Philadelphia, March 24, 1783.
Sir:
Your Excellency will, before this reaches you, have received a letter
from the Marquis De La Fayette, informing you, that the preliminaries
of peace between all the belligerent powers have been concluded. I
congratulate your Excellency on this happy conclusion of your labors.
It now only remains to make solid establishments within, to perpetuate
our Union, to prevent our being a ball in the hands of European powers,
banded against each other at their pleasure; in fine, to make our
independence truly a blessing. This, it is to be lamented, will be an
arduous work; for, to borrow a figure from mechanics, the centrifugal
is much stronger than the centripetal force in these States; the seeds
of disunion much more numerous than those of union.
I will add, that your Excellency’s exertions are as essential to
accomplish this end, as they have been to establish independence. I
will, upon a future occasion, open myself upon this subject.
Your conduct in the affair of the officers is highly pleasing here. The
measures of the army are such as I could have wished them, and will
add new lustre to their character, as well as strengthen the hands of
Congress.
I am, with great truth and respect,
Your Excellency’s
Most obedient servant,
A. Hamilton.
To his Excellency General Washington.