ld place you in; and wish that at least a
door could be kept open for your acceptance hereafter, in case the
gathering clouds should become so dark and menacing as to supersede
every consideration but that of our national existence or safety. A
suspense of your ultimate determination would be nowise inconvenient
in a public view, as the executive are authorized to fill vacancies,
and can fill them at any time; and in any event, three out of seven
deputies are authorized to represent the state. How far it may be
admissible in another view, will depend perhaps in some measure on the
chance of your finally undertaking the service, but principally on the
correspondence which is now passing on the subject, between yourself
and the governor."

The governor of Virginia,[34] who was himself also elected to the
convention, transmitted to General Washington the act, and the vote of
the assembly in the following letter. "By the enclosed act you will
readily discover that the assembly are alarmed at the storms which
threaten the United States. What our enemies have foretold seems to be
hastening to its accomplishment, and can not be frustrated but by an
instantaneous, zealous, and steady union among the friends of the
federal government. To you I need not press our present dangers. The
inefficiency of congress you have often felt in your official
character; the increasing languor of our associated republics you
hourly see; and a dissolution would be, I know, to you, a source of
the deepest mortification.

[Footnote 34: Mr. Randolph.]

"I freely then entreat you to accept the unanimous appointment of the
general assembly to the convention at Philadelphia. For the gloomy
prospect still admits one ray of hope, that those who began, carried
on, and consummated the revolution, can yet rescue America from the
impending ruin."

"Sensible as I am," said the general in reply, "of the honour
conferred on me by the general assembly of this commonwealth, in
appointing me one of the deputies to a convention proposed to be held
in the city of Philadelphia in May next, for the purpose of revising
the federal constitution; and desirous as I am on all occasions of
testifying a ready obedience to the calls of my country--yet, sir,
there exist at this moment, circumstances which I am persuaded will
render this fresh instance of confidence incompatible with other
measures which I had previously adopted, and from which seeing little
prospect