New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-09-13

while hlcnaru IIcpty A~o, A"""'"" o''S'',
George Washington, were on their sides types OF
the same spirit which animated the Barons IN their
victory over King John, Hancock, the Adamses and
Sherman, were equally sustaiaing the relation Of
Lenthal, Pym, and St. John toward Charles the
First. The union of both these forms Of opinion
in behalf of American freedom finally carried the
continent in the same direction But this union did
not take place without much friction, nor did it out
last the moment of victory. The first jar was felt
in the organization Of the military force.
After the attack upon Lexington and Concord,
great portion of the agricultural population of New
England few to arms. Some of these men had
seen service in the French wars. Many had been
schooled in the exercises of the militia. All were
familiar with the use of the musket. The army OF
some twenty thousand men which clustered around
the scene of hostilities at Boston consisted OF
motley collection of farmers mechanics, seamen,
ard laborers. with the guns and powder-horns and
shot bags which had been their companions in the
occasional pursuit Of game. They knew little OF
the distinction of ranks. Their officers were of
their own choosing, and from among their own
comrades. Accustomed to the border wars with
sea, they had no conception of strict military dis
cipne. With no claim to an ideal purity of mo-
tives, not always scrupulOus in their choice of
means for the attainment of an object, somewhat
addicted to the love of money for its own sake this
array of patrot-sodiers manifested both the vir-
tues and the vices Of their national character The
attempt to convert them into an army OF regulars,
like those of the old world would have only insured
their speedy dispersion.
The Massachusetts delegates in Congress were
aware of this condition of things when they ac-
cepted the hazardous expedent Of calling an utter
stranger to the command of the Continental army.
The arrival of General Washington at the camp
was the infusion of new element into the military
circle. IN the undertaking to mold the promis
cuous multitude into army, the mass melted
| like snow before the sun. The COMMANDMENTS
| Chief no less than the other officers from
| abroad, received unpleasant impressions which ex
| erted material influence on the train of subse-
| quent events A mutual repusion spread from the
| army into the councils of the Union. The northern
troops had imbibed so great aversion to General
Schuyler that the delegates from ew-England en-
| as more acceptable leader. The successes Of
| Gates in the North soon concentrated around him
| the elements of discomfort with Washington. On
the other hand his favOrite officers conceived sus-
pciOn of John Adams, as favoring the side OF the
mslcontents. 1t is certain, however, that this i'm
preston was groundess. Yet he was associated
in the minds of many, in and out of the army, with
tbox oxs-ho ode tod
| this prejudice was Alexander Hamilton, then just
commencing his career, warm friend of Schuyler,
| and decided opponent of Gates. The effects of
| this impression were not fully developed until
quarter of century later, will appear in the
course of this narrative. The differences alluded to
lost their immediate Importance through the failure
of Gates in the South, as well from the exposure
of the intrgues of several of the French military
adyenturers, who had left their country to advance
| their fortunes in America.
The line of division, however, continued in Con-
gress and was made more and more permanent by
other Influences The most jealous advocates
Of independence formed the nucleus Of one set
| of opinions, while those who had been lukewarm in
the beginning of the movement became the ruling
elements ofth other The former hestated to repose
| in the military chief the great degree of power
which the other were naturally inclined to bestow,
| through want Of confidence in the mass of the
people.
The foreign policy of Congress soon opened new
sources of dscord in which Mr. Adams was neces-
sarly involved. During the operations of the Sc
cret Committee of IT'S, in regard to an alliance
with France, doubt had been cast upon some of the
members as leaning too much to the side of Great
| Britain 1t was asserted that men like John
Adams could alone be successful in addressing the
friends of the American cause beyond the ocean.
This produced fresh subjects of dissension in Con-
gress Party spirit was strongly aroused, and
showed its effects upon the nomination Of
the Commissioners to France John Ad-
ans was solicited by his friends to &C.
cept nomination, but he refused to listen to the
proposal. Silas Deane was chosen in his place;
jealousy sprung up among the Commissioners
after entering upon their diplomatic duties;
| and the discussions thus arising in France
soon spread to America and to the heart
Of Congress. Mr.. Adams, with those who
favored his views, was thus brought into OPP
position to New-York, and to many of the Southern
States. The bearing of these discords will become
apparent in the sequel of Mr.. Adams's biography
His services during the sixteen months that he
continued in Congress were of the most arduOus
character. From four o'clock in the morning until
ten at night he had not single moment that he could
call his own. His toll was so exhausting that at one