THE occaſion on which we are aſſembled, is both mournful and glorious. It cannot fail to excite the different and oppoſite emotions of joy and ſorrow in the breaſt of every true American. This day gave birth to that illuſtrious hero, patriot, ſage, who in war was our hoſt; in peace our father and friend—the guardian genius of our liberties civil and ſacred; the political ſavior of his country. This day, a WASHINGTON was born! It has long been celebrated by a grateful people, as a day peculiarly auſpicious to our country; a day, when kind Heaven, pitying the abject and ſervile condition of our American Iſrael, gave us a ſecond Moſes, who ſhould, (under God) be our future deliverer from the bondage and tyranny of haughty Britain. As ſuch, it ought ever to be remembered with religious gratitude and praiſe, to the great Ruler of nations, who ſetteth up one and pulleth down another; who cruſheth the proud tyrants of the earth; and hath, in his governing Providence, raiſed us to ſuch eminence among the nations of the world.

But alas! how changed the ſcene! Columbia's boaſt, the friend of man, the ornament of the human race, the great, the illuſtrious WASHINGTON is no more! For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hoſts, hath taken away from us, the ſtay and the ſtaff—the mighty man, and the man of war, the judge—and the prudent, and the Ancient—the honorable man, and the Counſellor—and the eloquent orator. This is the man whoſe death we deplore. The profeſſed deſign of our meeting is, "publicly to teſtify our grief" for this melancholy Providence. God grant that we may be ſuitably affected with it, that we may feel this ſtroke of his rod, and receive correction.

Tho the expreſſions of ſorrow with many, may be carried to an unpardonable exceſs, and wear the aſpect of idolatry to a fellow-creature, yet there is a manifeſt propriety, that when the father either of a family, or of a country, is removed by death, the children ſhould appear in the habiliments and attitude of mourning. WASHINGTON was our father and friend; he is gone. Gratitude and decency require that we ſhould pay ſuitable reſpect to his memory. It is a duty, ſanctioned by reaſon, and alſo by cuſtom, from time immemorial. The holy ſcriptures relate various inſtances of the kind, with ſeeming approbation. "When Moſes died in the land of Moab (we are told) that all the children of Iſrael mourned and wept for him, thirty days, in the plains of Moab. Alſo, when all the congregation ſaw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron, thirty days, even all the houſe of Iſrael. And when Samuel died, all Iſrael lamented him." The diſtinguiſhed moral and patriotic virtues of theſe men, rendered them eminently ſerviceable to their country. Their loſs was ſeverely felt by every friend to virtue, to religion, and their country's weal. Hence, they were long lamented, and intombed in the memory of an affectionate people. And ſhall our beloved WASHINGTON, who has been inſtrumental of equal or greater good in a political view, than ſome of them, be ſoon forgotten? Forbid it, Heaven! Tho he be dead as to his mortal part, he lives in our memories; his example lives; his virtues live and ſhall, while eternal ages roll. Our children's children and generations yet unborn, we truſt, will experience the glorious effects of his labors and exploits. All who tread Columbia's happy ground, and breathe the air of genuine freedom; or who read the hiſtory, or hear the ſame of him, who brake the yoke of deſpotiſm from our necks, and taught America to be free, if a drop of virtuous blood flow in their veins, if they have any claim to benevolence, or the common feelings of men, will riſe up and call him bleſſed.

Can we better anſwer the deſign of our meeting at this time, than to employ a few moments in contemplating the leading traits in the character of our departed friend; and while we feel grateful to the Father of mercies, for the beſtowment and long continuance of ſo rich a bleſſing, humble ourſelves under this frown of his Providence, in taking him away?

