oney to march troops to their stations, money to speed messengers to
and fro, money for the wants of to-day, money to pay for what had
already been done, and still more money to insure the right doing of
what was yet to do: Washington wanted it; Lee wanted it; Schuyler wanted
it: from north to south, from seaboard to inland, one deep, monotonous,
menacing cry,--"Money, or our hands are powerless!"

How long would these two millions stand such a drain? Spent before they
were received, hardly touching the Treasury-chest as a starting-place
before they flew on the wings of the morning to gladden thousands of
expectant hearts with a brief respite from one of their many cares.
Relief there certainly was,--neither long, indeed, nor lasting, but
still relief. Good Whigs received the bills, as they did everything
else that came from Congress, with unquestioning confidence. Tories
turned from them in derision, and refused to give their goods for them.
Whereupon Congress took the matter under consideration, and told them
that they must. It was soon seen that another million would be wanted,
and in July a second issue was resolved on. All-devouring war had soon
swallowed these also. Three more millions were ordered in November. But
the war was to end soon,--by June, '76, at the latest. All their
expenditures were calculated upon this supposition; and wealth flowing
in under the auspices of a just and equable accommodation with their
reconciled mother, these millions which had served them so well in the
hour of need would soon be paid by a happy and grateful people from an
abundant treasury.

But early in 1776 reports came of English negotiations for foreign
mercenaries to help put down the rebellion,--reports which soon took the
shape of positive information. No immediate end of the war now: already,
too, independence was looming up on the turbid horizon; already the
current was bearing them onward, deep, swift, irresistible: and thus
seizing still more eagerly upon the future, they poured out other four
millions in February, five millions in May, five millions in July. The
Confederacy was not yet formed; the Declaration of Independence had
nothing yet to authenticate it but the signatures of John Hancock and
Charles Thompson; and the republic that was to be was already solemnly
pledged to the payment of twenty millions of dollars.

Thus far men's faith had not faltered. They saw the necessity and
accepted it, giving their goods