September 8th
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“I see one head gradually changing into thirteen.”
To Joseph Jones*
Morris-Town, 31 May 1780
Dear Sir,
I have been honored with your favor in answer to my letter respecting the appointment of a Comee.; and with two others of later date. the last containing Genl. Woodfords acct. of the situation of things at Charles Town at the time of his writing. I thank you for them all. Unhappily that place (Chs. Town), the garrison in it, &ca. (As appears by the New York account which I have transmitted to Congress) have been in the enemys hands since the 12th. Instt.
Architect of the Capitol
Certain I am that unless Congress speaks in a more decisive tone; unless they are vested with powers by the several States competent to the great purposes of War, or assume them as matter of right; and they, and the states respectively, act with more energy than they hitherto have done, that our Cause is lost. We can no longer drudge on in the old way. By ill-timing the adoption of measures, by delays in the execution of them, or by unwarrantable jealousies, we incur enormous expences, and derive no benefit from them. One state will comply with a requisition of Congress, another neglects to do it, a third executes it by halves, and all differ either in the manner, the matter, or so much in point of time, that we are always working up hill, and ever shall be (while such a system as the present one, or rather want of one prevails) unable to apply our strength or resources to any advantage.
This my dear Sir is plain language to a member of Congress; but it is the language of truth and friendship. It is the result of long thinking, close application, and strict observation. I see one head gradually changing into thirteen. I see one Army branching into thirteen; and instead of looking up to Congress as the supreme controuling power of the united States, are considering themselves as dependent on their respective States. In a word, I see the powers of Congress declining too fast for the consequence and respect which is due to them as the grand representative body of America, and am fearful of the consequences of it.**
* “Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia.” — Fitzpatrick, et al., WGW
** Washington experienced firsthand, through 8.5 years of bitter war, how a weak Continental Congress was unable to supply the necessary materiel through their recommendations to the various states; later, during his political career, he sided with the Federalist position—that a strong central government was paramount to a strong union.
In a 6 July 1780 letter to his brother John, Washington wrote: “To tell a person at the distance of three or 400 Miles that an Army reduced almost to nothing (by the expiration of short enlistments) should, sometimes, be five or Six days together without Bread, then as many without Meat, and once or twice, two or three without either; that the same Army should have had numbers of Men in it with scarcely cloaths enough to cover their nakedness, and a full fourth of it without even the shadow of a blanket severe as the Winter was, and that men under these circumstances were held together, is hardly within the bounds of credibility, but is nevertheless true, it is no difficult matter therefore under this view of things (which is not sufficiently coloured to the life) to form some idea of my situation.”
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