The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

24 T. 51.] LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 393
ardor, constancy, endurance, and singleness of purpose,
that- had never been surpassed by any, commander, yet
his anxiety for the future was scarcely diminished. The
love of liberty, which had prompted him to such trials
and disinterested exertions in the cause of his country,
was equally alive to the success of that cause in building up the fabric of freedom on a firm and durable
basis. In a letter to Colonel Hamilton, who was then
a delegate in Congress from the State of New York,
he said; "My wish to see the union of these States
established upon liberal and permanent principles, and
inclination to contribute my mite in pointing out the
defects of the present constitution, are equally great.
All my private letters have teemed with these sentiments, and, whenever this topic has been the subject
of conversation, I have endeavoured to diffuse and enforce them; but how far any further essay by me might
be productive of the wished-for end, or appear to arrogate more than belongs to me, depends so much
upon popular opinion, and the temper and dispositions
of the people, that it is not easy to decide. I shall be
obliged to you, however, for the thoughts, which you
have promised me on this subject, and as soon as you
can make it convenient. No man in the United States
is or can be more deeply impressed with the necessity
of a reform in our present confederation than myself
No man perhaps has felt the bad effects of it more
sensibly; for to the defects thereof, and want of power
in Congress, may justly be ascribed the prolongation
of the war, and consequently the expenses occasioned
by it. More than half the perplexities I have experienced in the course of my command, and almost the
whole of the difficulties and distress of the army, have
had their origin here. But still, the prejudices of some,
the designs of others, and the mere machinery of the
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