At an early period of life, did he begin his career of public ſervices, and not until the late period of almoſt "threeſcore years and ten" were his labors finiſhed; when he was releaſed by the angel of death. At the age of little more than twenty two, when youth in general, but juſt begin to aſſume the rank and title of men, young WASHINGTON was chief Colonel of a regiment. As we were then ſubject to our parent Britain, and engaged with her in a war againſt our mutual foes, the French and Indians, it was our hero's lot to fight under the banner of the Engliſh Commander. When General Braddock was defeated, at the banks of the Monongahela, and loſt the greater part of his army, Colonel WASHINGTON diſcovered ſo much martial ſkill and bravery, both in the battle, and in collecting and conducting the retreat of the few who ſurvived, as led many judicious men to prognoſticate his future greatneſs; And, it was then generally believed, that had he had the command of the army, inſtead of being repulſed, he would have gained a victory. After the cloſe of that war, he ſerved his country in various reſpectable offices, ſuch as Juſtice of the Peace, Judge of the Court, .; which he filled with peculiar dignity and unſhaken fidelity.

Here we leave him until a new ſcene opens, when he is to take a more conſpicuous part upon the theatre of public action.

In conſequence of the violent and oppreſſive meaſures adopted, by the imperious parliament of Great Britain, reſpecting her colonies here, by which, as well as by divers baſe and inſidious arts, ſhe endeavored to reduce them to a ſtate of ſlavery; after frequent prayers, entreaties, and remonſtrances, were addreſſed to the throne, to no purpoſe; after every milder attempt for a redreſs of grievances proved abortive, America, as the laſt reſort, has recourſe to arms. A leader is wanted to conduct her forth to battle. The public eye is immediately directed to WASHINGTON, who is appointed, by Congreſs, to the chief command of the American Armies. Inconceivable were the hardſhips he experienced, during a long and bloody war, which he bore with unparalleled firmneſs and equanimity of mind.

At the head of troops, raw and undiſciplined, at firſt, deemed as rebels riſen up againſt their lawful ſovereign, himſelf under the weight of a proſcription, thereby expoſed to the bloody dagger of every midnight aſſaſſin, as well as to open enemies of his own country, who might ſlay him with the hope not only of impunity but of reward; he was called to attack a regular and powerful foe, experienced in the art of war, accuſtomed to victory, and fighting under the auſpices of a diſtinguiſhed monarch, who might inſpire them with courage and zeal for the combat. Under all theſe diſadvantages, an eye of reaſon could ſee but a very faint proſpect of ſucceſs; a peradventure, or an if perhaps the enemy might by the interpoſition of kind Providence, be obliged to withdraw, and America be ſaved from ruin. How peculiar muſt have been the feelings of our hero in this very critical ſituation, to reflect, that he muſt actually conquer or die! For in his condition, to be vanquiſhed, was inevitable death. But far from being intimidated by this awful conſideration, under the weight of which, the ſpirits of many worthy men would have ſunk, truſting (as we believe) in the God of armies, who ſaves neither by few nor by many, putting his life in his hand, he bid defiance to every danger, and boldly marched againſt the enemies of his beloved country.

Being frequenly repulſed, at the beginning (as might reaſonably be expected, by a ſuperior force) with the loſs of many valuable lives, and others captured, among whom were officers of diſtinction, and looſing eſpecially (in the year 1776) ſeveral garriſons of men and military ſtores at the White Plains, ſo called, finding himſelf reduced to a feeble ſtate for aggreſſion or ſelf-defence, he was obliged to retreat in a long and tedious route, of ninety miles, thro the Jerſies, to the river Delaware. His army was greatly diminiſhed; the time of ſervice for the moſt of them was expired; and the few that remained were brought to the greateſt extremities for food and clothing. The number was finally reduced to ſeventeen hundred,At a later period of the war, he had but 1500 effective troops. and cloſely purſued by the enemy. Many citizens, and thoſe too of diſtinction, daily revolted to the royal ſtandard. In this ſituation, our General was under the moſt alarming apprehenſions for his own perſonal ſafety, as well as for the fate of his country, which ſeemed deſtined to inevitable ruin. Who, but a WASHINGTON, could have retained the calm poſſeſſion of his mind in this dark and gloomy day! His reply to Colonel Reed, who anſwered in the language of diſcouragement reſpecting any ſupport from the inhabitants of Pennſylvania, fully ſhows the unruffled ſtate of his ſoul, when ſurrounded with dangers, and plunged in the depths of adverſity. "My neck, ſays he, (ſtroking it with his hand) does not feel as tho it was made for a halter. We muſt retire to Auguſta County in Virginia. Numbers will be obliged to repair to us for ſafety; and me muſt try what we can do in carrying on a predatory war; and, if overpowered, we muſt croſs the Alleghany Mountains, ."

