HAVING gone through the ſeveral grades of Legiſlator and Magiſtrate in his native province, he was appointed in 1774, a Delegate to the General Congreſs. He ſincerely joined with that honourable band of Patriots, in every effort to reſtore the violated rights of his country, without a civil war. But their attempts were fruitleſs. The more humbly they petitioned, the more haughtily they were rejected by the Government of Great Britain. At length, when all other reſources failed, an appeal was made to Heaven, to be decided by the ſword. At that time, America was without arms, amunition, money, or publick credit. No inconſiderable proportion of her citizens became her avowed enemies. Theſe, from the influence of the royal governors, were, many of them, poſſeſſed of publick offices, and had great conſequence and conſideration in ſociety. Though the people at large were united, yet numerous contingences might have deſtroyed an alliance produced by common danger.

THE nation, with whom we contended, commanded an extenſive revenue and an unlimited credit; abounding in military reſources. The recent triumphs of her arms in Europe and America, had been heard by all, and witneſſed by no inconſiderable proportion of the world. She ſent over generals to command her armies, who had been fluſhed with conqueſt; and a navy—the terror of all maritime powers. She directed her inſtruments of vengeance and death to deſtroy property and life, as far as each might be neceſſary to reduce us to unqualified ſubmiſſion. In this ſtate of univerſal anxiety and diſmay, the attention and remaining hopes of Congreſs were directed to our departed FATHER; by their unanimous ſuffrages, he was choſen CAPTAIN GENERAL of the armies of the United States. It was then in the day of your calamity, that he abandoned every domeſtick comfort—left the enjoyment of an opulent fortune, and expoſed his precious and valuable life, that he might defend your cauſe and eſtabliſh your independence. With induſtry, he diſciplined your armies; with prudence, he concealed your weakneſs, not only from your enemies, but from yourſelves. With equal ſkill and fortitude (under the ſmiles of Heaven) he drove the Britiſh forces from yonder city.

SHALL we retroſpect this illuſtrious MAN in his retreat through the Jerſies, like another Eneas, carrying with him the hopes and fortunes of his country? Great and venerable in adverſity, he was himſelf an hoſt. Though by ſickneſs and ill ſucceſs, our army was nearly annihilated; yet while WASHINGTON lived, it was accounted criminal to deſpair of the Commonwealth.—Ye war-worn veterans, whoſe aged heads are covered with the "bloſſoms of the grave," ſpeak, for you can tell! You, who have ſo often followed and attended this wonderful MAN through the viciſitudes of the late revolution, and to whoſe co-operating valour we are indebted for our Liberty and Independence. How dauntleſs and unappalled in the midſt of ſurrounding dangers! How often hath he waſted the midnight lamp in planning for your and our ſafety! As you have ſeen his fortitude under the ſevereſt ſhocks of fortune; ſo have you known his humanity after ſucceſs. The vanquiſhed found in him, not an implacable victor, but a generous and ſympathizing friend. What attention and kindneſs did he not diſplay to the brave companions of his danger? He bled for your wounds; and, like the Emperor Trajan, was ready to tear his garments, that he might bind them up. Was there one of your number, who was not willing to die fighting under his banner? or who would not have coveted the ſacrifice of his own life to protect that of his General? In a word, who did not ſubmit to his commands from motives of affection, rather than fear?

AT the cloſe of the late war, when murmurs for unrewarded ſervices and cruelly neglected merits had pervaded the camps, and nearly introduced a civil war, the powerful influence of this invariable FRIEND to his country, like the fabled viſage and aſcenſions of the Monarch of the Ocean, calmed the ſtorm, quenched the torch of diſcord, and ſaid to the impetuous paſſions "peace be ſtill."

BY the gracious interpoſition of Almighty God, the war with Britain was brought to a favourable iſſue, and the national ſovereignty of America was acknowledged by her enemies. This great man did then retire to domeſtic occupation—like the famous Dictator Cincinnatus. He ſought in the ſhades of private life the bleſſings for which he had contended with ſucceſs, taking at the ſame time a farewell of all public honours and employments.

