ns in
the army; and, on the 13th of July, addressed the following letter to
the President.

[Footnote 57: _The following is the list of generals, and of
the military staff._

Alexander Hamilton, _Inspector_.

Charles C. Pinckney, }
Henry Knox, or, if either refuses } Major Generals.
Henry Lee. }

Henry Lee (if not Major General) }
John Brooks, }
William S. Smith, or } Brigadiers.
John E. Howard. }

Edward Hand, or }
Jonathan Dayton, or } Adjutant General.
William S. Smith. }

Edward Carrington, Quarter Master General.
James Craik, Director of the Hospital.]

"I had the honour, on the evening of the 11th instant, to receive from
the hands of the secretary at war, your favour of the seventh,
announcing that you had, with the advice and consent of the senate,
appointed me Lieutenant General and Commander-in-chief of the armies
raised or to be raised for the service of the United States.

"I can not express how greatly affected I am at this new proof of
public confidence, and at the highly flattering manner in which you
have been pleased to make the communication. At the same time, I must
not conceal from you my earnest wish that the choice had fallen upon a
man less declined in years, and better qualified to encounter the
usual vicissitudes of war.

"You know, sir, what calculations I had made relative to the probable
course of events on my retiring from office, and the determination,
with which I had consoled myself, of closing the remnant of my days in
my present peaceful abode. You will therefore be at no loss to
conceive and appreciate the sensations I must have experienced, to
bring my mind to any conclusion that would pledge me, at so late a
period of life, to leave scenes I sincerely love, to enter upon the
boundless field of public action, incessant trouble, and high
responsibility.

"It was not possible for me to remain ignorant of, or indifferent to
recent transactions. The conduct of the Directory of France towards
our country; their insidious hostility to its government; their
various practices to withdraw the affections of the people from it;
the evident tendency of their arts, and those of their agents, to
countenance and invigorate opposition; their disregard of solemn
t