But ſoon, kind Heaven interpoſed, and fought for our American Iſrael. The army was greatly augmented by order of Congreſs, as well as by volunteers of almoſt all deſcription of men who came in great numbers, to join them. And altho there were difficulties innumerable to encounter, yet thro the ſkill and bravery of our General, under the ſmiles of a merciful Providence, divers advantages were gained over the enemy; and affairs, for a while, ſeemed to wear a more favorable aſpect.

It is not our deſign, however, to give a hiſtory of the revolutionary war. Our buſineſs is to notice ſome of the excellent virtues and qualifications of the ſupreme commander. With what incomparable fortitude did he ſuſtain martial toils and dangers! How faithfully did he fulfill the important truſt committed to him, when endowed with full power from Congreſs to appoint officers—" to reform and new modle the military arrangements"—and in fine to diſpoſe of the perſons and properties of his fellow-citizens, (when exigencies required it,) almoſt according to his pleaſure! With matchleſs ſkill he managed the manoeuvres of war, ſo as to avoid an engagement, unleſs he could do it on equal or advantageous ground, but improving every opportunity to worry and harraſs the enemy, and obſtruct their progreſs.

He experienced a frequent ſhift of fortune; ſometimes proſperous—at others, in a ſituation the moſt deſperate, when in his own opinion, nothing but the ſtupidity and infatuation of the enemy could prevent his ruin.

In addition to the hazards of war, he had the mortification to find various attempts, in Congreſs, to diſplace him from office, or to raiſe another over him. But Providence had deſigned him as the deliverer of his country, and the divine purpoſes were not to be fruſtrated. His behavior, on this and other trying occaſions, was ſuch as ſpoke at once the greatneſs of his ſoul and his humble truſt and dependance on that Being, who rules in the affairs of men, and diſpoſes them according to his pleaſure.

Tho, in the courſe of the war, he obtained ſeveral victories which were far from inconſiderable ones, and ſome of them brilliant; it was not the number and ſplendor of theſe which ſo highly diſtinguiſhed his fame as a General, but the wiſdom and prudence he diſcovered in determining when it might be expedient to engage the foe, when to forbear; and his faithfulneſs always to follow the determinations of his judgement, in matters of ſuch moment. By his wiſdom, prudence, and fidelity, and expertneſs in the art of war, by the bleſſing of the God of war, he carried us thro a long and painful ſtruggle for liberty—wholly defeated the deſigns of Britain to enſlave us—and ſecured our peace, liberty, and independence. Having accompliſhed the important buſineſs, for which he was called to the command of our armies, he reſigned his commiſſion to the power that gave it, and again mingling with his fellowcitizens, retired to enjoy the ſweets of domeſtic tranquillity.

But tho the independence of the United States was acknowledged, by the Court of Britain, and they were left to the calm poſſeſſion of their rights, they yet found themſelves in a very unhappy ſituation, with reſpect to maintaining that liberty and independence, for which they had fought and bled. The articles of confederation, which were framed in the time of war, and well anſwered their deſign, when the ſtates were united together, from principles of ſelf-defence againſt an invading foe; were found utterly inadequate to the purpoſe, in a time of peace and ſecurity from foreign danger. A new mode of government is formed; a Congreſs, conſiſting of members from the ſeveral ſtates, is elected, and WASHINGTON, the man of war, is called to preſide in the Cabinet of the Nation.

