importance of the West, 8;
urges development of inland navigation, 9;
asks Jefferson's aid, 9, 10;
lays canal scheme before Virginia legislature, 10;
his arguments, 10;
troubled by offer of stock, 11;
uses it to endow two schools, 12;
significance of his scheme, 12, 13;
his political purposes in binding West to East, 13;
willing to leave Mississippi closed for this purpose, 14, 15, 16;
feels need of firmer union during Revolution, 17;
his arguments, 18, 19;
his influence starts movement for reform, 20;
continues to urge it during retirement, 21;
foresees disasters of confederation, 21;
urges impost scheme, 22;
condemns action of States, 22, 23, 25;
favours commercial agreement between Maryland and Virginia, 23;
stung by contempt of foreign powers, 24;
his arguments for a national government, 24;
points out designs of England, 25;
works against paper money craze in States, 26;
his opinion of Shays's rebellion, 26;
his position contrasted with Jefferson's, 27;
influence of his letters, 28, 29;
shrinks from participating in Federal convention, 29;
elected unanimously, 30;
refuses to go to a feeble convention, 30, 31;
finally makes up his mind, 31.

_In the Federal Convention_.
Speech attributed to Washington by Morris on duties of delegates,
31, 32;
chosen to preside, 33;
takes no part in debate, 34;
his influence in convention, 34, 35;
despairs of success, 35;
signs the Constitution, 36;
words attributed to him, 36;
silent as to his thoughts, 36, 37;
sees clearly danger of failure to ratify, 37;
tries at first to act indifferently, 38;
begins to work for ratification, 38;
writes letters to various people, 38, 39;
circulates copies of "Federalist," 40;
saves ratification in Virginia, 40;
urges election of Federalists to Congress, 41;
receives general request to accept presidency, 41;
his objections, 41, 42;
dreads failure and responsibility, 42;
elected, 42;
his journey to New York, 42-46;
speech at Alexandria, 43;
popular reception at all points, 44, 45;
his feelings, 46;
his inauguration, 46.

_President_.
His speech to Congress, 48;
urges no specific policy, 48, 49;
his solemn feelings, 49;
his sober view of necessities of situation, 50;
question of his title, 52;