ting. Their purpose was to demand better treatment and the payment of
what was owed to them. So far it was an orderly demonstration, although
not in keeping with military regulations; in fact the men had broken
away from camp under the lead of noncommissioned officers. But when
they had been stimulated by drink the disorder became serious. The
humiliating feature of the situation was that Congress could do nothing,
even in self-protection. They appealed, to the Pennsylvania authorities
and, when assistance was refused, the members of Congress in alarm fled
in the night and three days later gathered in the college building in
Princeton.

Congress became the butt of many jokes, but men could not hide the
chagrin they felt that their Government was so weak. The feeling
deepened into shame when the helplessness of Congress was displayed
before the world. Weeks and even months passed before a quorum could be
obtained to ratify the treaty recognizing the independence of the United
States and establishing peace. Even after the treaty was supposed to
be in force the States disregarded its provisions and Congress could do
nothing more than utter ineffective protests. But, most humiliating of
all, the British maintained their military posts within the northwestern
territory ceded to the United States, and Congress could only request
them to retire. The Americans' pride was hurt and their pockets were
touched as well, for an important issue at stake was the control of the
lucrative fur trade. So resentment grew into anger; but the British held
on, and the United States was powerless to make them withdraw. To make
matters worse, the Confederation, for want of power to levy taxes, was
facing bankruptcy, and Congress was unable to devise ways and means to
avert a crisis.

The Second Continental Congress had come into existence in 1775. It was
made up of delegations from the various colonies, appointed in more or
less irregular ways, and had no more authority than it might assume and
the various colonies were willing to concede; yet it was the central
body under which the Revolution had been inaugurated and carried through
to a successful conclusion. Had this Congress grappled firmly with the
financial problem and forced through a system of direct taxation, the
subsequent woes of the Confederation might have been mitigated
and perhaps averted. In their enthusiasm over the Declaration of
Independence the people--by whom is meant the a