ashington;
whom, therefore, he commended to the favor and consideration of the
Honorable House.

Before this address was ended, Washington, perceiving that he was the
person on the point of being singled out, rose from his seat, much
agitated and embarrassed, and hastily quitted the House.

Next morning, Mr. Adams's recommendation was acted upon; and the
House, without a single dissenting voice, chose GEORGE WASHINGTON to
be _Commander-in-chief_ of all the army of the United Colonies, with
the salary of six thousand dollars a year. In his reply, Washington
expressed his grateful sense of so signal a proof of the confidence
reposed in him by his countrymen, and added,--

"But lest some unfortunate event should happen, unfavorable to
my reputation, I beg that it may be remembered by every
gentleman in this room, that I this day declare, with the
utmost sincerity, that I do not think myself equal to the
command I am honored with. As to pay, I beg leave to assure the
Congress, that, as no pecuniary consideration could have
tempted me to accept of this employment at the expense of my
domestic ease and happiness, I do not wish to make any profit
of it. I will keep an exact account of my expenses: these, I
doubt not, they will discharge; and that is all I desire."

In a letter to Mrs. Washington, informing her of the great change thus
made in his destiny, he deplores the hard necessity that makes it his
duty to give up the sweet pleasures of home and her society; and
exhorts her, in affectionate language, to bear up under their
separation with cheerfulness and fortitude; at the same time giving
her the gratifying assurance, that with her he could have more
happiness at Mount Vernon in one month, than he could hope to find
without her, were he to remain abroad seven times seven years. From
the tone of this letter, she must readily have guessed that the place
was not one of his own seeking.

Accordingly, on the 21st of June, General Washington,--for so we must
now call him,--having received his commission, set out to take command
of the American army, then lying before Boston, which, being occupied
by the king's troops, was in a state of siege. A company of
Pennsylvania light-horse escorted him from Philadelphia to New York,
where he was received with all the honor due, not only to the high
station he had been called to fill, but also to his exalted character
and distingui