affections of its citizens, and command the respect of the world.

17. I dwell on this profpect with every fatisfaction which an ardent love for my country can inspire; fince there is no truth more thoroughly established than that there exists, in the economy and courfe of nature, an indiffoluble union between virtue and happiness; between duty and advantage; between the genuine maxims of an honeft and magnanimous policy, and the folid rewards of public profperity and felicity:

18. Since we ought to be no less perfuaded that the propitious fmiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that difregards the eternal rules of order and right, which heaven itself has ordained; and fince the preservation of the facred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican model of government, are justly confidered as DEEPLY, perhaps as FINALLY, ftaked on the experiment intrusted to the hands of the Ainerican people.

19. Befides the ordinary fubjects fubmitted to your care, it will remain with your judgment to decide, how far an exercise of the occafional power delegated by the fifth article of the conftitution is rendered expedient, at the prefent juncture, by the nature of objections which have been urged against the fyftem, or by the degree of inquietude which has given birth to them.

20. Instead of undertaking particular recommendations on this fubject, in which I could be guided by no lights derived from official opportunities, I fhall again give way to my entire confidence in your discernment and pursuit of the public good:

21. For I affure myself, that whilst you carefully avoid every alteration which might endanger the benefits of a united and effective government, or which ought to await the future leffons of experience; a reverence for the characteriftic rights of freemen, and a regard for the public harmony, will fufficiently influence your deliberations on the queftion how far the former can be more impregnably fortified, or the latter be fafely and advantageously promoted.

22. To the preceding obfervations I have one to add, which will be moft properly addreffed to the house of rep refentatives. It concerns myfelf, and will therefore be as

brief as poffible. When I was first honored with a call into the fervice of my country, then on the eve of an ardu ous ftruggle for its liberties, the light in which I contemplated my duty required that I should renounce every pecuniary compenfation.

23. From this refolution I have in no instance departed. And being still under the impreffions which produced it, I muft decline, as inapplicable to myfelf, any fhare in the personal emoluments which may be indifpenfably included in a permanent provifion for the executive department; and muft accordingly pray that the pecuniary estimates for the station in which I am placed, may, during my continuance in it, be limited to fuch actual expenditures as the public good may be thought to require.

24. Having thus imparted to you my fentiments, as they have been awakened by the occafion which brings us together, I fhall take my present leave ;

25. But not without reforting once more to the benign Parent of the human race, in humble fuppplication, that fince he has been pleased to favor the American people with opportunities for deliberating in perfect tranquillity, and difpofitions for deciding with unparalleled unanimity on a form of government for the fecurity of their union, and the advancement of their happiness;

26. So his divine bleffing may be equally confpicuous in the enlarged views, the temperate confultations, and the wife measures on which the fuccefs of this government must depend.

PRESIDENT WASHINGTON'S ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

1.

It is a legacy worthy fuch a father.-SHAKESPEARE.

FRIENDS and fellow citizens-The period for a new election of a citizen, to administer the executive gov ernment of the United States, being not far diftant, and the time actually arrived, when your thoughts must be em

ployed in defignating the perfon, who is to be clothed with that important truft, it appears to me proper, especially as it may conduce to a more diftinct expreffion of the public voice, that I fhould now apprise you of the resolution I have formed, to decline being confidered among the number of thofe, out of whom a choice is to be made.

2. I beg you, at the fame time, to do me the juftice to be affured, that this refolution has not been taken, without a ftrict regard to all the confiderations appertaining to the relation, which binds a dutiful citizen to his country; and that, in withdrawing the tender of fervice, which filence in my fituation might imply, I am influenced by no diminu tion of zeal for your future intereft; no deficiency of grateful respect for your past kindness: but am fupported by a full conviction that the step is compatible with both.

3. The acceptance of, and continuance hitherto in the office to which your fuffrages have twice called me, have been a uniform facrifice of inclination to the opinion of duty, and to a deference for what appeared to be your defire. I conftantly hoped, that it would have been much earlier in my power confiftently with motives, which I was not at liberty to difregard, to return to that retirement, from which I had been reluctantly drawn.

