After the British merchant publicly announced his support for the Federal Government, the situation regarding the Southern issue became quite clear.
The congressmen from Virginia and North and South Carolina were, to put it mildly, truly panicked upon hearing this news. They hadn't grasped the situation at all, still believing that the Federal Government had offered greater benefits to the British merchant. They sincerely tried to persuade him to stay, promising to offer even more benefits than the Federal Government.
However, no matter what price the Three Southern States offered at this point, the British merchant would no longer change his stance. Changing his mind once could be seen as recognizing the situation, but changing it a second time would mean he had no integrity. So, the merchant representatives not only scoffed at and rejected their pleas but also, before leaving, publicly declared once again, urging the Three Southern States' governments to admit their mistakes, take responsibility, and submit to the leadership of the Federal Government.
The British merchant's actions, which showed no regard for their feelings, naturally enraged these congressmen, who spewed all sorts of vile words. Some even threatened to ban them from ever setting foot on the land of the Three Southern States again, and to never allow them to conduct trade in the South. However, the British merchant's retort, "These matters should now be decided by the Federal Government," left them speechless.
In such circumstances, many rational Southern congressmen already knew that the tide had turned, and in the ensuing developments, the Three Southern States would undoubtedly be at a disadvantage.
To somewhat salvage their image, those congressmen specifically published articles in the Virginia newspaper, exposing the inside story of this crisis. They unanimously shifted the blame onto the British, completely absolving themselves, hoping to save their political careers. As incumbent congressmen, they had no intention of genuinely confronting the Federal Government.
At this time, although the Three Southern States had a considerable economic advantage over the Northern states, the large-scale import of black slaves in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries had not yet begun. The plantation economy of the South was not as developed as it would be sixty years later, and as the region most severely damaged in the war of Independence, their economy was still worse than pre-war levels. No rational political figure would believe that a direct confrontation with the Federal Government at this point could succeed.
Almost before Washington and Jefferson had even requested to meet with those state congressmen, they enthusiastically went to the "two esteemed Federal Government officials" to express their support for the Federal Government and their respect for the two great men of Virginia.
These people's actions lacked backbone, but Washington and Jefferson did not dwell on it. They largely accepted their explanations, forgave their past political responsibilities, and expressed hope that the crisis could be resolved as soon as possible.
After several delays, it was already September. They had to resolve the issue of the Three Southern States as soon as possible to begin preparations for the Presidential election next month.
So, after receiving the goodwill from the Three Southern States, Washington and Jefferson immediately arranged meetings with the governor of Virginia and General Greene.
The meetings were separate. The governor of Virginia was originally a member of the Democratic Party. Although he was not under Jefferson's direct command within the system, in the current situation, he immediately chose to support the decisions of Washington and Jefferson. He also hoped that General Greene would voluntarily resign to bring an end to this crisis.
However, General Greene, the hero of the war of Independence, showed some stubbornness at this moment.
"Commander-in-Chief, I believe there are only generals who die standing, not a Greene who resigns in humiliation. I fully understand your intentions, but I also ask that you understand my position!" The stubborn General stood firmly before his old Commander-in-Chief, Washington, refusing to voluntarily resign to the state assembly.
In fact, those state congressmen were not opposed to actively removing General Greene from his post, but the old General's military skill was absolutely second only to Washington's in Virginia. A militia he had led for over three years had long since become completely loyal to him. The real pretext for this crisis was General Greene helping low-ranking officers in the militia. If he were to be rashly dismissed at this time, it could genuinely incite a mutiny. Therefore, they almost unanimously requested Washington, who also held great prestige in the military, to step forward and persuade General Greene to resign voluntarily.
Seeing his old comrade-in-arms unwilling to resign, Washington sighed with great emotion.
"Alas! General Greene, I repeatedly warned you during the war of Independence that the most important thing for a soldier is not to get involved in politics. Too much involvement will harm the entire country, and even a little involvement will harm oneself. You should not have joined those congressmen from the Three States in their clamor back then. Now that trouble has come upon you, you cannot escape!"
"Alas! My actions have disappointed you, Commander-in-Chief!" General Greene's face was filled with dejection.
