THIS day completes sixty-eight years since the birth of the illustrious GEORGE WASHINGTON, formerly leader of the American people, in their struggle for inde­pendence; twice successively President of the United States of America; and late Lieutenant-General and Commander in Chief of their armies. For many years the anniversary of his birth has been observed as a day of festivity. Its return was wont to infuse into the people of America pe­culiarly pleasing emotions. They welcomed it as the natal day of one whom they highly esteemed for his talents and virtues; to whom they felt grateful for his beneficial labors on their behalf; and to whom they still looked as a coun­sellor for advice, and as an experienced leader to guide their armies if disturbed by domestic, or invaded by foreign enemies. But alas! the scene is changed; their hopes are blasted. The FRIEND, the FATHER, the political DELIV­ERER of his country no longer lives! Having accomplished the purposes for which he was designed in the counsels of Heaven, the sovereign disposer of all events has called him from life; he now sleeps with his fathers in the peaceful tomb. And those festive songs with which this day has been accustomed to be celebrated must give place to mourn­ful strains. "The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning. For this our heart is saint; for this our eyes are dim."

IN compliance with the recommendation of our na­tional Legislature, communicated in a proclamation from [Page 6] our respected Chief Magistrate, we have now assembled in the sanctuary of the Lord, not to hail the birth day of the Man we loved, with songs of joy, but in accents of woe to lament his death, and to pay a tribute of respect to his memory. Called upon by my fellow-citizens, I am now to address you on the mournful occasion. I should shrink from the task were it not for the known candor of my au­dience. I feel myself incompetent to do justice to so great a character, and unable to suggest any new ideas on a subject on which my hearers have already heard and read so much. Any thing new concerning the life or character of GENE­RAL WASHINGTON cannot be expected from me. With the various particulars of his life many of you are better ac­quainted than myself; and his character has been already delineated to you in a manner which I cannot expect to equal. But the portrait of a friend is not the less pleasing for being often viewed. I flatter myself therefore, that you will favor me with your attention, and that your candor will excuse a repetition of ideas which you may have heard before. What I propose is to notice some of the leading traits in the character of that great man for whom our na­tion this day mourns; to recommend his virtues to your imitation; and to make some religious and moral reflections on his death. My remarks will be grounded on the fol­lowing passage of inspiration:

WHEN, my brethren, has there appeared a char­acter to whom the epithets here used by the Prophet might be applied with so much propriety as to the [Page 7] great WASHINGTON? He was truly a mighty man, as he was endowed with an assemblage of talents very rarely found combined in one man;—talents which qualified him for distinguished usefulness to the country that gave him birth, and which secured to him the applauses of an admiring world. He was mighty in war and mighty in peace; singularly emi­nent in public and equally amiable in private life. Uniformly guided by a sense of duty, he seems to have been free from the influence of every sordid, of every mean passion, and to have been exempt from those foibles which are often found to attend men worthy in other respects.

HE was a man of war. At a very early period of life, he became distinguished for his skill as a military commander, and often led the forces of his native state in dangerous enterprises. On all occa­sions he acquitted himself with honor and gained the applauses of his country, ‘displaying uniform­ly uncommon fortitude under personal hardships, persevering industry, cool and undaunted brave­ry, and the most brilliant military talents.’ When the late war, which happily terminated in the establishment of the United States as a free and independent nation, commenced, all eyes were turned to the man, who had already so highly sig­nalized himself, as the most suitable person in the nation, to take the command of their armies. With that self-diffidence which ever accompanies true merit he accepted the command. At the call of his countrymen, indignant at their wrongs, and desir­ous [Page 8] to free them from an oppressive yoke, he re­linquished the pleasing charms of a happy retire­ment and exposed himself to scenes where every thing dear to man was at stake. Of the manner in which he executed this important and dangerous commission, I need not speak. The various events of the war, which are fresh in the recollection of many of my hearers, from their having either borne an active part in them or intimately known them at the time, and which those of us in earlier life have heared from our fathers, bear an ample testimony to his intrepid bravery, singular prudence, great presence of mind, uncommon knowledge of man­kind, and great fruitfulness in the invention of re­sources to extricate himself, the army, and the country from dangerous scenes. When the war terminated he displayed the same magnanimity which he had before manifested. In a dignified manner he resigned his commission, and retired to the peace­ful walks of private life.

