So long as the former subjects continued their Revolution, it was only natural that Americans should not realize how inadequately a mere federation of states would serve really to secure the protected enjoyment of individual human freedom. But, as soon as that war had ended, discerning men began quickly to realize that fact. Jealousies between nations, jealousies in abeyance while those nations were fighting a common war for independence, quickly had their marked effect upon the relations of these nations to one another and upon the respect which they showed to the commands of the government of the federation of which all those nations were members. As a matter of fact, those commands, because the governing powers of that government were wholly _federal_, were tantamount to nothing but requisitions. Those requisitions were honored largely by ignoring them. There was no way of enforcing respect for them or compelling observance of them. The plan of a purely _federal_ union of nations permitted no method of enforcement save that of war upon whatever nation or nations might refuse obedience to a requisition. Such a war would have been repugnant to the mind of every patriotic American. This was only one of the many defects coming from the fact that Americans, in spirit one people or nation, had no political existence as one nation and had no general _national_ government, with general powers over all Americans, to command respect at home and abroad for the individual freedom of the American. There is neither time nor necessity for dwelling further upon the fact, quickly brought home to the American people after the close of their Revolution, that a purely _federal_ government of the states was no adequate security for their own freedom. Let the words of one of themselves, apologizing for the inadequacy of that government, attest their quick recognition that it was inadequate. They are the words of Jay in _The Federalist_ of 1787. This is what he said: “A strong sense of the value and blessings of union induced the people, at a very early period, to institute a federal government to preserve and perpetuate it. They formed it almost as soon as they had a political existence; nay, at a time when their habitations were in flames, when many of their citizens were bleeding, and when the progress of hostility and desolation left little room for those calm and mature inquiries and reflections which must ever precede the formation of a wise and well-balanced government for a free people. It is not to be wondered at, that a government instituted in times so inauspicious, should on experiment be found greatly deficient and inadequate to the purpose it was intended to answer.” (_Fed._, No. 2.) CHAPTER IV THE BIRTH OF THE NATION