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.

50 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. [1754t
which should imply an inferiority in rank, or in the
value of their services.
While he took this high stand, in defending the just
claims of the officers, he endeavoured to calm their
feelings, and reconcile them to their condition, by
appeals to their honor and the obligations of duty.
"I have communicated your sentiments to the other
officers," said he to the governor, "and, as far as I
could put on the hypocrite, set forth the advantages
that may accrue, and advised them to accept the terms,
as a refusal might reflect dishonor upon their character, leaving it to the world to assign what reason it
pleases for their quitting the service." And again;
"I considered the pernicious consequences that would
attend a disunion, and was therefore too much attached
to my country's interests to suffer it to ripen." In this
way he concealed his uneasiness, and tranquillized
the minds of his officers, although he felt the wrongs
they suffered, and approved the spirit that would not
tamely submit to them.
-As to himself, it was not so much the smallness of'
the pay, that gave him concern, as the indignity and
injustice of having his services estimated at a lower
rate, than in the British establishment, when in reality
no service could be more severe and hazardous,'or
less promising of glory, than the one in which he was
engaged. "Now if we could be fortunate enough,"
said he, "to drive the French from the Ohio, as far
as your Honor would please to have them sent, in
any short time, our pay will not be sufficient to discharge our first expenses. I would not have you
imagine from this, that I have said all these things
to have our pay increased, but to justify myself, and
to show you that our complaints are not frivolous,
but founded on strict reason. For my own part, it is