BUT had he not now done enough for his country? Was he not crowned with unwithering laurels? Was not the orb of his glory full? Enough it may be anſwered for any other hero or ſtateſman. But yet from our illuſtrious PARENT immortal ſervices were to be performed in a mortal life. It was not only neceſſary that he ſhould lay the foundations, but that he ſhould complete the ſuperſtructure of LIBERTY in theſe American regions.—In the year 1787, he was ſent as a delegate to a Convention, convoked under the authority of the ſeveral ſtates in the union, to form a general conſtitution. That body of ſages choſe him to preſide in their aſſembly. When this ſyſtem was adopted, the univerſal wiſhes and ſuffrages of the people created him their ſupreme political head. To any other man but GEORGE WASHINGTON, this exalted ſtation would have been the higheſt object of ambition. But when it is conſidered that he had already acquired the univerſal good will of his country, and a reputation which could ſcarcely be increaſed, obedience to the voice of his fellow-citizens, was a ſacrifice,—yea, a ſacrifice which added to the number of our obligations to his memory, for it demonſtrated that he was not only willing to expoſe his life, but even hazard his fame, when the ſacred calls of duty and the publick neceſſity demanded it at his hands.

HOW wiſely he aſſiſted in organizing this government, in reconciling contending parties, in guarding againſt foreign influence, in preſerving our neutrality, and finally in performing the difficult and arduous duties of his exalted ſtation, I ſhall leave to be recorded by ſome future hiſtorian, and properly tranſmitted to the important tribunal of poſterity.—Thus much it is proper to obſerve, that though very different apprehenſions were formed of the events of that day; yet all great and good men who differed from our Preſident in his political adminiſtration, reverenced the purity of his motives, and rectitude of his heart.

WHEN eight years of his valuable and important life had been devoted to the intereſts of his native land—when different parties were in ſome meaſure compoſed, and the government ſtrengthened by time and habit, and the acceſſion of all the ſtates, he quitted his high and exalted ſtation, with more pleaſure than it would have been received by the moſt ſanguine votary of ambition and power.

NO long interval exiſted from his reſignation of the Preſidency, before he was once more called into publick life. The violent revolutions in Europe, threatening America with the danger of a war—he accepted the command of our army, in a rank inferior to what he had poſſeſſed before. This elevation of ſoul, ſuperior to all common notions of grandeur, reminds us of the old venerable Roman, who when he had gone through all the publick grades of office, fought as a private under his own ſon when Conſul.

THUS honourable, thus truly uſeful and eminently great, was our beloved PARENT in his publick character.—Thus gloriouſly did he diſcharge every duty in peace and war, which his country aſſigned him. We ſhould do criminal injuſtice not only to his memory, but to ſociety, were we here to cloſe, and omit to declare his private virtues, as an example for the world. This part of the picture is by no means unimportant; for his amiable qualities when properly exhibited, may be as much more uſeful than thoſe of an obſcure citizen, poſſeſſing the ſame meaſures of moral and ſocial virtue, as his name and influence is more extenſive.

THOUGH poſſeſſed of a ſplendid fortune, he did not feel himſelf raiſed above the duties of induſtry, and the common calls of private life. He obſerved ſuch method and order in the management of his affairs, that notwithſtanding his repeated liberal donations, and princely hoſpitality, he greatly encreaſed his paternal eſtate. As a huſband, he was ſuch an example of conſtancy and tender affections, as proved that the amiable may be united with the ſublime, in the moral character. As a maſter, he united dignity and authority with ſuch mildneſs of temper, as procured prompt obedience and warm attachment. And it is worthy of remark, that in all the important ſcenes he hath paſſed through, and the high truſts he was obliged to repoſe on the fidelity of his attendants, that there never hath appeared an inſtance of treachery in any member of his family. While this demonſtrates his penetration and inſight of human nature—it evidences the excellency of his heart and manners, in thus commanding the good affections and eſteem of all degrees of men. Far from conſidering the brilliancy of his publick character as a mantle for his private vices, he was uniformly correct. His manners were affable, but dignified. In a word, ſuch was his attention to decorum and propriety, that no man dared to profane his feelings by vicious or indecent converſation.

IN this age of infidelity and licentiouſneſs, he was not aſhamed to avow and honour the ſyſtem of Chriſtianity. He frequently attended its publick inſtitutions, and in his laſt addreſs has warmly recommended religion to the notice of his fellow-citizens.

THE laſt authenticated act of his life was worthy of himſelf. In his laſt will and teſtament, beſides having beſtowed large ſums for the encouragement of literature and publick utility, he hath liberated all the Africans who belonged to his eſtate. He was obliged to poſtpone his noble and generous deſign during his life, on account of the ſituation of the ſouthern ſtates. Yet he took care to furniſh thoſe men with ſuch inſtructions, as would qualify them for freedom, and hath made proviſion for the ſupport of the old and infirm, as a compenſation for their paſt labours. Thus uniform in all his conduct, was this FRIEND of the Rights of Mankind—thus conſiſtent, were his Republican Principles.

