hington sent him
on a most important mission to Great Britain, and on its completion made
him Minister to France. From that post the President was, at the request
of France, compelled to recall him; but in doing so Washington wrote him a
private letter assuring Morris that he "held the same place in my
estimation" as ever, and signed himself "yours affectionately." Charles
Carroll of Carrollton was a partisan of the General, and very much
disgusted a member of the Cabal by telling him "almost literally that
anybody who displeased or did not admire the Commander-in-chief, ought not
to be kept in the army." And to Edward Rutledge Washington wrote, "I can
but love and thank you, and I do it sincerely for your polite and friendly
letter.... The sentiments contained in it are such as have uniformly
flowed from your pen, and they are not the less flattering than pleasing
to me."

The command of the Continental army brought a new kind of friend, in the
young aides of his staff. One of his earliest appointments was Joseph
Reed, and, though he remained but five months in the service, a close
friendship was formed. Almost weekly Washington wrote him in the most
confidential and affectionate manner, and twice he appealed to Reed to
take the position once more, in one instance adding that if "you are
disposed to continue with me, I shall think myself too fortunate and
happy to wish for a change." Yet Washington none the less sent Reed
congratulations on his election to the Pennsylvania Assembly, "although I
consider it the coup-de-grace to my ever seeing you" again a "member of my
family," to help him he asked a friend to endeavor to get Reed legal
business, and when all law business ceased and the would-be lawyer was
without occupation or means of support, he used his influence to secure
him the appointment of adjutant.

Reed kept him informed as to the news of Philadelphia, and wrote even
such adverse criticism of the General as he heard, which Washington
"gratefully" acknowledged. But one criticism Reed did not write was what
he himself was saying of his general after the fall of Fort Washington,
for which he blamed the commander-in-chief in a letter to Lee, and
probably to others, for when later Reed and Arnold quarrelled, the latter
boasted that "I can say I never basked in the sunshine of my general's
favor, and courted him to his face, when I was at the same time treating
him with the greatest disrespect and villifying his