Here his wiſdom, patriotiſm, and virtue, ſhone with diſtinguiſhed luſtre. Unawed by popular clamor, and the threats of aſpiring demagogues, on the one hand, or by the complaints of thoſe who might wiſh for too rigid an adminiſtration, on the other, he ſtood firm and unſhaken, amid political tumults and commotions, like a mighty rock amid the daſhing waves of the ſea. Actuated by no party ſpirit, and deteſting the idea of foreign influence, he made the peace and welfare of his country his object, which he was ever concerned to promote.

While, with a ſcrupulous faith, he obſerved the treaties and engagements with foreign powers, his idea was that America ought not to put confidence in any other nation further, than it was for the intereſt of that nation to befriend her. Upon this principle, he thought it unreaſonable that we ſhould continue our gratitude to France, after we had made her full compenſation for her ſervices, and eſpecially when ſhe had actually become our enemy. All obligations to her for paſt ſervices are now cancelled, and it is treaſonable to talk of gratitude to our country's foe. It was his wiſh, however, to obſerve a neutral poſition toward all the contending powers of Europe, and he iſſued his proclamation for that purpoſe.

The meaſure was highly approved by the ſupreme legiſlature, as well as by the moſt judicious and enlightened of their conſtituents. To this policy, which he had adopted, and which he ſuppoſed both expedient and juſt, he ſtrictly adhered in ſpite of all the efforts of foreign intruders, or of the turbulent and ſeditious at home. The event fully juſtified the meaſure, and proved the wiſdom and prudence of adopting it. In conſequence hereof, America has enjoyed peace with all its concomitant bleſſings, while in Europe the ear was grated with the horrid din of arms—the ſtreets flowed with human blood—and every breaſt was filled with conſternation and terror.

AMERICANS! It is owing to the labors of your faithful WASHINGTON, accompanied with the bleſſing of Heaven, that war, with all its horrors and direful effects, is not now experienced in our land. Yea, let us look further back and ſay, to his faithful ſervices, under God, we are indebted for our liberty and independence; for our very exiſtence as a nation. But for him, you might have ſtill been under the yoke of bondage to a foreign nation, or bound with fetters of iron. Long ere this day, your children might have been torn from your arms—your wives from your boſoms, and ſacrificed to the rage, or brutality of monſters, in human form. It becomes you then, this day, gratefully to remember that he carried you thro a long and bloody war; for you, he was in perils, not only among open enemies, but in perils among falſe brethren; for you, he fought and bled; defeated the murderous deſigns of your enemies—and gave you a reſpectable rank among the nations of the earth. And tho, exceſſively fond of domeſtic retirement, he heſitated not at the unanimous call of his country, to ſacrifice every partial deſire to the general good. Behold him placed at the head of a free and enlightened nation! Which event excited joy in every breaſt; and gladened every countenance. Twice, by the unanimous ſuffrages of the people, he was called to the preſidential chair. The third time, he was excuſed at his own preſſing deſire, which he was pleaſed to think perfectly conſiſtent with duty, and a regard for the public welfare.

Short was his enjoyment of the pleaſures accompanying a rural and domeſtic life. A diabolical phrenſy ſeizes a foreign power; unreaſonable complaints are made of injuſtice and partiality; our commerce is obſtructed; hoſtilities are actually committed upon our ſeamen; war is threatened under the ſpecious pretence of retaliation for injuries, which in fact never exiſted. His country calls, and WASHINGTON again ſteps forth from his loved retirement, into public action. He is appointed General and Commander in chief of all the armies raiſed, or to be raiſed, for the ſervice of the United States. The main object was to repel the expected invaſions of our apoſtate allies; a potent and inſidious nation. He accepted the appointment with that profound humility, modeſty, and diffidence, with which he had accepted every other; which are generally indications of real worth; and the uſual concomitants of a truly great and good man. His letter to the Preſident, on the important occaſion, breathes a ſpirit of genuine love to his country; of indignation at the infamous conduct of its enemies; and entire confidence in the adminiſtrations of our government.

