CONTENTS.		Page xvii
BOOK I. THE CONFEDERATION.
CHAPTER I. A RETROSPECT. MOVEMENTS TOWARD UNION. Progress of the world by mastery over the forces of nature, 4 -- By a better knowledge of the nature of justice, 5 -- The laws of morals may be proved by inductions from experience, 5 -- First American union, 6 -- Concert of the colonies in action, 1684, 6 -- Consolidation of colonies attempted by an absolute king, 7 -- Effect of the revolution of 1688, 7 -- Proposal of a federal union by William Penn, 7 -- Plan of union of Lord Stairs, 7 -- Of Franklin in 1754, 8 -- Of Lord Halifax, 8 -- The colonies as the allies of England, 8 -- Plan of unity through the supreme power of the British parliament, 9 -- First American congress, 9 -- The elder Pitt and colonial liberty, 9 -- The American congress of 1774, 10 -- Independence and a continental convention and charter, 10 -- Question at issue between Great Britain and the colonies, 11 -- The confederation imperfect from jealousy of central power, 11 -- Rutledge proposes a constituent congress, 11 -- New England convention at Boston, August, 1780, 12 -- Measures of New York of September, 1780, 12 -- Effort of Hamilton, 13 -- Thomas Paine and a continental convention, 13 -- Greene's opinion, 14 -- Convention of New York and New England at Hartford, 14 -- Reception of its proceedings in congress, 15 -- New Jersey and the federal republic, 15 -- Cession of western lands by New York and Virginia, 16 -- Washington explains the imperfection of the confederation, 17 -- The confederation adopted, 17 -- Washington discriminates between the functions of the individual state and the power of the whole, 18 -- He appeals to the statesmen of Virginia, 19 -- His decisive letter for a stronger government, 20, 21 -- His instructions to Custis and to Jones, 22 -- Madison's report of March, 1781, 23 -- Madison receives a copy of Washington's letter, 23 -- The French minister reports the effort to reform the constitution, 24 -- Pamphlet by William Barton, 24 -- Report of the grand committee of congress, 25 -- Appeals of Hamilton through the press, 25 -- The
committee of three on the confederation and their report, 25-27 -- Coercion impossible, 28 -- Washington desires a new constitution, 28. CHAPTER II. THE STRUGGLE FOR REVENUE. Schuyler proposes the union of New England and New York, 29 -- Congress establishes departments, 30 -- The minister of war, 30 -- Of finance, 31 -- Hamilton on a national debt and a national bank, 31 -- Robert Morris and a national bank, 32 -- Congress and a national bank, 33 -- New Jersey demands for congress the power to regulate commerce, 33 -- Protection of American industries, 34 -- Congress asks power to levy an impost, 34 -- The answers of the states, 34, 35 -- How Morris started the bank, 36 -- Hamilton on regulating trade, 37 -- Becomes a receiver of the United States' revenue, 37 -- Schuyler in the New York legislature, 38 -- New York sanctions a federal convention, 39 -- Indifference of Clinton, 39 -- Hamilton elected to congress, 39 -- Morris entreats a loan from France, 39 -- Embarkation of the French troops, 40 -- What befell their officers, 40-42 -- Pennsylvania and the public debt, 42 -- Rhode Island refuses the impost, 43 -- Hamilton's reply to Rhode Island, 43 -- Richard Henry Lee divides Virginia, 44 -- Congress by its judicial powers reconciles states, 45. CHAPTER III. AMERICA AND GREAT BRITAIN. 