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.

356 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [.ET. 50.
army, to give information that may eventually be useful, and to convince you with what entire confidence
and esteem, I am, my dear Sir, &c.*
TO MAJOR-GENERAL GREENE.
Head-Quarters, 18 October, 1782.
DEAR SIR,
The death of Colonel Laurens I consider as a very
heavy misfortune, not only as it affects the public at
large, but particularly so to his family, and all his pri* To some of the topics of this letter General Lincoln replied, in his
private capacity, as follows.
"' You mention as a ground of complaint, that the compensation to the
army for their services is left in a loose, equivocal state, and of this I amn
fully convinced; and from the knowledge I have of the temper of Congress, I have little expectation that the matter of half-pay, to which I
suppose you allude, will be in a better situation than it now is, until it
shall be recommended by Congress to the several States to provide for
their own officers; which I am apprehensive will not be done unless Congress know in some way or other, that it is the wish of the officers that
they should, do it.
"You know, Sir, that no moneys can be appropriated but by the voice
of nine States. There was not that number in favor of half-pay, when
the vote to grant it passed in Congress, which was a vote before the confederation was signed and practised upon, but is not now. I see little
probability, that a sum equal to the half-pay will be appropriated to that
purpose, and apportioned on the several States. Massachusetts is one
of those States, which have always been opposed to the measure. Indeed, there is but one State east of this, which agreed to it. In the first
place, there is too great a part of the Union opposed to the half-pay to
think of carrying it through. The States in the opposition cannot be
coerced. They say that they are willing to make a handsome compensation by compromise, and that they will give a sum whicih shall be just and
honorable. From this it will be difficult, if not impossible, to persuade
them to depart. I am myself fully of opinion, that it will be much the
best for the army to be referred to their several States, and that their expectations will end in chagrin and disappointments if they look for halfpay from Congress. Let us for a moment reflect how Congress will avail
themselves of money to discharge this debt. They cannot appropriate
any part of the sum to this use, which shall be annually apportioned on