doubts upon this head, and wish to
see the other method first tried, which is legal and will
facilitate these payments."

That is, by the economy necessarily preached, the people would save
money with which to pay their debts.

Washington had been at the front both in the House of Burgesses, in his
own county, and among the people generally. He was a member of the
convention called to meet at Williamsburg; and he was appointed by that
convention one of seven delegates to attend the first Continental
Congress at Philadelphia.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

Near the end of August, 1774, Patrick Henry and Edmund Pendleton, two of
the delegates from Virginia to the first Continental Congress, rode from
their homes to Mount Vernon and made a short visit. Then, on the last
day of the month, Washington mounted his horse also, and the three
friends started for Philadelphia to attend the congress, which was
called to meet on the 5th of September. Pendleton was a dozen years
older than Washington, and Henry was the youngest of the party. He was
the most fiery in speech, and more than once, in recent conventions, had
carried his hearers away by his bold words. He was the most eloquent
man in the colonies,--of rude appearance, but when once wrought up by
excitement, able to pour out a torrent of words.

[Illustration: WASHINGTON, PATRICK HENRY, AND EDMUND PENDLETON ON THEIR
WAY TO PHILADELPHIA, AS DELEGATES TO THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.[D]]

For my part, I would rather have heard the speech which Washington made
at the convention in Williamsburg in the August before, when he rose up
to read the resolution which he and his neighbors had passed at their
meeting in Fairfax County. The eloquence of a man who is a famous orator
is not quite so convincing as that of a man of action, who rarely
speaks, but who is finally stirred by a great occasion. People were used
to hearing Washington say a few words in a slow, hesitating, deliberate
way; and they knew that he had carefully considered beforehand what
words he should use. But this time he was terribly in earnest, and when
he had read the resolution, he spoke as no one had heard him before. He
was a passionate man who had his anger under control; but when it
occasionally burst out, it was as if a dam to a stream had given way.
And now he was consumed with indignation at the manner in which Great
Britain was treating the colonies. He was ready, he said,