see your acceptance to be
indispensable. It is no compliment to say that no other man can
sufficiently unite the public opinion, or can give the requisite
weight to the office, in the commencement of the government. These
considerations appear to me of themselves decisive. I am not sure that
your refusal would not throw every thing into confusion. I am sure
that it would have the worst effect imaginable.

"Indeed, as I hinted in a former letter, I think circumstances leave
no option."

Although this correspondence does not appear to have absolutely
decided General Washington on the part he should embrace, it could not
have been without its influence on his judgment, nor have failed to
dispose him to yield to the wish of his country. "I would willingly,"
said he to his estimable friend General Lincoln, who had also pressed
the subject on him, "pass over in silence that part of your letter, in
which you mention the persons who are candidates for the two first
offices in the executive, if I did not fear the omission might seem to
betray a want of confidence. Motives of delicacy have prevented me
hitherto from conversing or writing on this subject, whenever I could
avoid it with decency. I may, however, with great sincerity, and I
believe without offending against modesty or propriety, _say_ to
_you_, that I most heartily wish the choice to which you allude might
not fall upon me: and that if it should, I must reserve to myself the
right of making up my final decision, at the last moment, when it can
be brought into one view, and when the expediency or inexpediency of a
refusal can be more judiciously determined than at present. But be
assured, my dear sir, if from any inducement I shall be persuaded
ultimately to accept, it will not be (so far as I know my own heart)
from any of a private or personal nature. Every personal consideration
conspires, to rivet me (if I may use the expression) to retirement. At
my time of life, and under my circumstances, nothing in this world can
ever draw me from it, unless it be a _conviction_ that the partiality
of my countrymen had made my services absolutely necessary, joined to
a _fear_ that my refusal might induce a belief that I preferred the
conservation of my own reputation and private ease, to the good of my
country. After all, if I should conceive myself in a manner
constrained to accept, I call heaven to witness, that this very act
would be the greatest sacrifice of my personal