mankind, 'Had this day been wanting, the world had never seen the last stage of perfection to which human nature is capable of attaining.'

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The address being ended, Washington withdrew. No person was hardy enough to oppose the advice which he had given.* The impression made by his address was irresisti ble. The happy moment was seized. While the minds of the officers, softened by the eloquence of their beloved com mander, were in a yielding state, a resolution was offered and adopted, in which they assured him, "that they reciprocated his affectionate expressions with the greatest sincerity of which the heart was capable."-Before they dispersed, they unanimously adopted several other resolutions, in which they declared, "That no circumstances of distress or danger, should induce a conduct that might tend to sully the reputa tion and glory they had acquired at the price of their blood, and eight years' faithful service; that they continued to have an unshaken confidence in the justice of congress and their country; that they viewed with abhorrence, and rejected with disdain, the infamous proposition contained in a late anonymous address to the officers of the army."

The storm which had been long gathering, was suddenly dissipated. The army acquired additional reputation, and the commander-in-chief gave a new proof of the goodness of his heart, and the soundness of his judgment. Perhaps in no instance did the United States receive from Heaven a more signal deliverance, through the hands of Washington, than in the happy termination of this serious transaction If ambition had possessed a single corner of his heart, the opportunity was too favourable, the temptation too splendid, to have been resisted.-But his soul was superior to such views, and his love of country so ardent, and at the same time so pure, that the charms of power, though recommended by the imposing appearance of procuring justice for his unrewarded army, made no impression on his unshaken mind. He viewed the character of a patriot as superior to that of

It was happy for the army and country, that, when his excellency had finished and withdrawn, no one arose and observed, "That General Washing ton was about to quit the military line, laden with honour; and that he had a Considerable estate to support him with dignity; but that their case was very different.'-Had such ideas been thrown out, and properly enlarged upon, the meeting would probably have concluded very differently." Gordon's History vol. 4, p 35%.

the sovereign. To be elevated to supreme power, was less in his esteem than to be a good man.

Instead of turning the discontents of an unpaid army to his own aggrandizement, he profited by the late events to stimulate congress to do them justice. His letter to their president, on this occasion, was as follows:

SIR,-The result of the proceedings of the grand convention of the officers, which I have the honour of enclosing to your excellency for the inspection of congress, will, I flatter myself, be considered as the last glorious proof of patriotism which could have been given, by men who aspired to the distinction of a patriot army; and will not only confirm their claim to the justice, but will increase their title to the gratitude of their country. Having seen the proceedings on the part of the army terminate with perfect unanimity, and in a manner entirely consonant to my wishes; being impressed with the liveliest sentiments of affection for those who have so long, so patiently, and so cheerfully suffered and fought under my immediate direction; having, from motives of justice, duty, and gratitude, spontaneously offered myself as an advocate for their rights; and, having been requested to write to your excellency, earnestly entreating the most speedy decision of congress upon the subjects of the late address from the army to that honourable body; it now only remains for me to perform the task I have assumed, and to intercede in their behalf, as I now do, that the sovereign power will be pleased to verify the predictions I have pronounced of, and the confidence the army have reposed in, the justice of their country.-And here I humbly conceive it is altogether unnecessary, while I am pleading the cause of an army, which have done and suffered more than any other army ever did in the defence of the rights and liberties of human nature, to expatiate on their claims to the most ample compensation for their meritorious services, because they are known perfectly to the whole world, and because, although the topics are inexhaustible, enough has already been said on the subject. To prove these assertions, to evince that my sentiments have ever been uniform, and to show what my ideas of the rewards in question have always been, I appeal to the archives of congress, and call on those sacred depos its to witness for me. And in order that my observation

and arguments in favour of a future adequate provision for the officers of the army, may be brought to remembrance again, and considered in a single point of view, without giving congress the trouble of having recourse to their files, I will beg leave to transmit herewith an extract from a representation made by me to a committee of congress, so long ago as the 20th of January, 1778, and also the transcript of a letter to the president of congress, dated near Passaic Falls, October 11th, 1780.

"That in the critical and perilous moment, when the last mentioned communication was made, there was the utmost danger a dissolution of the army would have taken place, unless measures similar to those recommended, had been adopted, will not admit a doubt: That the adoption of the resolution granting half pay for life, has been attended with all the happy consequences I had foretold, so far as respected the good of the service, let the astonishing contrast between the state of the army at this instant, and at the former period, determine: And that the establishment of funds, and security of the payment of all the just demands of the army will be the most certain means of preserving the national faith and future tranquillity of this extensive continent, is my decided opinion.

