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helm to other hands. If desire always prompted, increasing age seemed to render it necessary that he should seek repose. was it that he might enforce, by his example, the virtues and duties of a private life? That he might teach us industry, temperance, charity and economy? To be affectionate husbands and tender masters? That on the faithful performance each one of his several relations, depends personal and public happiness? Whom do we see in yonder fields near the waters of the Potowmac, surrounded by a group of laborers? It is the late illustrious commander of the armies, and the late chief magistrate of the United States. How august the spectacle! Citizens of America, venerate the sickle and the plough, for they have been dignified not only by the heroes and patriarchs of old, but by the father of your country!

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THOUGH naturally reserved, yet he was not haughty. Though those who approached him felt his superiority, yet he did not as He blended dignity and condescension. The greatest, and the smallest obje&s received from him a due attention. He never betrayed any symptoms of vain glory. When he was once asked, whether he had ever said, as was reported, that he knew no music so pleasing as the whistling of bullets," he answered, "If I said so, it was when I was young.' ?? Learning to estimate justly all human glory, and matured by experience; accustomed to lofty conceptions, and moving always int the important spheres of life; impressed with a sense that he derived all from God, and that all should be devoted to his service; his deportment was noble, equally removed from the su percilious and the vain. Some men have been great at one time, and despicable at another; some men have performed a single great, action, and never rose to the like again; but to him great actions seemed common. Some men have appeared great at the head of armies, or when surrounded by the trappings of power, and little when stripped of these, and alone; some men have withstood the storms of adversity, and been melted by the sunshine of prosperity; some men have possessed splendid public talents, and disgraced these by sordid private vices; but it is

* Gordon's History.

difficult to determine when and where Washington shone the brightest. It can only be said, that he was uniformly great.

countenance.

ONE part of his character remains to be mentioned, and which crowns the whole; that is, his reverence for the Sabbath, his acknowledgment of a Providence, and his attendance upon the institutions of religion. In all his public documents God is ho nored; after deliverances or victories, thanksgivings were by his order offered; and it is well known that he invariably attended divine worship. The foolish and wicked cant of exalting human reason, and ascribing all to fortune, received from him no Neither in the parade of military life, nor in the cares of civil administration; neither in a state of depression, nor amidst the intoxicating sweets of power and adulation, did he forget to pay homage to "the Most High, who doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth." It is not wholly improbable that the fate of the unhappy Braddock, who, it is said, expressed himself in a boast→ ing and profane manner, left on the mind of young Washing-> ton an indelible impression. "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness, judgment and righteousness, in the earth."*

HEAR the testimony which Washington bore for religion on his resignation of the chief magistracy. See appendix, p. 27.

INCOMPARABLE man! He devoted his time, his talents and his labors to our service; and he hath left his advice and his example to us, and to all generations!

THERE was in him that assemblage of qualities which con stitutes real greatness; and these qualities were remarkably adapted to the conspicuous part which he was called to perform, He was not tinsel, but gold; not a pebble, but a diamond; not a meteor, but a sun. Were he compared with the sages and

* Jer, ix. 23, 24.

the heroes of antiquity, he would gain by the comparison; or, rather, he would be found to be free from the blemishes, and to unite the excellencies of them all. Like Fabius he was pru

dent; like Hannibal he was unappalled by difficulties; like Cyrus he conciliated affection; like Cimon he was frugal; like. Scipio he was chaste; Like Philopemen he was humble; and like Pompey he was successful. If we compare him with characters in the sacred records, he combined the exploits of Moses and Joshua, not only by conducting us safely across the Red Sea and through the wilderness, but by bringing us into the promised land. Like David he conquered an insulting Goliah, and rose to the highest honors from an humble station; like Hezekiah he ruled; and like Josiah at his death, there is a mourning" as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon." Nor is the mourning confined to us, but extends to all the wise and the good who ever heard of his name. The generals whom he opposed will wrap their hilts in black, and stern Cornwallis drop a tear.

He was honored even in death. After all his, fatigues, and though he had arrived near to the limit fixed for human life, * yet his understanding was not impaired, nor his frame wasted by any lingering disease. We did not hear of his sickness, un-: til we heard that he was no more. His acceptance of the of fice of lieutenant-general of the armies is a proof that “Save my country, heaven," was his last. What would have been to most men the meridian of glory, was the setting sun of Wash-: ington. With an increased orb, its parting rays paint the clouds with brightest colours, and illumine all the mountain tops.In the full possession of his reason, and without fear of death, which he had often faced in the field, he breathed his mighty. soul into the hands of his almighty and merciful creator.

