Much difficulty was encountered in obtaining the adoption of this instrument.

The numerous objections made by the states yielded successively to the opinion that a federal compact would be of vast importance in the prosecution of the war.

One impediment it was found peculiarly difficult to remove.

Within the chartered limits of several states, were immense tracts of vacant territory, which, it was supposed, would constitute a large fund of future wealth; and the states not possessing that advantage insisted on considering this territory as a joint acquisition.

At length this difficulty also was surmounted; and, in February, 1781, to the great joy of America, this interesting compact was rendered complete.[71] Like many other human institutions, it was productive, neither in war nor in peace, of all the benefits which its sanguine advocates had expected.