Assoonasninestateshadconcurred（andtherestfollowedintheordertheirconventionswereelected）,theoldfabricofthefederalgovernmentwastakendown,andthenewoneerected,ofwhichGeneralWashingtonispresident。—InthisplaceI
cannothelpremarking,thatthecharacterandservicesofthisgentlemanaresufficienttoputallthosemencalledkingstoshame。Whiletheyarereceivingfromthesweatandlaboursofmankind,aprodigalityofpay,towhichneithertheirabilitiesnortheirservicescanentitlethem,heisrenderingeveryserviceinhispower,andrefusingeverypecuniaryreward。Heacceptednopayascommander—in—chief;heacceptsnoneaspresidentoftheUnitedStates。
Afterthenewfederalconstitutionwasestablished,thestateofPennsylvania,conceivingthatsomepartsofitsownconstitutionrequiredtobealtered,electedaconventionforthatpurpose。Theproposedalterationswerepublished,andthepeopleconcurringtherein,theywereestablished。
Informingthoseconstitutions,orinalteringthem,littleornoinconveniencetookplace。Theordinarycourseofthingswasnotinterrupted,andtheadvantageshavebeenmuch。Itisalwaystheinterestofafargreaternumberofpeopleinanationtohavethingsright,thantoletthemremainwrong;andwhenpublicmattersareopentodebate,andthepublicjudgmentfree,itwillnotdecidewrong,unlessitdecidestoohastily。
Inthetwoinstancesofchangingtheconstitutions,thegovernmentstheninbeingwerenotactorseitherway。Governmenthasnorighttomakeitselfapartyinanydebaterespectingtheprinciplesormodesofforming,orofchanging,constitutions。Itisnotforthebenefitofthosewhoexercisethepowersofgovernmentthatconstitutions,andthegovernmentsissuingfromthem,areestablished。Inallthosematterstherightofjudgingandactingareinthosewhopay,andnotinthosewhoreceive。