ry to their common interest and their social harmony.

Only five states (Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New
York) were represented in the convention. The deputies assembled on the
eleventh, and appointed John Dickenson, of Pennsylvania, chairman. A
committee was appointed to prepare a draft of a report to be made to the
legislatures of the several states there represented. That committee
reported on the fourteenth, when, as a majority of the states were not
represented in the convention, it was thought advisable to postpone
further action. They adjourned, after recommending to the several states
the appointment of deputies to meet in convention for a similar purpose,
in May following. They also prepared a letter to Congress, to accompany
a copy of the report to the several states represented, in which the
defects of the _Articles of Confederation_ were set forth.

When the Virginia assembly met, they resolved to appoint seven delegates
to represent that state in the proposed convention, and placed
Washington's name at the head of the list of deputies selected. The
appointment was made by the unanimous voice of the assembly, and the
fact was first communicated to him by Mr. Madison. Washington was
embarrassed. He heartily approved of the measure, and was willing to
leave the retirement of private life for a season, to serve his country
in a dark and critical hour; but he could not do so at that time,
without being obnoxious to the charge of inconsistency, and of
disrespect to a class of his fellow-citizens, who, above all others, he
most loved.

"I presume you have heard, sir," he said to Madison, "that I was first
appointed, and have since been re-chosen, president of the society of the
Cincinnati; and you may have understood, also, that the triennial
general meeting of this body is to be held in Philadelphia the first
Monday in May next. Some particular reasons, combining with the peculiar
situation of my private concerns, the necessity of paying attention to
them, a wish for retirement and relaxation from public cares, and
rheumatic pains which I begin to feel very sensibly, induced me to
address a circular letter to each state society, informing them of my
intention not to be at the next meeting, and of my desire not to be
re-chosen president."

Under these circumstances, and as the convention was to assemble at the
same place and at about the same time, he felt that he ought to decline
serving