OBEDIENT to the voice of Providence, with millions of our fellow citizens, throughout theſe United States, we aſſemble this day, with ſympathizing hearts. Invited alſo, to this duty, by the ſupreme authority of the nation, we come to pay a merited tribute of reſpect to the memory of the man, who loved our nation, and who, under GOD, built us up, as a people.

Let me invite your ſolemn thoughts to what the mournful occaſion ſuggeſts; taking for our guide, a ſentence of that pathetic and beautiful Elegy on the death of Saul and Jonathan,

WASHINGTON, the great and good; the pride of America, and the ornament of human nature; WASHINGTON, the ſcourge of tyrants, the defender of the oppreſſed, the founder of an empire, and the father of his country, has fallen by the all conquering arm of death!

When our country was invaded by a great and powerful nation, and we were threatened with the loſs of the rights of freemen; by a concurrence of Providences, Heaven deſignated him, to be the guide of our councils and the leader of the American Armies. He taught us to ſtand faſt in defence of the liberties, in which GOD had made us free. In this reſpect, we may obſerve a ſimilitude, between the conductor of the Armies of Iſrael and of our own; with this difference, that while Saul was given, as a rod of chaſtizement to an ungrateful and ſinning people, GOD gave WASHINGTON as a bleſſing to America.

The character of our Illuſtrious General would ſuffer degradation by a compariſon with an oppreſſive and ferocious Saul, or any other ancient and celebrated heroes and conquerers. In one circumſtance of their life there is a reſemblance, they were both valient defenders of their country.

In other reſpects their lives, characters and death, were a contraſt. Saul, beatten by his enemies, and hated by his ſubjects; fell, in deſpair, on his own ſword, on Mount Gilboa: WASHINGTON, victorious over all the enemies of his country, univerſally honored and loved, with peace of conſcience and hope in GOD, dropped calmly into the arms of death, on Mount Vernon. Death brings to a period, the active life of the mightieſt of the ſons of men.

It is a duty to be deeply affected at the death of thoſe, whom GOD has honored to be inſtruments of great good to mankind. And one great reaſon and motive, is, that the number of ſuch men in the world, is comparatively ſmall. While univerſal depravity, prompts men to indulge a ſpirit of ſelfiſhneſs, pride, oppreſſion and violence; how few among the multitude do we find, who are actuated by the divine benevolence, which inclines not to ſeek their own, but the happineſs of others? To hazard health and life, and renounce domeſtic eaſe and happineſs, and to ſpend their beſt thoughts and their wealth, to ſecure and advance the happineſs of mankind? Good men ſtudy to be uſeful. We love and admire ſuch generous and diſintereſted benefactors. When ſuch men are poſſeſſed of wealth and exalted to power, they are indeed miniſters of GOD for good. They are the protection of the helpleſs, and a hiding place to the oppreſſed.—"They break the rod of the wicked, and give deliverance to them that are bound. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice." When ſuch men are removed by death, pious ſouls will mourn. They will fear the outbreakings of thoſe vices and diſorders in the community, which the example and authority of great and good men, reſtrained and held in. It was at a time when men of this character were taken away, that the royal pſalmiſt, in earneſt prayer, called upon GOD; ſaying, "Help LORD for the godly man ceaſeth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men." The death of ſuch perſons, is ſtill more, a cauſe of ſorrow and deep humiliation, as it is a frown of Heaven. "The righteous are taken away from the evil to come;" and ſafely houſed in Heaven, before the ſtorms of judgment and deſolation are poured out, upon a guilty nation.

As dutiful children mourn the death of wiſe and affectionate parents, on whom they depended for earthly comforts, ſo we, in duty bound, ſorrow at the death of great and worthy characters, whoſe lives have been ſpent in the ſervice of mankind. It was at the tomb of one of this deſcription, that the Savior of the world, gave vent to ſorrow, by flowing tears.