"We are, and don't talk to me like that, Greene. I just want to ask you one more question: will you be ignominiously driven from office, or will you resign honorably and take responsibility!"
"I..." General Greene still looked aggrieved.
"Don't tell me you have no responsibility. From the moment you joined those congressmen in their clamor and participated in this matter, causing this crisis, you were already responsible for it!" Washington pointed directly at General Greene without mercy.
General Greene gave a bitter smile.
"Commander-in-Chief, I have no intention of shirking responsibility. If I truly should bear responsibility, I will undoubtedly do so. But the reality is that I carried out those tasks under the orders of the assembly. I personally did not initially approve of that approach. Now, if I resign, admitting responsibility, it would not only betray the assembly's expectations but also damage my good name. Therefore, I will not do so!"
What the General said was true. He had indeed been used as a pawn by those state congressmen, reluctantly stepping forward to do the unpopular work, and now he was being pushed out as a scapegoat. Naturally, he felt indignant.
Washington and Jefferson also largely believed the old General's words, but unfortunately, on one side was the pressure from dozens of state congressmen and the urging of the Federal Government behind them, while on the other side was only General Greene. There was no doubt as to whom they would prioritize persuading.
"Greene! In the current situation, someone must take responsibility, otherwise..." Washington looked helplessly at the old General.
The dejected expression on General Greene's face did not change in the slightest; he merely said calmly:
"If the Commander-in-Chief has any actions in mind, you can proceed with confidence, without considering me. But if you want me to resign voluntarily, that is absolutely impossible... At least for several months, I will absolutely not resign!"
Hearing General Greene's insistence, what more could Washington say?
According to the Federal Government's plan, even if General Greene didn't resign at this point, Washington should have stepped forward to rally the military, and then the Three States' assembly would relieve the old General of his duties. But at this time, General Washington hesitated slightly, unwilling to excessively pressure the old General. He merely had Jefferson approach the Three States' assembly, telling them to figure out how to resolve the old General's resignation themselves.
General Greene valued his reputation greatly, and Washington and Jefferson were unwilling to force anyone, so the resolution process faced considerable difficulties. However, at this point, those politicians who preferred underhanded tactics once again played a dirty trick on General Greene, who always acted openly.
Their trick was very simple: they merely put forward the idea that General Greene's refusal to resign this time was because he was reluctant to give up his current position as Commander-in-Chief of the Three States' militia.
As a general who had always been highly respected, ordinary people would naturally not believe such slanderous remarks. But it couldn't withstand the multitude of gossipers, and the speakers were also respected state congressmen. With one person saying one thing and another person saying another, a unanimous chorus of voices eventually made even many who initially didn't believe it feel that at least there was a possibility that General Greene was indeed reluctant to give up his current position. Moreover, many self-proclaimed clever people could even imagine out of thin air that the old General had returned from the Federal Government because he wanted this position, and so on.
It can be said that in a very short time, almost everyone in Richmond, except for the militiamen in the barracks, no longer believed General Greene. Only the militiamen, who had been personally trained by the old General and frequently interacted with him, naturally believed in the General's character and remained firmly on General Greene's side, strongly supporting his continued tenure.
The old General was both comforted by his soldiers' trust and deeply frustrated. He could accept the politicians' false accusations, but he could not accept the public's criticism. After half a month of persistence, General Greene, without notifying anyone in advance, suddenly submitted his resignation reports to the Three States' assembly.
The old General offered no defense regarding the assembly's and the public's distrust of him. However, this old General, who deeply loved his homeland in the Three Southern States, also earnestly recommended his adjutant to succeed him in his resignation report and implored the Three States' assembly not to disband this militia, believing it to be the most important force for defending the Three States.
Subsequently, old General Greene, feeling too ashamed to live in America after this incident, decided to accept an invitation from an old French friend and move to France.
Although many old friends who knew the current situation in France strongly urged the old General not to go upon hearing the news, old General Greene still resolutely chose to go to France. He later participated in the French Revolution, and together with Thomas Paine and others, became one of the most important forces supporting the French Revolution from America.