COMPARE him with ALEXANDER, JULIUS CAESAR, CHARLES of Sweden, or FREDERIC of Prussia, to whose names history has attached the epithet of great. As military commanders they were great, but they were guided either by a mad ambition to extend their conquests, by a wish to en­slave their country, by a precipitate rashness, or a thirst for military glory. They unreluctantly sac­rificed the lives of thousands to gratify their own ambition; and though we may be dazzled with the rapidity and extent of their conquests, we must [Page 9] shudder at the recital of the carnage, destruction and misery with which those conquests were atten­ded; we must despise the men for the meanness of the views by which they were actuated. Compar­ed with these how truly, how uniformly great does the HERO of America appear! Entirely free from those sordid principles which have fixed an indelible stain upon their reputations, he was guided solely by a regard to the public weal. He unsheathed his sword not to enslave his country but to redress its wrongs, and when this object was accomplished, he returned it to its scabbard, and retired to share with others the happy fruits of his toil.

THE prudent, the honorable man, and the coun­sellor. Equally appropriate to the character of Gen­eral WASHINGTON are these epithets with those al­ready noticed. Prudence was a very striking trait in his character. He exhibited many marks of un­common discretion, through the whole course of his life, both in the field and in the cabinet. When commanding the armies of his country, and when at the head of its civil government, he was many times placed in trying situations; he was called to pass through scenes which not only would have dis­couraged a mind less firm and resolute than his, but which required a dispassionate coolness, a saga­cious prudence to prevent their issuing in the great­est evil. The manner in which he conducted in such situations evinced the superiority of his under­standing and his profound prudence. In this virtue [Page 10] he shone unrivalled, and it was owing to this that he never committed an action which, in the view of impartial posterity, will tarnish a reputation more splendid than that of any of the sons of men.

A CHARACTER more uniformly honorable than his history does not record. He was loaded with every honor which his country had to bestow, and continually received marks of esteem and respect from all parts of the civilized world. Of these honors he proved himself worthy by a conduct uni­formly noble, great and honorable. Free from those blemishes which are often found to stain the characters of men great in many respects, our belo­ved chieftain never was known, in public or in private life, to be guilty of an action irreconcileable with honor, dignity or propriety. In discharging the du­ties of those high stations which he was called to fill, he was connected with men of every character, the base as well as the worthy. Tho often disgusted with the meanness and littleness of the former, from a becoming dignity of deportment he never depar­ted: tho attempts were often made to injuire him, by ambitious and designing men who were envious of his talents and virtues, and who wished to de­press him that they might exalt themselves, we find him ever conducting towards them so as to give them no just occasion to impeach his honor or to reproach him of treating them unworthily. To these who know the embarrassments he met with from officers under his command, during the revolutionary war, to those who are acquainted with the continual ob­stacles [Page 11] thrown in his way, by the enemies of his ad­ministration, during his presidency, I appeal for the truth of these remarks.

HIS having been twice chosen President of the United States by the unanimous suffrages of the elec­tors of every state, evinces the high opinion which his fellow-citizens entertained of him as a Counsellor, as a political ruler.—His conduct through the whole course of his administration shows that the opinion of his countrymen was not ill-founded, that their confidence was not mis-placed. When first called to the chief magistracy, his situation was peculiar. The form of government at the head of whose ad­ministration he was placed was new. He had to tread in an unbeaten path, and in many respects to establish regulations not only for himself but for his successors in office. The friends of the constitution, desirous of its permanent establishment, looked to him with an anxious eye, knowing that much de­pended on the measures which he should adopt; and equally attentive were its enemies to watch his actions hoping to find something which they might make use of as an instrument for the subversion of the government. The great wisdom with which he discharged the duties of his high office, and the happy fruits of his administration, astonished the world no less than the splendid talents which he had exhibited as a military commander. He displayed the same dignified conduct, the same sagacious pru­dence, and the same elevation of mind which had marked his character in other scenes. And when [Page 12] he declined a re-election and once more retired to private life, he gave occasion to his country and to the world at large again to admire his moderation, his freedom from an unworthy ambition, his patri­otism, his magnanimity.

HE was not permitted to enjoy, for any length of time, the retirement he had so ardently wished. He saw his country threatened by an insidious foe; and tho arrived at a time of life when he might have justly plead an exemption from any further public service, he consented again to put himself at the head of the American army, should that army be called to action; at the same time declining, as he had ever before done, any pecuniary reward for his services.

To this view of his character I beg leave to add another trait which tended still more highly to ex­alt and enoble him. I allude to his reverence for the GOD of his fathers. The superintending Prov­idence of the Most High he ever acknowledged. To this he ascribed his successes, not to his own skill and prowess; to this he ascribed the prosperity of the United States, not to the wisdom and labors of their rulers. On all suitable occasions he ex­pressed a becoming gratitude to GOD for his kind interpositions in behalf of the army or the nation; and when defeated in any of his expectations, he devoutly acknowledged the same Providence and submissively bowed to the rod.

[Page 13] THUS was he ever both great and good; great as a warrior;—great as a politician;—great as a private citizen; and good as a humble worshipper of GOD.