Righteous men by their piety and their works, preſerve the world from judgments. The holy GOD reſtrains the vials of his wrath, for their ſake. They are the ſalt of the earth. Deſtruction could not come upon the impious cities of the plain, until righteous Lot was removed beyond the reach of the ſtorm. Iſrael was bleſſed for Abraham's piety; and the houſe of Potipher, yea, the kingdom of Egypt were proſpered and ſaved, becauſe the virtuous and godlike Joſeph dwelt there. The wiſe and good man, who by his wiſdom delivers a city, from the deſtruction of its enemies, is forgotten by its thoughtleſs and ungrateful inhabitants; but the people of theſe redeemed States will never forget its noble defenders, who have poured out their blood, and ſacrificed their lives in their defence. And may our ſupreme gratitude centre in the goodneſs of the Almighty Jehovah, who gives ſuch men to bleſs and to ſave us.

A reflection on the wonderful increaſe and proſperity of theſe New England States, from their feeble beginning, in the uncommon ſmiles of Heaven upon them, will conſtrain us to acknowledge, that GOD hath ſhewed mercy to the children, on account of the piety of their anceſtors.

They fled from perſecution, with the pure and laudable purpoſe of maintaining the knowledge and worſhip of the true GOD, and the ſimplicity and purity of the religion of JESUS; and to tranſmit the bleſſings of civil and religious liberty to future generations.

The firſt landing of the fathers of New England at Plymouth, an hundred and eighty years ago, with pious gratitude to their memories, is ſtill commemorated, in an anniverſary feſtival, by the inhabitants of that ancient town.

It is a duty to celebrate the worthy characters of departed benefactors of our country, becauſe we enjoy the happy fruits of their good deeds, and becauſe the example will excite the laudable emulation of others, to imitate their noble actions. The approbation of the wiſe and worthy, is a ſource of happineſs next to that of our own conſcience. While the remembrance of the wicked rots in the grave, the memorial of the righteous lives, in the grateful hearts of ſucceeding generations.

Every nation celebrates ſome noble patriots and benefactors, to whom, under Providence, they attribute their proſperity. They embalm their memories in grateful ſongs, and in the faithful page of hiſtory. While Britain celebrates her Alfreds, Edwards, Hamdens, Sidneys and Pitts—Ruſſia, her Peter the great—France, her Henrys—Switzerland, her William Tells—and Holland, the family of Orange—and the Proteſtants of Chriſtendom, their Luther and Calvin, Melancthon and Zuingleus. Wickliff, Knox and Robinſon.—America will ever remember her WASHINGTON, who, among the conſtellation of worthies which have, at different periods bleſſed their country, ſhines as a ſtar of ſuperior orb, and will ſhed the happy radience of his virtues, to unborn generations. It is not poſſible for human eloquence to do juſtice to the character of this great man. There was ſomething in the majeſtic caſt of his countenance, which the moſt ſkilful limner, could not with preciſion and exactitude delineate on canvas; and in him was ſuch a nobleneſs and elevation of mind, above the common lot of humanity, as baffles the powers of deſcription.

Deſcended of reſpectable anceſtors, who came from Britain to Virginia, at an early period of the ſettlement of that State; on the deceaſe of an elder brother, he came into poſſeſſion of the patrimonial eſtate of Mount Vernon. In early life he poſſeſſed the mature wiſdom of age; and was called when a ſtripling, to lead a band of warriors, againſt a hoſt of French and Savages, which like a dreadful ſtorm, lay upon the defenceleſs frontiers. His prudence, valour and wiſdom, ſaved the remains of the unfortunate army under Braddock, and covered their retreat from the bloody field.

When Britain prepared chains, to fetter the free born minds of the Americans, as the French once, in vain attempted to do; he ſtepped forth, the firſt among her worthy ſons, to defend his country. When ſufferings could no longer be borne, and the blood of Americans wontonly ſhed by Britons, rouſed our country to arms; the firſt illuſtrious Areopagus, and Congreſs of our nation, looked up to WASHINGTON, as the man, on whom, under GOD, they reſted their dependence, for the protection of their country. Obedient to their voice, he came forward to the ſeat of the enemy, and ſoon, by his ſuperior wiſdom, an undiſciplined multitude were formed to regularity and order.

