Hamilton’s impudent notion was that “the claims of the army” could be made “useful” to Congress. But, he added, perhaps too clever by half, “the difficulty will be to keep a complaining and suffering army within the bounds of moderation” [Hamilton’s italics]. So, he suggested, perhaps Washington should not interfere if the Army’s officers made public protests about their pay and pensions. And maybe Washington should even quietly encourage such protests. If so, he counseled, conspiratorially, Washington should keep his role quiet: “This however must not appear: it is of moment to the public
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