THERE WAS no general agreement as to the merits of
the call for a convention which would revise the Articles
of Confederation. All shades of opinion were represented in
the contemporary correspondence of political figures and the
newspapers of the day. Public criticism of affairs under the
Confederation caused a Philadelphia newspaper to declare that
"our situation is neither so bad as artful designing men have
represented, nor is it likely to continue long so bad as it now
is." ¹ On the other hand, the political situation so alarmed
John Adams that he admitted the lack of attendance in Con-
gress was "Proof of something so bad that I dare not name it." ²
And Washington himself rebuked the suggestion that his in-
fluence might be used to good advantage in the areas, such
as western Massachusetts, where matters were getting out of
hand. "Influence is no Government," the General answered.
"Let us have one by which our lives and liberties and properties
will be secured; or let us know the worst at once." ³

Significantly, in the newspaper articles and private corre-
spondence calling for a change in government, there was no
complaint about infringement on the rights of individual citi-
zens. Criticism was directed at the existing form of govern-
ment because of its inability to preserve order and protect prop-

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