Beſieging the enemy, through a long winter, in their ſtrong hold in Boſton, of which they had gotten the poſſeſſion under the maſk of friends, by a bloodleſs victory, he forced their veteran armies and fleets, though commanded by their ableſt officers, with precipitation and diſgrace, to abandon the place.

He obſerved their movements with vigilant attention; and when the enemy arrived at Long Iſland, and New York, he was there, ſtopping the progreſs of their deſolating and murdering career. For a time, GOD ſuffered the enemy to proſper, and the time of the enliſtments of the army having expired, our worthy general found himſelf almoſt alone in the field. With a handful of brave men, determined to ſhare the fate of their beloved chief, he prudently retreated through the Jerſies, before the face of a hoſt of foes. Never did WASHINGTON appear greater than in ſeaſons of the greateſt perplexity and danger. In his own ſuperior genius he found reſources. When the enemy boaſted that they had him in their power, and had won the day: when they were erecting royal ſtandards, and iſſuing proclamations of pardon, behold, WASHINGTON ſuddenly appears, like the fun breaking from a dark cloud. And though the elements ſeemed to conſpire with his foes, yet relying on Almighty Providence, and the juſtice of the cauſe, in the cold and dreary night of chriſtmas, he croſſed the Deleware, and came like a clap of thunder upon the enemy, ſecure of ſafety in the villages of Trenton. GOD inſpired him with preſence of mind, and invincible fortitude, and he purſued his victories, and conquered, like Gideon, numerous hoſts, with an handful of men.

To deceive the enemy, at midnight, he left his camp and fires burning at Trenton, and the enemy preparing to fall upon him, and cruſh him, on the following morning. How great was their aſtoniſhment, when the roar of cannon, many miles in the north, firſt gave them intelligence where he was, and where he alſo ſucceſsfully broke up another powerful cantonment. And in the midſt of enemies, who were ſpread like graſshoppers over the plains of Jerſey, he retired to a ſtrong hold, and remained unmoleſted.

After various defeats, diſcomfitures and loſſes which we had ſuſtained; it pleaſed Divine Providence, to make this brilliant affair the prelude of wonderful ſucceſs, to the American arms.

The enemy finding their plans of conqueſt fruſtrated and broken, changed the theatre of their hoſtile operations, and tranſported themſelves to the Cheſepeak; but at the Brandy-wine, the illuſtrious Waſhington appeared, and checked their progreſs. We then beheld him compelling them to abandon the capital of America, as he had done at Boſton, and ſeeking, with precipitation, through the Jerſies, ſafety on board their fleet. By the co-operating wiſdom of our illuſtrious chief, with the national Congreſs, in plans of military operations, we ſaw Burgoyne, the vaunting hero of the north, with a motley hoſt of Britons, Germans and Savages, lay down their arms, before the veteran Gates, and the patriotic militia of New-England. And in the ſouth, the good and valient Green, ſnatching from the brows of Britons, their fading laurels.

To complete the deſtruction of the unjuſt and cruel deſigns of the enemy, againſt our beloved country, one great work was ſtill to be accompliſhed, and Heaven reſerved this for its favorite ſon. Great was the joy of the United States, when the laſt great army in the field, under their puiſſant genral, Cornwallis, ſurrendered at York Town.

The pureſt ſentiments of gratitude to Heaven, muſt have inſpired the breaſt of WASHINGTON, when the beams of peace diffuſed their bleſſings over our land. Rejoicing in this long wiſhed for era, ſurrounded by his officers he ſaid, "A retroſpect of the ſcenes through which we have paſſed, from the commencement to the concluſion of the war, is ſufficient to convince infidelity itſelf, of the exiſtence of a Supreme governing Providence."