It has been ſaid, that our beloved WASHINGTON was not a patriot; that he was not a true friend to the country that gave him birth, and in whoſe immediate ſervice, he ſpent the moſt of his life. Now, if there where no ſin in aſperſing the character of the greateſt and beſt of men, I would not hazard the aſſertion under the price of my own reputation, that he, who ſerved his country in various important ſtations for more than forty years, who for a conſiderable and the moſt diſtinguiſhed part of which, would accept no compenſation, and whoſe manifeſt probity and uprightneſs of conduct, during this long period were unparelleled by any of ſimilar circumſtances in the annals of time; I would not for my honors ſake riſque the aſſertion, that this venerable character was not a friend to his country and its welfare. Let the ſhameful and ill-grounded ſuſpicion be forever baniſhed from the breaſt of Americans. If our illuſtrious friend did not poſſeſs true patriotiſm, the ſublime virtue exiſts no where, but in a dreaming imagination. Who is a patriot, but one who loves his country? Who loves his country, but he who improves all opportunities to do her good? Who has ever done this, if WASHINGTON has not? He has ſpent his life and ſtrength in her ſervice, without any conſiderable reward but that of fame. Ungrateful is the wretch, who by ſlander and reproach, would deprive him of this ſmall pittance. His heart muſt be harder than adamant; his tongue is ſet on fire of Hell.

Tho great minds are not eaſily moved with trifling occurrences, yet they undoubtedly have feeling, as well as any of us. The arrows of ſlander muſt affect them in a very ſenſible manner, eſpecially when coming from thoſe in whoſe ſervice they are employed, and from whom, they might reaſonably expect the moſt unfeigned friendſhip and pureſt affection. "O, (methinks I hear him ſay) it was not an avowed enemy that thus reproached me; then I could have borne it, neither was it he that profeſſedly hated me, that did magnify himſelf againſt me; then I would have hid myſelf from him; but it was thou, mine acquaintance—my countryman—we took ſweet counſel together—we fought and bled together for ſelf-defence againſt our mutual foes. We enjoy the ſame ſoil and priviliges—our intereſt is one and the ſame. To plot your ruin would be to effect my own. To ſeek the injury of my fellow-citizens, (were my benevolent heart capable of ſuch wickedneſs,) I muſt firſt become an enemy to myſelf. But I appeal to yourſelves—I appeal to every impartial mind whether in my own nation or elſewhere—I appeal to the tribunal of my own breaſt; nay further, I appeal to the tribunal of Heaven, which takes cognizance of all human thoughts and actions, whether I have not always ſought the beſt intereſts of my country. A zeal for your ſafety and happineſs influenced me, at firſt, to put my life in my hand, and engage in the horrors of war againſt an implacable enemy; not knowing whether I ſhould be called literally to ſpill my blood in the unhappy conteſt. But, a merciful God has ſpared me, that I might be further ſerviceable to you. Thus, I have waded thro ſeas of blood, expoſed to every danger, enduring incredible hardſhips for your ſakes; and have ever endeavored to act the part of a tender parent toward you. I am now grown grey in your ſervice; and were it neceſſary, would freely ſacrifice my life for your good. Then, be not ſo uncandid as to think me your enemy; nor ungratefully pierce that heart with the ſhafts of calumny, which has ever been engaged to promote your beſt intereſt."

But what do we ſay? We had almoſt forgotten that our venerable friend is far beyond the reach of calumny, and the reproaches of ungrateful men. He is gone, we truſt, where the wicked ceaſe from troubling, and where the weary are at reſt. How ſhall we ſuitably improve this righteous Providence of God, in depriving us of one of the greateſt and beſt of men, at this critical period, when his preſence is ſo much needed to give ſtability to our union; energy to our government; courage to our armies; and terror to our foes? Let us gratefully record the divine goodneſs in the beſtowment of one, who has long been to us a tender father and faithful friend; and humble ourſelves under the ſolemn conſideration, that for our ſins, he hath in judgment taken him away. This is the rod of God's anger, wherewith he often puniſhes a froward people in this world. Bleſſings which are ungratefully received and miſimproved are often withdrawn, at a time, when they are greatly needed. The ſtroke of his rod upon us, at this time, is heavy, but it muſt be borne;—yea, the conſideration that we are guilty, and that God has a right to puniſh us, ſhould induce us patiently to ſubmit. This does not exclude a realizing ſenſe of our loſs, or a public manifeſtation of our grief on the account of it. On ſuch an occaſion as this, not to mourn, would argue inſenſibility indeed, if not the blackeſt ingratitude! But how ſhall we mourn in ſuch a manner as to excite the compaſſion of our God, and gain the approbation of our own minds? It is the obſervation of a great poet, He mourns the dead who lives as they deſire.— Dr. Young.

