They were men of affairs, accustomed to deal with other men; and they understood that few questions of real moment can be decided on their merits alone.

Such questions must be dealt with on the principle of getting the greatest possible amount of ultimate good, and of surrendering in return whatever must be surrendered in order to attain this good.

There was no use in learned arguments to show that Maryland's position was the proper one for a far-sighted American patriot, or that Virginia and North Carolina had more basis for their claims than Connecticut or Georgia.

What had to be done was to appeal to the love of country and shrewd common-sense of the people in the different States, and persuade them each to surrender on certain points, so that all could come to a common agreement.
Land Cessions by the Claimant States.
New York's claim was the least defensible of all, but, on the other hand, New York led the way in vesting whatever title she might have in the Federal Government.

In 1780 she gave proof of the growth of the national idea among her citizens by abandoning all her claim to western lands in favor of the Union.