ion
absurd, and as unreasonable as to expect an inversion in the order of
nature to accommodate itself to our views. If it was necessary, it
could be proved to any person of a moderate understanding, that an
annual army, raised on the spur of the occasion, besides being
unqualified for the end designed, is, in various ways which could be
enumerated, ten times more expensive than a permanent body of men
under good organization and military discipline, which never was nor
ever will be the case with new troops."

We will here add that the repeated and elaborate reasonings of
Washington, backed by dear bought experience, slowly brought Congress
to adopt a system suggested by him for the organization and support of
the army, according to which, troops were to be enlisted to serve
throughout the war, and all officers who continued in service until
the return of peace were to receive half pay during life.

The Marquis Lafayette at this time commanded the advance guard of
Washington's army, composed of six battalions of light infantry. They
were better clad than the other soldiery; in trim uniforms, leathern
helmets, with crests of horse-hair. The officers were armed with
spontoons, the non-commissioned officers with fusees; both with short
sabres which the marquis had brought from France, and presented to
them. He was proud of his troops, and had a young man's ardor for
active service. The inactivity which had prevailed for some time past
was intolerable to him. The marquis saw with repining the campaign
drawing to a close, and nothing done that would rouse the people in
America, and be spoken of at the Court of Versailles. He was urgent
with Washington that the campaign should be terminated by some
brilliant stroke. Complaints, he hinted, had been made in France of
the prevailing inactivity. The brilliant stroke, suggested with some
detail by the marquis, was a general attack upon Fort Washington, and
the other posts at the north end of the island of New York, and, under
certain circumstances, which he specified, _make a push for the city_.

Washington regarded the project of his young and ardent friend with a
more sober and cautious eye. "It is impossible, my dear marquis,"
replies he, "to desire more ardently than I do to terminate the
campaign by some happy stroke; but we must consult our means rather
than our wishes, and not endeavor to better our affairs by attempting
things, which for want of success may make them wo