John Jay's Address to the People of the State of New York, Part 2

From an address by John Jay to the people of New York in 1788, advocating the ratification of the proposed United States Constitution by the state's ratification convention:

“As the importance of this question must be obvious to every man, whatever his private opinions respecting it may be, it becomes us all to treat it in that calm and temperate manner, which a subject so deeply interesting to the future welfare of our country and prosperity requires.  Let us therefore as much as possible repress and compose that irritation in our minds, which to warm disputes about it may have excited.  Let us endeavour to forget that this or that man, is on this or that side; and that we ourselves, perhaps without sufficient reflection, have classed ourselves with one or the other party.  Let us remember that this is not a matter to be regarded as a matter that only touches our local parties, but as one so great, so general, and so extensive in its future consequences to America, that for our deciding upon it according to the best of our unbiassed judgment, we must be highly responsible both here and hereafter. …”