1782, 1783. Peace between America and Great Britain, 46 -- Moderation of Vergennes and Shelburne, 47 -- Cessation of hostilities, 48 -- The king of England invites a cordial understanding with France, 49 -- Commercial relations between America and England, 49 -- Fox refuses an invitation to join the ministry, 49 -- Coalition of Lord North and Fox, 50 -- Debate in the peers, 51 -- Shelburne's defence, 52 -- The ministry tottering, 53 -- Pitt retires with dignity, 54 -- Shelburne's modification of the navigation act, 55 -- Liberal opinion of Burke, 56 -- Ministry of Fox and the Duke of Portland, 57 -- The king against the ministry, 58 -- Fox and the navigation act, 59 -- The unfair offers of Fox to America, 60 -- Jay and the slave-trade, 61 -- The American commissioners offer mutual unconditional free trade, 62 -- Debate in the house of lords, 62 -- England excludes American shipping from the British West Indies, 63 -- Renounces the right to purchase American-built ships, 64 -- Creates a national spirit in America, 64 -- England believes American union impossible, 65 -- Lord Sheffield on American commerce, 66 -- The king sure that America could establish no stable government, 67 -- Regret in England that the treaty of peace had been made with the collective states, 68 -- The British fur-traders induce Lord North to retain the interior American posts, 68 -- Pitt, Fox, and reform, 69 -- The new colonial system of Great Britain, 69.	CONTENTS.	Page xviii
CHAPTER IV. AMERICA AND CONTINENTAL EUROPE. 1783. Sweden, 70 -- Prussia, 71 -- Joseph II. and Belgium, 72 -- Denmark, 73 -- The free city of Hamburg, 73 -- Portugal, 73 -- Russia, 73 -- Holland, 74 -- Spain, 74 -- France, 75. CHAPTER V. A PLAN TO FORCE A STRONGER GOVERNMENT. JANUARY-MARCH, 1783. The army at Newburg, 76 -- Its appeal to congress, 76 -- Financial scheme concerted between Morris and the grand committee of congress, 78 -- Interview of the grand committee with the deputies of the army, 78 -- Disinterested conduct of Hamilton, 79 -- Plan of Morris to coerce congress into bolder measures, 80 -- The debt to the army and half pay, 81 -- Debate on revenue, 82 -- Virginia repeals her grant of the impost, 82 -- Debate in congress, 83 -- Madison speaks, 84 -- Methods of general revenue, 85 -- Pamphlet of Pelatiah Webster, 86 -- Robert and Gouverneur Morris aim at new powers to the government through the army, 87 -- Hamilton to Washington, 87 -- Gouverneur Morris to Greene, 88 -- Opinions of Knox and Washington, 89 -- The news of peace, 90 -- Rutledge proposes different treatment of military and civil creditors, 90 -- Mercer and Arthur Lee combat Madison, 91 -- Robert Morris publishes his letter of resignation, 91. CHAPTER VI. THE ARMY AND ITS CHIEF. MARCH, 1783. Washington's meditations, 92 -- His appeal to the governor of Virginia, 93 -- Conduct of Gates, 93 -- His plan of actions, 94 -- Armstrong's anonymous address, 95 -- Washington's reply in general orders, 95 -- Meeting of officers of the army, 96 -- Washington's address to them, 97 -- Their resolutions, 98 -- Result of the meeting, 99 -- What congress did for the army, 100 -- News of peace, 100 -- Proclamation of congress, 101. CHAPTER VII. DISBANDING THE ARMY. MARCH-JULY, 1783. The rightful claims of the army, 102 -- Madison proposes a plan for revenue, 103 -- Debt and resources of the United States, 103 -- Slaves rated as five to three, 104 -- Hamilton wishes to propose a federal convention, 104 -- The financial report adopted, 104 -- The appeal of congress to the states, 105 -- Committee on the New York resolutions favor a general convention, 105 -- Rufus Putnam plans colonizing Ohio, 106 -- Timothy Pickering advises the	CONTENTS.	Page xix
