There is a wide difference between our situation
and that of an empire under one simple form of
government, distributed into counties, provinces
or districts which have no legislatures, but merely
magistratical bodies to execute the laws of a
common sovereign. Here the danger is, that
the sovereign will have too much power and
oppress the parts of which it is composed. In our
case, that of an empire composed of confederative
states, each with a government completely organ-
ized within itself, having all the means to draw
its subjects to a close dependence on itself, the
danger is directly the reverse. It is that the
common sovereign will not have power suflRcient
to unite the different members together, and
direct the common forces to the interest and
happiness of the whole.
192 STATE SOVEREIGNTY

. . . We have felt the diflSculty of drawing out
the resources of the country, and inducing the
states to combine in equal exertions for the com-
mon cause.
Lately, congress convinced of these incon-
veniences, have gone into the measure of appoint-
ing boards. . ..
A single man in each department of the
administration would be greatly preferable. It
would give us a chance of more knowledge, more
activity, more responsibility, and of course more
zeal and attention. . ..
A third defect is the fluctuating constitution of
our army. All our military misfortunes, three
fourths of our civil embarrassments, are to be
ascribed to it. . ..