Having accompliſhed eight years arduous labor in the defence of his country, and the eſtabliſhment of its independence and peace, with undiſſembled meekneſs, and a dignity peculiar to himſelf, he reſigned his military employments, into the hands of our national council, amidſt univerſal tears of gratitude and applauſe; and taking an affectionate farewell, commended his deareſt country to the protection and bleſſing of ALMIGHTY GOD. At his country's call, again he relinquiſhed the pleaſures of domeſtic comforts, and with the wiſdom of a ſage, preſided in the formation of the beſt ſyſtem of government, which the world had ever ſeen. By the unanimous ſuffrage of his country, he was called to fill the higheſt office of ſtate, in our new formed, and well organized Republic.—The wiſdom, moderation and dignity of his adminiſtration, during eight years, in which he preſided over the United States, add luſtre to the glory which he had acquired by his military achievements.

Leaving to his fellow citizens, the invaluable legacy of his wife counſel and advice, for the preſervation of their morals and government, freedom and happineſs, with the fondeſt predilection for the charms of rural and contemplative life, he affectionately reſigned his civil employments, and bid adieu to the burdens of State.

But when a great nation, once our friends and allies, poured indignity and inſult upon us, and by menaces and inſidious arts, labored to undermine the fair fabric of our liberties and independence; again obedient to the voice of his country, we ſaw the venerable WASHINGTON ariſe, to vindicate our wrongs. His ſword ſprung half way from its ſleeping ſcabbard; that ſword, on whoſe point the ballance of juſtice was ever ſuſpended, and which had always pointed the way to victory; and at his majeſtic preſence, the wiles of gallic policy and perfidy, were abaſhed and confounded.

He was great and exemplary in his death, as well as life. Heaven took him ſuddenly from us, leſt perhaps, we ſhould place, too much, our hopes and affections on him, and yield to him thoſe honors, which are due to GOD.

Such was the man, whom the world admires, and America delights to honor. O WASHINGTON, how precious is the remembrance of thy deeds! How will thy name deſcend, embalmed with the incenſe of gratitude and love, to the millions of yet unborn Americans! The proſperty, the peace, the liberties, and the good and equal laws, and government of thy native country, will be aſcribed, under Providence, to thy valour, thy wiſdom and benevolence! Enemies venerated thy virtues. The kings of the earth liſtened, at the mention of thy name, and ſhrunk to concious inferiority, at the portrait of thy more than royal and human virtues.

A celebrated orator in the Britiſh parliament, pronounced his eulogeum. "Illuſtrious man! deriving leſs from the ſplendor of ſituation, than from the dignity of his mind; before whom all borrowed greatneſs ſinks into inſignificance. Who can refrain admiring the wiſdom and fortune of this great man? It is ſingularly fortunate, that he ſhould have experienced a lot which ſo ſeldom falls to the portion of humanity, and have paſſed through ſuch a variety of ſcenes, without ſtain and without reproach. It muſt indeed create aſtoniſhment, that placed in circumſtances ſo critical, and filling for a ſeries of time a ſtation ſo conſpicuous, his character ſhould never once been called in queſtion; that he ſhould on no occaſion have been accuſed, either of improper inſolence, or of mean ſubmiſſion, in his tranſactions with foreign nations—It has been reſerved for him to run the race of glory, without experiencing the ſmalleſt interruption, to the brilliancy of his career. The breath of cenſure has not dared to impeach the purity of his conduct, nor the eye of envy to raiſe its malignant glance to the elevation of his virtues. Such has been the tranſcendent merit, and the unparrelled fate of this illuſtrious man."

The rank and reputation which this nation holds among the nations of the Earth, are to be aſcribed to him, as the honored inſtrument, in the hands of him who ruleth among the nations, and builds them up, or pulls them down, at his pleaſure. Let us, ſirs, be devoutly thankful to GOD for the gift of this great and good man. It was GOD who formed and fitted him for the noble and exalted ſtations which he filled, and gave him ability and inclination to go through the arduous labors, which were aſſigned him. He was a happy pledge of the ſmiles of Heaven on our righteous cauſe, and an earneſt of its eventual ſucceſs. He, in whoſe hands are the hearts of all men, qualifies them for the work which he aſſigns them. While therefore, we pay a deſerved tribute of gratitude to thoſe who have done well in the ſervice of mankind, let our higher praiſe and gratitude aſcend to GOD, from whom cometh down all the good and perfect gifts, which his creatures poſſeſs or enjoy.

