From the town whose name Charles had forgotten to Philadelphia, it was only half a day's journey. Charles and his group had set off at a gallop early in the morning, so when they arrived in Philadelphia, the sun was not yet directly overhead.
Although New York should have been the most developed city in North America at this time, Philadelphia, not long after its establishment in 1681, had a larger population than New York. Its residents accounted for about one-eighth of the total population of North America, making it the largest city in North America.
Because it was located on the Delaware River, facing Camden in New Jersey across the river, and about 140 kilometers from the river mouth, there were extensive port facilities along the Delaware River. Large oceangoing vessels could reach the port area directly, making it a famous river port in North America.
After nearly a century of development, Philadelphia's trade volume had surpassed Boston's, and it had long been the largest city in the inland regions. Although it couldn't compare to London or Paris at the time, the endless rows of buildings, the constant flow of people and carriages, and the bustling, busy scene were enough to give Charles the feeling of a major city.
Moreover, Philadelphia was also the seat of the Continental Congress at this time, considered the political and cultural center of the entire Thirteen Colonies of North America. After officially declaring independence, it would become the provisional capital.
Precisely because of its unique political status, the city's security was relatively strict. After checking their identities, inquiring about the location of the Continental Congress, and the latest news, it was almost lunchtime when they finally arrived at the Continental Congress.
Unlike Charles' expectation of heavy security, there were not many guards at the Continental Congress. Only a dozen soldiers were visibly stationed, incomparable to the thousands or even tens of thousands of police forces mobilized for a major conference in 21st-century America. What Charles found particularly hard to understand was that even during a major war with Britain, the security forces remained so weak.
This small number of personnel could probably only prevent some unarmed civilians from causing trouble. If a 21st-century decapitation strike were to be carried out at this time, Charles estimated that even unarmed, a special forces team of five or six people could eliminate all the American founding fathers meeting inside.
However, Charles didn't have the inclination to think further, because chivalry was still relatively popular at this time. Americans and British had already resorted to all means on the battlefield, but for their respective high-ranking officials, they never seemed to have considered assassination attempts. It was likely that their apprehension about the other side retaliating with similar methods was greater.
Upon Charles' arrival, the guards at the conference, after checking his identification and the authorized proposal signed by the Pittsburgh colonists, were still unable to decide how to handle him. Finally, they disarmed Charles and led him inside the building, handing him over to the conference secretariat for reception.
The Continental Congress happened to be holding its regular meeting inside, so only an ordinary secretary was available to receive him. He also couldn't immediately decide how to handle Charles. The special conference secretary who usually received representatives from various places was currently in the meeting and unable to see Charles.
Since it was already noon and the meeting would end soon, he felt there was no need to notify the conference secretary immediately. So, he apologetically asked Charles to wait in the waiting room outside, offering a free lunch from the conference. Charles was not in a hurry, thinking this time would be perfect for gathering information about the conference.
However, what he learned from the secretary greatly surprised him, because according to the secretary, after today's plenary session discussed sending Mr. Duane to France to seek aid, the representatives would adjourn for a few days to handle their respective affairs, and a new meeting would not be held for at least another ten days.
Here, we must mention the Second Continental Congress, which convened in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775. The chairman of the conference was John Hancock, a wealthy merchant from Boston, and the conference secretary was Charles Thompson. Famous figures like Thomas Jefferson and the respected Benjamin Franklin, who had just returned from London, were key representatives at the meeting.
Before this meeting began, the initial discussion was whether to go to war with Britain. However, because Franklin's efforts to seek reconciliation with Britain in London yielded no results, the 'Declaration of Rights' was ultimately passed, appointing Washington as commander-in-chief to fight the British army.
As a result, unwilling to accept the rule of the British government and without their own government, the Thirteen Colonies of North America, except for a few still under British gubernatorial control, were essentially in a state of anarchy. But things couldn't be left unmanaged. The Continental Congress assumed the dual role of both government and parliament, and the identities of these delegates were equally complex.
On January 5, 1776, the Colony of New Hampshire was the first to adopt its own constitution, establishing its own "sovereign, free, and independent" government. Other British Colonies in North America were also actively preparing to form their own governments.
