Benjamin Lincoln to George Washington Regarding His Observations

which credit was obtained, and debts were discharged
in the time of the war. Hence people were diverted from
their usual industry and economy a luxurious mode
of living crept into vogue and soon that s------d
income, by which the expenses of all should as
much as possible be limited was no longer consider
-ed as having any thing to do with the question
at what expense families ought to live, or rather
which they ought not to have exceeded. The moment
the day arrived when they all discovered that things
were fast returning back into their original channel,
that the industrious were to reap the fruits of his own
industry, and that the indolent and improvident
would soon experience the evils of their own idleness &
sloth, very many startled at the idea and in-
stead of attempting to subject themselves to such
a line of conduct, which duty to the public, and
a regard to their own happiness evidently pointed
out they contemplated how they should evade the
necessity of reforming their System and of changing
their present mode of life. They
first complained of commutation, of the weight of
the public taxes, of the insupportable debt of the
union, of the scarcity of money, and of the cruelty
of suffering the private creditors to call for their
just dues. This catalogue of complaints was listened
to by many. County conventions were formed