Let us be devoutly thankful to GOD, that he hath not ſuffered the righteous cauſe of our revolution, to be fruſtrated; nor our nation diſhonored, by ſelfiſh and ambitious men. What a contraſt is the character of the ſage WASHINGTON, to the aſpiring knight errants of modern European republics? Who, amidſt the whiſſing of balls, and the points of bayoners, are climbing to power, that they may hold the rod over their proſtrate fellow citizens. Look through the hiſtory of nations, and you will ſee no man In ſimilar ſituations, like minded to him, whoſe death we lament. He rejoiced in the ſalvation of his country, as the ſupreme happineſs of his life; and the conſciouſneſs of his integrity, was his conſolation in death. Let us bleſs, honor and love the LORD our GOD, for the innumerable mercies conferred on our land, by the labors of this his faithful ſervant.

And on this occaſion, can we be forgetful of that cloud of witneſſes of civil and religious liberty, who have bled and died in our defence?

The generous ſpirit of Warren and Montgomery, of Mercer, Wooſter and Green, hail their beloved chief on the immortal ſhores; and Winthrop and Trumbull, Lawrens and Hancock, Huntington and Wolcott, rejoice in the benevolent and godlike deeds, of the friend and father of his country.

What was the governing principle which formed the character of this great man? In my opinion, it was religion. Without the ſmalleſt tincture of bigotry or ſuperſtition, he appears in all his public and private life, to have poſſeſſed a firm belief in GOD, and in divine revelation. He lived and acted under the influence of an habitual and lively impreſſion of the Deity, and his all governing Providence, and expreſſed it on all proper occaſions. Among numerous evidences of this, let me mention his declaration, on the ſolemn occaſion of his unanimous election and inveſtiture with the ſupreme authority of our new formed Republic. "It would," ſays he, "be peculiarly improper, to omit in this official act, my fervent ſupplications, to that ALMIGHTY BEING, who rules over the univerſe, who preſides in the councils of nations, and whoſe Providential aids can ſupply every human defect, that his benediction may conſecrate to the liberties and happineſs of the people of the United States, a government inſtituted by themſelves for theſe eſſential purpoſes; and may enable every inſtrument employed in its adminiſtration, to execute with ſucceſs, the functions allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the great author of every public and private good, I aſſure myſelf that it expreſſes your ſentiments not loſs than my own; nor thoſe of my fellow citizens at large, leſs than either.

No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the inviſible hand, which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of theſe United States. Every ſtep by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, ſeems to have been diſtinguiſhed by ſome providential agency. And in the important revolution juſt accompliſhed in the ſyſtem of their united government, the tranquil deliberations, and voluntary conſent of ſo many diſtinct communities, from which the event has reſulted, cannot be compared with the means by which moſt governments have been eſtabliſhed, without ſome return of pious gratitude, with a humble anticipation of the future bleſſings which the paſt ſeem to preſage. Theſe reflections, ariſing out of the preſent criſis, have forced themſelves too ſtrongly on my mind to be ſuppreſſed."

His ſuperior powers of mind were, by his reverence of GOD and his providence, conſecrated to moſt extenſive uſefulneſs, to univerſal veneration and immortal fame.

It was religion which inſpired him with meekneſs and moderation in proſperity, and with calmneſs and fortitude in adverſity: which ſhed its cheering beams, around him in his departing moments, and ſmoothed his dying pillow.

There can be no true greatneſs without goodneſs. The nobleſt object this world can afford, is a great man, at the head of a nation, adorned with the attributes of religion. In the language of inſpiration, he is "a God on earth;" an humble repreſentative of the Deity in human form; and will command univerſal veneration.

