of representation", where representatives are chosen by the free will of the majority of their constituents. He believed that representatives should be chosen from small districts to ensure they possess the requisite information and understanding of their constituents' circumstances and wants.

Smith also emphasized the importance of including men from the middling class of life in the representative body, in addition to those from the first class or "natural aristocracy." He argued that a combination of the two would result in a body that possesses both abilities and honesty, with a proper degree of information and a disposition to pursue the public good.

Furthermore, Smith believed that the number of representatives should be sufficiently large to allow for a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. He was concerned that if only a few individuals held power, they would be more liable to corruption and would not adequately represent the interests of all the people.

Smith's views on representation were influenced by his experiences as a delegate to the New York Provincial Congress and his work in various political and military roles in Dutchess County, New York. He was also a founder of the New York Manumission Society, which opposed slavery.

Overall, Melancton Smith's views on representation emphasized the importance of diversity, inclusion, and accountability in the governing body to ensure the protection of liberties and the pursuit of the public good.

Smith's stance on the Federal Farmer essays

Melancton Smith (1744 – 1798) was a prominent Anti-Federalist and a New York delegate to the Continental Congress. He was a central figure in the ratification of the United States Constitution, and his vote for the Constitution, with the recommendation of amendments, was a significant moment in American political history.

Smith is believed to have authored several prominent Anti-Federalist essays, including the Federal Farmer essays and the Brutus essays. Computational analysis of his writings has led scholars to conclude that Smith was indeed the author of the Federal Farmer essays, though some believe he may have collaborated with other Anti-Federalists.

The Federal Farmer essays were written to encourage voters to reject the ratification of the Constitution. In these essays, Smith, writing under the pseudonym Federal Farmer, expressed his concerns about the Constitution and the potential dangers of a strong central government. He argued for a more decentralized form of government, with greater power vested in the states.

Smith's stance, as expressed in the Federal Farmer essays, was that the Constitution should be framed to include representatives from both the first class and a substantial number from the middling class to control them. He believed that society naturally divided itself into classes, with distinctions based on birth, education, talents, and wealth. By ensuring representation from both classes, Smith argued, the government would combine the "abilities and honesty of the community, a proper degree of information, and a disposition to pursue the public good."

Smith's ideas about representation, as outlined in the Federal Farmer essays, were influenced by his own background as a merchant and landowner. He sympathized with the rebels during the Revolutionary War and played an active role in rooting out Loyalist sympathy in Dutchess County, where he served as sheriff. Smith's political beliefs and his role in the Anti-Federalist movement made him a respected and influential figure in New York and American political history.

Smith's role in the New York Ratifying Convention

Melancton Smith (1744 – 1798) was a New York delegate to the Continental Congress, a lawyer, and a merchant. He is described by modern scholars as the most important Anti-Federalist theorist and spokesman. Smith played an active and central role in the ratification of the United States Constitution. He was also a delegate to the first New York Provincial Congress in 1775 and helped lead the colony into revolution.

Smith's notes from the Convention are located in the New York State Library in Albany. These notes, along with those of other delegates such as Gilbert Livingston and John McKesson, provide valuable insights into the debates and discussions that took place during the Convention.

During the Convention, Smith argued for the importance of representation and the inclusion of the middling class in the government. He believed that the Constitution should be framed to include both the first class and a sufficient number of the middling class to control them. According to Smith, this combination would result in a representative body that secures the liberties and interests of the people. He also emphasized the importance of increasing representation and limiting the powers of Congress to approach a more perfect union.

Smith's vote for the Constitution, with the recommendation of amendments, broke Anti-Federalist ranks and brought down Governor George Clinton's wrath. He was convinced that New York had no choice but to accept the ratification due to external threats, despite his initial opposition.

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Smith's views on the upper class

Melancton Smith (1744-1798) was a prominent Anti-Federalist and a New York delegate to the Continental Congress. He was a merchant and a lawyer, and played an active role in the ratification of the United States Constitution. Smith was also one of the most outspoken critics of the Constitution during the Constitutional Ratification Debates. He is thought to have authored several Anti-Federalist Papers under the pseudonyms 'Brutus' and 'Federal Farmer'.

However, Smith wanted to ensure that the middling class was also represented in government. He felt that the middling class was more honest and sensible, and therefore better able to pursue the public good. He argued that if the government was structured in a way that only allowed a small number of people to hold power, it would naturally fall into the hands of the upper class, leading to a government of oppression.

Overall, Smith's views on the upper class were shaped by his desire to create a fair and just government that represented the interests of all classes. He wanted to ensure that the upper class did not have too much power and that the middling class had a say in how the country was governed.

Smith's political career

Melancton Smith (May 7, 1744–July 29, 1798) was a New York delegate to the Continental Congress, a lawyer, and a merchant. He was born in Jamaica, Long Island, New York, and was homeschooled by his parents. When his family moved to Poughkeepsie, New York, he became involved in the mercantile business. Smith was also interested in metaphysics and religion and helped organize the Washington Hollow Presbyterian Church in 1769.

Smith was a prominent Anti-Federalist and was involved in the Constitutional Ratification Debates. He was a delegate to the New York Ratifying Convention and made many of the same arguments as the Federal Farmer, even getting into heated debates with Alexander Hamilton. Smith was described as "one of the ablest debaters in the country". He was also the likely author of several Anti-Federalist essays written under the pseudonyms 'Brutus' and 'Federal Farmer', encouraging voters to reject the ratification of the Constitution.

Despite his Anti-Federalist stance, Smith ultimately voted for the Constitution, with the recommendation of amendments. This decision broke Anti-Federalist ranks and brought down the wrath of Governor George Clinton. Smith continued in the Clintonian party, however, and was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1791. He canvassed the state for Clinton in 1792 against John Jay. Smith died during the yellow fever epidemic in New York City in 1798.

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