You may, if you wish, also give your reaction to it. Look around you, do you anywhere see wisdom and integrity, and industry prevail either in council or executive. The demon of avarice, extortion and fortune-making seizes all ranks. And now, to get into office is another thing for getting into wealth on public funds and to the public injury. In general there is a great and universal depravity and corruption of manners among all ranks of people.
Morality is at a very low ebb and religion almost extinguished.
There is a most uncommon backwardness towards service among the people. It is impossible to conceive a more hopeless state than what we are in. All faith in public agents is lost and citizens will do nothing without being compelled by military force. That speculation, peculation and an insatiable thirst for riches seems to have got the better of every other consideration and almost every order of men. Every man is engaged in accumulating money.