“Edmund Randolph to David Shepherd,” July 25, 1787. In Supplement to Max Farrand's The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, edited by James H. Hutson. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987.https://consource.org/document/edmund-randolph-to-david-shepherd-1787-7-25/20130122080503/.

Dear Sir,¹

. . . I presume that your part of the world, like this city [is] anxious to be informed of the proceedings of the Convention. It would give me pleasure to contribute to the gratification of the friends of the united states. But we are not yet discharged from the obligation of secrecy. This much I can only tell you that we have been employed in settling general principles of government and yesterday a committee was appointed to prepare a constitution conformable to those principles. Our western friends, beyond the Allegheny, may be assured that we shall not be unmindful of their interests in our regulations.