Part 12 (2/2)
Reed kept him informed as to the news of Philadelphia, and wrote even such adverse criticisratefully” acknowledged But one criticiseneral after the fall of Fort Washi+ngton, for which he blamed the commander-in-chief in a letter to Lee, and probably to others, for when later Reed and Arnold quarrelled, the latter boasted that ”I can say I never basked in the sunshi+ne of eneral's favor, and courted hi hi his character when absent
This ismember of the Council of Pennsylvania can say”
Washi+ngton learned of this criticism in a letter from Lee to Reed, which was opened at head-quarters on the supposition that it was on ar a private letter, ton explained in a letter to Reed, which had not a word of reproach for the double-dealing thatas it did at a ey, and later sought to ”regain” the ”lost friendshi+p” by an earnest appeal to Washi+ngton's generosity Nor did he appeal in vain, for the General replied that though ”I felt myself hurt by a certain letterI was hurtbecause the same sentiments were not communicated immediately to myself” The old-ti had influenced Washi+ngton is shown in the fact that even previous to this peace- he had secured for Reed the appointades in the army Perhaps the friendshi+p was never quite as close, but in writing hined himself ”yours affectionately”
John Laurens, appointed an aide in 1777, quickly endeared hiton, and conceived theofficer of twenty-four used all his influence with his father (then President of Congress) against the Cabal, and in 1778, when Charles Lee was abusing the coht himself bound to resent it, ”as well on account of the relation he bore to General Washi+ngton, as from motives of personal friendshi+p and respect for his character,” and he challenged the defaned hireatest veneration and attachton in his letters always addressed hiton wrote, in reply to an inquiry,--
”You ask if the character of Colonel John Laurens, as drawn in the _Independent Chronicle_ of 2d of Dece as have fallen under my observation, is literally so; and that it is my firm belief his merits and worth richly entitle him to the whole picture No man possessed more of the _amor patriae_ In a word, he had not a fault, that I could discover, unless intrepidity bordering upon rashness could come under that denomination; and to this he was excited by the purest ton said, ”he has been a zealous servant and slave to the public, and a faithful assistant to reat part of which tiratitude interest me in his favor” As an instance of this, the co to Congress the news of the surrender of Cornwallis, with the request to that body that Tilgh a letter Washi+ngton said, ”I receive with great sensibility and pleasure your assurances of affection and regard It would be but a renewal of what I have often repeated to you, that there are few men in the world to whom I am more attached by inclination than I am to you With the Cause, I hope--most devoutly hope--there will be an end to my Military Service, when as our places of residence will not be far apart, I shall never be more happy than in your Colad to hear frohton asserted that
”He had left as fair a reputation as ever belonged to a human character,”
and to his father he wrote, ”Of all the numerous acquaintances of your lately deceased son, & led on thatthose of his nearest relatives) none could have felt his death with her opinion of his worth, or had ireater friendshi+p for hirief, there is this consolation to be drawn;--that while living, no man could be more esteehman”
To David Huave the honor of carrying to Congress the standards captured at Yorktown, reco him to the notice of that body for his ”attention, fidelity, and good services” This aide escorted Washi+ngton to Mount Vernon at the close of the Revolution, and was ”the last officer belonging to the army” who parted from ”the Commander-in-chief” Shortly after, Humphreys returned to Mount Vernon, half as secretary and half as visitor and companion, and he alluded to this time in his poem of ”Mount Vernon,” when he said,--
”Twas hts, partake his sports”
[Illustration: WAshi+NGTON FAMILY RECORD]
When Washi+ngton was accused of cruelty in the Asgill case, Humphreys published an account of the affair, co his friend, for which he ared to coton on one occasion lamented ”the cause which has deprived us of your aid in the attack of Christreat pleasure [when] I received the inti the winter under this Roof The invitation was not less sincere, than the reception will be cordial The only stipulations I shall contend for are, that in all things you shall do as you please--I will do the same; and that no ceremony may be used or any restraint be i him when the notification of his election as President was received, and was the only person, except servants, who accoton to New York Here he continued for a tiive his assistance, and was successively appointed Indian coent to Spain, and finally Minister to Portugal While holding this latter position Washi+ngton wrote to him, ”When you shall think with the poet that 'the post of honor is a private station'--& may be inclined to enjoy yourself in my shadesI can only tell you that you will meet with the same cordial reception at Mount Vernon that you have always experienced at that place,” and when Hue ton replied, ”The desire of a companion in my latter days, in wholythe hope of having you as an inton, Hu the deepest affection and adest and closest connection was that with Ha and obscure officer attracted Washi+ngton's attention in the can of 1776, early in the next year was appointed to the staff, and quickly becaton spoke of him as ”my boy”
Whatever friendliness this implied was not, however, reciprocated by Haned, under circuton to secrecy, and then himself, in evident irritation, wrote as follows:
