The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-22
Who Nominated Washington Comman
der-in-Chieff
lsFERas1Ixo lEr1En 1noM aEs. nnADLrY I. Johnson

10 The Editors Of he BdktigaOre Gazette I.
In your leading editorial II The Gasette
of the first instant. Won remark that at any
rate. we are indebted 10 John Adams for
the nomination Of Georpe washington as
Conmander-ip. Chief Ofeourne. this wa.
a ain Of the men. for NO ono knows better
than the editor-in.chief Of the leading
MARYLAND paper that General washington
was nominated TO the Congress by Thomas
johnson, then delegate from MARYLAND.
and the wear afterward elected the frat
Governor Of the State when Mr.. Ban.
croft's volume on the Revolution was first
published some similar claims were made
for the Massachusetts family, but his error
was corrected at the time. and 7 bslieve
by him rcctifed. Mr.. Irving states The
fact correctly. John Adams'iu his diary
| l believe II am whiting away from books
and papers,) states that he suggested the
name Of Washington in private converse
tion, but II was considered best that the
nomination 70 the Congress should be
made by Southern COLONY. and that
therefore, Mr.. johnson was selected for
the purpose.
I am unable to assert from whom the
suggestion Of Colonel Washington u name
first came, but Il Il much more likely 10
have originated il private conversation
aud conference with the MARYLAND dele
gate than the Massachusetts one.
Governor johnson, prior to 1775, had
been prominent member Of the MARYLAND
bar, had married the daughter Of Thomas
! Jennings. ESQ. the Attorney General Of
the Province. and with Daniel Dulany.
was leading Whig until the latter be
came unwilling 10 90 into revolution.
Then johnson became one Of the foremost
in organizing the Committee Of Public
Safety, which met in Anpapolis in l775.
and afterward developed into the Reyolu-
tionary Convention which controlled the
State during the war. He was Of the first
delegation to the Continental Congress
with the Hon. Matthew Tilghman, Esq.
Was the commander.in. chief Of the Flying
Camp, which was the embodiment Of the
military force Of the State, and was the
Governor elected to put the new govern
ment into operation. He had been the
associate Of Col. Washington in his at
tempt in l774 to organize company for
tho slackwater navigation of the Potomac
river before the Maryland Assembly. This
was part Of their idea Of connecting the
waters of the Ohio and the Chesapeake,
but the enterprise was interrupted by the
war and afterward carried out by them in
the incorporation Of the old Potomac Com
pany, which was subsequently, merged in
the present Chesapeake and Ohio Com.
pany. Gov. johnson owned property in
Frederick county, some at the Point Of
/ Rocks, and was interested in the develop
ment of the iron interests there, and Col.
washington's property on the opposite
side of the river in what is now Jefferson,
gave them community of interest apart
from their connection in the public SER
vice. They were neighbors and friends,
and were men Of consequence ia their own
Province. johnson was Of the same age
Of Washington, having been born in the
same year, and It would have been very
unnatural and very remarkable when the
Congress at Philadelphia met aud the
minds Of men were being turned to the
man of position, property and experience
all combined TO be placed in the command
Of the troops then before Boston, and
about to be raised and sent forward from
the South, that johnson, impetuous, en-
shusiastic, warm-hearted. and his whole
soul afire in the whig cause, should not
at once have thought Of his eoadiutor in
the Potomac Company, his neighbor and
his friend, the Virginia Colonel, who had
been quartered in Frederick, on Brad
docks staff, and whose experience and
ability he perfectly well knew. Colonel
| Washington. it is welI known preferred
for Commander-in.C Chief General Andrew
Lewis, Of Virginia, who, at Point Pleasant,
had fought the hardest and bloodiest bat
lie. with the largest number of troops en-
gagged that had then been fought on this
continent. He thought that Lewis wa.
the man: and Lewis had muob the largest
reputation and widest experience. Il i.
then much more likely that the friends and
associates Of Washington IN MARYLAND for
the yirripiaus would naturally have beeu
ret;eent toward nressioo one &C chair avn
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