The difference between the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of Independence is that the Articles of Confederation was adopted by the Americans soon after the American Revolution whereas the Declaration of Independence was a document that stated the separation of the American colonies from Great Britain.
He wanted himself to change as much as he wanted others to change as well, but he saw that it was a very difficult task to change oneself, and by seeing that, he understood the challenges he would face when changing the people.