PROCLAMATION 6097—FEB. 16, 1990 104 STAT. 5217 once united the States, had been won. Without a strong common purpose, the States soon succumbed to differences among themselves. The Congress of the Confederation, then the central government of the United States, was nearly bankrupt. It had no authority to impose taxes and no power to collect them. The States began printing their own currency—^money that was often seen as nothing more than paper beyond their borders. They also began to dispute territorial boundaries and the use of each other's ports and roadways. Less than 10 years after the Revolutionary War had ended, the former colonies were on the verge of splitting into 13 separate, wholly sovereign—^perhaps even hostile— nations. Recognizing the young Nation's vulnerability, George Washington joined a number of other American leaders—^most notably, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison—in calling for a convention of the States \ to reform the Articles of Confederation. Washington, frustrated by the Congress's inability to provide for the Continental Army, voiced his concern when he sharply noted that "influence is no government." Once relations between several of the States reached a crisis point, the Congress of the Confederation finally agreed to a Federal Convention, and, in May 1787, George Washington was unanimously elected to preside over it. Throughout the long, hot summer in Philadelphia, Washington's stoic countenance rarely betrayed his resolve to see a constitution framed for our country. As one historian, Catherine Drinker Bowen, noted, "In his silence lay his strength. His presence kept the Federal Convention together, kept it going, just as his presence had kept a straggling, illconditioned army together throughout the terrible years of war." Finally, on September 17, 1787, after more than 4 months of debate, George Washington gave formal notice that a constitution was ready to be presented to the States for ratification. The former colonies had become a nation. "Valiant without ambition... confident without assumption," George Washington did not seek to hold power in the new government. In fact, he had eagerly anticipated a peaceful retirement at his beloved Mount Vernon. Nevertheless, the will of the American people would delay his plans for 8 more years. Revered for his leadership during the Revolutionary War, George Washington was elected as our Nation's first President by a unanimous vote of the Presidential electors. Once again, he dutifully answered his country's call. Having helped our country gain its independence, he now agreed to help give it a firm footing. He took office on April 30, 1789. George Washington firmly believed that he and the other Framers of the Constitution had established a just and effective form of government. "The Constitution is the guide which I can never abandon," the new President once declared. His faith in the Constitution was surpassed only by his confidence in the American people. President Washington believed they were not only entitled to a system of self- government, but also capable of keeping it. An able statesman, as well as an outstanding soldier, Washington set many important precedents while in office. Under his stewardship, a uniform currency, the executive departments, and a Federal court system were established. Proclaiming American neutrality in the
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