The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-06-12 00:00:00, page 2

, Extract from a Representation made by the Com
mander in Chief to a Committee of Congress at the
Army, 29th January, 1778.
, Gentlemen,
" The numerous defects in our present military esta
blishment, rendering many reformations and many new
arrangements absolutely necessary, and Congress hav
ing been pleased to appoint you a committee, in con
cert with me, to make and recommend such as shall
appear eligible,' in pursuance of the various objects
expreJed in their etiolation for that purpose; I have in
the following fheeis briefly delivered my sentiments
upon such of theft) as seemed to me most essential, so
far as observation has fuggefled and leisure permuted.
These are fubmitteh' to consideration, and I shall be
happy it they are found conducive to remedying the
toils and inconveniencies we are now fubjeft to, and
putting the army upon a more refpNftable footing.
Something mub be done; important alterations muff
be mde ; necessity requires that our resources should
be enlarged and our f, flem improved ; for without it,
if the dissolution of the army should not be the conse
quence, at least, its operations mull infallibly be fee
ble, languid and ineffectual.
" As I con?der a proper and fatisfaftory provision
for officers, in a manner as the ba'fis of every other re
gulation and arrangement necessary to be made; since
without officers no army can exifl, and unlefs' some
measures be devifrd to place those of ours in a more
desirable situation, few of them would beable, if wiling
to continue in it.—l shall begin with a few reflexions
tending to prove the necessity 0 a Half-pay and Pen
iionary establishment.
" A small knowledge of human nature will convince
vs that, with far the greatest part of mankind, interest
is the governing principle, and that almofl every man
is more or left under its influence. Motives of public
virtue may for a time, or in particular inflances, actu
ate men to the obfervauce of a conduct p rely disin
terested, but they are not of themselves fufficient to
produce a persevering conformity to the refined dilates
and obligations of social duty; few men are capable
o' making a continual facrifice of all views of private
interest or advantage, to the common good : it is in
vain to exclaim against the depravity of human nature
on this account —the faX is so, the experience of eve
ry ape and nation has proved it, and we must in a great
measure change the constitution of man, before,we can
make it otherwise; no institution not built op the pre
sumptive truths of these maxims, can fucceed.'
We find them exemplified in the American officers
as well as in all other men. At the commencement of
the dispute, in the sirs l effufions of their zeal, and look
ing upon the service to be only temporary, they enter
" ^ h °"' pay "^ any retard to pecuniary or
felfifh confederation- ; but finding its duration to be
much longer than they at firft fufpeded, and that, in
flead of deriving any advantage from the hardships and
dangers to which tin y were exposed, they, on the con
trary, were losers by their patriotism, and fell far sh o rt
even of a competency to supply their wants . they have
gradually abated in their ardor ; and with' many an
entire disinclination 10 the ferric?; under its prefect
'His Excellency General Wallington's Letter, in be
half of the Army. ^[f^s makes part of Paper
No VIII, referred to in the Address and Recom
mrndabons of Congress, inferred in our paper of
the 29th ult }
Head Quarters, Newburgh, March ' 18, 178,
SIR,
FQ- H E oefult of the proceedings of the grand con-
X vention of the officers, which I have the honor
of enclcTog to yottr exegfleney for the infpeaion of
Congress; will, I flatter myfelf, be tonfidered as the
lafl glorious proof of patriotism which could have
been given by m f n who aspired to the diflin^ion of a
patrip!',my ; and will not only confirm their claim
to the j&flice, bet ^ll encreafe their title to the gra
titud6 of their country.
Having (een the proceedings on the part of the ar
my terminate with per fed unanimity, and in a man
ner entirely consonant to my withes : being impressed
with the liyeli^fl Sentiments of afFeHion for those who
have so long, so patiently and so cheerfully {offered
rand fought under my immediate direction: having
from motives of juflice, duty and gratitude, fponta
rfo+llv offer d myfelf as an advocate for their rights;
apd having- been requeued to write to your excellency,
'earneltiy entreating the mod speedy decision of Con
gftfs upon the fubjefts of the late address from the
army to that honorable body; it now only remains
for me to perform the talk I have affirmed; and toih
terc< de in [heir behalf, as I now do, that the sovereign
power w II be p'eaf d to verify the predictions I have
pronounced of, and the confidence the army have fe
pofed in the juflice of their country.