exclusion of slavery, 106 -- The ordinance of Bland, 107 -- Discharge the army, 107 -- Society of the Cincinnati, 107 -- How the army was disbanded and how it was paid, 108 -- Washington's legacy to the people, 109 -- The opportunity of the citizens of America, 111 -- The necessity of a supreme power, 112 -- The choice of union or anarchy followed by arbitrary power, 113 -- Washington wished reform through a convention of the people, 113. BOOK II. ON THE WAY TO A FEDERAL CONVENTION. 1783-1787. CHAPTER I. HOW THE LAND RECEIVED THE LEGACY OF WASHINGTON. JUNE-DECEMBER, 1783. The universal love of union, 117 -- Inter-citizenship, 118 -- How Washington's legacy was received in Connecticut, 119 -- In Delaware, 120 -- In Pennsylvania, 120, 121 -- In South Carolina, 121, 122 -- In New York, 122 -- In Massachusetts, 123-125, In Virginia, 125-128 -- In Maryland, 128 -- In congress, 128 -- Riot in Philadelphia, 128 -- Congress adjourns to Princeton, 129 -- Rivalry for the site of the federal government, 129 -- Coalition in favor of its present site, 130 -- Hamilton on the defects of the confederation, 131 -- Ellsworth on national existence, 132 -- Forebodings of Hamilton, 132 -- He retires from congress, 133 -- Forced emigration of royalists, 134 -- Washington examines the inland water communications of New York, 135 --Haldimand refuses to surrender the interior posts, 135 -- Congress votes Washington a statue, 136 -- It receives him publicly, 136 -- Follows his counsels on the army and navy, 137 -- On the state of Ohio, 138 -- On doing honor to Kosciuszko, 138 -- An envoy from the Dutch republic, 138 -- Madison forced to retire by the rule of rotation, 139 -- Washington calls on his old soldiers to promote union, 140 -- The city of New York restored, 141 -- The officers of the army bid farewell to Washington, 141, 142 -- His journey through New Jersey, 142 -- Through Philadelphia, 143 -- He resigns his commission, 143-145 -- He returns to Mount Vernon, 145. CHAPTER II. VIRGINIA STATESMEN LEAD TOWARD A BETTER UNION. 1784. Four motives to union, 146 -- Congress declines to lead the way, 147 -- England compels union, 147 -- The views of Virginia, 148 -- Jefferson describes the United States as one nation, 149 -- Congress vote them to be one nation,		Page xx
150 -- Jefferson's plan for international commerce, 150 -- Accepted by congress, 151 -- Jefferson and Washington on commerce with the West, 151, 152 -- Honors decreed to Washington by Virginia, 152 -- Washington pleads with Virginia statesmen for a national constitution, 153 -- The great West to form an empire of republics, 154 -- Jefferson's ordinance, 155 -- Against slavery in the West, 156 -- How it was lost, 157 -- Jefferson's life-long opinion on slavery, 158 -- His ordinance for disposing of the public lands, 158 -- The mint and American coinage, 159 -- The cost of the war, 159 -- Holland and John Adams, 160 -- Generosity of France, 161 -- Jefferson's financial plan, 161 -- Patrick Henry disposed to increase the power of congress, 162 -- National measures of Virginia, 163 -- Jefferson enforces union, 164 -- The committee of states, 164 -- Retirement of Robert Morris, 165 -- Lee and Madison on a federal convention, 166 -- France sees the tendency of the confederation to dissolution, 167. CHAPTER III. THE WEST. 1784, 1785. Washington's tour to the West, 168 -- His scheme of internal navigation, 169 -- His report to Governor Harrison, 170 -- Lafayette in the United States, 171 -- Washington negotiates between Virginia and Maryland, 172 -- He refuses gifts, 173 -- Virginia appoints commissioners to treat with Maryland, 174 -- The fifth congress and Richard Henry Lee as its president, 174 -- Samuel Adams for a firm government, 175 -- The politics of New York corrupted by its custom-house, 175 -- Washington's western policy, 176 -- he lays it before the president of congress, 177 -- William Grayson, 177 -- Pickering against slavery in the West, 178 -- King revives Jefferson's anti-slavery clause, 179 -- The proposal committed, 179 -- King's report, 180 -- Grayson favors the prohibition of slavery, 180 -- His ordinance for the disposal of western lands, 180-182 -- Can congress levy armed men? 182, 183. CHAPTER IV. THE REGULATION OF COMMERCE. THE FIFTH CONGRESS. 