“I am sorry to hear of the loss of your servant; but it is my opinion these elopements will be MUCH MORE, before they are LESS frequent: and that the persons making them should never be retained, if they are recovered, as they are sure to contaminate and discontent others. I wish from my soul that the Legislature of this State could see the policy of a gradual Abolition of Slavery; It would prevt. much future mischief.”
165 Ibid., vol. 27, 12-1-1783. To THE FREEHOLDERS AND INHABITANTS OF KINGS COUNTY.
166 Washington’s deep emotions are very evident in his words to his Army at the time of the cease fire with Britain. Friday, April 18, 1783.
“Although the proclamation before alluded to, extends only to the prohibition of hostilities and not to the annunciation of a general peace, yet it must afford the most rational and sincere satisfaction to every benevolent mind, as it puts a period to a long and doubtful contest, stops the effusion of human blood, opens the prospect to a more splendid scene, and like another morning star, promises the approach of a brighter day than hath hitherto illuminated the Western Hemisphere; on such a happy day, a day which is the harbinger of Peace, a day which completes the eighth year of the war, it would be ingratitude not to rejoice! It would be insensibility not to participate in the general felicity.
“The commander in chief far from endeavouring to stifle the feelings of Joy in his own bosom, offers his most cordial Congratulations on the occasion to all the Officers of every denomination, to all the Troops of the United States in General, and in particular to those gallant and persevering men who had resolved to defend the rights of their invaded country so long as the war should continue. For these are the men who ought to be considered as the pride and boast of the American Army; And, who crowned with well earned laurels, may soon withdraw from the field of Glory, to the more tranquil walks of civil life.
While the General recollects the almost infinite variety of Scenes thro which we have passed, with a mixture of pleasure, astonishment, and gratitude; While he contemplates the prospects before us with rapture; he can not help wishing that all the brave men (of whatever condition they may be) who have shared in the toils and dangers of effecting this glorious revolution, of rescuing Millions from the hand of oppression, and of laying the foundation of a great Empire, might be impressed with a proper idea of the dignified part they have been called to act (under the Smiles of providence) on the stage of human affairs: for, happy, thrice happy shall they be pronounced hereafter, who have contributed any thing, who have performed the meanest office in erecting this stupendous fabrick of Freedom and Empire on the broad basis of Independency; who have assisted in protecting the rights of humane nature and establishing an Asylum for the poor and oppressed of all nations and religions. The glorious task for which we first flew to Arms being thus accomplished, the liberties of our Country being fully acknowledged, and firmly secured by the smiles of heaven, on the purity of our cause, and the honest exertions of a feeble people (determined to be free) against a powerful Nation (disposed to oppress them) and the Character of those who have persevered, through every extremity of hardship; suffering and danger being immortalized by the illustrious appellation of the patriot Army Ibid., vol. 26, 4-18-1783..
167 Ibid., vol. 16, 7-29-1779. General Orders.
CHAPTER 18
1 WGW, vol. 7, 4-15-1777.
2 M’Guire, Religious Opinions, p. 162-167, This story was “taken from a respectable literary journal published in New York,” p. 162.
3 Ibid., p.-156.
4 Meade, Old Churches, vol. II, p.490ff. No. XXIII. “Further Statements Concerning the Religious Character of Washington and the Question Whether he was a Communicant or Not.”
5 WGW, vol. 3, 7-18-1771.
6 1662 Book of Common Prayer, see http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/index.html
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 WGW, vol. 10, General Orders Head Quarters, White Marsh, November 30, 1777.
“On the 25th of November instant, the Honorable Continental Congress passed the following resolve: Resolved. ... Forasmuch as it is the indispensible duty of all men, to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude their obligations to him for benefits received, and to implore such further blessings as they stand in need of; and it having pleased him in his abundant mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable bounties of his common providence, but also, to smile upon us in the prosecution of a just and necessary war, for the defence of our unalienable rights and liberties.
“It is therefore recommended by Congress, that Thursday the 18th. day of December next be set apart for Solemn Thanksgiving and Praise; that at one time, and with one voice, the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor; and that, together with their sincere acknowledgements and offerings they may join the penitent confession of their sins; and supplications for such further blessings as they stand in need of. The Chaplains will properly notice this recommendation, that the day of thanksgiving may be duly observed in the army, agreeably to the intentions of Congress.”
10 Ibid., vol. 17, General Orders Head Quarters, Moore’s House, Saturday, November 27, 1779.
“The Honorable the Congress has been pleased to pass the following proclamation.
