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1798.

CHAP. IX. is all I can urge; and that is a sufficient justification to myself and to the world. I hope it will be so considered by yourself. Mr. Mc Henry will have the honour to consult you upon the organization of the army, and upon every thing relating to it."

Open instructions signed by the president were on the same day delivered to the secretary of war, of which the following is a copy.

"It is my desire that you embrace the first opportunity to set out on your journey to Mount Vernon, and wait on general Washington with the commission of lieutenant general and commander in chief of the armies of the United States, which, by the advice and consent of the senate, has been signed by me.

"The reasons and motives which prevailed on me to venture on such a step as the nomination of this great and illustrious character, whose voluntary resignation alone occasioned my introduction to the office I now hold, were too numerous to be detailed in this letter, and are too obvious and important to escape the observation of any part of America or Europe. But as it is a movement of great delicacy, it will require all your address to communicate the subject in a manner that shall be inoffensive to his feelings, and consistent with all the respect that is due from me to him.

"If the general should decline the appointment, all the world will be silent, and respectfully acquiesce. If he should accept it, all the world, except the enemies of this country, will rejoice.

If he should come to no decisive determination, CHAP. IX. but take the subject into consideration, I shall 1798. not appoint any other lieutenant general until his conclusion is known.

"His advice in the formation of a list of offi cers would be extremely desirable to me. The names of Lincoln, Morgan, Knox, Hamilton, Gates, Pinckney, Lee, Carrington, Hand, Muhlenberg, Dayton, Burr, Brooks, Cobb, Smith, as well as the present commander in chief, may be mentioned to him, and any others that occur to you. Particularly, I wish to have his opinion on the men most suitable for inspector general, adjutant general, and quarter master general.

"His opinion on all subjects would have great weight, and I wish you to obtain from him as much of his reflections upon the times and the service as you can."

The communications between general Washington and the secretary of war, appear to have been full and unreserved. Under the impressions of the former respecting the critical and perilous situation of his country, he could not reject the commission brought by the latter. By the view he had taken of this situation, and of the conduct of France, he had been previously decided on accepting it, provided he could be permitted to select for the high departments of the army, and especially for the military staff, those in whom he could place the greatest confidence. Being assured that there was every reason to believe his wishes in this respect would not be thwarted, he

CHAP. IX. gave to the secretary the arrangement* which he 1798. would recommend for the principal stations in the

army; and, on the 13th of July, addressed to the president the following letter.

"I had the honour, on the evening of the 11th instant, to receive from the hands of the secretary at war, your favour of the seventh, announcing that you had with the advice and consent of the senate, appointed me lieutenant general and commander in chief of the armies raised or to be raised for the service of the United States.

"I cannot express how greatly affected I am at this new proof of public confidence, and at the highly flattering manner in which you have been pleased to make the communication. At the same time, I must not conceal from you my earnest wish that the choice had fallen upon a man less declined in years, and better qualified to encounter the usual vicissitudes of war.

*The following is the list of generals, and of the military staff. Alexander Hamilton, inspector

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"You know, sir, what calculations I had made CHAP. IX. relative to the probable course of events on my 1798. retiring from office, and the determination, with which I had consoled myself, of closing the remnant of my days in my present peaceful abode. You will therefore be at no loss to conceive and appreciate the sensations I must have experienced, to bring my mind to any conclusion that would pledge me, at so late a period of life, to leave scenes I sincerely love, to enter upon the boundless field of public action, incessant trouble, and high responsibility.

"It was not possible for me to remain ignorant of, or indifferent to recent transactions. The conduct of the directory of France towards our country; their insidious hostility to its government; their various practices to withdraw the affections of the people from it; the evident tendency of their arts, and those of their agents, to countenance and invigorate opposition; their disregard of solemn treaties and the laws of nations; their war upon our defenceless commerce; their treatment of our ministers of peace; and their demands, amounting to tribute, could not fail to excite in me sentiments corresponding with those my countrymen have so generally expressed in their affectionate addresses to you.

"Believe me, sir, no man can more cordially approve the wise and prudent measures of your administration. They ought to inspire universal confidence, and will no doubt, combined with the state of things, call from congress such laws and means as will enable you to meet the full force and extent of the crisis.

CHAP. IX.

1798.

Satisfied, therefore, that you have sincerely wished and endeavoured to avert war, and exhausted to the last drop the cup of reconciliation, we can, with pure hearts, appeal to heaven for the justice of our cause, and may confidently trust the final result to that kind Providence who has heretofore, and so often, signally favoured the people of the United States.

"Thinking in this manner, and feeling how incumbent it is upon every person of every description to contribute, at all times, to his country's welfare, and especially in a moment like the present, when every thing we hold dear and sacred is so seriously threatened, I have finally determined to accept the commission of commander in chief of the armies of the United States, with the reserve only,...that I shall not be called into the field until the army is in a situation to require my presence, or it becomes indispensable by the urgency of circumstances.

"In making this reservation, I beg it to be understood that I do not mean to withhold any assistance to arrange and organize the army, which you may think I can afford. I take the liberty also to mention that I must decline having my acceptance considered as drawing after it any immediate charge upon the public, or that I can receive any emoluments annexed to the appointment before I am in a situation to incur expense."

With the agricultural pursuits of general Washington, were, from this period, intermingled the

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