his source we are to trace many of the fatal mistakes which have so
deeply endangered the common cause; particularly that defect--a want of
power in Congress."

The _Continentalist_ was published in the _New York Packet_, printed at
Fishkill, in Duchess county, and the series were devoted chiefly to a
discussion of the defects of the confederation. They excited great local
and general interest; and finally Hamilton succeeded in having the
subject of a general convention brought before the New York legislature,
in 1782, while in session at Poughkeepsie. The idea Was a popular one
with them, and on Sunday, the twenty-first of July, 1782, that body
passed a series of resolutions, in the last of which it was remarked,
"that it is essential to the common welfare, that there should be as
soon as possible, a conference of the whole on the subject, and that it
would be advisable for this purpose to propose to Congress to recommend,
and to each state to adopt, the measure of assembling a GENERAL
CONVENTION OF THE STATES, specially authorized to revise and amend the
CONFEDERATION, reserving the right to the respective legislatures to
ratify their determination."

This recommendation was pondered in other states, but the public
authorities were not ready to adopt it. At length the suggestion of
Washington, concerning a general commercial convention, was acted upon
by the Virginia legislature. That action drew a letter from John Jay to
Washington, in March, 1786, in which he said:--

"Experience has pointed out errors in our national government which
call for correction, and which threaten to blast the fruit we
expected from our tree of liberty. The correction proposed by
Virginia may do some good, and would, perhaps, do more if it
comprehended more objects. An opinion begins to prevail that a
general convention for revising the Articles of Confederation would
be expedient. Whether the people are yet ripe for such a measure,
or whether the system proposed to be attained by it is only to be
expected from calamity and commotion, is difficult to ascertain. I
think we are in a delicate situation, and a variety of
considerations and circumstances give me uneasiness."

To this Washington responded in May, saying: "I coincide perfectly in
sentiment with you, my dear sir, that there are errors in our national
government which call for correction; loudly, I would add; but I shall
fi