I am not obliged to make _any_ Commander-in-chief: that is left to my own liberty, as it was in my father's; only, if I will make any, it must be done by the consent of the Council.

And by the Commander-in-chief can be meant no other than the person who _under me_ commands the whole Army, call him what you will--'Field-Marshal,' 'Commander-in-chief,' 'Major-General,' or 'Lieutenant-General.' ...
Commander-in-chief is the genus; the others are the species.

And, though I am not obliged to have any such person besides myself to command all the forces, yet I _have_ made one: that is, I have made my brother Fleetwood Lieutenant-General of all the Army, and so by consequence commander-in-chief [_under me_]; and I am sure I can do nothing that will give him more influence in the Army than that title will give him, unless I should make him General [_instead of me_]; and I have told you the reasons why I cannot do that." Altogether, the speech, and the modesty with which it was delivered, produced very considerable effect for the moment upon the officers.

Whalley, Goffe, Berry, and others are understood to have shown more sympathy with Richard in consequence; there was respect for his firmness among people generally when it came to be known; and, though the meetings at Wallingford House and Desborough's house were continued, action was deferred.

One effect, however, had been to rouse the dormant Anti-Cromwellianism of the Army-men, and to bring out, more than Fleetwood and Desborough intended, that leaven of pure Republicanism, or affection for the "good old cause" of 1648-1653, which had not ceased, through all the submission to the Protectorate, to lurk in the regiments in combination with Anabaptistry, Fifth-Monarchism, and other extreme forms of religious Independency.
In the meetings round Fleetwood and Desborough there had been reflections on the late Protector's memory far from respectful.