Robust debate at New York’s ratifying convention began just days before New Hampshire ratified the Constitution on June 21 and a week before Virginia ratified four days later. But news of New Hampshire’s ratification did not arrive in New York until June 24. 与此同时, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison maintained a constant flow of correspondence between them, 很清楚他们事业的脆弱.
6月19日, Hamilton had confessed to Madison that it was “not easy to conjecture what will be the result” in New York. Adversaries of the Constitution “greatly outnumber us,” he lamented. 然而，“到目前为止，事情还没有绝望.”
Madison wrote to Hamilton the next day, their letters crossing in the mail. By this time, Madison was feeling much more confident, though physically exhausted. 认为弗吉尼亚将是第九个批准宪法的州, thereby causing the new government to organize under the Constitution, he reported to Hamilton that “a majority of 3 or 4” was expected to prevail. “不过，这件案子的不确定性还是很令人讨厌的,他警告说, because there was “a possibility that our present strength may be miscalculated.”
Communications between the two men continued several times a week through mid-July. 麦迪逊继续寄希望于3票或4票的多数, 或者可能是5或6票,汉密尔顿的绝望加深了. “Our chance of success here is infinitely slender,” he confided, “and none at all if you go wrong.“如果弗吉尼亚的批准失败，纽约就会失去.
When news of ratification by New Hampshire and Virginia reached New York, 联邦s were elated. 宪法将会生效. 但纽约的反联邦党人不愿让步. 在6月24日收到新罕布什尔州决定的消息后, Melancton史密斯, 他是纽约大会上最吵闹的反对者, 第二天，他又开始了反对宪法的演讲, 好像什么都没发生过. He spoke at length about the ills of the proposed Senate and was countered by Alexander Hamilton who, 反过来, 被史密斯反驳了吗.
罗伯特·利文斯顿惊呆了. 难以置信地站起来, 他问是否“不会”, 也许, 提醒[大会]……是极不礼貌的, 自从昨天的情报, it had become evident that the circumstances of the country were greatly altered, 现在辩论的基础改变了.事实是，他大声说，“联邦是。 现在解散了!” The sole question remaining before them was one of “policy and expediency.“y should “consider the situation of their country” and be concerned “that some might contemplate disunion.”
史密斯没有被吓倒. 新闻 that the Constitution had been ratified by the requisite nine States “had not altered his feelings or wishes on the subject,” he insisted as he continued speaking in favor of an amendment which would permit State legislatures to recall Senators before their terms of office expired. 约翰·兰辛站起来表示支持. “That our particular circumstances are in fact altered since yesterday,” he began, “I cannot agree. 的确，我们收到消息说 第九个州批准了宪法; but I contend that no such event ought to influence our deliberations. 维护我们的权利仍然是我们的义务. If, 不幸的是, 应该发生分裂, we are not in so bad a situation that we could not provide for our safety independently of the other states.”
史密斯和兰辛并不孤单. 亨利Oothoudt, 全体委员会的反联邦党主席, noted that “news of the adoption by New Hampshire does not seem to make an impression” and expected “it will not.“政府. Clinton wrote to John Lamb that “news from New Hampshire has not had the least effect on our friends in this place.“然而, rumblings of divisions among the Antis spread through both 联邦 and Anti-federalist circles. 约翰·杰伊是 联邦, summarized the division in a letter to George Washington: “Some insist on previous 有条件的修改; a greater number will be satisfied with 后续 有条件的修改, or in other words they are for ratifying the Constitution on condition that certain amendments take place within a given time."致杰"这些情况给了我们希望的空间.”
没有意识到他在证实杰伊的担忧, Smith shared his plan with his friend Nathan Dane in Massachusetts. 的反对者, 他建议, “应该冷静地考虑情况吗?,以及“根据这些情况做出决定。.” Smith’s “great object” would be to recommend “substantial amendments;” then “adopt the Constitution “conditionally.这就是, 如果他们同意, the condition would be that certain amendments “take place in one or two years after adoption, 或者批准无效.” His greatest fear was that a “moderation” might arise in some of the most influential Antis. Confiding to Dane, Smith said “the principal labor of managing the controversy lies with me.” Enclosed with his letter were copies of several amendments already proposed in convention and soon to appear in newspapers throughout the State.
The convention continued its paragraph-by-paragraph deliberations through the early days of July as the Antis continued to propose amendments, 实际上是在重写宪法. 与此同时，联邦党人改变了策略. 直到听说新罕布什尔和维吉尼亚州批准了宪法, 他们“争夺每一寸土地”,但是后来, 他们改变了防守方式.根据联邦党代表亚伯拉罕·班克的说法, 联邦s “changed their system of proceeding; whereby it appears no reply will be made to any of their propositions until after the whole of the [Anti’s] objections shall be stated.“ 纽约日报 广告商注意到了, publishing a “letter from Poughkeepsie” in which a 联邦 wrote, “The powers of eloquence and argument are unavailing; we shall therefore refrain from any further exertions in defense of the Constitution.纽约在联邦中的地位仍然不确定.