cers, stood on
the mere faith of a government possessing no funds enabling it to
perform its engagements. From requisitions alone, to be made on
sovereign states, the supplies were to be drawn which should satisfy
these meritorious public creditors; and the ill success attending
these requisitions while the dangers of war were still impending,
furnished melancholy presages of their unproductiveness in time of
peace. In addition to this reflection, of itself sufficient to disturb
the tranquillity which the passage of the resolution had produced,
were other considerations of decisive influence. The dispositions
manifested by congress itself were so unfriendly to the half pay
establishment as to extinguish the hope that any funds the government
might acquire, would be applied to that object. Since the passage of
the resolution, the articles of confederation, which required the
concurrence of nine states to any act appropriating public money, had
been adopted; and nine states had never been in favour of the measure.
Should the requisitions of congress therefore be respected, or should
permanent funds be granted by the states, the prevailing sentiment of
the nation was too hostile to the compensation which had been
stipulated, to leave a probability that it would be substantially
made. This was not merely the sentiment of the individuals then
administering the government, which might change with a change of men.
It was known to be the sense of the states they represented; and
consequently the hope could not be indulged that, on this subject, a
future congress would be more just, or would think more liberally. As
therefore the establishment of that independence for which they had
fought and suffered appeared to become more certain,--as the end of
their toils approached--the officers became more attentive to their
own situation; and the inquietude of the army increased with the
progress of the negotiation.

In October, the French troops marched to Boston, in order to embark
for the West Indies; and the Americans retired into winter quarters.
The apparent indisposition of the British general to act offensively,
the pacific temper avowed by the cabinet of London, and the strength
of the country in which the American troops were cantoned, gave ample
assurance that no military operations would be undertaken during the
winter, which could require the continuance of General Washington in
camp. But the irritable temper of the army f