220 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



Braddock enhanced his prestige, while the reduction of Ft. 

 Duquesne made him America's military leader. In 1759 the 

 wars had ceased sufficiently so that he was enabled to marry 

 Martha Custis, one of the wealthiest widows of Virginia, and. 

 to indulge his agricultural tastes. He became a member of the 

 Virginia house of burgesses, and took an earnest interest in 

 politics, but "it is not known that he ever made a set speech 

 or entered into a stormy debate." He was one of Virginia's 

 delegates to the first and second Continental Congresses. On 

 the return from the first congress a friend inquired of Patrick 

 Henry whom he considered the greatest man in the congress. 

 Henry's reply has gone into history: "If you speak of elo- 

 quence, Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina, is by far the greatest 

 orator; but if you speak of solid information and sound judg- 

 ment. Col. Washington is undoubtedly the greatest man on 

 that floor." 



He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental 

 forces by the second congress, a position he accepted with sin- 

 cerity and humility. His service from the successful siege of 

 Boston to the surrender of Yorktown continually demonstrated 

 his military prowess. After his masterly defense of the Dela- 

 ware, Frederick the Great declared his campaign "the most 

 brilliant achievement recorded in military annals," while some 

 years later he sent General Washington a portrait of himself 

 inscribed in his own handwriting as follows: "From the oldest 

 general in Europe to the greatest general in the world." 



His indignant refusal of a crown and his patriotic adjust- 

 ment of the difficulties of the army over lack of pay, made him 

 a statesman at a time when partisanship ran rampant. In 1794 

 he announced as his principles of a sound government, to make 

 the United States an independent power, "First, an indissoluble 

 union of the states under one federal head; second, a sacred 

 regard for public justice; third, the adoption of a proper peace 



