was largely through his instrumentality that
the convention of 1787 was called; and he presided over its labors.
Again and again it seemed as if the convention would disband in anarchy.
The antagonisms between the various delegates appeared irreconcilable.
But always there was Washington to control the flaming passions, to
insist upon moderation, upon union. And in the end that convention drew
up the Constitution of the United States.[21]

Even then there remained the task of persuading each State to accept the
Constitution; and this also would have been impossible had not all men
looked to Washington to act as president of the new republic, to do
justice between its differing sections. Relying equally on his wisdom,
his caution, and his incorruptibility, the States intrusted to him a
power they would have conferred upon no other.

Two years were occupied in arranging matters, and then, in 1789, the
date so memorable to France as well, the new government was organized,
Washington was inaugurated as President, and the United States began its
stupendous career as a single nation.[22]

There were difficulties, of course. American finances seemed as
hopelessly involved as had been those of monarchical France. But this
rock upon which the French projects of reform all split, our government
escaped by the financial genius of Alexander Hamilton.[23] The natural
summons of the French that the Americans should become their allies,
should help them to win freedom in their turn, proved another source of
danger. A thousand others were not lacking. But Washington's
conservatism preserved his government through all. He proclaimed
America's well-known policy toward the European States: "Friendship with
all, entangling alliances with none." The material prosperity of the
country increased rapidly. Eli Whitney invented the cotton-gin, which
made cotton cultivation so remunerative that the South grew rich, and
also, alas, became wedded to the system of slavery under which it was
supposed cotton could best be produced.[24]

For eight years Washington guided the destinies of the infant nation,
and then resigned his authority to one of his lieutenants. So that
really the great leader's influence continued predominant until he died
in December, 1799. Already however the more radical of Americans were
grown restive under his restraining hand. Federalism, conservatism, was
losing its control upon the national counsels, a change toward wider