在得知华盛顿打算拒绝皇帝的地幔时，据称乔治三世的权威也是如此，如果他这样做，他将是世界上最伟大的人。忠实于他的话，华盛顿于1783年12月22日向国会投降，然后在安纳波利斯开会：现在完成了分配我的工作，我宣布，我现在从大型行动剧院退休。这样一来，他就成为领导者的至高无上的例子，他可以被权力信任，因为他已经准备好放弃。
(Upon learning that Washington intended to reject the mantle of emperor, no less an authority than George III allegedly observed, If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world. True to his word, on December 22, 1783, Washington surrendered his commission to the Congress, then meeting in Annapolis: Having now finished the work assigned me, he announced, I now retire from the great theater of action. In so doing, he became the supreme example of the leader who could be trusted with power because he was so ready to give it up.)