not, till then, made
his final decision as to the relative position of Knox and Hamilton.
The commander-in-chief again dwelt upon the cause of the selection. "If
an amicable arrangement could have been settled between Generals
Hamilton, Pinckney, and yourself, previous to the nomination, it would
have been perfectly satisfactory to me; but driven as I was to make it
myself, at the time and in the manner it was transmitted, I was governed
by the best views and best evidence I could obtain of the public
sentiment relative thereto. The senate acted upon it under an impression
that it was to remain so, and in that light the matter is understood by
the public; and it would be uncandid not to add that I have found no
cause since to believe that I mistook that sentiment.

"We shall have," he continued, "either _no war_ or a _severe contest_
with France. In either case, if you will allow me to express my opinion,
this is the most eligible time for you to come forward. In the first
case, to assist with your counsel and aid in making judicious provisions
and arrangements to avert it; in the other case, to share in the glory
of defending your country, and, by making all secondary considerations
yield to that great and primary object, display a mind superior to
embarrassing punctilios at so critical a moment as the present.

"After having expressed these sentiments, with the frankness of
undisguised friendship, it is hardly necessary to add that, if you
should finally decline the appointment of major-general, there is none
to whom I would give a more decided preference as aid-de-camp, the offer
of which is highly flattering, honorable, and grateful to my feelings,
and for which I entertain a high sense. But, my dear General Knox--and
here, again, I speak to you in the language of candor and
friendship--examine well your mind upon this subject. Do not unite
yourself to the suite of a man whom you may consider as the primary
cause of what you call a degradation, with unpleasant sensations. This,
while it was growing upon you, would, if I should come to the knowledge
of it, make me unhappy; as my first wish would be, that my military
family and the whole army should consider themselves as a band of
brothers, willing and ready to die for each other."

Before this letter reached Knox, he had heard of the decision of the
president to place Hamilton in the position for which Washington had
nominated him, and he had written to the secre