1784, 1785. Connecticut and Maryland, but not Virginia, propose reform of the confederacy by less than a unanimous vote, 184 -- Tract by Noah Webster, 185 -- Excessive importations of British goods, 185 -- The consequent distress, 186 -- Remedies proposed in New York, 186 -- Pennsylvania proposes a protective system, 187 -- Movements in Boston noted by Grayson, 188 -- Boston demands more powers for congress and a protective tariff, 189 -- Bowdoin recommends a federal convention, 190 -- Instructions to the Massachusetts delegates, 190 -- Movements in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, 191 -- In Pennsylvania, 191 -- John Adams applauds a navigation act, 191 -- James Monroe, 192 -- His compromise proposal for a revenue, 192, 193 -- His report, 193 -- His procrastination, 194		Page xxi
-- Is puzzled by Adam Smith on the wealth of nations, 195 -- The extreme South afraid of a navigation act, 195 -- The objections of Richard Henry Lee, 196 -- Monroe wishes his measure delayed, 197 -- Congress regrets Madison, 197 -- The Massachusetts delegates disobey their instructions, 198 -- Their reasons, 198, 199 -- Bowdoin's reply, 199 -- The effect, 199 -- The American commissioners for treaties meet with a rebuff from England, 200 -- John Adams and King George, 201 -- England will not treat except on the condition of a preference, 202 -- Adams proposes retaliation, 203 -- Interview of Adams with Pitt, 203-206 -- The United States agree with France for a perfect reciprocity, 207 -- France reduces the duty on American fish-oil, 207 -- Treaty with Prussia, 207, 208 -- Spain reserved, 208 -- Noble spirit of South Carolina, 208 -- Treaty with Morocco, 208 -- A new constitution cannot spring from congress, 209. CHAPTER V. OBSTACLES TO UNION REMOVED OR QUIETED. 1783-1787. State of religion in the colonies, 210 -- Virginia disestablishes the church, 211 -- Hawley and the inquisition into faith by the temporal power, 212 -- Decline of the Anglican church in Virginia, 212 -- Does religion need compulsory support? 213 -- Opinions of the Presbyterians, 213 -- Of the Baptists, 213 -- Patrick Henry proposes a legal support for Christianity, 214 -- Madison opposes, 214 -- Opinion of Washington, 215 -- Of the Baptists, 215 -- Of the convention of the Presbyterian church, 216 -- Jefferson's bill for religious freedom adopted, 216 -- Other states follow, 217 -- The statute in French and Italian, 217 -- The Protestant Episcopal church of the United States, 217, 218 -- The Methodists, 218 -- Their missionaries in America, 219 -- Their superintendents, 220 -- Their liturgy, 221 -- Their first general conference, 222 -- The superintendent defined to be a bishop, 223 -- The Methodists and slavery, 223 -- Rapid increase of the Methodists, 224 -- Roman Catholics in the United States, 224, 225 -- Carolina, Virginia, 226 -- Enlargement of Pennsylvania, 226 -- New York yields to temptation, 227 -- Slavery and freedom never reconciled, 227. CHAPTER VI. STATE LAWS IMPAIRING THE OBLIGATIONS OF CONTRACTS PROVE THE NEED OF AN OVERRULING UNION. BEFORE MAY, 1787. Paper money in the American states, 228 -- Laws of Connecticut, 229 -- Of Massachusetts, 230 -- Of New Hampshire, 231 -- Rhode Island, 231 -- The court and the legislature of Rhode Island in conflict, 232 -- The laws of New York, 232 -- Of New Jersey, 233, 234 -- Of Pennsylvania, 234, 235 -- Of Delaware, 235 -- Of Maryland, 235 -- Of Georgia, 235 -- Of South Carolina, 236 -- Of North Carolina, 236, 237 -- Of Virginia, 237-239 -- Inflexibility of Wash		Page xxii
