The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

PART IL.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 395
It is commonly supposed, that, if the officers had
met agreeably to the anonymous summons, resolutions
might have been formed, the consequences of which
may be more easily conceived than expressed. Now
they will have leisure to view the matter more calmly
and seriously. It is to be hoped, that they will be induced to adopt more rational measures, and wait a
while longer for the settlement of their accounts, the
postponing of which gives more uneasiness in the army
than any other thing. There is not a man in it, who
will not acknowledge that Congress have not the means
of payment; but why not, say they one and all, liquidate the accounts and certify our dues? Are we to
be disbanded and sent home without this? Are we
afterwards to make individual applications for such settlements at Philadelphia, or any auditing office in our
respective States; to be shifted perhaps from one
board to another, dancing attendance at all, and finally
postponed till we lose the substance in pursuit of the
shadow? While they are agitated by these considerations, there are not wanting insidious characters, who
tell them it is neither the wish nor the intention of the
public to settle their accounts; but to delay this business under one pretext or another, until peace, which
we are on the eve of, and a separation of the army
takes place; when, it is well known, a general settlement never can be effected, and that individual loss
in this instance becomes public gain.
However derogatory these ideas are to the dignity,
honor, and justice of the government, yet when a matter
so interesting to the army, and at the same time so easy
to be effected by the public, as that of liquidating the
accounts, is delayed without any apparent or obvious
necessity, they will have their place in a mind that is
soured and irritated. Let me entreat you, therefore,