anxious and painful sensations than I have words to express, set out for New York in company with Mr Thomson and Colo Humphreys, with the best disposition to render service to my country in obedience to its calls, but with less hope of answering its expectations."— Washington's Diary.

"Alexandria, April 23.-Last Thursday [April 16], the great and illustrious Citizen of America, GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq; passed through this town on his way to New-York accompanied by Mr. CHARLES THOMSON. He was met some miles out of town by a numerous escort of his friends and neighbours, whose attachment to him was such, that not satisfied with attending him to the verge of their own state, they crossed over in numerous crouds to George-Town, where they surrendered him over to the arms of an affectionate sister state. In compliance with their wishes, he partook with them of an early dinner prepared at Mr. Wise's tavern. At his departure, an affectionate address was presented to him by the citizens, to which he made a reply, expressive of his feelings on the occasion." *-Pennsylvania Packet, April 30.

"George-Town, April 23.-Last Thursday, passed through this town, on his way to New-York, the Most Illustrious the President of the United States of America, with Charles Thomson, Esq.; Secretary to Congress. His Excellency arrived at about 2 o'clock, on the banks of the Potowmack, escorted by a respectable corps of gentlemen from Alexandria, where the George-Town ferry boats, properly equipped, received his Excellency and suite, and safely landed them, under the acclamations of a large crowd of their grateful fellow-citizens-who beheld their FABIUS in the evening of his days, bid adieu to the peaceful retreat of Mount Vernon, in order to save his country once more, from confusion and anarchy. From this place his Excellency was escorted by a corps of gentlemen, commanded by Col. William Deakins, jun. to Mr. Spurrier's Tavern, where the escort from Baltimore take charge of him."-Pennsylvania Packet, May 5.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17.

At Baltimore: "Baltimore, April 21.-The President of the United States arrived in this place on his way to Congress, on Friday afternoon, the 17th instant, with Charles Thomson, Esq; and Colonel Humphries. This great man was met some miles from Town, by a large body of respectable citizens on horseback, and conducted, under a dis

* For this admirable address and reply, see Sparks, vol. xii. p. 137, etc.

charge of cannon, to Mr. Grant's tavern [the "Fountain Inn"] through crowds of admiring spectators.

"At six o'clock, a committee chosen in consequence of a late notification, to adjust the preliminaries for his reception, waited upon him with an address which he answered. A great number of the citizens were presented to him, and very graciously received. Having arrived too late for a public dinner, he accepted an invitation to supper, from which he retired a little after ten o'clock."-Pennsylvania Packet, April 28.

"Baltimore, April 21.-On Saturday morning [April 18] he was in his carriage at half past five o'clock when he left town, under a discharge of cannon, and attended as on his entrance, by a body of the citizens on horseback. These gentlemen accompanied him seven miles, when alighting from his carriage, he would not permit them to proceed any further; but took leave of them, after thanking them in an affectionate and obliging manner for their politeness. We shall only add on this occasion, that those who had often seen him before, and those who never had, were equally anxious to see him. Such is the rare impression excited by his uncommon character and virtues."-Idem.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19.

At Wilmington, Delaware: "Wilmington, April 25.-On Sunday last [April 19] his Excellency the President-General arrived in this borough, whither he was accompanied by a number of gentlemen of this State, who also attended him next morning to the Pennsylvania line, on his way to New-York. Before his departure, the corporation of this borough, attended by many of the inhabitants, waited upon his Excellency, with an address of congratulation, which was most graciously received."-Pennsylvania Packet, April 28.

MONDAY, APRIL 20.

At Philadelphia: "April 22.-Monday last [April 20] His Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq; the PRESIDENT ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES, arrived in this city, about one o'clock, accompanied by the President of the State

[Thomas Mifflin], Governor St. Clair, the Speaker of the Assembly [Richard Peters], the Chief Justice [Thomas McKean], the Honorable Mr. Read, the Attorney-General [William Bradford, Jr.], and Secretary Thomson, the two city troops of horse, the county troop, a detachment of artillery, a body of light infantry, and a numerous concourse of citizens on horseback and foot.

"His EXCELLENCY rode in front of the procession, on horseback. The number of spectators who filled the doors, windows and streets, which he passed, was greater than on any other occasion we ever remember.

"The joy of the whole city upon this august spectacle cannot easily be described. Every countenance seemed to say, Long, long live GEORGE WASHINGTON, THE FATHER OF THE PEOPLE! At three o'clock His Excellency sat down to an elegant Entertainment of 250 covers, at the City Tavern, prepared for him by the citizens of Philadel phia. A band of music played during the entertainment, and a discharge of artillery took place at every toast, among which was The State of Virginia. The ship Alliance, and a Spanish merchant ship, were handsomely decorated with colours of different nations."-Pennsylvania Gazette.

