▁on ▁the ▁so vere ig nt y ▁of ▁the ▁independent ▁States ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁do ▁enough ▁to ▁guarantee ▁individual ▁liberty . ▁Both ▁he ▁and ▁Robert ▁Y ates ▁walked ▁out ▁after ▁ 6 ▁weeks ▁and ▁explained ▁their ▁departure ▁in ▁a ▁joint ▁letter ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁Governor ▁George ▁Cl inton . ▁L ans ing ▁and ▁Y ates ▁never ▁signed ▁the ▁constitution . ▁At ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Rat ifying ▁Convention ▁that ▁followed , ▁he ▁along ▁with ▁Mel an ct on ▁Smith ▁took ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁the ▁deb ates ▁as ▁the ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁Anti - F eder al ist ▁majority . ▁Their ▁attempts ▁to ▁prevent ▁rat ification ▁ultimately ▁failed ▁by ▁a ▁narrow ▁vote ▁of ▁ 3 0 ▁to ▁ 2 7 . ▁ ▁L ans ing ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁Justice ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 0 ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁February ▁ 1 7 9 8 ▁he ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁the ▁post ▁Chief ▁Justice . ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 1 , ▁he ▁also ▁became ▁the ▁second ▁Chan cell or ▁of ▁New ▁York , ▁succeed ing ▁Robert ▁R . ▁Living ston . ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 4 ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁reg ent ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁On ▁ 8 ▁April ▁ 1 7 8 1 , ▁L ans ing ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁Corn elia ▁Ray ▁( 1 7 5 7 – 1 8 3 4 ), ▁daughter ▁of ▁Robert ▁Ray ▁and ▁Sarah ▁( née ▁Bog art ) ▁Ray ▁of ▁New