At this time, the Continental Congress was not actually a true power institution, but rather a coordinating body. Each of those representatives had their own government and their own responsibilities to fulfill.
At this time, the main force of the British army in Boston was surrounded by Washington, and battles in other Colonies were also in full swing: to prevent the British army from using British Canada as a base to threaten the Continental army from the flank, the Continental Congress decided to send troops to Canada.
Arnold organized a volunteer army in May 1775, recapturing Fort Ticonderoga in New York, which had been occupied by the British army, and then advanced into Canada in two columns. By November, a Continental army led by Montgomery also marched towards Canada. The Continental Congress hoped their offensive would incite Canadians to revolt against Britain, turning this region into the "fourteenth Colony."
At the end of the year, the two armies converged and fiercely attacked Quebec. Arnold was wounded, and Montgomery unfortunately died in battle. Although the offensive suffered setbacks, this battle tied up one-half of the British army stationed in North America, creating favorable conditions for other allied forces' operations.
The situation in South Carolina in the south was much better. In February 1776, the British army and a pro-British "Loyalist" faction attacked the Wilmington militia, suffered a defeat at Moore's Bridge, and then attempted to attack the important port of Charleston. Washington urgently dispatched General Charles Lee to command the battle, but before General Lee arrived in Charleston, the local militia had already driven off the British fleet.
The overall situation in North America was looking good, so the plenary sessions of the Continental Congress became less frequent. They often met once, then adjourned for several days to handle the affairs of their respective Colonies. When Charles learned of this situation, he naturally became a little worried.
As a representative elected by only a hundred-plus people, he lacked strength and renown. If he couldn't quickly make a name for himself and gain attention, he might very well be sent back to Pittsburgh the next day. He had originally thought that upon arriving in Philadelphia, he could meet with the delegates one by one, use his foresight to cater to the Founding Fathers, establish good relationships with the key representatives, and then make an appearance at the Continental Congress with a long-planned speech, which he estimated would instantly launch his reputation within the Continental Congress. But now, with a temporary adjournment, there was a problem; who knew when he would be able to see the others?
Charles was very decisive in a crisis. He immediately made a decision.
Secretly calling Phil and the others aside, Charles immediately whispered instructions:
"I'm going to force my way into the meeting. You guys go and stop that secretary for me in a bit."
Tom, Phil, and the others immediately turned pale with fright.
Although the meeting place wasn't heavily guarded, and most of the guards were outside, there were only five of them, and they were all disarmed. How could they break in? If the armed guards outside came in, they would be no match. Forget about stopping someone; whether they could even save their lives was questionable. Hearing Charles' order, they immediately scrambled to stop him.
"Don't worry, you don't need to fight. When I go in, just stop them briefly, then raise your hands and surrender. I'll handle the rest myself." Charles was unmoved by their opinions.
Charles insisted on his approach. Although his original plan of a groundbreaking speech might not happen, forcing his way into the Continental Congress would likely leave a deep impression on the representatives, along with a not-so-good reputation.
Anyway, he had no plans to become a great man; he just needed to create a stir and gain influence. As for safety, he was originally very afraid of death, but now he dared to do this only because he saw how lax the guards were and was very confident he could get in.
Thinking this, he immediately straightened his clothes and walked briskly towards the main inner door.
"Sir, where are you going?" The secretary who was receiving him immediately came over to ask.
"I'm going to attend the meeting and exercise my rights." Charles quickly bypassed the secretary and continued to walk rapidly forward.
"No! sir, you cannot go in now. Please stop… Ugh."
Hearing the secretary's cry, several other people dressed as servants came out from the room. However, Phil and Tom immediately took action, quickly stepping forward to restrain the secretary and the servants. Tom, without hesitation, covered the secretary's mouth.
Charles had already reached the main entrance of the meeting room. Just as his hand touched the doorknob of the meeting room door and pushed it open a tiny crack, the armed guards outside finally noticed the abnormality inside. A tall guard loudly asked:
"Sir, what are you doing?"
The other guards raised their guns, preparing to rush into the house.
Unfortunately, they were so focused on Charles that they didn't see the secretary in the lounge being restrained by Phil and the others. Plus, Charles was already at the meeting door, so they didn't think of shooting indiscriminately.