SOON after he received and accepted the ap­pointment of Commander in Chief of the armies of the United States, it pleased the great arbiter of life and death suddenly to terminate his earthly course. Mature in years, loaded with honors, loved by his country, applauded by the world, he fell a victim to a short disease. He beheld the ap­proach of death with calmness, and expired with­out a groan; appearing great in death as he had been in life.

THE memory of a man possessed of such useful and uncommon talents, and who devoted those talents to the service of the nation, will, I trust, ever be held dear by the people of America. His great virtues and his splendid actions we shall re­count to our children and they to theirs; and mil­lions yet unborn will "rise and call him blessed." Every future return of this day will bring to mind the mighty man and the man of war, the prudent, the honorable man and the counsellor; and so long as a re­gard for true merit, so long as gratitude shall exist in the human mind, the memory of WASHINGTON will be dear to the country which, under the bles­sing of Heaven, he raised to empire by his sword, and established in peaceful prosperity by his counsel.

[Page 14] BUT, my hearers, simply to pronounce an eu­logy upon a departed friend is not the only way in which we ought to show respect to his memory. In addition to this we should imitate his virtues and ob­serve his wise counsels. Suffer me therefore again to present to your view the friend whose death we now lament, and to propose his example for im­itation.

FEW of us indeed shall ever be called to com­mand armies or to administer civil government. Many of his great and splendid actions it will not therefore be in our power to imitate. Still we must endeavor to be actuated by principles similar to those which governed him, if like him we wish to leave a good name behind us.

WE find him ever ready to obey the calls of duty, not suffering any considerations of private ease and convenience to restrain him. His courage was not that rashness which sometimes impels men to rush upon danger wholly regardless of conse­quences: It was combined with coolness—with dis­cretion which led him to weigh well the probable issue of his conduct. Here we have an example worthy our imitation. Let a sense of duty be the leading principle of our actions, and animate us ever to do what, upon due deliberation, we believe to be right. Let us learn to "think on our ways," to "ponder the paths of our feet," and with in­trepidity encounter every danger to which we may be exposed in the discharge of our duty. Let not [Page 15] a thirst for popularity, let not a fear of incurring the censure of the weak or the wicked ever deter us from performing the duties attached to our res­pective stations in life. Despising ‘that popular­ity which is raised without merit and lost without a crime,’ let us aim to secure ‘that applause which will ever be bestowed on great and virtu­ous actions.’

THE patriotism and public spiritedness of our deceased political father were shining traits in his character, which also we should strive to imitate. Free from that narrowness of mind which leads many people to confine all their regards to them­selves, he felt for others, he loved his country, and devoted his whole time and energetic talents to ob­jects which might benefit the nation and the world. His love to the country was real; it was not that noisy show of patriotism which leads many to de­claim much concerning the public good who are actuated only by a base ambition; and who are lib­eral of their censures of those in office, merely from a wish to exalt themselves upon the ruin of others. Often did the great patriot whose death we now la­ment sacrifice his private ease and interest to ad­vance the public good; and he manifested that he was entirely free from a selfish ambition to elevate himself and from an avaricious desire to amass wealth at the expense of the public. Let those who boast so much of their patriotism evince them­selves equally free from selfish views, and we will allow the justice of their claims. My hearers, let [Page 16] all cultivate that love to our country which will ever lead us to be submissive to its laws, to respect its rulers, and to aid them in the administration of government, instead of continually throwing ob­stacles in their way. And let us ever remember that good citizens will never seek redress for any sup­posed injuries except in a legal and constitutional manner.

WE may, in the next place, view the farmer of Mount Vernon in his private life. ‘He was a man of the strictest honor and honesty, fair and honorable in his dealings, and punctual to his engagements. His disposition was mild, kind and generous. Candor, sincerity, moderation and simplicity were prominent features in his character. He was an affectionate husband, a faithful friend, a humane master and a father to the poor. He lived in the unvarying habits of regularity, temperance and industry.’

IT is too commonly the case that men who dazzle the world by the splendor of their public actions, who are distinguished for martial courage or political wisdom, are deficient in private virtues. Tho great in public, in private they manifest a want of true magnanimity, by indulging pride, oppression, injustice, anger, ill-nature and exces­sive gratifications. When the world at large is look­ing upon them they will try to appear great and honorable; but when viewed only by the domestic circle they appear even mean and contemptible. [Page 17] Not so the truly dignified WASHINGTON. In the peaceful walks of private life he appeared amiable, as he did great when at the head of armies, or when presiding over the government of a nation.

IT is in these private virtues more particularly that we should view him as an example, and en­deavor to imitate him. These virtues have more real influence on human happiness than those splen­did actions which astonish the world. They may not give a man so high a degree of celebrity, but they yield an internal peace more truly grateful than the applauses of a misjudging world. Let us then sedulously cultivate and practise that honesty and generosity, that candor and sincerity, that mode­ration and self-government, that temperance and attention to the domestic virtues which were exem­plified in the life of the American CINCINNATUS.

