The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-02-24

press to you for the disorders which
have arisen in these States. Good
God who besides a tory could have
foreseen, or Briton predicted
them. Were these people wiser than
others? Or did they judge of us from
the corruption and depravity of their
own hearts? The latter l am persuade
ed was the case, and that notwith-
standing the boosted virtue Of Amer
lea, we are very little. if anything be-
hind them in disposition to every
thing that is bad. / do assure you
that even at this moment when l re-
fleet upon the present prospect of
our affairs, it seems to me to be like
the vision of a dream. My mind can
scarcely realize It as a thing in actual
eXistence-so strange-so wonderful
does it appear to me. In this as in
most other matters, we are too slow
When this spirit first dawned, probab-
ly it might easily have been check
ed; but it is scarcely within the reach
of human ken at this moment, to say
when, where, or how it will ter
inmate. There are combustibies in
every State, which spark might SET
fire to-
In explanation of this letter It
should be said that, driven almost to
despair, some of the people OF New
England demanded the emission Of
paper money for their relief, the alb
olishment of debts and the dissolu
ton of the courts. Poverty, general
unrest and lawlessnes prevailed.
On June 6, 1887, after the move
mcnt for a national government had
been started Washington wrote to
Lafayette "'rhe pressure of the pub
lie voice was so loud, I could not re-
sist the call 20 a convention of the
States which is to determine whether
we are to have a Government of res
probability under which life-ltberty
and property will be secured tc us or
are to submit to one which may be
the result of chance or the moment;
springing perhaps from anarchy and
confusion and dictated perhaps by
some, aspiring demagogue who will
not consult the interest of his coun-
try so much as his own ambitious
views"
In a letter to Charles Carter, writ
ten Dec II, 1887, he says: MY decid-
ed opinion of the matter is that there
is no alternative between the adop~
ticn of it (the Constitution and an
archy. All the opposition to
it that l have yet seen, is l must con-
Tess addressed more to the passions
than to the reason-and clear l am if
another Federal Convention is at
tempted the sentiments of the men-
bers will be more discordant or less
conciliator than the last-in inc, that
they will agree upon no general plan.
ed by a thread might go further and
say it is really at an end, and what
will DE the consequence of a fruitless
attempt to amend the one which is Of
fered before It is tried--or of The de-
lay from the attempt, does not in my
judgment need the gift of prophecy
to predict. l am not a blind admirer
(for | saw the imperfections) of the
Constitution to which | have assisted
to give birth-but am fully per-
suaded it is the best that can be OBJ
tanned at this day and that it or dis
union is before u.s."
Writing to Marquis Lafayette, May
2S, 1913, he said: The plot thick
ems fast. A few short weeks will de-
termine the political fate of America
for the present generation and prob
ably produce no small influence on
the happiness of society through a
long succession of ages to come. Shall
everything proceed with harmony
and consent according to our actual
wishes and eXpectations--I will con-
fess to you sincerely my dear Mar
quis, it will be so much beyond any
thing we had a right to imagine or
expect eighteen months ago that it
will demonstrate as visibly the finger
Of Providence as any possible event
in the course of human affairs can
ever designate it. 1t is impracticable
for you to argue who has not been on
the spot, to realize the change in
mems minds and the progress tow
ards rectitudo in thinking and acting
which vii then have been made"
When the success of constitutional
government was practically assured,
Washington wrote Governor Trum-
bull, of Connecticut: 1--WE may, with
kind of grateful and pious eXalta-
ton, trace the finger of Providence
through these dark and mysterious
events, which first induced the States
to appoint a general Convention and
then led them one after another (by
which steps as were best educated to
effect the object) into an adoption of
the system recommended by that
general nvention-thereby in all
human probability laying d lasting