In the approach to the city the Schuylkill was crossed at Gray's Ferry bridge, which " was highly decorated with laurel and other evergreens, by Mr. Gray himself, the ingenious Mr. [Charles Willson] Peale and others, and in such a stile, as to display uncommon taste in these gentlemen.-At each end there were erected magnificent arches, composed of laurel, emblematic of the ancient triumphal arches used by the Romans, and on each side of the bridge a laurel shrubbery, which seemed to challenge even Nature herself for simplicity, ease and elegance. And as our beloved WASHINGTON passed the bridge, a lad, beautifully ornamented with sprigs of laurel, assisted by certain machinery, let drop, above the Hero's head, unperceived by him, a civic crown of laurel."

Washington spent Monday night at the house of Robert Morris, on Market Street, and on the following morning (April 21) left Philadelphia on his journey to New York. Previous to his departure he received and answered addresses from the President and Supreme Executive Council; from the mayor, aldermen, and Common Council of the city; from the

judges of the Supreme Court of the State; from the trustees and faculty of the University of the State of Pennsylvania; and from the State Society of the Cincinnati.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21.

At Trenton, New Jersey: "Trenton, April 21.-This day we were honored with the presence of his Excellency the President of the United States of America on his way to New York. A troop of horse, commanded by Capt. Carle, and a company of infantry, commanded by Capt Halon, compleatly equipped, and in full uniform, with a large concourse of the gentlemen and inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood, lined the Jersey bank of the Delaware, to hail the General's arrival. As soon as he set foot on shore, he was welcomed with three huzzas, which made the shores re-echo the chearful sounds. After being saluted by the horse and infantry, he was escorted to town, in the following order: A detachment of the horse.-The Light Infantry.— His Excellency, on horseback, attended by Charles Thomson, Esq; and Col. Humphreys.-The troop of horse.-The gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood on horseback." -Pennsylvania Packet, May 1.

"When the procession arrived at the bridge south of the town, they were presented with a scene to which no description can do justice.

"As Trenton had been rendered twice memorable during the war, once by the capture of the Hessians, and again by the repulse of the whole British army, in their attempt to cross the bridge over the Assanpinck Creek, the evening before the battle of Princeton-a plan was formed by a number of ladies, and carried into execution, solely under their direction, to testify to the General, by the celebration of those eventful actions, the grateful sense they retained of the safety and protection afforded by him to the daughters of New-Jersey. For this purpose, a triumphal arch was raised on the bridge, about 20 feet wide, supported by 13 columns-the height of the arch to the centre was equal to the width. Each column was intwined with wreaths of evergreen. The arch, which extended about twelve feet along the bridge, was covered with laurel, and decorated on the inside with laurel, runningvines, and a variety of evergreens. On the front of the arch the following motto was inscribed in large gilt letters- The Defender of the mothers will also protect the daughters.'-The upper and lower edges of this inscription were ornamented with wreaths of evergreen and artificial flowers of all kinds,

made by the ladies for the occasion, beautifully interspersed. On the centre of the arch, above the inscription, was a dome, or cupola, of artificial flowers and evergreens, encircling the dates of the glorious events which the whole was designed to celebrate, inscribed in large gilt letters.-The summit of the dome displayed a large sun-flower, which, always pointing to the sun, was designed to express this sentiment, or motto-' To you alone'—as emblematic of the affections and hopes of the PEOPLE being directed to him, in the united suffrage of the millions of America.

"A numerous train of ladies, leading their daughters, were assembled at the arch, thus to thank their Defender and Protector. As the General passed under the arch, he was addressed in the following SONATA, composed [by Major Richard Howell *] and set to music for the occasion, by a number of young ladies dressed in white, decked with wreaths and chaplets of flowers, and holding in their hands baskets filled with flowers:

"WELCOME, mighty Chief! once more,

Welcome to this grateful shore:

Now no mercenary foe

Aims again the fatal blow—

Aims at thee the fatal blow.

"Virgins fair, and Matrons grave,

Those thy conquering arms did save,
Build for thee triumphal bowers.
Strew, ye fair, his way with flowers-
Strew your Hero's way with flowers.'

"As they sung these lines, they strewed the flowers before the General. "When his Excellency came opposite the little female band, he honored the ladies by stopping until the Sonata was finished. The scene was truly grand-universal silence prevailed-Nothing was to be heard but the sweet notes of the songsters-and the mingled sentiments which crouded into the mind in the moments of solemn stillness during the song, bathed many cheeks with tears. The General most politely thanked the ladies for their attention, and the procession moved on to his lodgings."†-Idem.

* Governor of New Jersey, 1794-1801.

"At Trenton Washington dined at Samuel Henry's City Tavern, on the southwest corner of Second and Warren Streets, with the principal citizens of the place and held a reception in the parlors of the inn. Late in the afternoon he took carriage for Princeton, the Rev. [James F.] Armstrong accompanying him that far on his journey. It is generally understood that they spent that night at the residence of the President of the College, the Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon."-WILLIAM S. STRYKER, Washington's Reception by the People of New Jersey in 1789.