58 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



guard it against future disquiets and internal con- 

 fusions. The law-making power has not yet become 

 confirmed in that regard which it must have if it is to 

 be of use in its ordinances and regulations. Members 

 are spoken of, even in public companies, with expres- 

 sions unseemly and indecorous. Affairs in the Assem- 

 blies are conducted by a selfish and often mean party 

 spirit. At each new sitting laws made during that just 

 past are repealed and others draughted. Their laws 

 are little read, and there is less concern as to the execu- 

 tion of them. Whoever cared to take the trouble of 

 collecting anecdotes would have manifold proof of 

 this. There is so much the less reason to doubt this 

 shortcoming of a government, when the most con- 

 sidered men in the state are not chary of saying what 

 they think to strangers. In a company the talk got on 

 the extravagant demands which the tavern-keepers, 

 (even under the eyes of the government at the capital), 

 are accustomed to exact from travellers, notwithstand- 

 ing all sorts of provisions are at a very low price. 

 " There are laws enough against the practice, re- 

 " marked a man of high rank, and moderate prices are 

 " fixed by statute, but the gentlemen whose duty it is 

 " to see that the regulations are observed give them- 

 " selves no more trouble than people generally do 

 " about laws and ordinances." As evidence of the very 

 mild, indulgent, lenient government, it was stated that 

 desertions among the Virginia troops have been very 

 numerous ; that recruits have been constantly sent in 

 from the country to the army, but they generally come 

 home after the first few weeks. And although the 

 regiments were wanting men, although districts and 

 individuals were continually obliged to repeat their 