Whereas it becomes us humbly to approach the throne of Almighty God, with gratitude and praise for the wonders which his goodness has wrought in conducting our fore-fathers to this western world; for his protection to them and to their posterity amid difficulties and dangers; for raising us, their children, from deep distress to be numbered among the nations of the earth; and for arming the hands of just and mighty princes in our deliverance; and especially for that he hath been pleased to grant us the enjoyment of health, and so to order the revolving seasons, that the earth hath produced her increase in abundance, blessing the labors of the husbandmen, and spreading plenty through the land; that he hath prospered our arms and those of our ally; been a shield to our troops in the hour of danger, pointed their swords to victory and led them in triumph over the bulwarks of the foe; that he hath gone with those who went out into the wilderness against the savage tribes; that he hath stayed the hand of the spoiler, and turned back his meditated destruction; that he hath prospered our commerce, and given success to those who sought the enemy on the face of the deep; and above all, that he hath diffused the glorious light of the gospel, whereby, through the merits of our gracious Redeemer, we may become the heirs of his eternal glory: therefore,
“RESOLVED, That it be recommended to the several states, to appoint Thursday, the 9th of December next, to be a day of public and solemn thanksgiving to Almighty God for his mercies, and of prayer for the continuance of his favor and protection to these United States; to beseech him that he would be graciously pleased to influence our public councils, and bless them with wisdom from on high, with unanimity, firmness, and success; that he would go forth with our hosts and crown our arms with victory; that he would grant to his church the plentiful effusions of divine grace, and pour out his holy spirit on all ministers of the gospel; that he would bless and prosper the means of education, and spread the light of christian knowledge through the remotest corners of the earth; that he would smile upon the labours of his people and cause the earth to bring forth her fruits in abundance; that we may with gratitude and gladness enjoy them; that he would take into his holy protection our illustrious ally, give him victory over his enemies, and render him signally great, as the father of his people and the protector of the rights of mankind; that he would graciously be pleased to turn the hearts of our enemies, and to dispense the blessings of peace to contending nations; that he would in mercy look down upon us, pardon our sins and receive us into his favor, and finally, that he would establish the independence of these United States upon the basis of religion and virtue, and support and protect them in the enjoyment of peace, liberty and safety. A strict observance to be paid by the Army to this proclamation and the Chaplains are to prepare and deliver discourses suitable to it.”
11 Ibid., vol. 26, 4-18-1783.
12 Cf., M’Guire, Religious Opinions, 151. During the Constitutional Convention (May to September 1787), over which George Washington presided, progress was slow-going for the first several weeks. Tempers flared. It was hot and muggy and unpleasant. Delegates were coming and going. Some left and never returned. We know there were 55 delegates, yet only 39 signed the document in September, the first being Washington. Progress was so slow that on June 28, the elder statesman amongst them, the well-respected Benjamin Franklin, stood up and gave a monumental speech. He called for them to pray. He told them that they would succeed no greater than the builders of the Tower of Babel if they neglected God. Franklin was not an orthodox Christian. He was one of the 5% amongst them who was not. Yet he gave an impassioned speech—one of the greatest in American history—calling for prayer. Here is one of his statements in that speech: “I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?” ...Immediately after Franklin spoke, New Jersey delegate Jonathan Dayton described the scene. Note what he says about Washington’s reaction. “The Doctor sat down; and never did I behold a countenance at once so dignified and delighted as was that of Washington at the close of the address; nor were the members of the convention generally less affected. The words of the venerable Franklin fell upon our ears with a weight and authority, even greater that we may suppose an oracle to have had in a Roman senate!” See David C. Gibbs, Jr., Jerry Newcombe, One Nation Under God: Ten things Every Christian Should Know About the Founding of America. (Seminole, FL: Christian Law Association), pp. 159-160.
13 Boller, p. 169. George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799: Series 2 Letterbooks, George Washington to Philadelphia German Lutherans, April 27, 1789 Letterbook 38, Image 40 of 166.
14 Boller, George Washington & Religion, p. 173. PGW: Series 2 Letterbooks, George Washington to Methodist Episcopal Bishops, May 29, 1789, Letterbook 38, Image 42 of 166.
15 WGW, vol. 30, 10-3-1789.
16 Ibid., vol. 34, 11-19-1794
17 Ibid., vol. 35, 12-7-1796.
18 This argument has been used to diminish the importance of Washington’s commitment to providence. Cf. Douglas Southall Freeman George Washington, A Biography, 7 vols. Victory with the Help of France Volume Five (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1952), pp. 493-94. “To this same uncertain frontier of Washington’s mind his personal religion had been brought back after the years of peace had led him, the vestryman and then the warden, to conform without heart searching to the practices of the church. He had believed that a God directed his path, but he had not been particularly ardent in his faith. The war had convinced him that a Providence had intervened to save America from ruin. So often had he remarked it that a French skeptic would have said of him, no doubt, that a fatalist had become superstitious. On the other hand, had a Chaplain at headquarters been privileged to look through Washington’s files he would have been disappointed to find there no evidence of expressed personal belief in any creedal religion. It was almost as if the God of Battles had subordinated the God of the humble heart. The tone of Washington’s addresses and circulars was distinctly more fervent, to be sure, than in 1775, if the theme touched religion, but this change had not become marked until Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., had joined the staff and had begun to write Washington’s public papers of this type. Trumbull’s alternate and successor in this capacity was David Humphreys, who, like the Connecticut Governor’s son, was of theologically minded New England believers. The part these two men played in accentuating and enlarging with their pens the place that Providence had in the mind of Washington probably was among the most extraordinary and least considered influences of puritanism on the thoughts of the young nation. The people who heard the replies of Washington to their addresses doubtless thought they were listening to the General, as indeed they were, to the extent that Washington did not cancel what had been written; but the warmth of the faith was more definitely that of the aide than that of the Commander-in-Chief. Now that the war had ended and the Providence that Washington would observe was that of rain and sunshine and season and storm, not that of marches and battles, it remained for the returning soldier to see whether God again became personal to him.”
19 WGW, vol. 32, 5-24-1793 (WGW note: The draft, in the writing of Jefferson, is in the Jefferson Papers in the Library of Congress.).
20 Ibid., vol. 14, 3-4-1779.
21 Ibid., vol. 21, 2-26-1781.
22 The address of the artillery company is dated Feb. 22, 1794, and it and this answer are entered in the “Letter Book” in the Washington Papers.
23 WGW, vol. 33 2-1794.
24 The original address of the ministers, etc., is in PGW, It is signed “George J: L: Doll. V. D. M
25 WGW, vol. 25 11-16-1782.
26 PGW, Series 4. General Correspondence. 1697-1799, William Linn to George Washington, May 30, 1798, image 243-244.
27 WGW, vol. 36, 6-4-1798.
