Litchfield enquirer., 1850-11-28
:d&tacelldMp.
Of Washington as Gen
0raIs
From the Writings Of J"hn Adams

This measure Of imbecility, the second
petition to the King. embarrassed every
cxerlion of Congress; it accustomed mo-
tons and deb les without end, for APP.
pointing committee to draw up u dec
laiation of the causes, motives, and object
Of taking arms. with view To obtain de-
cisive declarations against independence.
DC. In the meantime the New England
army investing Bosten, the New Eng land
legislatures, congresses and conventions,
and the whole body Of til" people. were
left without munitions Of war. without
aims. clothing, pay, or even counlenance
and encouragement. Every post brought
me letters from my friends DR.. Wins
throp, D.. Cooper, Gen. James Warren.
and sometimes from Gen. Ward and his
aids, and Gen. Heath. and many Others,
urging in pathetic terms, the imposslbll>
~ OF keeping their men together without
The assistance of Congress. was daily
urging all the. e things, but we were EN-,
barrassed with more than one difficulty,
not only with the party in favor OF the
petition to the King, and the party who
were jealous Of independence. but third
party, which was a southern against n
northern. and u jealousy agains, u New
England army under the command Of II
New England general. Whether this
jealousy was sincere, or whether it WAS
me,e pride and II naughty ambition of
furnishing southern general to command
the northern army. cannot say. But
the intention was very visible 10 me that
Colonel Washington was their object,
and SO many of our staunchest men were
in the plan that we could carry nothing
without conceding it.
Another EN- Embarrassment which was new
er publicly known, and which was care
fully concealed by those who knew ~,
the Massachusetts and bther New Eng
land delegates were divided. Mr.. Han>
cock and Mr.. Gushing hung back Mr..
Paine did not come .orward, and even
Samuel Adams was irresolute. NJ I.
Hanc Jck himself had al ambition to be
appointed commander-in- chief. Wheihe'
lie thought AN election compliment due
him, and intended to have the honor Vi
declining it, or whether he would have
accepted. | know not. 10 The compli-
ment he had some pretensions. for, al
that time, his exertions, sacrifices, and
genera. merits in the cause of his country
had been incomparably greater than those
of Colonel Washington. But the delica-
cy of his health. and his entire want OF
experience in actual service, though an
excellent militia officer. were decisive
objections to him in my mind. In can
vasslng this subject out Of doors. found
too, that even among the delegates Of
Virginia there were difficulties. The
apostolic reasonings among themselves.
which should be the greatest. were NO.
less energetic among the saints Of the AN
cient dominion, than they were among
US Of New England. In several CONVEX
sations found more than one very cool
about the appointment Of Washington.
and particularly Mr.. Pendleton WAS very
clear and full against it. Full of anxiety
concerning these c0nfusioIs. and apprs-
hending daily that we should hear very
distressing news from Boston. / walked
with Dir. Samuel Adams in the State
House yard for little exercise and fresh
air, before the b sur OF Congress-, and there
represented to him the various dangers
that surrounded Us. He agreed u them
all. but SAID, - What shall we dO?'z ]
answered him that he knew l had taken
great pains to getcOIIeaguss 20 agree mp,