”Two days ago, the General and I passed each other on the stairs He told me he wanted to speak to me I answered that I would wait upon hih an order of a pressing and interesting nature Returning to the General, I was stopped on the way by the Marquis de Lafayette, and we conversed together about a minute on a et back, and that I left him in a manner which, but for our inti the General, as is usual, in his roo ry tone, 'Colonel Ha at the head of the stairs these ten minutes I must tell you, sir, you treat me with disrespect' I replied without petulancy, but with decision: 'I aht it necessary to tell me so, we part' 'Very well, sir,' said he, 'if it be your choice,' or so to this effect, and we separated I sincerely believe e, did not last two hreat confidence in rity, usefulness, etc, and of his desire, in a candid conversation, to heal a difference which could not have happened but in a hman to tell him--1st That I had taken my resolution in a manner not to be revokedThus we standPerhaps youthe overture made by the General to an accomodation I assure you, my dear sir, it was not the effect of resent forovernment of my own conduct I believe you know the place I held in the General's confidence and counsels, which will make more extraordinary to you to learn that for three years past I have felt no friendshi+p for him and have professed none The truth is, our dispositions are the opposites of each other, and the pride of my temper would not suffer me to profess what I did not feel Indeed, when advances of this kind have been made to me on his part, they were received in a manner that showed at least that I had no desire to court the of military confidence than of private attachton been the iven this treatment On the contrary, only two months later, when compelled to refuse for military reasons a favor Hamilton asked, he said that ”my principal concern arises from an apprehension that you will impute my refusal to your request to other motives” On this refusal Hahman came to me in his name, pressed me to retain my commission, with an assurance that he would endeavor, by all ton did ave hi party at Yorktown, a post envied by every officer in the arenerosity lessened Hamilton's resentment, for a correspondence on public affairs wasafter ”that Haton's talents, particularly after the Revolution and at the first part of the presidentcy,” and Benjamin Rush confirms this by a note to the effect that ”Haton He said thathis heart was a stone” The rue by Hamilton's political opponents in 1787, and coton to save hiton wrote a letter intended for public use, in which he said,--
”As you say it is insinuated by some of your political adversaries, and may obtain credit, 'that you _palmed_ yourself upon me, and was _dismissed_ from my family,' and call upon me to do you justice by a recital of the facts, I do therefore explicitly declare, that both charges are entirely unfounded With respect to the first, I have no cause to believe, that you took a single step to acco an appointment in my family till you were invited in it; and, with respect to the second, that your quitting it was altogether the effect of your own choice”
With the appoints were developed Hamilton became the President's ave his superior Even after he left office he performed many services equivalent to official ones, for which Washi+ngton did ”not kno to thank” himent to an otherwise unexampled extent This service produced affection and respect, and in 1792 Washi+ngton wrote frohts of taking a trip this way I felt pleasure at hearing it, and hope it is unnecessary to add, that it would be considerably increased by seeing you under this roof; for you ard of yours, &c” and signed other letters ”always and affectionately yours,” or ”very affectionately,” while Ha ”affectionate attacheneral in 1798, Washi+ngton at once sought the aid of Ha the Secretary of War that ”of the abilities and fitness of the gentleh command in the _provisional arht to be secured at almost any price” To this the President, who hated Haton refused to take the coive way They stood in this relation when Washi+ngton died, and al of the death, Hamilton wrote of ”our beloved Commander-in-chief,”--
”The very painful eventfilled my heart with bitterness Perhaps no man in this community has equal cause with myself to deplore the loss I have been much indebted to the kindness of the General, and he was an _aegis very essential to reat misfortunes it is the business of reason to seek consolation The friends of General Washi+ngton have very noble ones If virtue can secure happiness in another world, he is happy”
Knox was the earliest areneral, and was honored by Washi+ngton with absolute trust After the war the two corresponded, and Knox expressed ”unalterable affection” for the ”thousand evidences of your friendshi+p” He was appointed Secretary of War in the first ad coton secured his appointeneral, and at this time asserted that, ”with respect to General Knox I can say with truth there is no reater intimacy, no one whoreater friendshi+p”
Greene was perhaps the closest to Washi+ngton of all the generals, and their relations th But the best evidence of friendshi+p is in Washi+ngton's treat his financial honesty, of which he said, ”persuaded as I always have been of Genl Greene's integrity and worth, I spurned those reports which tended to calu perfectly convinced that whenever the ated, his motiveswould appear pure and uniton heard that his family was left in embarrassed circumstances, he offered, if Mrs Greene would ”entrust ive hiood an education as this country (Ihienteel professions that his frds
may chuse, or his own inclination shall lead hiht-horse Harry” Lee an affection sters of the staff was felt Long after the as over, Lee began a letter to him ”Dear General,” and then continued,--