ttee of safety.

Colonel Henry felt himself compelled by every sentiment of self-respect
to refuse it, and immediately resigned that which he held from the
state. The troops encamped at Williamsburg, upon hearing of his
resignation, went into mourning, and being under arms, waited on him at
his lodgings on the last day of February. In their address they deplored
his withdrawal from the army, but applauded his just resentment at "a
glaring indignity." Colonel Henry in replying said: "This kind testimony
of your regard to me would have been an ample reward for services much
greater than those I have had the power to perform." "I leave the
service, but I leave my heart with you. May God bless you, and give you
success and safety, and make you the glorious instrument of saving our
country." In the evening they assembled tumultuously, and unwilling to
serve under any other commander, demanded their discharge. Colonel Henry
felt himself obliged to defer his departure a while, and he, who was in
the following year accused of a desire to make himself dictator, now
visited the barracks, and employed his eloquence in allaying these
alarming commotions.

Washington, in a letter to Joseph Reed, dated March the seventh, wrote:
"I think my countrymen made a capital mistake when they took Henry out
of the senate to place him in the field, and pity it is that he does not
see this, and remove every difficulty by a voluntary resignation." Mr.
Reed, in his reply, dated at Philadelphia, said to Washington: "We have
some accounts from Virginia that Colonel Henry has resigned in disgust
at not being made a general officer; but it rather gives satisfaction
than otherwise, as his abilities seem better calculated for the senate
than the field." In the same letter Mr. Reed wrote: "It is said the
Virginians are so alarmed with the idea of independence that they have
sent Mr. Braxton on purpose to turn the vote of that colony, if any
question on that subject should come before congress." Mr. Reed himself
had entertained strong misgivings on the question of independence.

During this month Colonel Henry was addressed by ninety officers at
Kemp's Landing, at Suffolk, in Colonel Woodford's camp, and at
Williamsburg. In this address they said: "We join with the general voice
of the people, and think it our duty to make this public declaration of
our high respect for your distinguished merit. To your vigilance and
judgment as a senator this united co