The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-12-14
APPOINTMENTS or GENERAL WASH
iNGTON ~ COMMANDER-IN-C

ia from che Memoirs ~ John 'Ndans, the ui-
+isfr ''''=E To- '-f'''r-' ~ I-iitlirutiuu.
The army was as-umbled 40 cambridge.
Ms, under Cen. Wari, and Congress was
sitting al Philadelphia Eyrrv day, nov ap-
pllrarona Ia hehHlf ut the army arrived. The
country was urgcit IIai Cimerrss -nGVIT j.
galize the raising of the army, o. they werr
what must be conridorcd, and what was n
law cOnsidorud only a mob, a Land of rrbels.
The country was placed 10 circumsiaaeos' df
a peculiar difficulty and danger The urup-
gle had begun and yet everything was with.
out order. The grcat trial nov secmod to be-
this question Who shall be- thv connnn-
'lrr-iG-C hiet1 lt Wa exceedingly important
and was felt to hu the hinge un which the
contest might turn tor Or against us. The
-nuthern aud tbc middle States, warm, and
mud in Lhe!E Zcal ka--.s..--s-,-.-.---.-.--
jealous oi Now England, Lrcause they fcit
That Lhe r,al uhy-lra iorre waa hcrr-whnt
then was 90 Ic done At Wv Engl1II ~.
lurcd tlun. Ward hc had brcn in the French
var, and went oat laden With laurrls. 10
was a scholar anil a stairs,nan.
Every qualification secmcd 10 cluster m
him; and IL was confidently believed that the
army would not receive any appointment d.
yer him. What was then 20 be- done D,t
icuitns thiokoncd ~ every step. The .true-
gle was 10 he long and blooiy. Without
union all was lott The country, and the
whole country must come ia. One pulsatinn
must b,at through all hearts The cau-r
was one and the army must bee one. The
members had talked. debated considered aud
guessed. and yet the decisive step had not
been taken. AZ length Mr. Adams came 90
his conclusion. The means uf resolving IL
were somewhat singular and nearly A. iol-
lows-he wAs walking one morning b-iorr
Congress Hall apparpay- Ia deep Thought.
when his cousin samuel Adams came up 10
him aud said
hat ~ thr. tonne with rti tiii- frrurriiri,,
oh ihe army, the army lac rcplird.-
I'm determined 10 90 into the Hall this morn
ing, and enter on ftill detail of the culonics,
IN order 10 show the ah,olule need ct taking
SOME decisive steps My whole aim will bv
20 induce Congress 10 appoint the day tor A.
doruug the army as the legal army os these
united colonies ~ North America. and thcn
90 hint at an.-glecuon ~ Cummandrr.in-
Chief
Well, said Samuel .laaias. j. Ike that
cousin john hut an whom have You dAcd as
that commander =
i will tell you-Gcorgr Washington, ed
Virginia. a member oi THIS housc.
'Oh replied saIuucl adams. quick s., that
Will ncN.r ln-ucNcr--
,lt must do. IL shall 10. SAID John, and for
these rcasous.the Southern and Middle States
arv botf to enter heartily in the cause; and
their arguments are potent they say that
New England hoIds the phy ysical power IN her
hands, and they fear the result a New
England arlny, a New England commander.
with Ngw t.HVtHud perseverance, ali united,
appal them. For this causc they hang back
Now the only course Is 20 allay their fears
and give them nothing to complain oG and
this can be done in no other way but by ap-
poinung a southern chlcf over this ioryr, aud
then all viii rush 10 the standard. This poll
',., will blend us in oac mass, and that mass
wAl be rcsistess
At this, Samuel ADAMS seemed greatly
moved. They talked over the preliminary
and John asked his cousin 90
secoG, the notion MIR Adams went iu.tuuk
the floor. and put all his strength in the de-
lincations he had prenarcd. all aiming At the
auuptyuTr ut tIr army. Tie was rrutiy tc, own
the army, appoint commander, vote sup
plies, aud proceed 10 business. After his
speech had been finished. some doubted, some
feared. His warmth increased with the &c
easion and to all these doubts and hcsitations
he replied:
'Gentlomen, Ii Congress will not adopt the
-.Es.l-Aa.aFe- tan InnnnA La a AE,t-- AuAs-Elga
land will adopt il, andl she will undertake
tIr -trrr Zy-,ttU- 1turu=y-rst yvTrh yrF0ng arm,
Euri Il rtr77S' conscience, she will front thV
foe single handed r.---
This had the desired effect. Thdy saw
New England was neither playing nor. 10 be-
played with. They agreed to appoint day.
a day was fixed. II came. Mr. Adams went
in, took the floor, urged the measures and at
ter some debate it passed.
The next thing was to get commander
tor this army, with supplies. sc. All looked
to Mr. Adams on the occasion. and he was
ready. He took the door and went into a
OF the character of Gen. Ward
bestowing on him the encomiums which then
belonged to no one else. At the end qt the
eulngy, he said, But this is not the man |
have chosen lie then went into the charac-
ter of a commander-in-chief, such was re-
quired by the peculiar situation OF the colo
nists at this juucture And Aiter he had pre-
-tls4teSi aha qualifications in StrnnGest Ian
guage, and gwen reasons for the nomination
he was about TO make, he SAID
sGenilemen, know these qualifications are
high. but we all know THEY are needtul in
lhis chief Does any. one say they are not to
be obtained in this country Ia rupIy, /
have 10 say they are, they rcsirie in one OF our