d never be.

To hold the Southern Colonies and give the cause a show of reason before
the world, an aristocrat with something to lose, and without a personal
grievance, must be chosen, and the man must be from the South. To get
Hancock in a position where his mouth would be stopped, he was placed in
the chair. It was a master move.

Colonel George Washington was already a hero; he had fought valiantly for
England. His hands were clean; while Hancock was openly called a smuggler.
Washington was nominated by John Adams. The motion was seconded by Samuel
Adams. Hancock turned first red and then deathly pale. He grasped the arms
of his chair with both hands, and--put the question.

It was unanimous.

Hancock's fame seems to rest on the fact that he was presiding officer of
the Congress that passed the Declaration of Independence, and therefore
its first signer, and, without consideration for cost of ink and paper,
wrote his name in poster letters. When you look upon the Declaration the
first thing you see is the signature of John Hancock, and you recall his
remark, "I guess King George can read that without spectacles." The whole
action was melodramatic, and although a bold signature has ever been said
to betoken a bold heart, it has yet to be demonstrated that boys who
whistle going through the woods are indifferent to danger. "Conscious
weakness takes strong attitudes," says Delsarte. The strength of Hancock's
signature was an affectation quite in keeping with his habit of riding
about Boston in a coach-and-six, with outriders in uniform, and servants
in livery.

When Hancock wrote to Washington asking for an appointment in the army,
the wise and farseeing chief replied with gentle words of praise
concerning Colonel Hancock's record, and wound up by saying that he
regretted there was no place at his disposal worthy of Colonel Hancock's
qualifications. Well did he know that Hancock was not quite patriot enough
to fill a lowly rank.

The part that Hancock played in the eight years of war was inconspicuous.
However, there was little spirit of revenge in his character: he sometimes
scolded, but he did not hate. He never allowed personal animosities to
make him waver in his loyalty to independence. In fact, with a price upon
his head, but one course was open for him.

Just before Washington was inaugurated President, he visited Boston, and a
curious struggle took place between him and Hancock, who was Governor. It
was