A SUMMARY review of the character of this great MAN, will afford ſufficient reaſons for the applauſes which his country hath beſtowed on his actions, and the uncommon honours which have been paid to his memory.

HAD any one, ſkilled in military affairs, beheld him forming and diſciplining his army—performing the moſt arduous enterprizes, executing all the duties of a conſummate general, ſubduing the proud and expreſſing humanity to the vanquiſhed, he would have concluded that WASHINGTON muſt have been born in a camp, and warlike glory had been his only purſuit. Was our illuſtrious CHIEF to have been viewed as a ſtateſman, a lawgiver and preſident—the inference would have been that his higheſt ambition was to be a ſage and patriot—and that his whole employment was political ſtudies.

HAD a philoſopher viewed the undeviating purity of his morals—and the elevation and magnanimity of his mind in receiving the higheſt honours and plaudits ever given to mere man, without the leaſt token of inſolence or vanity; would he not have tranſported himſelf in idea to Athens—and imagined that WASHINGTON, in the Grove of Plato, had learned to ſubdue all paſſions, riſe above all ſublunary grandeur, and to place his whole happineſs in intellectual pleaſures and the cultivation of his ſoul!

THOUGH we doubt not, other Generals have been equally brave in the field, conducted equally difficult enterprizes, and made more ſplendid conqueſts; other Patriots and Sages have had an equal affection for their country, and have been ready to devote their talents to preſerve, or die to defend its liberties; and other private citizens have equalled him in moral and ſocial duties: yet, where is the man (the inſpired characters recorded in the holy ſcriptures excepted) who hath united in himſelf ſuch meaſures of military, political and moral excellence? We ſhould do injuſtice by comparing him with any one exalted name which hath been celebrated through the world. As a balanced compariſon to his character, we muſt call up to memory a conſtellation of the brighteſt luminaries of all antiquity, or all the "ſons of glory," in modern times.

MIGHT not our beloved FATHER have made the ſame declaration in his laſt moments with Pericles, the Athenian, "That no American had ſhed a tear by his means"? or like the Emperor Auguſtus have demanded your applauſe for a long life ſpent and devoted to your happineſs? But this great man was as void of oſtentation at the hour of his death, as he was of fear. He cloſed his own eyes; and, in the firſt inſtance, exhibited himſelf a mortal.

"LIKE a beam of light he hath aſcended." He is now joined to the illuſtrious aſſembly of patriots and heroes whoſe fame "flows through all ages, enlarging as it flows." And his Candidus inſuetum miratur limen Olympi Sub pedibuſque videt nubes et ſidera Daphnis. VIRGIL—ECLO • UE 5—56. beatified ſpirit—is doubtleſs reaping the rewards of piety towards God—and the higheſt benevolence towards the human race.

We ſhall ſee his face no more, yet let us not weep for him, but ourſelves. It would be preſumption to expect another benefactor and parent like him we have loſt, who will protect us in war, and direct our councils in peace. But let our tears be accompanied with earneſt ſupplications to the Almighty, for his eſteemed SUCCESSOR, for all branches of the general and ſtate governments, that as we ſee the mighty fall, and their high places knew them no more; that other good and great men may be raiſed up as our patrons and ſupports —that the liberty and happineſs of America, may have no other termination than time and nature herſelf.

AS to WASHINGTON, he hath raiſed a monument, which no revolutions or commotions in the natural or moral world can overturn. I do not mean the cold marble which covers his inſenſible, but loved and ever precious remains; nor the ſculptured braſs and animated canvas, which will deſcribe the lineaments of his godlike countenance;—but the record of his immortal actions, and the Temple of liberty in this weſtern world. Cities, hereafter erected in the now pathleſs deſart, the den of the wild beaſts—the habitation of the ſavage, ſhall have their walls, their columns, and their ſenate houſes, inſcribed with his name; his deeds of glory ſhall adorn the page of an American Tacitus, or ſtring the harp of a future Virgil. Even ſhould our country (which God forbid) ſhare the fate of all former free Republicks, either from domeſtick uſurpation or foreign conqueſt; yet while there are Arts and Sciences, or any degree of civilization or refinement, the name of WASHINGTON will be regarded with eternal honour, and himſelf pronounced the firſt and beſt of mankind.