WHILE thus attentive to all the social virtues, he was not unmindful of the duties of religion. Tho his avocations were numerous, yet ‘in his al­lotments for the revolving hours of the day reli­gion was not forgotten. Feeling, what he so of­ten publicly acknowledged, his entire depend­ence on GOD, he daily, at stated seasons, retired to his closet, to worship at his footstool, and to ask his divine blessing. He was remarkable for his strict observation of the sabbath, and exemplary in his attendance on public worship.’

[Page 18] WHATEVER other endowments a man may possess, if destitute of all regard for religion,—if entirely inattentive to what he owes to GOD, he is deficient in that which gives real worth and dignity to man. Without goodness there can be no true greatness; and without religion there can be no true goodness. A becoming veneration for the character of JEHOVAH, a reverence for his word and institutions, and a sincere obedience to his pre­cepts, in addition to the practice of those duties which result from our respective stations in life, are necessary to complete a perfect character.—These are also necessary to render us acceptable to that GOD without whose approbation we must be mise­rable however applauded by the world. To the duties of religion, as prescribed in the volume of divine revelation, let us carefully attend. Let us cherish that "fear of the LORD which is the begin­ning of wisdom," and reject with abhorrence those false principles which teach that an individual or a nation may be great without religion. I will close this branch of my subject with an extract from the address of our late illustrious Chief to his fellow-countrymen, when he declined a re-election to the chief magistracy.

‘OF all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensible supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who would labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and cit­izens. [Page 19] The merely politician, equally with the pious man ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded of the influence of a refined education on minds of a peculiar structure, rea­son and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of re­ligious principle.’

THESE ideas, just in themselves, acquire addi­tional importance by coming from one whose ex­tensive knowledge of men and things qualified him to judge of the influence of religious and moral principles.

THUS, my hearers, have I endeavored to pre­sent to your view some outlines of a character de­servedly dear to the people of America; and to re­commend his example to your imitation, as the most proper way of paying respect to his memory. I have not aimed to please the imagination by the charms of novelty, or to interest the feelings by the flights of fancy. I have, in a plain manner, ex­hibited to you a character which you have long es­teemed; and if what I have said shall induce any to seek to imitate him in his virtues, my highest am­bition will be gratified. A few reflections, by way of improvement, will close this discourse.

[Page 20] IN the first place, We are led from our text to acknowledge and adore the hand of GOD in the life and death of men who are distinguished for their talents, and who are made blessings to a nation. "The LORD reigneth, let the earth rejoice." Whenever in the course of his Providence, he hath any great design to accomplish he qualifies men for the purpose. And when his designs are answered he taketh way the mighty man and the man of war, the prudent, the honorable man, and the Counsellor. Some­times such men are removed at periods when their continuance in life seems necessary for the happiness of millions. Thus does GOD teach us that vain is the help of man, and that our help standeth alone in him in whom is everlasting strength. Let us sub­missively bow to his will, and devoutly commend ourselves and our country to his merciful protection.

SECONDLY, While we humble ourselves under the late frown of divine Providence, let us be tru­ly grateful to GOD for so long continuing to us the important life and beneficial labors of the great and good man who has been lately taken from us. There were many periods when, to human appear­ance, his removal would have been a greater ca­lamity to this nation; nay when our very existence as a nation seemed to depend upon the preservation of his life. He lived to conduct his country to in­dependence and empire; he lived to assist in the for­mation of its excellent constitution, to preside over its government for several years, and to give an ex­ample to his successors in office of the manner in [Page 21] which the duties of that high station should be filled, to insure peace, prosperity and happiness to the na­tion. That he was thus long preserved to us mer­its our gratitude to him "by whom kings reign and princes decree justice."

LASTLY, The mournful occasion of our pre­sent meeting leads us to reflect upon the vanity of human grandeur, the vanity of all earthly things. GOD alone is truly great, because he changeth not. Man is continually changing: "At his best estate he is altogether vanity. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth: in that very day his thoughts perish; and wherein is he to be accounted of?" However dignified in character, however useful to others, he must yield to the sceptre of death. "No man hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war." The rich and the poor, the high and the low must all crumble to the same undistinguished dust. When the hour of death shall come, all earthly grandeur will be found to be vain. It will be of no avail to have acquired the greatest riches, if destitute of a treasure in the heavenly world: It will be of no avail to have the honor which cometh from man if destitute of that which cometh from GOD. Therefore, my brethren, let us be solicitous above all things to seek an interest in him who is "the resurrection and the life," who died to redeem from sin and misery all who shall believe in him. Let us aim to serve GOD and our [Page 22] generation faithfully, and "do with all our might whatever our hands shall find to do," remembering that "there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither we are hasten­ing."

AMEN.