By the time the guard finished speaking, Charles had already entered the room. He turned back with a relieved smile:
"I'm going in to attend the meeting!"
With a "thump."
Before the guard commander could give an order, Charles had already walked into the meeting room with ease, leaving them only the sound of a closing door.
With a 'bang,' Charles appeared in a small meeting room.
The situation inside was somewhat different from what Charles had imagined; there was no elevated podium, no giant long or round tables for representatives to sit side by side, only a few scattered small square tables and chairs with backs.
The tables were only large enough for four people to share a quick meal.
These square tables looked haphazardly arranged in the meeting room, with representatives gathered in small groups.
If not for a set of high-backed chairs reserved for the chairman, Charles would have thought the entire venue looked more like a salon, bar, or coffee shop.
The representatives sitting there also seemed not to be attending a meeting but rather having afternoon tea, feeling even less formal than the council Charles held at the Pittsburgh tavern.
At this moment, the previously lively meeting room had fallen silent, and dozens of heads turned in unison towards the delighted Charles.
"Hello, gentlemen! Good afternoon!" Charles took off his hat and placed it on his chest, bowing.
"Hello..." a middle-aged man stood up, intending to reply.
However, his words were cut short by Charles.
"My apologies for interrupting, gentlemen.
My name is Charles Godfrey, and I am the plenipotentiary representative of the Western pioneers and Pittsburgh.
I was ordered to attend the Continental Congress, but because the guards outside would not allow me, I had no choice but to force my way in.
I hope you, the esteemed representatives, can forgive my rashness." Charles said, taking out the authorization proposal and handing it to the middle-aged man.
"I am Charles Thompson, the secretary of the meeting." He glanced at the proposal and then handed it to an old man beside him.
With a loud 'bang,' just as the old man took the proposal, the door was violently pushed open again.
The guard glanced inside, saw that Charles had not done anything out of line, and quickly bowed in apology while explaining:
"Gentlemen, this man ignored our warnings..."
When Charles had burst in loudly, he had already startled the representatives inside once; now, with the guard bursting in so loudly again, many were startled once more and felt very uncomfortable.
Earlier, Charles' identity was not confirmed, so they did not speak up, but the guard was an employee, so a representative could not help but complain:
"Is this a sacred deliberative place where anyone can burst through the door and disrupt the meeting?"
The old man had just finished a quick scan of Charles' proposal, understood its general content, and seeing the guard still standing Silly at the door, he waved his hand decisively, telling him to leave.
"Good afternoon, sir! You must be Mr. Godfrey, correct?" The old man passed the proposal to others to read while turning to Charles with a slight bow.
"Yes, Your Excellency, I am Godfrey, the elected representative of Pittsburgh and the Western pioneers, here to attend the Continental Congress on behalf of Pittsburgh." Charles emphasized his identity again.
"Oh!" The old man nodded, "I am John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress."
He turned his head to look at the others in the room; some had already finished reading the proposal, while the rest were gathered around, looking at its contents.
"Mr. Godfrey, I believe that I and the other representatives will not doubt the authenticity of that proposal, but as the president of the assembly, I must still presumptuously express a question regarding your eligibility to attend the Continental Congress."
"Oh? Are you questioning my knowledge and experience?" Charles deliberately feigned ignorance, "My father is a lord ennobled by the British king, but considering the current situation, I can already declare that I renounce my inheritance of the title.
As for myself, I received a good basic education in North America from a young age.
In Christmas 1774, I was admitted to the Paris Artillery Academy in France.
Last year, I returned to Pittsburgh to inherit the family business.
I now possess one hundred thousand acres of productive land assets, which should meet the conditions to become a representative."
"Oh..." The representatives who had finished reading the proposal could not help but take a light breath.
The most important condition for a representative of the Continental Congress was to be a property owner; in fact, these representatives were either great magnates or great scholars, all of prominent status.
As a student of a famous artillery academy, Charles' knowledge could not be said to be profound, but in North America, where military talent was scarce, it held a very special significance.
As for the one hundred thousand acres of land, among the representatives at the time, it was not the largest, but it was certainly among the wealthiest.
