Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 4).djvu/355

Rh Washington chose him as his first aide-de-camp, with the rank of colonel, soon after the establish- ment of his headquarters at Cambridge. While there he led a force against a British detachment. In July, 1775, he was made quartermaster-general of the army, and, after the evacuation of Boston by the enemy, was commissioned as brigadier - general, 19 May, 1776. He was assigned to the command of a part of the Pennsylva- nia troops when the army lay encamped before New York, and enjoyed the particular confi- dence of the com- mander - in - chief. His brigade was de- scribed as the best disciplined of any in the army. In the re- treat from Long Isl- and he command- ed the rear-guard, and through a blunder received the order to cover the retreat before all of the troops had embarked, but, after marching his men to the ferry, regained the lines before the enemy discovered that the post was deserted. In compliance with a special resolve of congress, Mifflin resumed the duties of quarter- master-general. In November, 1776, he was sent to Philadelphia to represent to congress the critical condition of the army, and to excite the patriotism of the Pennsylvanians. After listening to him, congress appealed to the militia of Philadelphia and the nearest counties to Join the army in New Jer- sey, sent to all parts of the country for re-enforce- ments and supplies, and ordered Mifflin to remain in Philadelphia for consultation and advice. He organized and trained the three regiments of asso- ciators of the city and neighborhood, sending a body of 1,500 to Trenton. In January, 1777, ac- companied by a committee of the legislature, he made the tour of the principal towns of Pennsyl- vania, and by his stirring oratory brought recruits to the ranks of the army. He came up with re- enforcements before the battle of Princeton was fought. In recognition of his services, congress commissioned him as major-general on 19 Feb., and made him a member of the board of war. He shared the dissatisfaction at the " Fabian policy " of Gen. Washington, and sympathized with the views of Gen. Horatio Gates and Gen. Thomas Conway, but afterward declared that he had not shared in the desire to elevate the former to the supreme command. The cares of his various offices so impaired Gen. Mifflin's health that he offered his resignation, but congress refused to ac- cept it. When the friends of Washington over- came the Conway cabal, Mifflin was replaced by Gen. Nathanael Greene in the quartermaster's de- partment in March, 1778, and in October he and Gates were discharged from their places on the board of war. An investigation of his conduct was ordered by congress in consequence of charges that the distresses of the army at Valley Forge were due to the mismanagement of the quartermas- ter-general. When the decree was revoked, after he had himself demanded an examination, he resigned his commission, but congress again refused to ac- cept it, and placed in his hands $1,000,000 to set- tle outstanding claims. In January, 1780, he was appointed on a board to devise means for retrench- ing expenses. After the achievement of independ- ence he was elected to congress, was chosen its president, 3 Nov., 1783, and, when Washington re- signed his commission as general of the army, re- plied to him in eulogistic terms. He was a mem- ber of the legislature in 1785, and was elected speaker. In 1787 he was a delegate to the conven- tion that framed the constitution of the United States, and was one of its signers. He was elected a member of the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania in 1788, succeeded to its presidency, and filled that office till 1790. He presided over the convention that was called to devise a new con- stitution for Pennsylvania in that year, was elect- ed the first governor over Arthur St. Clair, and re-elected for the two succeeding terms of three years. He raised Pennsylvania's quota of troops for the suppression of the whiskey insurrection, and served during the campaign under the orders of Gov. Henry Lee, of Virginia. Not being eligi- ble under the constitution for a fourth term in the governor's chair, he was elected in 1799 to the as- sembly, and died during the legislative session. Governor Mifflin was a member of the American philosophical society from 1768 till his death. — Thomas's cousin, Warner, reformer, b. in Accomac county. Va., 21 Oct., 1745 ; d. near Camden, Del.. 16 Oct., 1798, was the son of Daniel Mifflin, a planter and slave-owner, and the only Quaker within sixty miles of his plantation. The son early cherished an interest in behalf of the slaves. In giving an account of his conversion to anti-slavery views, he writes of himself: "About the fourteenth year of my age a circumstance occurred that tended to open the way for the reception of those impres- sions which have since been sealed with indelible clearness on my understanding. Being in the field with ray father's slaves, a young man among them questioned me whether I thoiight it could be right that they should be toiling in order to raise me, and that I might be sent to school, and by and by their children must do so for mine. Some little irritation at first took place in my feelings, but his reasoning so impressed me as never to be erased from my mind. Before I arrived at the age of manhood I determined never to be a slave-owner." Nevertheless, he did become the owner of slaves — some on his marriage through his wife's inherit- ance, and others from among his father's, who fol- lowed him to his plantation in Delaware, whither the son had removed and settled. Finally, deter- mining that he would " be excluded from happi- ness if he continued in this breach of the divine law," he freed all his slaves in 1774 and 1775, and his father followed the example. The son, on the day fixed for the emancipation of his slaves, called them one after another into his room and informed them of his purpose to give them their freedom, and this is the conversation that passed with one of them : •' Well, my friend James," said he, " how old art thou?" "I am twenty-nine and a half years, master." " Thou should'st have been free, as thy white brethren are, at twenty-one. Religion and humanity enjoin me this day to give thee thy liberty ; and justice requires me to pay thee for eight years and a half service, at the rate of ninety- one pounds, twelve shillings, and sixpence, owing to thee; but thou art young and healthy; thou had'st better work for thy living ; my intention is to give thee a bond for it, bearing interest at seven and a half per cent. Thou hast now no master but God and the laws." From this time until his death his efforts to bring about emancipation were un- tiring. Through his labors most of the members