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Eulogium

ON THE CHARACTER OF

GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Pronounced before the PENNSYLVANIA SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI, February 22, 1800, in the City of PHILADELPHIA.

BY MAJOR WILLIAM JACKSON,

AID-DE-CAMP TO THE LATE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
AND SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE CINCINNATI.

To confecrate the memory of illuftrious men-to record their actions, and to celebrate their praise, has been the laudable practice of every age, and the grateful duty of every people.

The rudeft nations have thus difpenfed the rewards and the motives of virtue; while the arts and sciences of polished fociety have contributed their noblest efforts to this, their best and highest application.

Conforming to this venerable ufage, and influenced by all the nobler affections, the veteran affociates of the immortal WASHINGTON have dedicated this aufpicious day, to the review of his glorious achievements, and the celebration of his unrivalled fame.

But their too partial choice has devolved on incompetent powers, the performance of that duty, to which the highest order of genius would have been unequal.

Who fhall delineate a just portrait of that character, which was perfect in all its relations-or in what language fhall the story of that life be told, whofe every action was above all praise?

To confer the juft meed of eulogium on this ineftimable character-to entwine the blended glories of the Hero and the Statesman-with them to mingle the milder radiance of religion and morals, would require an inspiration, not only of those fentiments, which per

vade every clafs of men in this extenfive nation-but of thofe opinions, which his unequalled worth has impreffed throughout the world.

Of legiflators, to whofe labours and honours he was affociated by all that was useful and dignified.

Of armies, to whom he was endeared by every obligation of gratitude and glory.

Of a people, by whom he was regarded as their father, guide, and protector.

Of the holy minifters of religion, by whom he was beloved and admired.

Of his enemies in war, by whom he was at once dreaded and revered.

Of the wife and just of all nations, of whom he was the ornament and the example.

In contemplating this neceffary fubdivifion of the panegyric, which I am called to pronounce, this most refpectable audience will be led to indulge a candour, proportioned to the magnitude of the fubject, and the powers of the organ, to whom the arduous duty has been confided.

The suffrages, perhaps the prejudices, of mankind, have concurred in affigning to the profeffion of arms, the first station in the ranks of glory.

On the prefent occafion, however, the decifion is of no importance.

The Hero, whom we now commemorate, was alike pre-eminent in council, and in the field; the olive and the laurel had equally contributed their honours to form the chaplet of his renown.

It is only, therefore, in the order of his distinguished fervices, that our attention is first attracted to his military career.

Nor is it the lefs interefting, that the first display of his brilliant genius in war, fhould have been made in concert with the troops of that nation, whofe banners he was hereafter to brave---and whofe legions he was deftined to encounter in the defence of his country,

and in the maintenance of her freedom and independence.

Equally interefting is the fingular fact, that a parent's fond folicitude had been the happy inftrument of preferving him to that country, and to the high deftination of his future honours---for, impelled by the martial difpofition of his mind, he was about to engage in the naval fervice of Great-Britain at the infant age of fifteen years. But, reftrained by filial affection, he vielded to the anxious entreaties of his mother, and relinquished the object of his choice.

Who does not blefs the memory of this tender mother! who does not reverence the piety of her exalted fon!

Thus was the ftupendous fabric of his fame placed on the everlasting bafis of virtue; and thus were the immenfe advantages, which flowed to his country, derived from the pureft fource of a private duty.

Summoned to the lifts of glory at an age, when talents are unaided by experience, and when the ardour of youth is but little tempered by the rules of prudence, he formed, in his firft effay in arms, a rare example of the most heroic valour, combined with the moft confummate skill.

The one was exerted to ftem the torrent of victory obtained by a vindictive foe; the other was employed to rescue from ruin the devoted remnant of an unfortunate army.

Admiring veterans refigned to the youthful warrior the protection of their discomfited troops, and committed to his fuperior judgment the conduct of a retreat, which covered him with glory, and wreathed his brow with the laurel of fuccefs.

The brave, but unhappy Braddock expired in the anguifh of defeat---the gallant, and fympathizing WASHINGTON was confoled by the fafety, and honoured with the applaufe, of his furviving friends.

The high promife, which was here given of a vast capacity for war, was nobly realized in the command

and guidance of those armies, by whofe active valourand inflexible fortitude, the liberties and fovereignty of the United States were maintained and established.

In that eventful moment, when reprefentation and remonftrance had been exhaufted----when the alternative of refiftance alone remained to an injured people---when every hazard was preferred to abject fubmiflion--and when that people had refolved to meet. their parent state in arms.

To whofe care was the palladium of their liberties intrufted? On whom did the unanimous choice of their enlightened reprefentatives, devolve the dangerous honour of conducting this laft, this dread appeal?

To the virtue, the wisdom, the valour, and the fortitude, of your immortal WASHINGTON---to the Hero, who was at once the fword and buckler of his country, was the momentous truft confided.

To him was affigned the defence of our hearths and our altars---the protection of our women and children ---and the prefervation of all that was dear to freemen, our national honour.

How well, how faithfully, the facred trust was difcharged, let the fplendid and important fcenes of feven years conflict proclaim to an admiring world.

Impreffed by a perfect fenfe of the high refponfibility attached to his exalted ftation, and confcious of the pre-eminence in toil and danger to which he was called, he yielded implicit obedience to the fummons---and, refigning the utmost enjoyment of domestic felicity, he was folely devoted to those duties, which involved the fafety and happiness of his country.

Repairing to the immediate theatre of military operation, in the vicinity of Bofton, he inftantly communicated to the patriotic bands of New-England, that spirit of confidence, which was the refult of his prefence, and that obfervance of order, which was effential to effective force.

The extraordinary fpectacle was exhibited, of a veteran army invested by the hafty levies of a people, whom it had been fent to coerce, and of that army indignantly expelled the land, which it had been commiffioned to fubdue.

This great event, which was to fome the termination of their toil, and the period of their danger, was to him but the renewal of equal labours, the commencement of more anxious cares.

The invading army, ftrengthened by a vaft acceffion of force, and supported by a powerful marine, refumed its operations; and, under leaders of diftinguished bravery and talents, extended its menace to the entire fubjugation of our country.

Succefs, correfpondent to these immense preparations, was for a feafon obtained.

The firm, but unavailing, efforts of our intrepid Chief were reftrained to defenfive measures. Yet the hopes of America were repofed on that skilful policy, which he adopted to protract the war---and on that confummate prudence, by which he gave to defence the highest advantages, of which it was fufceptible.

The retreat from Long-Ifland, which excited the astonishment, and extorted the praise of his enemy, will pass to pofterity as a confummation in the art of war.

While the victorious enterprise of Trenton, and the fuccessful attack at Princeton, will be commemorated as the restoration of public confidence, and the rescue of our declining cause.

Where is the war-worn foldier, whofe ebbing pulfe does not beat high at these remembrances!

Where is the emulous and gallant youth, who does not thence anticipate his own achievements in his country's caufe!

Advancing to meet the incurfion of a powerful army, he encountered their force at the Brandywine--where his gallant troops, though confident in the conduct, and animated by the example of their heroic leader, were compelled to refign, to difcipline and numbers, the hard won honours of the field.

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