The sudden appearance of a super landlord naturally made those representatives gasp; they had thought Charles' one hundred thousand acres of land assets were one hundred thousand acres of already cultivated fertile land.
The representatives, who had initially somewhat disregarded Charles due to his young age, immediately dropped their contempt upon hearing his introduction.
Because at this time in North America, more land meant controlling more people, which meant producing more goods, which meant strength.
In North America, where capital determined everything, Charles was already fully qualified to be a member of the Continental Congress.
John Hancock, upon hearing Charles' introduction, had in fact inwardly stopped opposing Charles becoming a member of the Continental Congress, but to ensure others had no objections, he continued:
"No, Mr. Godfrey.
I am not questioning your personal qualifications, but as far as I know, Pittsburgh is under the control of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania has already elected representatives to the Continental Congress.
Furthermore, your representative status only has the signatures of just over a hundred people, which does not carry much representativeness and cannot represent the Western pioneers.
Therefore, I believe you should first consult the Pennsylvania Assembly's opinion and then consider..."
"Does Pittsburgh belong to Pennsylvania, Mr. President! Esteemed gentlemen, besides sending a tax officer, what else has Pennsylvania given Pittsburgh?
We also have no representatives in the Pennsylvania Assembly, so why should the people she elects represent Pittsburgh's interests?" Charles' first half of the sentence was addressed to John Hancock, but by the last two sentences, he had turned to face the other representatives.
"Such..." As soon as this was said, a buzz of discussion immediately broke out below.
Some said, "Pennsylvania has always protected Pittsburgh."
Some said, "The Pennsylvania Assembly has never forgotten Pittsburgh."
And some still looked down on Charles, saying, "A small village of just over a hundred people can actually elect its own representative, hahahaha..."
Charles showed no embarrassment; he merely looked calmly at the representatives who mocked him.
Most people remained silent; there were only a few dissenting voices like these, and they disappeared without a trace after a moment.
Because Charles followed with a sentence that left them speechless.
"Gentlemen, we oppose all shackles imposed by the British king on the North American continent, but I ask you, esteemed gentlemen, what difference is there now between the relationship of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania and the relationship of our Thirteen North American Colonies and Great Britain?"
The entire room suddenly fell silent.
Then, a figure Charles often saw in the twenty-first century stood up:
"Mr. Godfrey, I believe you are fully capable of representing Pittsburgh and the Western pioneers at the Continental Congress.
Your talent is also perfectly suited to be a representative of the Continental Congress."
That was Mr. Thomas Jefferson, the man on the two-dollar bill.
"I also agree.
However, I suggest you still participate as a Pennsylvania representative."
This time, it was Mr. Benjamin Franklin, the man on the one-hundred-dollar bill.
Almost simultaneously, another representative with a very leadership-like presence also nodded:
"Our Continental Congress should unite all those dedicated to opposing the British king."
Although Charles was not particularly familiar with this person's face, from the term "Mr. Adams" mentioned by people behind him when commenting on his words, he immediately realized that this was John Adams, the second President of the United States after Washington, and also the one who personally witnessed his son become the sixth President.
Charles truly had not expected that these three influential figures would be the first to come out and express support for him.
With these three super influential Big Boss speaking up, the rest of the founding fathers, not being people without tolerance, simply expressed their agreement with warm welcoming applause.
"Welcome, Your Excellency Charles Godfrey!
I believe our Continental Congress has unanimously agreed to welcome you as one of us." John Hancock also applauded.
"What you just said was excellent; would you like to say something more to all of us?"
Charles guessed that these people before him, whether Benjamin Franklin or John Hancock, were only applauding and welcoming him now simply because of the issue of representation.
The relationship between Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania was indeed similar to the relationship between North America and Great Britain; his words had happened to hit a sore spot, forcing them to agree to his joining under the pressure of righteousness.
Few truly felt that he was an equal representative, a capable representative.
Since John Hancock had given him the opportunity to speak, he certainly could not miss it.
Charles had once considered acquiring American citizenship and had read the english version of the "Declaration of Independence" several times.
It was said to be a famous document that reflected the majority of public opinion in North America at the time; when it was drafted and read aloud, each sentence would be met with a cheer from the audience.
This time, he had to cater to them well, put on a good show, and at least convince Jefferson, the father of American democracy.
