treaty of peace belonged to the
United States,--and by Spain which held the lower Mississippi. Washington
applied himself to these matters as soon as he was well in office, but he
was much hindered in his arrangements by apathy or indifference in
Congress. He noted in his diary for May 1, 1790, communications made to
him of a disposition among members of Congress "to pay little attention to
the Western country because they were of the opinion it would soon shake
off its dependence on this, and, in the meantime would be burdensome to
it." From a letter of Gen. Rufus Putnam, one of the organizers of the Ohio
company, it appears that in July, 1789, Ames of Massachusetts put these
queries to him: "Can we retain the western country with the government of
the United States? And if we can, what use will it be to them?" Putnam
wrote a labored article to the effect that it was both feasible and
desirable to hold the West, but the character of his arguments shows that
there was then a poor prospect of success. At that time no one could have
anticipated the Napoleonic wars which ended all European competition for
the possession of the Mississippi valley, and, as it were, tossed that
region into the hands of the United States. There was strong opposition in
Congress to pursuing any course that would require maintenance of an army
or navy. Some held that it was a great mistake to have a war department,
and that there would be time enough to create one in case war should
actually arrive.

In a message to the Senate, August 7, 1789, Washington had urged the
importance of "some uniform and effective system for the militia of the
United States," saying that he was "particularly anxious" it should
receive early attention. On January 18, 1790, General Knox submitted to
Congress a plan to which there are frequent references in Washington's
diary, showing the special interest he took in the subject. The report
laid down principles which have long since been embraced by European
nations, but which have just recently been recognized by the United
States. It asserts: "That it is the indispensable duty of every nation to
establish all necessary institutions for its protection and defense; that
it is a capital security to a free state for the great body of the people
to possess a competent knowledge of the military art; that every man of
the proper age and ability of body is firmly bound by the social compact
to perform, personally, his proportio