WASHINGTON, George. Autograph letter, signature clipped away, to Henry Lee (1756-1818), Philadelphia, 30 June 1792. 6¼ pages, 4to, final page (bearing five lines of text) detached, signature and remainder of page lost
WASHINGTON, George. Autograph letter, signature clipped away, to Henry Lee (1756-1818), Philadelphia, 30 June 1792. 6¼ pages, 4to, final page (bearing five lines of text) detached, signature and remainder of page lost "TO ATTEMPT TO PLEASE EVERYBODY IS THE SURE WAY TO PLEASE NOBODY" Washington's wisdom as a politician and statesman shine through in this respectful but often blunt and pointed response to Henry Lee's complaints about being passed over for command of the Army in place of General Anthony Wayne. Washington explains that "my inclination was strongly in your favor," but that his decision was based finally on the question of seniority. Lee was junior to many of the officers in the service, and "if you were appointed to the Command it would be vain to look for Senior Officers to act subordinately." This would be no mere matter of ego. Such resentments could be "the seeds of sedition" threatening the republic itself. "Such being the nature of military pride." Lee bolstered his complaint to Washington with a letter from a Col. William Darke, who had met with Washington and discussed the appointment. Darke's version of this meeting was that Washington preferred Lee but that Secretary of War Henry Knox went against his superior's inclination. Washington rejects this, first by impugning Darke's reliability: "Colo. D[arke] in relating the conversation which passed between himself and me, has mistaken both the substance and tendency of it." Secondly, he asserts that Knox's decision was not because Knox "was of this, or of that opinion;" he agonized over this appointment as much as Washington. Ultimately "it was not the determination of a moment, nor was it the effect of partiality or of influence." Washington reminds Lee that an appointment may be unpopular "with one set of men" but "may not be so in another place or with another set of men...and that to attempt to please every body is the sure way to please nobody." Though lacking the signature this letter is a fine expression of Washington's qualities as a leader. Published in Fitzpatrick 32:75-78.
WASHINGTON, George. Autograph letter, signature clipped away, to Henry Lee (1756-1818), Philadelphia, 30 June 1792. 6¼ pages, 4to, final page (bearing five lines of text) detached, signature and remainder of page lost
WASHINGTON, George. Autograph letter, signature clipped away, to Henry Lee (1756-1818), Philadelphia, 30 June 1792. 6¼ pages, 4to, final page (bearing five lines of text) detached, signature and remainder of page lost "TO ATTEMPT TO PLEASE EVERYBODY IS THE SURE WAY TO PLEASE NOBODY" Washington's wisdom as a politician and statesman shine through in this respectful but often blunt and pointed response to Henry Lee's complaints about being passed over for command of the Army in place of General Anthony Wayne. Washington explains that "my inclination was strongly in your favor," but that his decision was based finally on the question of seniority. Lee was junior to many of the officers in the service, and "if you were appointed to the Command it would be vain to look for Senior Officers to act subordinately." This would be no mere matter of ego. Such resentments could be "the seeds of sedition" threatening the republic itself. "Such being the nature of military pride." Lee bolstered his complaint to Washington with a letter from a Col. William Darke, who had met with Washington and discussed the appointment. Darke's version of this meeting was that Washington preferred Lee but that Secretary of War Henry Knox went against his superior's inclination. Washington rejects this, first by impugning Darke's reliability: "Colo. D[arke] in relating the conversation which passed between himself and me, has mistaken both the substance and tendency of it." Secondly, he asserts that Knox's decision was not because Knox "was of this, or of that opinion;" he agonized over this appointment as much as Washington. Ultimately "it was not the determination of a moment, nor was it the effect of partiality or of influence." Washington reminds Lee that an appointment may be unpopular "with one set of men" but "may not be so in another place or with another set of men...and that to attempt to please every body is the sure way to please nobody." Though lacking the signature this letter is a fine expression of Washington's qualities as a leader. Published in Fitzpatrick 32:75-78.
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