"Honorable Continental Congress Representatives! Thank you for accepting me as one of you!
"All men are born equal, whether it is I, or you honorable gentlemen, or the British king across the ocean; we are all beings born equal. The Creator has endowed them with certain unalienable rights, including the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
To secure these rights, men establish governments, and the legitimate power of government comes from the consent of the governed. Honorable Continental Congress Representatives, we must be clear on one point: the power of all you gentlemen present, and mine, legitimately comes from the people.
"Everyone has the right to live and develop freely and equally, but the British king's government has deprived us of our right to pursue happiness, and threatened our rights to life, suffrage, decision-making, management, supervision, liberty, autonomy, reputation, privacy, and property."
Charles rattled off ten rights before taking a slight breath.
Feeling that he had said most of what he truly wanted to say, he immediately began to recall the content of the Declaration of Independence, roughly continuing according to it:
"At such a moment, the people have the right, and the responsibility, to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
The history of the present British king is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States."
"Gentlemen, Representatives of the Continental Congress, for North America, for our three million compatriots, it is time to show the British king our resolve! Thank you!"
"Clap, clap, clap…"
This time, the applause was loud and sincere.
Most people's faces were smiling, and the elder Franklin even nodded at Charles when Charles looked at him. However, the guilt-ridden Charles felt it was like the smile of an adult after watching a child's performance.
Charles became a Representative of the Continental Congress, receiving a monthly allowance of one hundred dollars, but his qualification still required the review of several Pennsylvania Assembly members. After all, the Continental Congress could not casually allow a stranger to join. His appearance did not delay the meeting for long; immediately after his highly inflammatory independence speech, the meeting concluded and entered a short recess.
Did he really become a Representative of the Continental Congress just like that?
Walking out of the meeting room, Charles was still a little dazed and couldn't quite believe it. He couldn't help but clichély pinch his finger with his nail. Ouch, it hurt a little. According to some magical theories, that should mean it was real.
Although he had eagerly come to Philadelphia under the guise of attending the Continental Congress, neither the residents of Pittsburgh nor he himself had ever expected him to actually become a Representative of the Continental Congress.
The town residents might have merely playfully elected Charles as their representative, while Charles himself, in truth, only seriously wanted to use his status as a people's representative to interact with important figures like Jefferson and Franklin.
At most, he guessed he might become a Pennsylvania Assembly member in the future. If he were lucky enough to immediately become a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly, that would have been a dream come true. Even when he rashly burst into the meeting room, he was still thinking that this time he could make a name for himself with one bold move!
Pittsburgh was too small, Charles' reputation was small, and Charles' talent and strength were even more insufficient. The Second Continental Congress was a truly historic and far-reaching organization. Which of its members wasn't an outstanding figure of their time, renowned, and exceptionally talented!
If ordinary residents of Philadelphia were to evaluate Charles and them, the two would probably not even qualify for comparison.
But now, with this one audacious move, Charles had actually become one of them, effectively becoming their equal. Thinking about it now, Charles still felt like he was in a dream.
However, whether by luck or by chance, he was now indeed a member of the Continental Congress.
As there were no new affairs recently, and some matters that could involve new members were not suitable for him, the chairman, John Hancock, allowed him to freely choose to participate in public welfare projects.
Charles, of course, did not believe he could truly freely participate in projects already being managed by others, so he asked John Hancock for guidance:
"Respected sir Hancock, I am not clear about which public projects are currently available. Which one do you think would be most suitable for me to participate in?"
John Hancock smiled, very pleased with Charles' humble attitude.
"Haha! Godfrey, originally you were a student of the French Artillery Academy, so you should be involved in the Military Committee. However, the Continental Congress has already authorized General Washington to take full charge of the Boston campaign, and the situation on other battlefields is very good, so no temporary Military Committee has been established.
I don't know your other talents, but for now, I think it would be better for you to participate in a Military Committee that might be established at any time in the future. So for now, I suggest you simply join the army Comfort Group organized by the Continental Congress and go with them to Boston to comfort the Continental army officers and soldiers who have been fighting for more than half a year. Get in touch with the Continental army first to lay the foundation for future interactions with them."