And here I humbly conceive it is altogether unpe-
Ceffary (while f am pleading the cause of an army
winch have done and fuffered more than any other ar
my ever did in the defence of the rights and liberties
of human nature) to expatiate on their claims to the
mod ample compensation for their meritorious services,
because they are perfectly known to the whole world,
and because, (although the topics are inexi auftable)
enough Tins already been said on the fubjed. To
prove tnefe affections, to evince that my sentiments
have ever been uniform, and to shew what my ideas
of the rewards in queflion have always been, I appeal
to the archives of Coogrefs, and call on those sacred
deposits to witness Tor me. And in order that my ob
servations and arguments in favour of a future ade
quate 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 trou
ble of having recourse to their files, I will beg leave
to transmit herewith an extract from a reprefeutation
made by me to a committee of Congress, so long ago
as the 29th of January, 1778, a*d also the tranfeript
of a letter to the president of Congress, dated near
Pafaic Falls, ORober 11, 1780 f.
That in the critical and perilous moment when the
last mentioned communication was made, there was
cirChroftances, has taken place. To this, in an emi
nent degree, must be ascribed the frequent re fignations
daily happening, and the more freqw nt importunities
for permission to resign, and from feme officers of the
greater merit ; Co this also may be ascribed the apathy,
inattention and negle& of duty, which pervade all
ranks, and which will necessarily continue and increase
while an officer, inßead of gaining any thing is irn
poverifhed'by bis commission, and conceives he is con
ferring not receiving a favour in holding it. There
can be no fufficient tie upon meh possessing such fenti
meats; nor can any method beadopted to oblige those
to a punaual difeharge of duty, who are indifferent a
bout their continuance in the service, nd are often seek
ing a pretext to disengage themselves from it. Punish
ment in this case, will be unavailing ; but when an
officer's comtniffion is made valuable to him, and he
fears to lose it, you may then exaft obedience from
him.
" It is not indeed confident with reason or juflice,
to expert that one set of men should make a facrifice
of property, domeflic ease and happiness, encounter the
rigors of the field, the perils and vicissitudes of war,
to obtain those bleffngs which every citizen will en
joy in common with them, without some adequate
compensation. It must also be a comfortlefs reflection
to any man, that after be may have contributed
to securing the rights of his country, at the rifque of
his life and the ruin of his fortune, there would be no
provision made to prevent himfelf and family from link
ing into indigence and wretchedness. Besides adopt
ing some methods to make the provision for officers
equal to their present exigences, a due regard fhotild
be paid to futurity. Nothing, in my opinion, would
serve more powerfully to reanimate their languishing
zeal, and interest them thoroughly in the service,
titan a half pay and pentionary e ftabliflim^nt. This
would not only difpell the^ apprehension of personal
diflrefs at the termination of the war, from having
thrown themselves out of profeffions and employments
they might not have it in their power to resume, but
would in a great degree relieve the painful anticipation
of leaving their widows and orphans a burthen on the
charity of their country, should it be their lot to fall
in its defence.
" / am earned in recommending this measure, be-
Cause I know it is the general wish and expectation,
and that many officers, whom, upon every principle
we Should wish to retain in the service, are only wait
ing to fee whether something of the kind will, or will
not take place, to be determined in their refointion,
either of flaying in or quitting it immediately; and
I urge my sentiments with the greater freedom, because
I cannot, and shall not receive the smallest benefit
from the eflablifhment, and can have no other induce
ment for proposing it, than a full conviction of its
utility and propriety.
<' I am sensible, the expence will be a capital objecti
on to it, but to this I oppose the necessity— the officers
are now discontented with their situation; if some gene
rous expedient is not embraced to remove their difeoo
tent; so extensive a desert on from the service will en
fue,and so much difeouragement be ca 9 upon tho e who
remain, as must wound it in a very cliectial manner.
