The Principal Dissenters

Elbridge Gerry--this Massachusetts delegate was contentious, deeply suspicious of what he believed to be the "democratic excesses" of the state governments, and equally suspicious of the dangers of unchecked central government power. Gerry may have been the most consistent "nay-sayer" in the Convention, and, in his final act of nay-saying, he refused to sign the Constitution on September 17.

Luther Martin--Martin's reputation has been shaped primarily by his fondness for drink. But Luther Martin in a state of drunkenness could sometimes be more perspicacious than many of the delegates in states of sobriety. An advocate for keeping the essential elements of the Articles of Confederation intact, he left in a huff before the work of the Convention was complete.  

Robert Yates and John Lansing---these two New York delegates constituted two of the three members of their state's delegation.   As long as they were present at the Convention, New York's delegation could be counted on to oppose anything that might weaken the power of their state. Their decision to leave the Convention early would leave the New York delegation without a quorum and therefore unable to participate in many of the key votes in the Convention.