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ciful, yet resolute: he felt for the infirmi ties of humanity, and took an especial precaution, that while he guarded against the establishment or continuance of an evil, to make adequate allowance for the weaknesses of our nature: he knew that the benign pur

the clergy, the officers of the militia, and several others who formed a distinct body of citizens came by themselves separately. The foreign ministers attended in their richest dresses and most splendid equipages. Two large parlours were open for the reception of the gentlemen, the windows of one of which towards the street were crowded with spectators on the outside. The sideboard was furnished with cake and wines, whereof the visitors partook. I never observed so much cheerfulness before in the countenance of General Washington; but it was impossible for him to remain insensible to the attention and the compliments paid to him on this occasion.

THE ladies of the city, equally attentive, paid their respects to Mrs. Washington, who received them in the drawing room up stairs. After having visited the General most of the gentlemen also waited upon er. A public ball and supper terminated the rejoicings of the day. Not one town of any importance was there in the whole union, where some meeting did not take place in honour of this day.

GENERAL Washington gives no public dinners or other entertainments, except to those who are in diplomatic capacities, and to a few families on terms of intimacy with Mrs. Washington. Strangers, with whom he wishes to have some conversation about agriculture or any such subject are sometimes invited to tea. This, by many, is attributed to his saving disposition; but it is more just to ascribe it to his prudence and foresight for as the salary of the president is very small, and totally inadequate by itself to support an expensive style of life, were he to give numerous and splendid entertainments, the same might possibly be expected from subsequent p esidents, who, if their private fortunes were not considerable, would be unable to live in the same style, and might be exposed to many ill-natured observations, from the relinquishment of what the people had been accustomed to; it is most likely also that General Washington has been actuated by these motives, because in his private capacity at Mount Vernon every stranger mects with a hospitable reception from him.

WELDS' Travels.

poses of every punishment of civil institution, should be rendered as obvious as possible, lest cruelty be inculcated by example.

FROM March, 1797, to July, 1798, he remained tranquilly embosomed at Mount Vernon, in the performance of the amiable but restricted duties of private life; personifying, in his own character, what that citizen ought to be, who had the happy destination of living under the most free and clement government on earth while he was thus peacefully and radiantly declining to the tomb, he was again supplicated to assist his country; she had been insulted and aggrieved: he felt implicated, as an American, in the national honour, and accepted the condition of the prayer.-The manifestation of this patriotic acceptance, was the last official action of this venerable man.

ON the 14th of December, 1799, he departed from this life, at his seat, at Mount Vernon, in the sixty-eighth year of his age; after having reaped an harvest of glory, commensurate with all that can be effected by mortal greatness.

HE was as much a proficient in the arts of persuasion as any, for his influence on his countrymen was unlimited; and this influence was among the greatest triumphs of virtue. The institutions of Quinctilian, or the orations of Thucydides or Sallust, exhibit no rule of eloquence more charming, or more perfect than what he providentially exemplified, when he exhorted a part of the continental army, on the 15th of 15th of March, 1783, to resist the diabolical exertions of some seditious emissaries, who were labouring to estrange them from the common good no system of science could have furnished an appeal more effectual, nor could any man have so restrained the passions of an armed multitude, but him, whose wisdom, bravery, and integrity were concomitant with each other.

THE disinterestedness of his mind was as alluring as it was noble,* and he used every

*Item. Whereas by a law of the Commonwealth of Virginia, enacted in the year 1785, the legislature thereof was pleased (as an evidence of its approbation of the services I had rendered the public, during the Revolution, and partly, I believe, in confideration of my having suggested the vast advantages which the community would derive from the extension of its inland navigation under legislative patronage) to present me with one hundred shares, of one hundred dollars each, in the incorporated company, estab

opportunity to promote the establishments for learning he acted from high and benevolent motives, and he required no dearer recompence than what his feelings could

lished for the purpose of extending the navigation of James River, from tide water to the mountains;-and also with fifty shares of one hundred pounds sterling each, in the corporation of another company likewise established for the similar purpose of opening the navigation of the river Potomack, from tide water to Fort Cumberland; the acceptance of which, although the offer was highly honorable and grateful to my feelings, was refused, as inconsistent with a principle which I had adopted, and had never departed from -viz-not to receive pecuniary compensation for any services I could render my country in its arduous struggle with Great Britain for its rights; and because I had evaded similar propositions from other states in the union. Adding to this refusal, however, an intimation that, if it should be the pleasure of the legislature to permit me to appropriate the said shares to public uses, I would receive them on those terms with due sensibility; and this it having consented to, in flat.ering terms, as will appear by a subsequent law and sundry resolutions, in the most ample and honorable manner-I proceed after this recital, for the more correct understanding of the case, to declare-that as it has always been a source of serious regret with me, to see the youth of these United States sent to foreign countries for the purpose of education, often before their minds were formed, or they had imbibed any adequate ideas of the happiness of their own; contracting too frequently, not only habits of diffipation and extravagance, but principles unfriendly to republican government, and to the true and genuine liberties of mankind; which, thereafter are rarely overcome.-For these reasons, it has been my ardent wish, to see a plan devised on a liberal scale, which would have a tendency to spread systematic ideas through all parts of this rising empire, thereby to do away local attachments and state prejudices, as far as the nature of things would, or indeed ought to admit, from our national councils.-Looking anxiously forward to the accomplishment of so desirable an object as this is, (in my estimation) my mind has not been able to contemplate any plan more likely to effect the measure, than the establishment of a UNIVERSITY in a central part of the United States, to which the youths of fortune and talents, from all parts thereof, might be sent for the completion of their education in all the branches of polite literature; in arts and sciences, in acquiring knowledge in the

afford; yet what can be more pleasing than self-applause, when it is confirmed by the approbation of the good? the ambitious place their chief happiness in fame, the avaricious in fortune, equally blind to the blessings that should follow. To employ every gentle method, therefore, to extend the principle of human sympathy: to improve our finer feelings, and give to the soul a more

principles of politics and good government, and (as a matter of infinite importance in my judgment) by associating with each other, and forming riend-hips in juvenile years, be enabled to free themselves, in a proper degree from those local prejudices and habitual jealousies, which have just been mentioned; and which, when carried to excess, are never-failing sources of disquietude to the public mind, and pregnant of mischievous consequences to this country; under these impressions, so fully dilated.

Item. I give and bequeath in perpetuity the fifty shares which I hold in the Potomack company (under the aforesaid acts of the legislature of Virginia) towards the endowment of a UNIVERSITY, to be established within the limits of the district of Columbia, under the auspices of the general government, if that government should incline to extend a foftering hand towards it; and until such seminary is established, and the funds arising on these shares shall be required for its support, my further wILL and DESIRE is, that the profit accruing therefrom shall, whenever the dividends are made, be laid out in purchasing stock in the bank of Columbia, or some other bank, at the discretion of my executors, or by the Treasurer of the United States for the time being, under the direction of Congress-provided that honorable body should patronize the measure; and the dividends proceeding from the purchase of such stock, is to be vested in more stock, and so on, until a sum, adequate to the accomplishment of the object, is ob tained; of which I have not the smallest doubt, before many years pass away, even if no aid or encouragement is given by the legislative authority, or from any other source.

Item. The hundred shares which I hold in the James River company, I have given, and now confirm in perpetuity, to and for the use and benefit of liberty hall academy, in the county of Rockbridge, in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

(Extracts from WASHINGTON's Will.)

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