240 Trumbull Gallery of Paintings in Yale College. 



under various forms, but never fulfilled, they saw themselves on 

 the point of being disbanded, and by being scattered among the 

 mass of their fellow-citizens, deprived of any chance of obtain- 

 ing justice by the influence of a united efl"ort ; nor were there 

 wanting among them fiery spirits, to place all this distinctly be- 

 fore their view, and to urge them not to lay down their arms or 

 disperse, until substantial justice should be obtained. What a 

 dazzling temptation was here to earthly ambition! Beloved by 

 the military, venerated by the people, who was there to oppose 

 the victorious chief, if he had chosen to retain that power which 

 he had so long held with universal approbation ? The Csesars, 

 the Cromwells, the Napoleons, yielded to the charm of earthly 

 ambition, and betrayed their country ; but Washington aspired to 

 loftier, imperishable glory, — to that glory which virtue alone can 

 give, and which no power, no effort, no time, can ever take away 

 or diminish. 



After taking an affectionate leave of his old comrades at New 

 York, accompanied by only two of them, Col. Benjamin Walker 

 and Col. Humphreys, aids-du-camp, he proceeded to Annapolis, 

 where Congress, the very shadow of a government, were then 

 sitting, and there resigned his commission into the hands of 

 twenty-three powerless men, divested himself of all authority, 

 and retired to private life. 



The following impressive history of the scene is copied from 

 the Journal of Congress, and has been the basis of the picture. 

 One additional circumstance deserves notice, not so much for its 

 importance as for its singularity. Thomas Mifflin, then presi- 

 dent of Congress, and into whose hands the general resigned his 

 commission, had been, in 1775. his first aid-du-camp, and he who 

 painted the picture had been his second. 



Extract from the Journal of Congress, Dec. 23, 1783. 



According to order, his Excellency, the commander-in-chief, 

 was admitted to a public audience, and being seated, the Presi- 

 dent, after a pause, informed him that the United States, in Con- 

 gress assembled, were prepared to receive his communications ; 

 whereupon he arose and addressed Congress as follows : — 



Mr. President, 



The great events on which my resignation depended, hav- 

 ing at length taken place, I have now the honor of offering my 