4. The ftrength of my inclination to do this, previous to the last election, had even led to the preparation of an addrefs to declare it to you; but mature reflection on the then perplexed and critical pofture of affairs with foreign nations, and the unanimous advice of perfons entitled to my confidence, impelled me to abandon the idea.

5. I rejoice that the state of your concerns external as well as internal, no longer renders the purfuit of inclination incompatible with the fentiment of duty, or propriety and am perfuaded whatever partiality may be retained for my fervice, that in the prefent circumstances of our country, you will not disapprove my determination to retire.

6. The impreffions with which I first undertook the arduous truft, were explained on the proper occafion. In the discharge of this truft, I will only fay, that I have with good intentions, contributed towards the organization and adminiftration of the government, the best exertions of which a very fallible judgment was capable.

E

7. Not unconscious, in the outfet, of the inferiority of my qualifications, experience in my own eyes, perhaps still more in the eyes of others, has ftrengthened the motives to diffidence of myself; and every day the increafing weight of years admonishes me more and more, that the fhade of retirement is as necessary to me as it will be welcome.

8. Satisfied that if any circumstances have given peculiar value to my fervices, they were temporary, I have the confolation to believe, that while choice and prudence invite me to quit the political scene, patriotism does not forbid it.

9. In looking forward to the moment, which is intend ed to terminate the career of my public life, my feelings do not permit me to fufpend the deep acknowledgment of that debt of gratitude which I owe to my beloved country, for the many honors it has conferred on me ;

10. Still more for the steadfast confidence with which it has fupported me; and for the opportunities I have thence enjoyed of manifefting my inviolable attachment, by services faithful and perfevering, though in usefulness unequal to my zeal.

11. If benefits have refulted to our country from these fervices, let it always be remembered to our praise, and as an instructive example in our annals, that under circumstances in which the paffions, agitated in every direction, were liable to mislead, amidst appearances sometimes dubi

ous;

12. Viciffitudes of fortune, often difcouraging in fitua tions, in which not unfrequently want of fuccefs has countenanced the spirit of criticifm-the conftancy of your support was the effential prop of the efforts, and a guarantee of the plans by which they were effected.

13. Profoundly penetrated with this idea, I fhall carry it with me to my grave, as a strong incitement to unceafing vows, that heaven may continue to you the choicest tokens of its beneficence-that your union and brotherly affection may be perpetual-that the free conftitution, which is the work of your hands, may be facredly maintained—that its administration in every department may be ftamped with wifdom and virtue

14. That, in fine, the happiness of the people of these states, under the auspices of liberty, may be made complete,

by so careful a preservation and so prudent a use of this bleffing, as will acquire to them the glory of recommending it to the applause, the affection, and adoption of every nation which is yet a stranger to it.

15. Here, perhaps, I ought to ftop. Put folicitude for your welfare, which cannot end but with my life, and the apprehenfion of danger, natural to that folicitude, urge me on an occafion like the present, to offer to your folemn contemplation, and to recommend to your frequent review, fome fentiments, which are the refult of much reflection, of no inconfiderable observation, and which appear to me all important to the permanency of your felicity as a people.

16. Thefe will be offered to you with the more freedom, as you can only feel in them the difinterested warnings of a parting friend, who can poffibly have no personal motive to bias his counfel. Nor can I forget, as an encouragement to it, your indulgent reception of my fentiments on a former and not diffimilar occafion.

17. Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is neceffary to fortify or confirm the attachment.

18. The unity of government which conftitutes you one people, is also now dear to you. It is justly fo; for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the fupport of your tranquillity at home, your peace abroad; of your fafety; of your profperity; of that very liberty which you fo highly prize.

19. But, as it is easy to foresee, that from different caufes and from different quarters, much pains will be taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;

20. As this is the point in your political fortrefs, against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be most constantly and actively, (though often covertly and infidiously) directed, it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immenfe value of your national union, to your collective and individual happiness;

21. That you should cherish a cordial, habitual and im- movable attachment to it; accuftoming yourfelves to think and fpeak of it as of the palladium of your political fafety and profperity, watching for its prefervation with jealous