speaking to his children, and bade them an affectionate farewell.[5]

He then waited quietly for the British to evacuate New York city, that
he might go thither with a few troops that would remain in camp under
Knox, take formal possession, and then hasten to the seat of Congress
and resign his commission of commander-in-chief of the American armies
into their hands.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] The following is a copy of the notification: "A meeting of
the field-officers is requested at the public building on Tuesday next
at eleven o'clock. A commissioned officer from each company is expected,
and a delegate from the medical staff. The object of this convention is
to consider the late letter of our representatives in Philadelphia, and
what measures (if any) should be adopted to obtain that redress of
grievances which they seem to have solicited in vain."

[3] The following is a copy of the address:--

"GENTLEMEN: By an anonymous summons, an attempt has been
made to convene you together; how inconsistent with the
rules of propriety, how unmilitary, and how subversive of
all order and discipline, let the good sense of the army
decide. In the moment of this summons, another anonymous
production was sent into circulation, addressed more to the
feelings and passions than to the reason and judgment of the
army. The author of the piece is entitled to much credit for
the goodness of his pen, and I could wish he had as much
credit for the rectitude of his heart; for, as men see
through different optics, and are induced by the reflecting
faculties of the mind to use different means to attain the
same end, the author of the address should have had more
charity than to mark for suspicion the man who should
recommend moderation and longer forbearance; or, in other
words, who should not think as he thinks, and act as he
advises."

When Washington had concluded this paragraph, he paused, took out his
spectacles, begged the indulgence of the audience while he put them on,
and observed, "You see I have grown gray in your service, and am now
growing blind." The effect was electrical, and many an eye was moistened
by tears called forth by the incident. He then proceeded:--

"But he had another plan in view, in which candor and liberality of
sentiment, regard to justice, and love of country have no part; and
he was right to insinuate the da