Under this Confed 239. Weakness of the Confederation. eration Congress consisted of a single house which represented the States but not the people. The national Government had no president; it was simply "a body without a head." gress could advise, request, implore, but it could not command. In this last point lay the fatal weakness of the whole system. The national Government could make treaties but could not compel their observance. It could borrow money but could not guarantee that a single dollar of the debt would ever be paid. It could recommend taxation but could not enforce it. It could enact laws but could not punish those who refused to obey them. It could make war but could not raise a single soldier to fight in its defence. In short, as Judge Story has aptly said: "Congress could declare everything, but could do nothing."545 Its whole attitude was that of a suppliant. While the Revolution was in progress the pressure of the war forced the separate States to stand by each other; but as soon as that pressure was removed, the States, like a barrel that had lost its hoops, threatened to fall to pieces. When 240. State of the country under the Confederation. peace was made, Thomas Paine wrote in the last number of his "American Crisis": "The times which tried men's souls are over." It was a great mistake, for the next five years under the Confederation were full of distress, doubt, discouragement, and tendencies to disunion. Instead of presenting a bold, united front to the world, we exhibited the pitiful spectacle of thirteen little discordant republics bound together with "a rope of sand." Hamilton said "There is scarcely anything that can wound the pride or degrade the character of an independent nation which we do not experience; "546 and Washington declared that we were moving upon "crutches" and tottering to our "fall.” 547 241. Attempts of Congress to raise money; quarrels about trade. The first sign of this fatal weakness was seen when the Government made an attempt to pay the soldiers of the : Revolution a part of what was due them. Congress called on the States to contribute; some responded, others did not. All national demands for money were followed by a like result. Out of over $6,000,000 called for (1782-1786), Congress obtained only $1,000,000. 548 An attempt was made (1782) to amend the Articles of Confederation so as to give the Government power to levy a fiveper-cent duty on imported goods. This measure was proposed in order that the nation might get means to discharge a part of its debt. The assent of all the States was required; all gave their consent but Rhode Island. She refused, mainly on the ground that the proposed duty would fall too heavily on the chief importing States of which she was then one. Later (1786), the project was revived in a more limited form. New York then refused unless she could appoint her own collectors. This proviso killed the plan, and Congress had to go on as best it could with an empty treasury. Quarrels sprang up about foreign and domestic trade. New England wished to exclude all exports and imports by British ships, but the Southern States, having no ships of their own, demanded why they should be asked to give the monopoly of the carrying trade to the North.549 The States which had no seaports had to pay tolls to the States where the goods were received. New Jersey was, like a cask, tapped at both ends; it paid toll at New York and at Philadelphia. North Carolina was in a similar predicament. New York laid a tax on the New Jersey and Connecticut market-boats. New Jersey retaliated by taxing the light-house which New York had built at Sandy Hook on the Jersey shore. Connecticut towns took their revenge by boycotting New York, and refusing to send any more butter, eggs, and early vegetables to that city.550 Mean 242. Scarcity of specie; Shays's rebellion (1786). while the whole country was distressed by the need of "hard money." There was no mint; and, with the exception of a few |