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By the preceding remarks, it will readily be imagined, that, instead of retracting and reprehending, from farther experience and reflection, the mode of compensation so strenuously urged in the enclosures, I am more and more confirmed in the sentiment; and if in the wrong, suffer me to please myself with the grateful delusion.

For, if, beside the simple payment of their wages, à farther compensation is not due to the sufferings and sacrifices of the officers, then have I been mistaken indeed. If the whole army have not merited whatever a grateful people can bestow, then have I been beguiled by prejudice, and built opinion on the basis of error. If this country should not, in the event, perform every thing which has been requested in the late memorial to congress, then will my belief become vain, and the hope that has been excited, void of foundation. And if, as has been suggested for the purpose of inflaming their passions, the officers of the army are to be the only sufferers by this revolution; if, retiring from

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the field, they are to grow old in poverty, wretchedness, and contempt; if they are to wade through the vile mire of dependency, and owe the miserable remnant of that life to charity, which had hitherto been spent in honour; then, shall I have learned what ingratitude is; then, shall I have realized a tale, which will embitter every moment of my future life.

"But I am under no such apprehensions; a country rescued by their arms from impending ruin, will never leave unpaid the debt of gratitude.

"Should any intemperate or improper warmth have mingled itself amongst the foregoing observations, I must entreat your excellency and congress, it may be attributed to the effusion of an honest zeal in the best of causes, and that my peculiar situation may be my apology; and I hope I need not on this momentous occasion make any new protestations of personal disinterestedness, having ever renounced for myself the idea of pecuniary reward. The consciousness of having attempted faithfully to discharge my duty, and the approbation of my country, will be a sufficient recompense for my services.

"I have the honour to be, &c. &c.

"GEORGE WASHINGTON. "His Excellency the President in Congress."

This energetic letter, connected with recent events, induced congress to decide on the claims of the army. These were liquidated, and the amount acknowledged to be due from the United States.

Soon after these events, intelligence of a general peace was received. The reduction of the army was therefore resolved upon, but the mode of effecting it required deliberation. To avoid the inconveniencies of dismissing a great number of soldiers in a body, furloughs were freely granted on the application of individuals; and, after their dispersion, they were not enjoined to return. By this arrangement, a critical moment was passed over. A great part of an unpaid army was dispersed over the states, without tumult or disorder.

While the veterans, serving under the immediate eye of their beloved commander-in-chief, manifested the utmost

good temper and conduct, a mutinous disposition broke out amongst some new levies stationed at Lancaster, in Pennsylvania. About eighty of this description marched in a body to Philadelphia, where they were joined by some other troops, so as to amount in the whole to three hundred. They marched with fixed bayonets to the state-house, in which congress and the state executive council held their sessions. They placed guards at every door, and threatened the president and council to let loose an enraged soldiery upon them, unless they granted their demands in twenty minutes.-As soon as this outrage was known to Washington, he detached general Howe, with a competent force, to suppress the mutiny. This was effected, without bloodshed, before his arrival. The mutineers were too inconsiderable to commit extensive mischief; but their disgraceful conduct excited the greatest indignation in the breast of the commander-in-chief, which was expressed in a letter to the president of congress in the following words: "While I suffer the most poignant distress in observing that a handful of men, contemptible in numbers, and equally so in point of service, if the veteran troops from the southward have not been seduced by their example, and who are not worthy to be called soldiers, should disgrace themselves and their country as the Pennsylvania mutineers have done, by insulting the sovereign authority of the United States, and that of their own, I feel an inexpressible satisfaction, that even this behaviour cannot stain the name of the American soldiery.-It cannot be imputable to, or reflect dishonour on, the army at large; but on the contrary, it will, by the striking contrast it exhibits, hold up to public view the other troops in the most advantageous point of light. Upon taking all the circumstances into consideration, I cannot sufficiently express my surprise and indignation, at the arrogance, the folly, and the wickedness, of the mutineers; nor can I sufficiently admire the fidelity, the bravery, and patriotism, which must for ever signalize the unsullied character of the other corps of our army. For when we consider that these Pennsylvania levies, who have now mutinied, are recruits and soldiers of a day, who have not borne the heat and burden of the war. and who can have in reality very few hardships to complain of; and when we at the same time recollect that those