"  I  have  been  waiting  a  whole  week  for  an  answer,  but
as  I  find  I  am  not  likely  to  obtain  one,  and  as  I  conceive
my  attendance  is  no  longer  necessary  here,  I  propose  to
set  out  for  camp  the  next  day  after  to-morrow  and  there
await  the  issue  of  the  business."

When  this  letter  was  read  there  were  some  who
felt  the  force  of  the  grave  and  dignified  remon-
strance :  —

"  A  resolution  was  proposed,"  Schuyler  writes  to  Wash-
ington on  the  5th  of  April,  "  that  Congress  had  full  confi-
dence in  his  (Greene's)  integrity  and  ability,  and  request-
ing his  future  exertions. This  brought  on  much  debate  ;
amendments  were  moved,  and  the  House  got  into  heats ;
and  an  adjournment  was  deemed  necessary  to  give  the
members  time  to  cool. A  member,  more  zealous  for  the
General's  reputation  than  prudent,  observed  that  he  was
an  officer  in  whom  the  Commander-in-chief  liad  the  high-
est confidence ;  that  he  was  the  first  of  all  the  subordinate
generals  in  point  of  military  knowledge  and  ability ;  that
in  case  of  an  accident  happening  to  General  Washington,
he  would  be  the  properest  person  to  command  the  army  ;
and  that  G-eneral  Washington  thought  so  too. Another  ob-
served that  he  had  a  very  high  opinion  of  General  Greene's
military  abilities ;  that  he  believed  the  General  had  too ;
but  that  he  believed  no  person  on  earth  was  authorized  to
say  as  much  as  the  words,  above  scored,  implied.-*^

1  Colonel  Pettit,  on  the  authority  high  terms. It  was  observed  in  oppo-

of  Gen. J. M. 