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In a word, the Confederation appears to me to be little more than a shadow without the substance, and Congress a nugatory body, their ordinances being little attended to....
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gutenberg.orgJames Beck: “In a word, the Confederation appears to me to be little more than a shadow without the substance, and Congress a…”
Editor's note · Context
Beck captures Washington's critical assessment of the effectiveness of the Confederation and Congress.
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More from James Beck
The greatest and noblest purpose of the Constitution was not alone to hold in nicest equipose the relative powers of the nation and the States, but also to maintain in the scales of justice a true equilibrium between the rights of…
Of this spirit one of the noblest expressions is the Constitution of the United States.
If it ceases to be of the spirit of the people, then the yellow parchment whereon it is inscribed can avail nothing.
It did not believe that the State was omnipotent or infallible, and yet it proclaimed its authority within wise and just limits.
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