He was very satisfied with Charles' request for guidance, so his explanation was very clear. He had initially worried that Charles' speech was too aggressive and that this young man might recklessly interfere with work others had already half-finished. Now, seeing Charles' performance, he felt he was mature for his age and truly recognized him as a qualified Representative of the Continental Congress.
The Continental army fought on the front lines, while the Continental Congress set the general direction from the rear and provided logistical support. The Military Committee was the specialized agency that managed these affairs. However, it was usually established according to the demands of the front-line troops.
Recently, the war entered a stalemate, with no major battles, so no specialized Military Committee was established. Historically, a new committee would not be established until the British army attacked New York. Hancock's arrangement, in fact, amounted to shelving Charles for several months.
"Go comfort the troops?" Charles frowned.
He originally had a plan to send people to Boston, but that was after Washington's victory, solely for the purpose of purchasing some necessary equipment and materials, and hiring some European technical workers. He also wanted to test the effects of new medicine on the wounded.
The penicillin molds he cultivated at Scarlet Manor had already been harvested once. However, because there were too few boxes, even though the green mold grew densely, he only ended up with a small pinch.
Charles thought of a method: mixing the mold with high-temperature treated flour. Unexpectedly, this achieved relatively good results. He had once taken a trace amount of pure penicillin mold, diluted it with water, and fed it to turkeys. The turkeys jumped around, foamed at the mouth, and had diarrhea.
Now, after mixing it with flour, making it into medicinal pills, and feeding it again, the turkeys with poisoning symptoms actually improved. So he chose to mix flour with penicillin mold, adding a little spice, and made a hundred very small medicinal pills, planning to test them on the wounded soldiers of the Continental army after the Boston campaign ended.
Unfortunately, Charles did not know that it was penicillin, not penicillin mold, that had bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effects. Penicillin is merely an antibacterial substance secreted by penicillin mold. After Fleming discovered the bactericidal phenomenon of penicillin mold in 1928, he knew of the existence of penicillin but was never able to find a way to extract high-purity penicillin.
Later, he cultivated penicillin mold strains generation after generation until 1939 when he finally extracted penicillin crystals using freeze-drying. Afterwards, Florey discovered a mold on a cantaloupe that could be used to extract large quantities of penicillin and developed a corresponding culture medium using corn flour.
In 1942, the industrial mass production of penicillin began. The small medicinal pills Charles was currently making were not pure penicillin; in fact, due to manufacturing reasons, they contained a certain toxicity. However, they did have some bactericidal effect, but with both beneficial and harmful effects mixed, the results could definitely not be as great as he hoped.
Charles was naturally unwilling to go comfort the troops now. He had already died once, and he cherished his life even more. Who knew if he would transmigrate again if he died a second time? Boston was currently in battle, and he dared not go there. Guns and cannons have no eyes; if they accidentally hit their army Comfort Group, there would be no chance to regret it. So he ultimately chose to refuse:
"My identity needs to be confirmed by the Pennsylvania Assembly, and I also need to recruit some workers in Philadelphia, so I probably can't leave immediately. How about this, let my guard, Phil, participate on my behalf, and I will rush over as soon as I finish things here."
John Hancock had no objection to this and, after informing him that the group leader was Secretary Charles Thompson, bid farewell and left.
Most of the other representatives also left Philadelphia after hastily expressing their respect to Charles. This made Charles even regret a little, thinking that if he had known these people's reactions would be so minimal, he might as well have given that speech on the street to the radical masses. Wasn't this a waste of his historical knowledge!
He had, of course, addressed his speech to the wrong audience. From the perspective of a descendant, one always tends to think how amazing these founding fathers and sages were. They believe that any correct policy for the nation and its people would earn the admiration, support, and even respect of these individuals.
In reality, however, these seasoned politicians simply listened and moved on. They were long past the age of easy excitement, and their insights were extraordinary. They knew that being correct was one thing, but whether to act on it was another. When considering issues, they no longer simply weighed right and wrong, or pros and cons; they also considered the reactions of various related parties, their own interests, the speaker's identity, and long-term implications, among other things.
They liked Charles' speech and valued his performance, but that was all. Until they truly needed Charles, they would not invest too much in him, only giving him minimal respect.