Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919). New York. 1906.
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| a reluctant ratification of the Federal constitution. The townsmen were quicker witted, and politically more far-sighted and less narrow-minded than the average country folk of that day. The artisans, mechanics, and merchants of New York were enthusiastically in favor of the Federal constitution, and regarded Hamilton as their especial champion. To assist him and the cause they planned a monster procession, while the State convention was still sitting. Almost every representative body in the city took part in it. A troop of light horse in showy uniforms led, preceded by a band of trumpeters and a light battery. Then came a personator of Columbus, on horseback, surrounded by woodsmen with axes,—the axe being pre-eminently the tool and weapon of the American pioneer. Then came farmers in farmers’ dress, driving horses and oxen yoked to both plow and harrow, while a new modeled threshing-machine followed. The Society of the Cin-cinnati came next. The traders followed: gardeners in green aprons, tailors, grain-measurers, bakers, with a huge “Federal loaf” on a platform drawn by ten bay horses; brewers, and coopers, with a stage drawn by four horses, bearing the “Federal cask,” which the workmen finished as the procession moved; butchers, tanners, glovers, furriers, carpenters, masons, bricklayers, whitesmiths, blacksmiths, cordwainers, peruke-makers, |