HARK! A message from the tomb !

"Citizens of America,

"You are assembled to express your gratitude for services which you believe to have been rendered by me, and to testify * He was born Feb. 22d, 1732; accepted the command of the American army, June 16th, 1775, in the 44th year of his age; and died Dec. 14th, 1799, in the 68th year of his age.

your sorrow for my death. Next to the testimony of a good conscience, it was ever the summit of my wishes to deserve well of my country. But, let your gratitude ascend to Him who fashioned me as I was, who kept me under his holy protection, and who hath, in his sovereign will, recalled me from the earth. My career was much longer than might have been expected. It was anxious; it was laborious; it was wearisome—I now rest.

"LET the love you bore me, the confidence you were pleased always to repose in me, and the regard you now profess for my memory, be shewn in following those admonitions which I have given you, and which I endeavored to enforce by my own example. Banish party interest and party spirit. Suffer no foreign influence to affect your councils. Give support and stability to your government. Honor and reward your public officers. Pay the strictest attention to the injunctions of religion and morality. Then, under the propitious smiles of heaven, you will long be a flourishing and happy people."

THUS, methinks, our deceased father addresses us this day.

In the eighteenth century have flourished a number of the most eminent philosophers, historians, orators, poets, patriots, and statesmen; the close of it has been eventful and astonishing beyond all precedent. In the end of the fifteenth century, Columbus discovered this new world; in the end of the eigh‐ teenth, Washington arose to give Columbia independence and rank among the nations. To the lustre of so many names, and to a period of such wonderful events, he joins his blaze. Memorable æra! The age of great men, the age of extraordinary revolutions, the age of Washington!

HE outlived many of his compatriots, Warren fell an early martyr. Hardy Putman, brave Stirling, active Sullivan, patri otic M'Dougall, incorruptible Reed, * Wayne, chief of Stony

*This gentleman, when a large bribe was indirectly offered bim, answered, "I am not worth purchasing, but such as I am the king of Great-Britain is not rich enough to do it." Romsay's and Gordon's Histories.

Point, Thomas, Nash, Wooster, Spencer, Thompson, Cadwallader, Mifflin, have all bowed to death. Undaunted Smallwood and Morgan, Butler surprised by a savage fóe and brave in death; Steuben bred in European camps, skilled in military discipline, an adopted and favorite son, born alike to form the battle's dread array, and grace the festive board; De Kalb, Pulaski, Scammel, Armstrong, Parsons, Gist, Poor, Maxwell, Williams, Glover, Herkimer, Stark, Varnum, Woodford" How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished !” *. Montgomery's career was short but glorious. On Abraham's plains he found with Wolfe a deathless fame. Greene the great

compeer and friend of Washington survived the war, but lived not to enjoy its fruits under a well-balanced government. He too sought the shade, and cultivated the arts of peace, after

* This enumeration is not pretended to be complete; and it was impossible to give every one bis due praise. Only general officers are mentioned, of whom nine were slain in the field. Those who contributed to the revolution by their councils are omitted; of whom there is a long and venerable list. Praise to living characters is purposely avoided. Death will stamp their value, and posterity duly estimate their merits.

In this list, it would be needless to say to those who knew him, that Armstrong combined, in a high degree, the great and amiable qualities. His age, and other circumstances, prevented bis taking a large and conspicuous part in the American war; but be bad the confidence of Washington; and, like bim, gave proofs of a military spirit at an early period. He conducted the expedition against the Kittaning, an Indian town, and was bigbly bonored by the proprietaries of Pennsylvania for bis gallant bebavior. On this occasion be and Mercer were both wounded. He bad a principal share either in advising or directing all the subsequent expeditions. He commanded the Pennsylvania militia at the battle of Germantown; and it is a fact not generally known, that the fort on Sullivan's island, S. C. would have been evacuated as indefensible bad it not been for him and the brave Col. Moultrie. His chief glory, however, was that he "fought the good fight of faith," and is gone with the famous Col. Gardiner, whom be greatly resembled, to receive an immortal crown.

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