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.

434 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [AET. 51.
the preservation and establishment of the rights, liberties, and independence of our country.
Your congratulations on the happy prospects of our
peace and independent security, with their attendant
blessings to the United States, I receive with great satisfaction; and beg that you will accept a return of my
gratulations to you on this auspicious event; an event,
in which, great as it is in itself, and glorious as it will
probably be in its consequences, you have a right to
participate largely, from the distinguished part you have
contributed towards its attainment.
But while I contemplate the greatness of the object
for which we have contended, and felicitate you on the
happy issue of our toils and labors, which have terminated with such general satisfaction, I lament that you
should feel the ungrateful returns of a country, in whose
service you have exhausted your bodily health, and expended the vigor of a youthful constitution. I wish,
however, that your expectations of returning sentiments
of liberality may be verified. I have a hope, that they
may; but, should they not, your case will not be a singular one. Ingratitude has been experienced in all
ages, and republics in particular have ever been famed
for the exercise of that unnatural and sordid vice.
The secretary at war, who is now here, informs me
that you have been considered as entitled to full pay
since your absence from the field; and that you will be
still considered in that light till the close of the war,
at which period you will be equally entitled to the same
emoluments of half-pay or commutation as other officers of your rank. The same opinion is also given by
the paymaster-general, who is now with the army, empowered by Mr. Morris for the settlement of all their
accounts, and who will attend to yours whenever you
shall think proper to send on for the purpose; which
it will probably be best for you to do in a short time.