Page:The Life of George Washington, Volume 1.djvu/332

 302 INTRODUCTION. chap. viii. have satisfied him, though he demanded one 1728. to be settled generally on the commander in chief for the time being; and the house had not yet declared against settling on him a sa- lary for a limited time. Each desired that the other should make some concessions. Both declined; both by long altercation were irritated; and at length, instead of mutually advancing, fixed at the opposite extremes. After several ineffectual efforts on both sides, the house sent a message to the governor, in which are stated at large the motives to the resolution they had formed; to this the go- vernor returned a prompt answer, in which he also detailed the reasons in support of the demand he had made. These two papers manifesting the principles and objects of both parties, even at this period, deserve attention.* Not long after receiving this message, the house instead of making any advances towards a compliance with his request, came to two resolutions, strongly expressive of their deter- mination not to recede from the ground they had taken. The first question proposed was, whether the house would take under consideration the settling a temporary salary upon the governor, or commander in chief, for the time being? This passed in the negative.
 * See Note, No. VI. at the end of t lie volume.