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His resignation was communicated, in the following address, to the President of Congress:

"MR. PRESIDENT,

"The great events on which my resignation depended, having at length taken place, I have now the honor of offering my sincere congratulations to Congress, and of presenting myself before them to surrender into their hands the trust committed to me, and to claim the indulgence of retiring from the service of my country.

"Happy in the confirmation of our independence and sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a respectable nation, I resign with satisfaction the appointment I accepted with diffidence; a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish so arduous a task, which, however, was superseded by a confidence in the rectitude of our cause, the support of the supreme power of the Union, and the patronage of Heaven.

"While I repeat my obligations to the army in general, I should do injustice to my own feelings, not to acknowledge, in this place, the peculiar services and distinguished merits of the persons who have been attached to my person during the war. It was impossible the choice of confidential officers, to compose my family, should have been more fortunate. Permit me, sir, to recommend, in particular, those who have continued in the service to the present moment, as worthy of the favorable notice and patronage of Congress.

"I consider it as an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life, by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the superintendence of them to his holy keeping.

"Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of action; and, bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have long acted, I here offer my commission, and take leave of all the employments of public life."

This address being ended, General Washington advanced, and delivered his commission into the hands of the President of Congress, who received it and made an appropriate reply. Having thus, of his own accord, become one of the people, the American chief hastened to his delightful residence at Mount Vernon.

The feelings and emotions of Washington, on thus going into retirement, were expressed in the following manner: "I feel as a wearied traveller must do, who, after treading many a painful step with a heavy burden on his shoulders, is eased of the latter, having reached the haven to which all the former were directed, and from his house-top is looking back and tracing, with an eager eye, the meanders by which he escaped the quicksands and mire which lay in his way, and into which none but the All-Powerful Guide and Dispenser of human events could have prevented his falling.

"I have become a private citizen on the banks of the Potomac, and, under the shadow of my own vine and my own figtree, free from the bustle of a camp and the busy scenes of public life, I am solacing myself with those tranquil enjoyments of which the soldier, who is ever in pursuit of

fame--the statesman, whose watchful days and sleepless nights are spent in devising schemes to promote the welfare of his own, perhaps the ruin of other countries, as if this globe was insufficient for us all--and the courtier, who is always watching the countenance of his prince, in the hope of catching a gracious smile,-can have very little conception. I have not only retired from all public employments, but am retiring within myself, and shall be able to view the solitary walk, and tread the paths of private life, with heart-felt satisfaction. Envious of none, I am determined to be pleased with all; and this, my dear friend, being the order of my march, I will move gently down the stream of life, until I sleep with my fathers."

Washington now devoted his attention, with untiring industry, to the pursuits of agriculture and the extension of inland navigation. He corresponded with the officers and influential men of all the states on the most prominent subjects of public interest and improvement. He formed a plan to render the rivers Potomac and James navigable as high as practicable, and to open such inland navigation between these waters and those west of the Ohio, as would secure the trade of the western country to Virginia and Maryland. According to this suggestion, two companies were formed for opening the navigation of these rivers; and of each, Washington consented to be the president. The legislature of Virginia directed the treasurer of the state to subscribe for one hundred and fifty shares in each company for the benefit of General Washington. This appropriation was generously made and as generously received. According to the desire of Washington, these shares were appropriated to the support of a college in the vicinity of each river.

Near the close of the revolutionary war, the officers of the American army, with the view of continuing their intercourse and friendship, formed themselves into an association named the society of Cincinnati. Of the general society Washington officiated as president, from its institution in 173 till the time of his death. By the rules of this society, the honors of it were to be hereditary in the respective families, and distinguished individuals were to be admitted as honorary members for life. These aristocratic features of the institution alarmed the community, and excited a great degree of jealousy. On full inquiry, Washington found that these objections were general, and he therefore exerted his influence among the officers, to induce them to drop the offensive part of the institution. At the annual meeting, in May, 1787, these portions were accordingly expunged; and the modification entirely quieted public apprehensions.

The articles under which the United States originally confederated proved to be inadequate to the purposes of national government. A crisis was expected in public affairs, which would again require the personal presence and influence of Washington. His friends communicated freely with him on this subject, and his own apprehensions were deeply excited. In a letter to Mr. Jay, in 1786, he observed: "Your sentiments, that our affairs are drawing rapidly to a crisis, accord with my own. What the event will be is beyond the reach of my foresight. We have errors to correct; we have probably had too good an opinion of human nature, in forming our confederation. Experience has taught us tha men will not

adopt and carry into execution, measures the best calculated for their own good, without the intervention of coercive power. I do not conceive we can exist long as a nation, without lodging, somewhere, a power which will pervade the whole Union in as energetic a manner, as the authority of the state governments extends over the several states. To be fearful of investing Congress, constituted as that body is, with ample authorities. for national purposes, appears to me the very climax of popular absurdity and madness. Could Congress exert them for the detriment of the people, without injuring themselves in an equal or greater proportion? Are not their interests inseparably connected with those of their constituents? By the rotation of appointments, must they not mingle frequently with the mass of citizens? Is it not rather to be apprehended, if they were not possessed of the powers before described, that the individual members would be induced to use them, on many occasions, very timidly and inefficaciously, for fear of losing their popularity and future election? We must take human nature as we find it; perfection falls not to the share of mortals.

