lect, that a brother's sword has been sheathed in a brother's
breast, and that the once-peaceful plains of America are to be
drenched with blood, or inhabited by slaves. Sad alternative! But can
a virtuous man hesitate in his choice?" Early in May, as he was just
on the eve of setting out for Philadelphia to take his seat in the
second session of the Congress, news reached him of the capture of
Ticonderoga by Col. Ethan Allen. It was a brilliant little exploit
enough, and the very kind to raise undue expectations in the many, who
looked no further into the future than to-night, when it is yet
evening; but it could have no other effect than to deepen the
thoughtfulness of a mind like Washington's, that could look through
the glare of these accidental hits of war, and behold the untried
perils still further beyond.

As the war had now begun in earnest, so dreaded and deeply deplored by
all the good men, as the only remedy left to their distress, the
deliberations of the second Congress turned chiefly on the devising of
means for their defence and safety. Towards this object, nothing
effectual could be done till some person was fixed upon to be the
leader of the army, which they had yet, in large measure, to raise,
arm, and equip.

There were not a few, who, for age, talent, experience, fortune, and
social position, as well as for the sacrifices they had already made
to the cause, were, in the opinion of their friends, and perhaps in
that of their own, justly entitled to this high distinction. After
some time spent in viewing the matter in all its bearings, and
carefully weighing the claims of each, without being able to fix upon
a choice, John Adams decided the question by addressing the House to
the following effect: That the person intrusted with a place of such
importance to Americans must be a native-born American; a man of large
fortune, in order to give him a strong personal interest in the issue
of the contest, and the means of carrying it on; he should be a man of
military experience, and accustomed to the government of large bodies
of men; he should be of tried integrity and patriotism, of great
courage and bodily endurance, and known ability; and a resident of
some central province, that in him might be blended the extreme
interests of North and South, which would tend to lessen the
jealousies of the two sections, and harmonize them, as it were, into
one. Such a province was Virginia, and such a man was Col. W