David Humphreys

Extreme secrecy of the negotiations during the convention was demanded by the prominent leaders at the Constitutional Convention, especially by George Washington, who was unanimously elected the Convention president. This letter, from David Humphreys, an aide-de-camp to General Washington during the Revolutionary War, to his friend and fellow aide-de-camp, Alexander Hamilton, illustrates the negative impact that secrecy had. Humphreys reports the closeddoor policy encouraged wild speculation concerning the intents of the convention. Whether a sincere wish to return to monarchy or a political ploy to scare Antifederalists into supporting a stronger national government, a rumor was spreading that British king George III's second son would be made the king of the United States.

Our friend Col. Wadsworth has communicated to me a letter in which you made inquiries respecting a political letter that has lately circulated in...