general thing, not more than 30 members were present at any one time and frequently some of the States were entirely Furtherunrepresented. more, party feuds greatly interfered with the work of Congress and had a tendency to completely disorganize every department connected with the government. Washington was deeply concerned at this condition of affairs, and in a letter to Benjamin Harrison of Virginia, dated December 18, 1778, he gives expression to his apprehensions as follows:

"It appears as clear to me as ever the sun did in its meridian brightness that America never stood in more eminent need of the wise, patriotic, and spirited exertions of her sons than at this period; and, if it is not a sufficient cause for general lamentation, my misconception of the matter impresses it too strongly upon me, that the states, separately, are too much engaged in their local concerns, and have too many of their ablest men withdrawn from the general council, for the good of the common weal. In a word, I think our political system may be compared to the mechanism of a clock, and that we should derive a lesson from it; for it answers no good purpose to keep the smaller wheels in order, if the greater one, which is the support and prime mover of the whole, is neglected.

"How far the latter is the case, it does not become me to pronounce; but, as there can be no harm in a pious wish for the good of one's country, I shall offer it as mine, that each state would not only choose, but absolutely compel their ablest men to attend Congress; and that they would instruct them to go into a thorough investigation of the causes, that have produced so many disagreeable effects in the army and country; in a word, that public abuses should be corrected. Without this, it does not, in my judg ment, require the spirit of divination to foretell the consequences of the present administration; nor to how little purpose the states individually are framing constitutions, providing laws, and filling offices with the abilities of their ablest men. These, if the great whole is mismanaged, must sink in the general wreck, which will carry with it the remorse of thinking that we are lost

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by our own folly and negligence, or by the desire perhaps of living in ease and tranquillity during the expected accomplishment of so great a revolution, in the effecting of which, the greatest abilities, and the most honest men, our American world affords, ought to be employed.

"It is much to be feared, my dear sir, that the states, in their separate capacities, have very inadequate ideas of the present danger. Many per sons removed far distant from the scene of action, and seeing and hearing such publications only, as flatter their wishes, conceive that the contest is at an end, and that to regulate the government and the police of their own state is all that remains to be done; but it is devoutedly to be wished that a sad reverse of this may not fall upon them like a thunderclap, that is little expected. I do not mean to designate particular states. I wish to cast no reflection upon any one. The public believe (and, if they do believe it, the fact might almost as well be so) that the states at this time are badly represented, and that the great and important concerns of the nation are horribly conducted, for want either of abilities or application in the members, or through the discord and party views of some individuals. That they should be so, is to be lamented more at this time than formerly, as we are far advanced in the dispute, and, in the opinion of many, drawing to a happy period; we have the eyes of Europe upon us, and as I am persuaded many political spies to watch, who discover our situation, and give information of our weaknesses and wants." *

While the French alliance had given a great impetus to the cause of the colonies, still it had considerable ill effect upon the community. People considered that, as the French king had determined to lend his aid in securing to America independence from Great Britain, it was unnecessary that the Americans continue their exertions. To many it seemed as though it were only necessary to allow the French to fight the battles for the Americans, and when the war had finally been won, without any hard

*Sparks, Life of Washington, pp. 286-287.

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ship or sacrifice upon their own part, to accept the independence thus gained as a matter of course and of right. Consequently, general languor and indifference prevailed. Thinking that the final result of the war was now a foregone conclusion and being very nearly exhausted by the long protracted struggle, the Americans began to grow weary of the fight and to shrink from every sacrifice. Public and private enterprises lagged; accessions to the army came in but slowly, and even for those who came in it was difficult to provide supplies. The necessity of emitting still further and greater sums of paper money had led to a number of deplorable circumstances; attempts to sustain the currency at par were abortive, and hard currency afterward became so valuable that it was worth ten, fifteen and twenty times the face value of the colonial bills. The Tories began to emit forged Continental currency, which helped to depreciate the value of paper money. Prices soared far beyond the ability of people to pay, and a wide field of speculation opened itself to contractors and speculators, who seized the opportunity to acquire sudden riches amidst the distresses of their compatriots. As a result of this depression, probably none suffered more than the army itself, for supplies were so high that Congress could not issue enough paper money to buy sufficient quantities and could obtain but little coin money. In South Carolina a pair of

shoes cost $700 in paper money, while the pay of the officers and privates was hardly sufficient to provide them even the barest existence. Speaking of these speculators, Washington said, "I would to God that some one of the more atrocious in each state was hung in gibbets upon a gallows five times as high as the one prepared for Haman. No punishment in my opinion is too severe for the man who can build his greatness upon his country's ruin.*

During 1778 but little had been accomplished by the army and both the Americans and French had been unsuccessful in their attempts to drive the British from the continent. On the other hand, however, the British had been unable to make any accession to the territory under their sway. Therefore, in order to concert plans for the coming year, Washington visited Philadelphia to hold personal intercourse with the members of Congress. In this service about five weeks was spent, during which it was finally concluded, considering the condition of the army and the general state of affairs, to act chiefly on the defensive, with the exception of punishing inroads upon the borders. Washington exerted the whole weight of his influence to offset the general impression that the mere fact of the French alliance would result in the ultimate success of the American conflict and that it in itself would relieve

Lodge, George Washington, vol. i., P. 253.