Let us then pauſe for a moment, and conſider what was probably the wiſh of our departed friend reſpecting us. I verily believe, my brethren, that his heart's deſire and daily prayer, for us was, not only that we might faithfully diſcharge the duties we owe to our country and to one another, but that we might reverence religion, and ſerve the God of our fathers with ſingleneſs of heart. What elſe was the language of his own conduct? He was profeſſedly a believer in our holy religion, and altho he was not, by profeſſion, a preacher of it, he heſitated not, on what he judged ſuitable occaſions, to inculcate piety and virtue, both as our duty, and as the "great pillars of human happineſs." In his addreſs to the firſt Congreſs, under the new Conſtitution, he moſt devoutly acknowledges the ſupreme government of the great Jehovah, with our entire dependence on his ruling Providence, and obligations to him for all bleſſings of whatever nature or kind. It is aſſerted, by his intimate acquaintance, that in his private life, he was pious and exemplary; that he was conſtant in his cloſet devotions, and particularly in times of difficulty and danger, he failed not to aſk counſel at the throne of grace. Nor did he neglect the public worſhip of his Maker and chriſtian ſacraments, as the manner of too many is.

O, how would the vicious and profane—the wicked of every claſs ſhudder, and ſhrink into nothing, in the preſence of ſuch a character! How gladly then will they call upon the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and to hide them from the preſence of that tremendous Being, who is infinitely holy; whoſe eye penetrates all diſguiſes; in whoſe ſight the very angels are impure—and whoſe word makes all Heaven, Earth, and Hell to tremble!

Let us, as a ſuitable improvement of the death of our worthy friend, ſtrive to imitate his ſublime virtues, public and private, according to our ſeveral capacities and ſpheres of action; eſpecially his fervent piety, which is neceſſary for perſons in the meaneſt ſtation, as well as in the higheſt. Let his holy example live in our memories; and his moral and patriotic; virtues be deeply imprinted in our hearts.

His death, it is ſaid, was agreeable to the tenor of his life. He was unterrified at its awful approach, and bore it with entire ſubmiſſion to the will of Heaven. How does this ſolemn event, and the manner of it, teach us both the power of religion, and the vanity and inſufficiency of human wiſdom and greatneſs to ward off the fatal arrow! How does it admoniſh us "not to put our truſt in Princes, in whom there is no help; for their breath goeth forth; they return to their earth; in that very day their thoughts periſh." Hereby alſo, we are admoniſhed that we are mortal beings. For if the greateſt, the wiſeſt, and beſt of men, die, certainly we can expect "no diſcharge in that war." We muſt all follow our beloved WASHINGTON, thro the dreary 〈◊〉 or yea, we muſt meet him at the bar of our 〈◊〉 judge and anſwer for the manner in which we received and improved him as a merciful gift of Heaven. How greatly then, are we concerned, yet to improve by his precept and excellent example! Then may we expect not only 〈◊〉 meet death with the ſame fortitude and comfort, 〈◊〉 to meet him with confidence and hope, on that all deciſive day, when God ſhall render to meet him, and to each of us according to our works. O ſinners, of every diſcription! Seriouſly 〈…〉 the excellent character and peaceful death 〈…〉 great and good man, and you will, at leaſt find in your hearts to make this prayer, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let myſelf end be like his."