Henry Knox to Jean Baptiste Gouvion enquiring about Gouvion's employment prospects and discussing the Constitution - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC02437.03861
From Archive Folder	The Henry Knox Papers [0084] April-June 1788
Title	Henry Knox to Jean Baptiste Gouvion enquiring about Gouvion's employment prospects and discussing the Constitution
Date	26 April 1788
Author	Knox, Henry (1750-1806)
Recipient	Gouvion, Jean-Baptiste
Document Type	Correspondence; Government document
Content Description	Asks Gouvion, "Will the Russians or the Turks induce you to display your military talents... or have you prospects of active employment nearer home." Writes with assurance that the Constitution will be adopted within the course of a year, noting that it will probably be ratified by all states except for Rhode Island. Comments on the process of "discussion and opinion" the Constitution will undergo in the course of its ratification.
Subjects	US Constitution Ratification France Revolutionary War General Military History Global History and Civics Government and Civics Politics Federalists
People	Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Gouvion, Jean-Baptiste (1747-1792)
Place written	New York, New York
Theme	Creating a New Government; Government & Politics
Sub-collection	The Henry Knox Papers
Additional Information	Gouvion was one of the four French military engineers sent to America upon the request of Congress (the others being Duportail, La Rodière, and de Laumoy). He entered the Continental Army on 8 July 1777 as a major and in November 1777 was given the rank of lieutenant colonel. Along with Duportail, he planned and executed the fortifications at West Point. He participated in the Battle of Yorktown, was breveted a colonel in November 1781, and retired from the army in October 1783. Although his service was considered exemplary, little is actually known of his activities in America (see Boatner, Encyclopedia of the American Revolution).
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859
Transcript	Show/hide Download PDF [draft] New York 26 April 1788. Again I thank you my dear Gouvion for your favor of the 5th of November last and the enclosures therein contained Will the Russians or the Turk induce you to display your military talents [inserted: in their favor]? or have you prospects of active employment nearer home. I have written the Marquis a concise statement, respecting the prospects of our new Constitution - It will be adopted generally in the course of the year, - We hope much from its efficacy, [struck: maybe] [inserted: more] probably [struck: more] than it will realize But it became indispensably necessary to attempt something as the present Machine [2] [struck: was nearly [stopped is almost entirely worn out - The [struck: operation of the] [inserted and struck: mode of] [inserted: necessary [manner] of] adopting [struck: of] the new Constitution, is perhaps as difficult and [illegible] [inserted: an operation as can be contained] [struck: When it shall be considered that the new Constitution was a proposition to] [inserted: It is to] undergo the discussion and opinion, not only of the convention which formed it - The Congress - The [struck: different] Legislatures of the [inserted: respective] States, The countless towns [and] every individual freeman throughout the United States - In all its stages it is to be veiwed [sic] and decided upon by men [inserted and struck: independent] [inserted: without [respect] from any [illegible illegible of infinitely different [inserted and strikeout] [struck: views and] educations [inserted: & opinions], and [struck: of different degrees of judgement in those whose] whose judgements of course must be various - Abstractedly considered it is [illegible illegible] there [struck: should] should be some ascendancy of views as to form a majority in its favor in any one of the states - It will however accordg to my [3] judgement be adopted by at least those states immediately and [strikeout] probably by all the states exceptg Rhode Island in the course of the year - I am my dear Gouvion your affectionate friend HKnox Colo Gouvion - [docket] To Colo Gouvion - April 26. 1788 Rue de Bourbon

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