1799] PLEASURE AT ELECTIONS 199 Department of War; beyond this, you, probably, can obtain better information than it is in my power to give. But it would be uncandid after saying thus much, not to add that, it would comport neither with propriety, nor with my practice, to bring you forward again. If the President is disposed to serve you, in addition to the Letters of recommendation with which you appeared at Phila., he has the evidence of my opinion of your Services, in the arrangement above mentioned. With esteem, I am etc. *To JOHN TAYLOE Mount Vernon, May 5, 1799. Dear Sir: I received, yesterday, your favour of the 29th. Ult; and by tomorrow's Post for Baltimore, the enclosed will be dispatched, to meet you at Annapolis. I hope the contents of it will meet your ideas. I have given these, as nearly as I could recollect them, in my communication to the Secretary of War. With sincere pleasure I received the information of Generals Lee and Marshalls Elections.50 Had the Majorities in their favor been greater, it would have added gout to the result. But they are Elected, and that alone is pleasing. With Mrs. Washington's compliments united with mine to Mrs. Tayloe, and with my best respects to Govr. Ogle. I am etc. *To JOHN MARSHALL Mount Vernon, May 5, 1799. Dear Sir: With infinite pleasure I receiv'd the news of your Election. For the honor of the District, I wish the Majority had To the House of Representatives. been greater; but let us be content; and hope, as the tide is turning, the current will soon run strong in your favor. I am sorry to find that the publication you allude to, should have given you a moments disquietude. I can assure you, it made no impression on my mind, of the tendency apprehended by you.51 The doubt you have expressed of Mr. Hancock's 2 Election, is as unexpected as it is painful. In these parts, we had set it down as certain; and our calculations went to eleven instead of nine. A few days now, will give us the result of all the Elections, to Congress and the Legislature of the State; and as you are at the fountain of information respecting the politics of the members, give me, I pray you, the amount of the parties on each side, if you have leisure and can ascertain them. With very sincere esteem etc. *To BUSHROD WASHINGTON Mount Vernon, May 5, 1799. My dear Sir: Your letter of the 26th. Ulto, as also that of the 10th., have been duly received. The Elections of Generals Lee and Marshall are grateful to my feelings. I wish however both of them had been Elected by greater majorities; but they are Elected, and that alone is pleasing. As the tide is turned, I hope it will come in with a full flow; but this will not happen if there is any relaxation on "Marshall had written (May 1): "You may possibly have seen a paragraph in a late publication, stating that several important officers in the gift of the Executive, and among others that of secretary of state, had been attainable by me. Few of the unpleasant occurrences produced by my declaration as a candidate for congress (and they have been very abundant) have given me more real chagrin than this. To make a parade of proffered offices is a vanity, which I trust I do not possess; but to boast of one never in my power woud argue a littleness of mind at which I ought to blush." Marshall's letter is in the Washington Papers. 1799] RANK AND PAY 201 the part of the Federalists. We are sure there will be none on that of the Republicans, as they have very erroneously called themselves. It is apprehended, latterly, that Mr. Hancock will not carry his Election; and that in numbers we shall not exceed nine. In point of abilities, I think the majority will be greatly on the side of Federalism. I have mentioned Mr. T. Turners name to the Secretary of War with respect that it has been handed to me; but in a letter I received from him last night, he thinks the President has given or will give, the vacant Troop to a Gentleman in another State. Our loves to Mrs. Washington. I am etc. *To THE SECRETARY OF WAR (Private) Mount Vernon, May 5, 1799. My dear Sir: Your private letter of the 29th. Ulto. was received yesterday, and requires but a short reply. From an observation of yours, in answer to my letter of the 23d. Ulto, I perceive my meaning with respect to the settlement of relative Rank, has been misunderstood; or, if taken properly, I must adhere to the opinion I gave of the injustice which would be inflicted upon the Officers of States remote from the Seat of Government; if those in the vicinity of it are to Rank before them, because they were on the spot to announce the acceptance of their Appointments at an earlier day. have Rank and Pay are distinct things; the Officer who may received the latter today, sustains no injury from him who received it yesterday; but if the commencement of Rank in the same grades, is to be regulated (under the circumstances I have mentioned) from the dates of their acceptances it will have injustice stamped on the face of it: for in that case they who are most remote, not by any act avoidable in themselves, but from the nature of things, become in almost every instance juniors; when perhaps many of them, in consideration of former Services, or other weighty pretensions might justly, be entitled to Seniority. The mode which you have suggested to the President for settling the Rank of the field Officers, is, certainly the best that could be offered to his consideration, and I trust will be approved by him. Let the vacancy, occasioned by the non-acceptance of Mr. Mercer be filled by whomsoever it may, I am glad he has refused it. But, in the name of common modesty, what did this young Gentleman expect? the command of the Regimt.? Upon the principle wch. governed the Board of General Officers in assigning the present addition to it, I think it would be injudicious to fill the Vacancy from a quarter that did not occasion it; Nor can it be better filled, I believe, than with the appointment of Turner, or Randolph, the first of whom is spoken of as possessing talents peculiarly adapted to this Service. What is the determination of Watts? 53 With very great esteem etc. *To THE SECRETARY OF WAR Mount Vernon, May 6, 1799. Sir: It is a point from which I have not deviated, to forward all recommendations, and applications, which have been made to me for Military appointments, to the Department of War. In confirmation of what is said in the enclosed letters from General Morgan, and the Colonels Meade and Parker, I may Lieut. Col. John Watts, of the Light Dragoons. He was honorably discharged in June, 1800. On May 5 Washington wrote a brief note to William Cooper, that he had referred his application for appointment in the Provisional Army to the War Department. The press copy of this letter is in the Washington Papers. 1799] SELECTION OF OFFICERS 54 203 add that, the same good report of the merits of Major Lawe. Butler has, verbally, been made to me by others. Although he served through the War, his person is unknown to me. This, however, is no evidence of his unfitness to fill the vacancy his friends solicit for him; because, the Virginia line of the Army, to which he belonged, was but a short time under my immediate Command. With respect to the application of Rowland Cotton, through the medium of Mr. Cooper, I have only to add that, the Applicant and Recommender (if it is the Cooper who was in Congress) are as well known to you, as they are to Sir, Your etc. *To DANIEL MORGAN Mount Vernon, May 10, 1799. Dear Sir: I have just received a letter from the Secretary of War, in which (after giving it as the opinion of the President of the United States, that Officers for the twenty four additional Regiments ought to be had in contemplation; that, in case the exigency of our Affairs should require them, greater dispatch might be used in the formation) is the Extract which follows. The selection of Officers for the eventual Army appears to be an object of primary importance, requiring all imaginary circumspection and care; their characters ought, if possible, to be such as to inspire a general and well grounded confidence that the fate of their country may be safely intrusted to them. I have, therefore, to request you will accord your full attention to the subject, and furnish me as soon as practicable with a list of the names of such characters in your State to fill the annexed military grades, as in your opinion, are best qualified, and willing to serve in case of an actual War, which will render it indispensable to recruit Men for this Army. "Butler had been commissioned first major, Eighth Infantry, in April, 1799. He was honorably discharged in June, 1800. |