Every thing that has this effedl, has a tendency at
leafl, to protrad the war, and though dictated by a
well intended frugality, will, I fear, in the end prowe
erroneous ceconomy."
Extract of a Letter from General Washington to Con
gress, dated Paffaick Falls, tith O^ober, 1780.
“ THAT there are the mod conclusive reasons for
reducing the number of regiments, na person acquaint
ed with tiie fituatian of our affairs, and the state of the
army, will deny. A want of officers, independent of
other confederations, were fufficient to compel us ; but
that the temper of the army, produced by its fuffer
ings, requires great caution in any reforms th,t are
attempted, is a position not less evident than the former.
In services the best eflabiifhed, where the hands of go
vernment a r e strengthened by the Hrongef finterefts of
thearmy to submission, the reducing of Its regiments,
and dismissing a great part of its officers, is always a
measure of difficulty and delicacy. In ours, where tne
officers are held by the feebleft tier, and are moulder
ing away by daily resignations, it is peculiarly so.
The last reduction occasioned rhany to quit the service
besides those who were reformed, and left durable feeds
cf difeontent among those who remained. The general
top'c of declamation was, that it was as hard as'difho
norable for men who had made every facrifice to the ser
vice to be turned cut of it at the pleasure of those in
power, without an. adequate compensation. Io the
maturity to which their uneasinesses have now arisen,
from a continuance in misery, they will be dill more
impatient under an attempt of a similar nature. How
far these difpofitjons may be realisable, 1 pretend
not to decide ; but in the extremity to which we are
arrived, policy forbids ns to add new irritations ; too
many of the officers wish to get rid of their comroiffi
-OD6, but they are unwilling to be forced into it.
" It is not tiie intention of these remarks to difeou
rage a reform, but to shew the necessity of guarding
tiA ufmofl dan er a dissolution of the army would have
taken place, unless measures similar to thofefrecom
meoded had been adopted, will not admit a doubt.
That th^ adoption of the refutation granting half-pay
for life has been attended with all the happy conk
quences I had foretold, so far as refpe<tied toe good of
the service, let the aftonffhiog contra* between the
ftateof the army at this infant, and at the former
period, determine- And that the efbiblhhment of
funds, and security of the payment of all the just de
mands of the army, will be the mod certain means
of p eferving the national, faith and future tranquili
ty of this extensive continent, is my decided opinion
By the preceding remarks it will readily be imagined,
that inhead of retracing and reprehending ' (from far
ther experience and reflection) the mode of compeefa
tion so firenuoufly urged in the enclosures, I am more
and more confirmed in the sentiment, and if in the
wrong, fuffer me to please myfelf with the grateful de
lusion.
For if, bffides the simple payment of the'r wages, *
farther compenfition is not due to tie fufferings and
facrifices of the officers, then have I been mistaken in
deed. If the whole army have not merited whatever
a grateful people can bestow, then have I been beguil
ed by prejudice, and built opinion on the basis of
error. If this country should not in the event perform
every thing which has been requeued in the late me
morial to Congress, then will my belief become vain,
and the hope that has been excited void of foundation.
And ' if,'' (as has been figgefled for the purpose of
inflaming their passions)" the officers of the army 66 a re
to be tne only fu fferers by this revolution; if retiring
from the field they are to grow old in pover y, wretch
edness and contempt—if they are to wade through
the vile mire of dependency, and owe the miCr&ble
remhant of that life to charity, which has hitherto
been spent in honor," then ftrdl I have learned what
ingratitude is, then shall I have realized tale which,
will embitter every moment of my future life.
But I am under no fuch?pp}eh<nfions:, a country
d refcued by their arms from impending ruin, will ne
ver leave unpaid the debt of gratitude.
against the ill effef)s by an ample provifion', both for
the officers who flay, and for those who are reduced.
