Shortly before the Convention opened, Gouverneur Morris and James Madison, Jr. met by appointment at Hamilton’s house to discuss the plan of campaign and make sure of their leader’s wishes.  General Schuyler and Robert Troup were also present.

Morris was a delegate from Pennsylvania, but was about to return to New York, having bought the family estate at Morrisania from his brother, Staats Long Morris, and was involved in business enterprises which resulted in a large fortune.  He awaited the settlement of the country’s affairs before sailing for Europe in his private interests.  Troup, now a successful lawyer at the New York bar, was an able politician and devoted to Hamilton’s interests.  Philip Schuyler was entirely in his son-in-law’s confidence, working for and with him always, occupying the double position of adviser and follower.  Madison, who had forced the Convention at Annapolis, had had his breath taken away by Hamilton’s coup, but now was delighted that he had been the instrument which made it possible.  He had composed his somewhat halting mind to the determination to concentrate his energies upon wringing from the Convention a national scheme of government after Hamilton’s model, provided that model were not too extreme:  he was no monarchist, and knew the people very thoroughly.  But he was deeply anxious to have Hamilton’s views and plans for his guidance, even if modification were necessary.  He knew Hamilton’s complete mastery of the science of government, and that his broad structure was bound to be right, no matter what its frills.

The company assembled in the library, whose open windows overhung a garden full of lilacs, dogwood, and maples.  There was a long table in the room, about which the guests mechanically seated themselves, so accustomed were they to the council table.  Hamilton had greeted them in the hall, and sent them on to the library, while he went to fetch some papers his wife had promised to copy for him.

“So this is the room in which the government of the United States is to be born,” said Troup, glancing about at the familiar books and at the desk stuffed with papers.  “I shall always smell lilacs in the new Constitution.”

“If we get one,” observed Morris. “‘Conceive’ would be a better word than ‘born,’ Twelve states,—­for my part I am glad the refusal of Rhode Island to send delegates makes one less,—­each wanting its own way, and the North inevitably pitted against the South:  I confess that ‘still-born’ strikes me as a better word than any.”

“We’ll have a Constitution,” said Madison, doggedly, “I’ve made up my mind to that.  There are a sufficient number of able and public-spirited men on their way to Philadelphia to agree upon a wise scheme of government and force it through—­besides Hamilton and ourselves there are Washington, Governor Randolph, William Livingston, Rufus King, Roger Sherman, Dr. Franklin, James Wilson, George Wythe, the Pinckneys, Hugh Williamson—­to mention but a few.”