In vain will the meer ambitious man, the immoral philoſophiſt, and the unprincipled atheiſt, labor to riſe to reſpectability and glory; though their talents may be brilliant, their motives are deſpicable and dangerous. The irreligious and vicious, are enemies of their country. And when this is the general character of a people, they invite and draw down public ruin.

May the preſent and future rulers of our favored land, and all its citizens, be inſpired with the lovely ſpirit of WASHINGTON, and be as he was, peaceable and generous, diligent and faithful, pious and valiant.

He has given freedom to his numerous ſlaves, and made proviſion for their comfortable exiſtence! May his example be imitated by the numerous holders of their fellow men in bondage, in the ſouthern ſtates, and throughout the world; and the unfortunate children of Ham, poſſeſs the bleſſings of liberty, and the comforts of religion.

Every man who loves his country, and wiſhes its proſperity, will be the friend and promoter of virtuous education, good morals and the duties and offices of religion. For on theſe immutable pillars, all good government reſts. Eſpecially are the general diffuſion of theſe bleſſings neceſſary, in ſuch a free government as the one, under which we live.

For building up, and carrying on to perfection, the civil and ſocial, domeſtic and national happineſs; where ſhall we find a ſyſtem of religion equal, or worthily to be compared, with that which is profeſſed by the people of theſe States? A religion from Heaven; founded on the divine principle of benevolence: proclaiming "peace on earth, and good will to men."

This was the birth day of our illuſtrious chief. An anniverſary, no more to be celebrated, on earth, in joyous feſtivals and grateful ſongs.—Our joy is turned to mourning. A happy exchange, we truſt, for him; who, releaſed from the labors of this tranſitory ſtate, is new-born into the world of happy ſpirits, the kingdom of the juſt. A celeſtial birth; celebrated by angels and the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect. Methinks I ſee him, with lowly reverence, bow before the throne of GOD and of the LAMB; and hear pronounced the bleſſed Euge, "Well done good and faithful ſervant: thou haſt been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter into the joy of thy LORD."

Now the chariot and Horſemen of our American Iſrael has aſcended to Heaven, let us imitate his virtues. And though none of us can be a WASHINGTON, yet we can be friends of GOD and of mankind. Lovers of religion and government, of our country, and of every inſtitution productive of human happineſs. Let us perpetuate the influence of his good example, who has left us the invaluable legacy of his life, his patriotiſm and his virtues. "By theſe he has taught us, to be pure in morals—devout in religion—fervent in patriotiſm—juſt in the cabinet—and invincible in the field."

How are the mighty fallen! While the hearts of millions of Americans, are living monuments of grief; are there any who ſecretly rejoice at our loſs? The enemies of our riſing empire, of religion and order, rejoice.

WASHINGTON is no more! Tell it not in France: publiſh it not in the hoſtile ſtreets of the envious nations of Europe, leſt the wicked triumph.

Let us not give ourſelves up to ſorrow and deſpondence, at this mournful criſis: but rather imitate the example of the royal pſalmiſt, who did not neglect the care of the Commonwealth, in the midſt of his mourning the death of Saul and Jonathan; but directs his officers, to teach the men of Judah the uſe of the bow; and be prepared to defend their country.

Let this inſtance of death, teach us the vanity of life, and of all earthly greatneſs, and excite us to a vigorous preparation for our own diſſolution.

To conclude, while we mourn the death of this great benefactor of his country, let us return our unfeigned thankſgivings to GOD, for the good land which he hath given us, and for the great and good men, whom his providence hath raiſed up, to proſper and defend it; and eſpecially that he hath been pleaſed to preſerve to us, the invaluable life of the beloved WASHINGTON ſo long; covered him in the day of battle; continued his public labors and uſefulneſs to the laſt moment of a long life; and honored and ſupported him in death. "Bleſſed are the dead who die in the LORD; they ceaſe from their labors, and their works follow them."