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A major political event in Poughkeepsie is immortalized on the walls of the second floor of the Poughkeepsie Post Office. Following the creation of the U.S. Constitution, each state had to vote whether to accept the Constitution's limitations on the rights of the state, in exchange for a strong central government. New York's Constitutional Convention met at the Van Kleeck Tavern, and Gilbert Livingston, Henry's brother, was there. The battle over the constitution was the battle between the Federalists, those supporting the strong central government of the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, those who, at least, wanted an accompanying Bill of Rights to protect the rights of individuals and states. In Poughkeepsie, the ratifying convention was stacked against ratification, with Henry's brother initially on the side against.