This thoud be the oafix of tne plan, and without it E
apprehend the most mifclievous consequences; this,
would obviate many fcrupies that will otherwise ba
found prejudicial in the extreme I am convinced
Congress are not a little firaitned in the means of at
pref: nt provision, so ampie as to give fatisfaairm, but
this proves the expediency of a future one, and brings
me to that which I have so frequently recommended as
the moss (economical, the motb politic, and rhe most
effectual that could be deviled, —a Half Pay for Life—
fupported by a profped of a r 'manent dependence,
the officers would be tied so the service, and would
submit to many momentary^ nivations, and to the in
conveniencies which the situation of public affairs makes
unavoidable. This is exemplified in the Penufylvanin
officers, who, being upon this eflablifhment, are so
much interefled in the service, that in the course of
months there has been only one resignation in that line.
" If the objection drawn from the principle of this
measure, being incompatible with the genius of our
government, is thought unsurmountable, I would pro
pole a substitute less eligible, in my opinion, but which
may answer the purpofe—lt is, to make the prefenc
half pay for seven years whole pay lor the fame peri
od, to be advanced in two different payments ; one
half in a year after the conclusion of peace, the other
half in two years subsequent to the firft.
" No objection to this measure occurs to me, except
it be thought too great an expence; but in my judg
ment, whatever can give confi fiency to our military
eflablifhment, will be ultimately favourable to eeco
nomy. It is not easy to be conceived, except by those
who are witnesses to it, what an additional waste and
consumption of every thing, and consequently what
an encreafe of expence, results from the laxness of
discipline in the army; and where the officers think
they are doing the public a favour by holding their
commissions, and the men are continually fluctuating^
it is impoflible to maintain discipline. Nothing can
to me be more obvious than that a found military effa
bliihment and the interests of ceconomy are the fame.:
how much more the purposes of the war will b pro
moted by it in other refpeas, will not admit ;* ^ : ar
gument:
In reasoning upon the measure of a future provision,
I have heard gentlemen object the want cf it in
foreign armies, without adverting to the diTerence cf
circumftant.es. The military state holds he: ' .r.^
in mod of the countries of Europe, and is ths rood to
honor and emolument. The etiabUfhnent : , ^^
nent, and whatever be an officer's provision it it for
life, and he has a profeffion for life; he Lei future
as well as present motives of military honor and pre
ferment ; he is attached to t e service by the f^ it
of the government, by education, and in r : chiles
by early fra bit ; his prefect conn .on, if not splendid,
is comfortable; penhois ci'dadior. - n 4 particular
privileges, are commonly his r^wai ^ in retirement, hi
tue case of the Am rican officers, the military character
has been suddenly taken up, and is to eti with the war.
Congress will herewith receive a lift of the officers ini
the New-Bampfhire, Maffachuletts, Connecticut, New-
York, New Jersey, Pennff Ivania, and Maryland lines,
previous to its marching to the southward; apo ill
Crane's and Lamb's artillery, Sheldon's h Ae . and i:1
Hazen's, Sherburn's, Spacer's and Liviogfien's regi
ments, who have actually bad their rtfignatio; s enter
ed at head-quarters in the .course of this year ; and who
in general urged their neceffiiies when they applifd
on the fubjefy and infixed, note, ithflanding every per
suasion to induce their continuance, that ter circum
flauces would not admit of their remaining in the ser
vice longer. Btfides those resignations, there „re a
'd° * ma ny of which I have no certain account, as the
officers being permitted to go home op furlough in the
course of the last winter, have never rejoined the ar
my, and have only feat messages, or written to their
regimental officers, that their own diftretfes jmd those
of their families, would not permit their return. As to
the resignations which have taken place in the Virginia
line and the other troops at the southward, since they
were aHing in that quarter, I have no account of them,
but I make no doubt that many have happened All
these serve to shew the necessity of some more compe
tent eftabifhment than the present oae ; and, I hold it
my duty to mention, from the accounts I daily receive
unless this is the case, that I have firong reasons to be
lieve we shall not be able to retain, after the end of
the campaign, as many officers, efpec ally in some lines
as will be even fufficient for the common duties when
in quarters. Knitters fortunately should not proceed
to the lengths rh" tears forbode, yet Congress will be
sensible at thefirft vie<v, of the injuries and great in
conveniences which mu n attend'fuch a continual change
of officers and consequent promotions, which are and
will be inevitable.
“ After having exhibited this view of the present state
of the army, it is a moll neediest to add that <x-