"What then is to be done? Things cannot go on in the same strain forever. It is much to be feared, as you observe, that the better kind of people, being disgusted with these circumstances, will have their minds. prepared for any revolution whatever. We are apt to run from one extreme to another. To anticipate and prevent disastrous contingencies, would be the part of wisdom and patriotism.

"What astonishing changes a few years are capable of producing! I am told that even respectable characters speak of a monarchical form of government without horror. From thinking proceeds speaking: thence to acting is often but a single step. But how irrevocable and tremendous! What a triumph for our enemies, to verify their predictions! What a triumph for the advocates of despotism, to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves, and that systems, founded on the basis of equal liberty, are merely ideal and fallacious. Would to God that wise measures may be taken in time to avert the consequences we have but too much reason to apprehend.

"Retired as I am from the world, I frankly acknowledge I cannot feel myself an unconcerned spectator. Yet having happily assisted in bringing the ship into port, and having been fairly discharged, it is not my business to embark again on the sea of troubles. Nor could it be expected that my sentiments and opinions would have much weight on the minds of my countrymen. They have been neglected, though given as a last legacy in a most solemn manner. I then, perhaps, had some claims to public attention. I consider myself as having none at present."

Illumination on the subject of enlarging the powers of Congress was gradual. A convention of delegates from the several states was proposed, for the purpose of remodelling the terms of the confederation. This convention met in Philadelphia in May, and unanimously chose George Washington their President. On the seventeenth of September, 1787, they closed their labors, and submitted the result to Congress, with the opinion that it should be submitted to a convention of delegates chosen

in each state by the people thereof, under the recommendation of its legislature, for its assent and ratification.

The constitution being accepted by eleven of the states, and measures being taken for carrying it into execution, all eyes were turned towards Washington as the most suitable person to be President of the United States. He was then fifty-seven years of age, and in the full enjoyment of health and vigor. It would appear, however, from numerous letters written about this period, that the return into public life was to him a source of anxiety and trouble which he would gladly have avoided. He was fond of retirement and private life. "Every personal consideration,” he observed in a letter to General Lincoln, "conspires to rivet me to retirement. At my time of life, and under my circumstances, nothing in this world can ever draw me from it, unless it be a conviction that the partiality of my countrymen had made my services absolutely necessary, joined to a fear that my refusal might induce a belief that I preferred the conservation of my own reputation and private ease to the good of my country. After all, if I should conceive myself in a manner constrained to accept, I call Heaven to witness that this very act would be the greatest sacrifice of my personal feelings and wishes that I have ever been called upon to make. It would be to forego repose and domestic enjoyment, for trouble, perhaps for public obloquy; for I should consider myself as entering upon an unexplored field, enveloped on every side with clouds and darkness."

Before the election came on, the expectation of Washington's appointment was so universal, that numerous applications were made to him for the offices of government which would be in his gift. Contemptible as such applications must always be, Washington condescended to notice them with a dignified refusal. To one applicant he wrote as follows "Should it become absolutely necessary for me to occupy the situation in which your letter presupposes me, I have determined to go into it perfectly free from all engagements of every nature whatsoever. A conduct in conformity to this resolution would enable me, in balancing the various pretensions of different candidates for appointments, to act with, a sole reference to justice and the public good. This is in substance the answer that I have given to all applications (and they are not few) which have already been made."

The official announcement of his election to the Presidency was made to General Washington on the fourteenth of April, 1789. On the second day after receiving this notice, Washington set out for New-York. The road was thronged with numbers anxious to gaze upon the hero of the revolution, and the man of the people's choice. Escorts of the militia and of gentlemen of the highest rank and character attended him from state to state, and he was every where received with the highest honors. Gray's bridge over the Schuylkill was beautifully decorated for his passage with laurels and evergreens. At each end of it splendid arches were erected, composed of laurels, and on each side was a laurel shrubbery. As Washington passed the bridge, a boy from above dropped a crown of laurel upon his brows. An immense throng of citizens lined the road from the Schuylkill to Philadelphia. Through these he was conducted

to the city. An elegant entertainment was there provided, and was succeeded in the evening by a display of fireworks. When Washington crossed the Delaware and landed on the Jersey shore, he was saluted with three cheers by the assembled inhabitants. When he came to the brow of the hill on his way to Trenton, he again passed through a triumphal

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arch ornamented with laurels and flowers. On the crown of it was displayed, in large characters, "December twenty-sixth, 1776." On the sweep of the arch beneath was inscribed, "The Defender of the Mothers will also protect the Daughters." On the north side he was met by a number of female children, dressed in white, with baskets of flowers on their arms and garlands on their heads. In the second row stood the young women, and behind them the married ladies, of the vicinity. As he passed the arch, the children began to sing the following ode.

"Welcome, mighty Chief! once more

Welcome to this grateful shore.

Now no mercenary foe
Aims again the fatal blow,

Aims at thee the fatal blow.

Virgins fair, and matrons grave,

These thy conquering arm did save,

Build for thee triumphal bowers :

Strew, ye fair, his way with flowers;

Strew your hero's way with flowers."

While singing the last lines, they strewed the flowers in the path of their great deliverer. How different his feelings from those experienced a few years before upon the same spot! Then all was depression and sadness-now, all joy and triumph.

He was rowed across the bay to New-York by thirteen pilots in an elegant barge. All the vessels in the harbor hoisted their flags. On his landing, he was received and congratulated by the governor of the state and officers of the corporation. He was conducted to the house which had been prepared for his reception, followed by a procession of militia in

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