not alleged against me, and cannot be. If it is implied on my part, from the simple ascription to another of the authorship of certain letters which are over the signature of Washington, how much more is it to be implied on the part of these accusers, by the assumption necessarily involved in the charge against me, that his great name depends in any degree upon the mere authorship of any thing that he ever put his name to. This is detraction from Washington-to assert that any portion of his glory is derived from the style or composition of his public letters or papers. It would be a real detraction from his exalted merits, to say or to think, that by assigning to others the composition of every paper that he wrote, the great volume of his glory would be diminished or impaired in any measurable degree. His glory is not derived, in whole or in part, from such a source. It is the result of his unimpeachable virtue-his grave wisdom-his ever watchful circumspection-his inflexible constancy in maintaining the right, the true, the honorable, in all things-his justice-his for. titude his imperturbable courage-his dauntless bravery in battle his military providence and energy-his unsparing selfsacrifice his devotion of heart and soul, of life, fame, sacred honor of his entire self, of all he had and of all he was, to the cause of freedom and of his country. And in connection with the present subject, I may appropriately add to this cluster of noble qualities, his modesty, which never claimed any thing as his own that was not such by universal consent; and his elevation of soul, which made him superior to the rivalry and envy of competitors, regardless of their jealousy, and indifferent to their intrigues. His glory flows, and will forever flow, from these sources. His letters add only this contribution to his fame, that they manifest, by their intent and purpose, the operation of one or more of his great attributes, or the aspirations of his settled and established dispositions. Their composition was necessarily not always his own, which often and generally happens with commanders on a large field of operations, and with those who are engrossed with the highest concerns of civil administration; and when it was his own, its merit was rather in the enunciation of just thoughts and wise purposes, than in the skill or force with which he exhib ited and impressed them. Others before this day have expressed their opinions in regard to the public letters of Washington. He acquired, by much prac tice in epistolary writing, a style that was as much his own as his handwriting, and as distinguishable at first sight by those who had any familiarity with it, though it may be recognized more readily than it can be described. It was not constructed by rules of art, nor had it as much ease as it had dignity; but it was the style of a gentleman, and was com only very perspicuous. It has, however, become an historical fact, that in a large number of his important public letters and papers, an entirely different style is shown, and yet as unaffected as his own style, but generally more lettered or scholarlike. In respect to these, the design may be properly attributed to himself, and perhaps all of them may be regarded as having been revised, and sometimes altered, by him, to satisfy his own judgment; but much of the filling in, the drapery, the coloring, the light and shade, and the accessory parts, brought in to heighten and relieve the principal and more important, may be safely attributed to others who were in his personal confidence, and were deputed, officially or otherwise, to the performance of the duty. Such a supposition is in no degree disrespectful to him, and is in perfect harmony with his whole character. He was as free from vanity and self-conceit, from his youth upwards, as any man that ever lived; and sought assistance when he wanted it, without the least alarm to his self-love. I must refer to one distinguished person, as a witness in this matter, the late Timothy Pickering, because he has left behind him a record of his opinions, founded on personal knowledge and intimacy, during the Revolutionary War and afterwards. Colonel Pickering, appointed by Washington, in May, seventyseven, Adjutant General, after being intermediately selected a Commissioner to superintend the staff of the army, was chosen a member of the Board of War, in which place he continued until eighty, when he was elected, by the unanimous vote of Congress, Quarter Master General. This arduous office he filled until after the peace. In ninety, he was appointed by Washington sole Commissioner to treat with the Northern Indians; and in ninety-one, Post Master General. After serving as a Commissioner to treat with the Western Indians, he was again selected as Post Master General, and from that office was advanced to the place of Secretary of War. From this station he was preferred by Washington to be Secretary of State, and remained until the year eighteen hundred at the head of that department. This faithful, much honored public servant, alluding to the observations of an intelligent foreigner, remarks: 'In forming his judgment of Washington's writings, he had not the hecessary data. He has assumed, which is unfounded in fact, that the public papers bearing Washington's signature (and of his private writings he could have seen very few) are of his own composition. I undertake to affirm, that scarcely any, or a very small number of them, were draughted by him; and in the most important, the hand of Hamilton, I think, may be discernedwhile Hamilton was within his reach. I formed this opinion as long ago as the campaign of seventeen hundred and seventyseven, when I witnessed the incessant labors of Hamilton, and of the military Secretary-Harrison-in writing the General's public letters, in which I have reason to believe, I might say to know, that the conceptions, as well as the expressions, were for the most part their own. If the original draughts had been Washington's, his handwriting (remarkably distinct from all other handwriting that I ever saw) would have appeared in the letters or in the reserved rough draughts. I refer here to all his official letters, during the whole time of his command in the Revolutionary War." The result of an extended examination is then given in confirmation. Further light is thrown upon this subject by the statements of Generals Chastellux, Schuyler, Greene, and La Fayette, in the present volume. *Timothy Pickering to William Coleman. Salem, Aug. 8, 1826. CONTENTS OF VOLUME II. Sufferings of the army-Hamilton writes instructions-Descent on Staten Island-Hamilton as to cartel for prisoners-Hamilton for Washington as to British policy-Hamilton for Washington to Steuben-Hamilton for Washington as to interference of the States, also as to usurpation by Board of War-Embarkation at New York for Savannah-Hamilton for Washing- ton to Lincoln as to expedition to relieve Pensacola-Inertness of Virginia -Hamilton for Washington to Lincoln as to defence of Charleston-Its siege and capitulation-Hamilton for Washington to Bowdoin-La Fayette in Paris-Military succors to United States-Hamilton for Washington to La Luzerne-Hamilton to Duane, inciting energetic measures by Congress -Hamilton for Washington, urging appointment of committed to Head- quarters-Hamilton contemplated as Secretary to the embassy to France- Hamilton for Washington as to acquisition of the Canadas-Letter of Washington, by Hamilton, to Committee of Co-operation-Increase of army -Reed to Gates-Hamilton for Washington to Reed-Aid from Pennsyl- vania-Resources of enemy and of allies-Revolt of Connecticut troops-- Incursion of Knyphausen-Hamilton to Washington-Hamilton for Wash- ington to Committee of Co-operation-French succors on the coast-Ham- ilton for Washington to Committee-Hamilton for Washington to Rocham- bean and De Ternay-Chastellux as to Hamilton's instrumentality-Pro- jected attack upon New York-Hamilton publishes an explanation. Greene to Washington as to Quartermaster's Department-Hamilton's advice |