riends having been
destroyed, the vital necessity of some measure which might prevent the
separation of the integral parts of which the American empire was
composed, became apparent even to those who had been unwilling to
perceive it; and congress was restrained from giving its sanction to
the proposed convention, only by an apprehension that their taking an
interest in the measure would impede rather than promote it. From this
embarrassment, the members of that body were relieved by the
legislature of New York. A vote of that state, which passed in the
senate by a majority of only one voice, instructed its delegation to
move in congress, a resolution, recommending to the several states, to
appoint deputies to meet in convention, for the purpose of revising
and proposing amendments to the federal constitution. On the 21st of
February, 1787, the day succeeding the instructions given by New York,
the subject, which had been for some time under consideration, was
finally acted upon: and it was declared, "in the opinion of congress,
to be expedient that, on the second Monday in May next, a convention
of delegates, who shall have been appointed by the several states, be
held at Philadelphia, for the sole and express purpose of revising the
articles of confederation, and reporting to congress and the several
legislatures, such alterations and provisions therein, as shall, when
agreed to in congress, and confirmed by the states, render the federal
constitution adequate to the exigencies of government, and the
preservation of the union."

This recommendation removed all objections to the regularity of the
convention; and co-operated with the impressions made by the
licentious and turbulent spirit which had lately endangered the peace
and liberty of New England, to incline those states to favour the
measure. By giving the proposed meeting a constitutional sanction, and
by postponing it to a day subsequent to that on which the Cincinnati
were to assemble, it also removed one impediment, and diminished
another, to the attendance of General Washington as a member. He
persuaded himself that by repairing to Philadelphia previous to the
second Monday in May, in order to attend the general meeting of the
Cincinnati, he should efface any impressions unfavourable to the
attachment he felt to his military friends, which might otherwise be
excited in their bosoms by his appearing in a public character, after
declining the presidency of th