AND THE FEDERALIST PARTY 119 



temporarily successful, although it was already threat- 

 ening New York with a war. Though some of the 

 most intelligent people in the state understood the 

 shortsightedness of the governor's policy, the multitude 

 were always ready to throw up their caps and shout, 

 " Hurrah for Clinton ! " It was this unreasoning pop- 

 ular support that made Clinton at that moment the 

 most formidable enemy then living in the United 

 States to all schemes and movements that tended 

 toward a closer union. Here again the circumstances 

 were such as naturally to strengthen Hamilton's hatred 

 of democracy. Here was democracy confronting him 

 with intent to thwart and prevent the work to which 

 he had now come to consecrate his life. 



This was a hot fight. At length Hamilton, with the 

 valuable aid of Schuyler and the Livingstons, won a 

 victory, such as it was. Delegates were indeed chosen, 

 so that New York was not unrepresented in the con- 

 vention, like Rhode Island. Hamilton was one of 

 these delegates, so that he was to have a chance to 

 express his views and make his influence felt. But 

 every effort to obtain more than three delegates was 

 voted down, and Hamilton's two colleagues, Robert 

 Yates and John Lansing, were uncompromising Anti- 

 federalists, so that it was perfectly certain that he 

 would never succeed in the convention in carrying the 

 vote of New York for one single measure looking 

 toward the fulfilment of the objects for which that 

 convention had been called. 



Thus hampered, the share which Hamilton took in the 

 debates of the convention was a small one. He could 

 only express his individual preferences, well knowing 

 that as soon as it came to a vote his two colleagues 



