Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1808-05-16

In December, the army marched to Val
ley Forge, and took up their winter quar-
! ters in log huts which they erected at that
place,
Before this, the Congress, then sitting at
Yorktown in Pennsylvania, had elected me
| a member Of the Continental Board OF War.
General Gates and General Mifiin were
elected members Of the same board and
before the expiration of the winter, we re-
paired to Yorktown, where the board sat.
In this station remained until General
Greene resigned the Office Of qlarter-mas-
| general. On the 5th Of August 1880,
| Congress elected me bis successor and L
continued IN the ofics Of auarteF-mastcr-
general during the remainder Of the war.
The project Of beseging the CITY Of New
York, in 1871, having been relirquished,
and the siege of Yorktown, in Virginis, re-
solved on, 1 received General Westinghouse
| orders to preDaro Immediately for the march
of part of the army TO that place, and for
the transportation Of artillery, and Of al the
stores requisite for the siege. This was
done The event IS known To every body.
Lord CornwaiIis and his army were made
prisoners. This decided the fate Of the
war. In the succeeding winter, the British
government, despairing Of conquest, aban-
doned all offensive operations in America
and in November, 1882, articles Of peace
were agreed on.
From the year 1890 to 1924, I was charr-
ed, by General Washington (then President
of the United States) with several megocia-
| tons with the Indian nations on our from
tiers In 1893 in Joint commission with
General Lincoln and Beverly Randolph, ESQ
Of Virginia, to treat Of peace with the wes-
tern Indians And In 1874, ! was appoin.
ted the sole agent to adjust all our disputes
with the six nations which were terTnin.
ated by a satisfactory treaty.
In the year 4791, General Washington
appointed me Post Master General In
this Office i continued until the close of the
year 1874 when, on the resignation Of
General Knox, was appointed Secretary
Of War. IN August 1895, Mr.. Edmund
Randolph having resigned the office Of sec
Rotary OF state, General Washington gave
me the temporary charge NJ that department
also. Some tine before the meeting Of
| Congress, which was in December follow
! ing he rendered To me the Office of Secre-
tary of State At the same time he frankly
told me the names Ct several gentlemen
whom he had invited 70 accept, but who
had declined the Office. They were men
Of the first abilities and distinction, and for
I whom l entertain the highest respect. Gen
| eral Washington knew me wei, and that
ha5 net ero.4gis rs -ptlity nr nnlhitinn 70 ~
wounded or humbled by bis pre- ference OF
those men. ! only regretted thai they all
| declined the office. For myself, objected
| that the duties Of the department st state
| were foreign 70 my former pursuits il life !;
| and thought myself unequal 10 the proper
discharge Of them. Re desired me CD take
the matter into consideration. When he a.
| gain spoke to me on the subject, I observ-
cd, that although the gentlemen he had
named 70 me, declined the office, vet, by a
! little delay he might find some other candi-
date TO fill Il. The session Of Congress was
approaching. By inquiry among the men,
! bers, he might obtain information Of fit
| character not then occurring to him and
| requested him to postpone the matter till the
meeting OF Congress. The President &C
| guessed. But as soon as Congress assem-
| bled-%ithout speaking to me again, he
| nominated me TO the Senate TO he Secretary
Of State and the senate approved the nom
nation. ] continued IN this office until May
1900; when was removed By the late Pre-
sdent Adams. On this act [ should still
! have continued silent, had II not given oc-
| casion to add one more reproach TO the for
mer malicious ISLANDERS on my character
am reproached for having beenremoved from
I the Office of secretary ofstate Gas have Just
/ nentioned) on the supp0sition that this
| would not have been done but for some suf-
/ fcient cause, honorable to the president,
U i - I. - ~ n
mark, that had held that Office about
! year and and an half under General Wash
| iHgton, and three years and two months an
| der President Adams. ana until ten months
! only remained OF his own term of office.
| For what did he remove me He never
/ told me. Was it for any dishonest or dis
/ honourable act He Will not say IL. Was
! it for British attachments He will not
| say it. Was it for my incapacity IF thai
| were the cause, and It be well founded, a
| statesman ct bis experience and diScernment
J ought sooner 10 have made the discovery
\ But without troubling myself about nay dis
| mission, which even at the time excited
| scarcely sensible resentment, anu after that
| little had ceased toT years. should not
now have mentoned the subject, had not
| the herd Of libellers, and your ExcelenCY's
| own insinuations, constrained me to exhibit
this narrative Of the principal incidents Of
my life. To my friends l attn sure 1t will
not be uninterestiCg: and tondiy hope
that others of my fellow citizens vino may
read it, will not think the time lost which
shall be occupied in the perusaL / hope
also, that to oppose Q series ofncontroveru-
bic facts TO general reproach, may not be
deemed an improper mode Of vindicauon.
At the close Of the year 1901, ! returned
to live in Massachusetts. III 1903 the legs
lature appointed me a senator to represent
he army. Earb in December, afirryvayds,
gyheH General H4zve marched ran, p5ti7tribb;o