George Washington

After the Revolutionary War, George Washington, the former leader of the American army (and, thus, a national hero), had retired to his home, Mount Vernon, in Virginia. While primarily concerned with running his estate and directing his business interests, he maintained an interest in political affairs. In mid and late 1786, he became increasingly concerned over reports about growing unrest among farmers in western Massachusetts who suffered high taxes and other harsh economic conditions.

In two letters Washington describes the reasons for his concerns as the tensions turned toward a full-fledged rebellion led by an ex-soldier named Daniel Shays. In the first letter, written on August 1, 1786, to John Jay, the Secretary of Foreigner Affairs for America, Washington explains that he feels the rebellion reveals a profound weakness of the national legislature under the Articles of Confederation. He...