Meanwhile the political
horizon of his country began to darken, and omens of a fearful storm
appeared. The people looked to their ancient pilot for help, and at the
hour when he was dreaming most sweetly of domestic quiet, they called
him to take the helm, for the ship of state was in danger. He was soon
at the post of responsibility, upon the turbulent sea of political life.

FOOTNOTES:

[7] Life of Washington, page 379.

Chapter V.

JEALOUSIES OF THE STATES--WEAKNESS OF CONGRESS--VIEWS OF WASHINGTON
AND HIS COMPATRIOTS--WASHINGTON'S LETTER TO JAMES WARREN ON THE
CONFEDERATION--CONFERENCE AT MOUNT VERNON--WASHINGTON SUGGESTS A
NATIONAL COMMERCIAL CONVENTION--HAMILTON'S VIEWS OF THE
CONFEDERATION--THE CONTINENTALIST--HAMILTON RECOMMENDS A GENERAL
CONVENTION OF STATES TO AMEND THE CONFEDERATION--SECONDED BY THE NEW
YORK LEGISLATURE--LETTER OF JAY TO WASHINGTON--WASHINGTON'S
REPLY--AN IMPENDING CRISIS--WASHINGTON'S SECOND LETTER TO
JAY--WASHINGTON'S INFLUENCE IN HIS RETIREMENT--CONVENTION AT
ANNAPOLIS A FAILURE--ANOTHER RECOMMENDED--WASHINGTON APPOINTED A
DELEGATE FROM VIRGINIA--HE HESITATES--CONGRESS RECOMMENDS A
CONVENTION--WASHINGTON ACCEPTS THE APPOINTMENT AND PROCEEDS TO
PHILADELPHIA.

We have had occasion, from time to time, to notice the jealousies of
individual states toward the continental Congress during the war, and
the consequent weakness of that body, as an executive of the will of the
people, at times when strength and energetic action were most needed.

It was with great difficulty that the states were brought to agree to
the _Articles of Confederation_, and nothing but the pressure of a
common danger, which required unity of action, could have induced them
to surrender even so much of their individual sovereignty as those
articles required. When, therefore, the common danger had passed, and
the people felt security in the pursuits of peace, sectional and
provincial pride began to operate powerfully in dissolving the union of
the states. The Congress, doubtful of their power, and but little relied
upon by the great mass of the people as an instrument for the promotion
of national prosperity, were incompetent to execute treaties, to
regulate commerce, or to provide for the payment of debts contracted
for the confederation, amounting in the aggregate, foreign and domestic,
to a little more than forty millions of dollars. And that body itself