ington, 239 -- Public opinion on paper money, 240 -- Opinions of Madison and Roger Sherman, 241. CHAPTER VII. CONGRESS CONFESSES ITS HELPLESSNESS. 1785, 1786. Washington in private life, 242 -- The visit of Houdon, 242, 243 -- Invitation to France by its king and queen, 243 -- Situation and value of Mount Vernon, 243 -- The house and grounds, 244 -- The lands, negroes, and produce, 244 -- Washington embarrassed for income, 245 -- A gradual abolitionist, 245, 246 -- His love of hunting, 246 -- He arranges his papers, 246 -- His perfect amiability, 247 -- His exemplary life, 247 -- His religion, 247, 248 -- His hatred of war, 248 -- His sympathy for the Irish and Greeks, 248 -- His enthusiasm at the beginning of the French revolution, 249 -- He enjoins moderation on Lafayette, 249 -- In politics an impartial American, 249 -- The commissioners of Maryland and Virginia meet at Mount Vernon, 249, 250 -- The results, 250 -- States divided on granting power over trade to congress, 250 -- Opinion of Madison, 251 -- Of Washington, 251 -- Hesitation of Virginia, 251, 252 -- Maryland suggests a politico-commercial commission, 252 -- The wisdom of Madison, 253 -- Calling a convention at Annapolis, 253 -- The sixth congress, 253 -- More strength to the confederacy, or an end to the union, 254, 255 -- Plans for a federal convention, 256 -- Strife between New Jersey and New York, 256 -- Congress interposes, 256, 257 -- New Jersey leads the way to a general convention, 257 -- What was written by Monroe, 258 -- By Grayson, 258 -- The views of South Carolina, 258, 259 -- Monroe opposes a general convention, 259 -- Grayson's proposal, 260 -- Proposal of Charles Pinckney, 260, 261 -- His committee offer seven new articles of confederation, 261-263 -- Congress rests its hopes on the system of April, 1783, 263 -- Discussions in New York city, 263, 264 -- New York retains the collecting of the revenue, 264 -- Pennsylvania recedes from the revenue plan of congress, 264 -- Does not heed a delegation from congress, 264 -- Congress expostulates with the governor of New York, 265 -- Clinton will not yield, 265 -- Congress fails, 265 -- Why it could not but fail, 265, 266. CHAPTER VIII. VIRGINIA INVITES DEPUTIES OF THE SEVERAL LEGISLATURES OF THE STATES TO MEET IN CONVENTION. 1786. The convention at Annapolis, 267 -- Only five states appear, 268 -- Their extreme caution in their report, 268 -- They fix the time and place of a federal convention, 268, 269 -- King prevents the recommendation of the measure by congress, 269 -- Clinton condemns the commissioners from New York, 269 -- King before the legislature of Massachusetts, 269 -- Followed by Nathan Dane, 269 -- Massachusetts declines the suggestions from Annapolis, 270 -- Madison		Page xxiii
and Virgina, 270 -- The assembly unanimous, 270 -- In declaratory preamble, 270-272 -- Virginia selects its delegates, 272 -- Decision of New Jersey, 272 -- Of Pennsylvania, 272 -- North Carolina and Delaware, 272 -- The conciliatory movement of King in congress succeeds, 272-274 -- The decision of New York, 274 -- The insurrection in Massachusetts, 274, 275 -- Its legislature accepts the invitation from Annapolis, 275 -- So do South Carolina and Georgia, 275 -- Connecticut, 275, 276 -- New Hampshire, 276 -- Expectation of the British ministry, 277 -- jefferson's advice, 277 -- Madison prepares a complete plan of a constitution, 277 -- Conciliates Randolph, governor of Virginia, 277 -- Principles tht governed Madison, 278 -- The preparation of Washington for the convention, 278. APPENDIX. LETTERS AND PAPERS. (For Index to Letters and Papers, see page 513.)		Page xxiv