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.

328 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [,ET. 46.
I have sent to Congress Lord North's speech, and
the two bills offered by him to Parliament.. They are
spreading fast through the country, and will soon become a subject of general notoriety. I therefore think
they had best be published in our papers, and persons of leisure and ability set to work to counteract
the impressions they may make on the minds of the
people.
Before I conclude, there are one or two points more,
upon which I will add an observation or two. The
first is, the indecision of Congress and the delay used
in coming to determinations on matters referred to
them. This is productive of a variety of inconveniences; and an early decision, in many cases, though it
should be against the measure submitted, would be
attended with less pernicious effects. Some new plan
might then be tried; but, while the matter is held in
suspense, nothing can be attempted. The other point
is, the jealousy, which Congress unhappily entertain of
the army, and which, if reports are right, some members labor to establish. You may be assured, there
is nothing more injurious, or more unfounded. This
jealousy stands upon the commonly received opinion, which under proper limitations is certainly true,
that standing armies are dangerous to a State. The
prejudices in other countries have only gone to them
in time of peace, and these from their not having in
general cases any of the ties" the concerns, or interests
of citizens, or any other dependence, than what flowed
from their military employ; in short, from their being
mercenaries, hirelings. It is our policy to be prejudiced against them in time of war; though they are
citizens, having all the ties and interests of citizens,
and in most cases property totally unconnected with
the military line.