e shall have no occasion for it here. The letter to
General Thomas I immediately sent to him. He desired leave for
three or four days to settle some of his private affairs, after
which he will set out for his command in Canada. I am happy that
my conduct in intercepting Lord Drummond's letter is approved of
by Congress.

I have the honour to be, &c.,
Geo. WASHINGTON.

_____

_The President of Congress to General Washington._ (p. 005)

To
General WASHINGTON. Philadelphia, April 2, 1776.

Sir: It gives me the most sensible pleasure to convey to you, by
order of Congress, the only tribute which a free people will ever
consent to pay--the tribute of thanks and gratitude to their
friends and benefactors. The disinterested and patriotic
principles which led you to the field have also led you to glory;
and it affords no little consolation to your countrymen to
reflect that, as a peculiar greatness of mind induced you to
decline any compensation for serving them, except the pleasure of
promoting their happiness, they may, without your permission,
bestow upon you the largest share of their affections and esteem.

Those pages in the annals of America will record your title to a
conspicuous place in the temple of fame which shall inform
posterity that, under your direction, an undisciplined band of
husbandmen, in the course of a few months, became soldiers; and
that the desolation meditated against the country by a brave army
of veterans, commanded by the most experienced generals, but
employed by bad men in the worst of causes, was, by the fortitude
of your troops, and the address of their officers, next to the
kind interposition of Providence, confined for near a year within
such narrow limits as scarcely to admit more room than was
necessary for the encampments and fortifications they lately
abandoned. Accept, therefore, Sir, the thanks of the United
Colonies, unanimously declared by their delegates to be due to
you and the brave officers and troops under your command; and be
pleased to communicate to them this distinguished mark of the
approbation of their country. The Congress have ordered a golden
medal, adapted to the occasion,