Jay, and Henry Laurens, were appointed. These commissioners met Mr. Fitzherbert and Mr. Oswald, on the part of Great Britain, at Paris, and provisional articles of peace between the two countries were signed, November 30th, 1782. The definitive treaty was signed on the 30th of September, 1783.

Although the definitive treaty was not signed until September, there had been no act of hostility between the two armies, and a state of peace had actually existed from the commencement of the year 1783. A formal proclamation of the cessation of hostilities was made through the army on the 19th of April, Savannah was evacuated in July, New-York in November, and Charleston in the following month.

Sec. 105. The third of November was fixed upon by congress, for disbanding the army of the United States. On the day previous, Washington issued his farewell orders, and bid an affectionate adieu to the soldiers, who had fought and bled by his side.

After mentioning the trying times through which he had passed, and the unexampled patience which, under every circumstance of suffering, his army had evinced, he passed to the glorious prospects opening before them and their country and then bade them adieu in the following words: "Being now to conclude these his last public orders, to take his ultimate leave in a short time of the military character, and to bid a final adieu to the armies he has so long had the honor to command, he can only again offer in their be half, his recommendations to their grateful country, and his prayer to the God of armies.

"May ample justice be done them here, and may the choicest favor, both here and hereafter, attend those, who, under the divine auspices, have secured innumerable blessings for others! With these wishes, and this benediction, the commander in chief is about to retire from service. The

curtain of separation will soon be drawn, and the military scene to him will be closed for ever."

Sec. 106. Soon after taking leave of the army, Gen. Washington was called to the still nore painful hour of separation from his officers, greatly endeared to him by a long series of common sufferings and dangers.

The officers having previously assembled in New-York for the purpose, General Washington now joined them, and calling for a glass of wine, thus addressed them: "With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take my leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy, as your former ones have been glorious and honorable."

Having thus affectionately addressed them, he now took each by the hand and bade him farewell. Followed by them to the side of the Hudson, he entered a barge, and, while tears rolled down his cheeks, he turned towards the companions of his glory, and bade them a silent adieu.

Sec. 107. December 23, Washington appeared in the hall of congress, and resigned to them the commission which they had given him, as commander in chief of the armies of the United States.

After having spoken of the accomplishment of his wishes. and exertions, in the independence of his country, and commended his officers and soldiers to congress, he concluded as follows:

"I consider it an indispensable duty to close the 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 my leave of all the employments of public life."

Sec. 108. Upon accepting his commission, congress, through their president, expressed in glowing language to Washington, their high sense of

his wisdom and energy, in conducting the war to so happy a termination, and invoked the choicest blessings upon his future life.

President Mifflin concluded as follows: "We join you in commending the interest of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, beseeching HIM to dispose the hearts and minds of its citizens to improve the opportunity afforded them of becoming a happy and respectable nation. And for you, we address to HIM our earnest prayers, that a life so beloved, may be fostered with all His care; that your days may be as happy as they have been illustrious; and that He will finally give you that reward which this world cannot give."

A profound silence now pervaded the assembly. The grandeur of the scene, the recollection of the past, the felicity of the present, and the hopes of the future, crowded fast upon all, while they united in invoking blessings upon the man, who, under God, had achieved so much, and who now, in the character of a mere citizen, was hastening to a long desired repose at his seat, at Mount Vernon, in Virginia.

NOTES.

Sec. 109. MANNERS. At the commencement of the revolution, the colonists of America were a mass of husbandmen, merchants, mechanics, and fishermen, who were occupied in the ordinary avocations of their respective callings, and were entitled to the appellation of a sober, honest, and industrious set of people. Being, however, under the control of a country, whose jealousies were early and strongly enlisted against them, and which, therefore, was eager to repress every attempt, on their part, to rise, they had comparatively little scope or encouragement for exertion and enterprise.

But, when the struggle for independence be

gan, the case was altered. New fields for exertion were opened, and new and still stronger im· pulses actuated their bosoms. A great change

was suddenly wrought in the American people, and a vast expansion of character took place. Those who were before only known in the humble sphere of peaceful occupation, soon shone forth in the cabinet or in the field, fully qualified to cope with the trained generals and statesmen of Europe.

But, although the revolution caused such an expansion of character in the American people, and called forth the most striking patriotism among all classes, it introduced, at the same time, greater looseness of manners and morals. An army always carries deep vices in its train, and communicates its corruption to society around it. Besides this, the failure of public credit so far put it out of the power of individuals to perform private engagements, that the breach of them became common, and, at length, was scarcely disgraceful. That high sense of integrity, which had extensively existed before, was thus exchanged for more loose and slippery notions of honesty and honor.

On the whole, says Dr. Ramsay, who wrote soon after the close of this period, "the literary, political, and military talents of the United States, have been improved by the revolution, but their moral character is inferior to what it formerly was. So great is the change for the worse," continues he, "that the friends of public order are loudly called upon to exert their utmost abilities, in extirpating the vicious principles and habits which have taken deep root during the late convulsions."

Sec. 110. RELIGION. During the revolution, the colonies being all united in one cause-a congress being assembled from all parts of Ame

rica and more frequent intercourse between different parts of the country being promoted by the shifting of the armies-local prejudices and sectarian asperities were obliterated; religious controversy was suspended; and bigotry softened. That spirit of intolerance, which had marked some portions of the country, was near. ly done away.

But, for these advantages, the revolution brought with it great disadvantages to religion in general. The atheistical philosophy, which had been spread over France, and which would involve the whole subject of religion in the gloomy mists of scepticism-which acknowledges no distinction between right and wrong, and cousiders a future existence as a dream, that may or may not be realized-was thickly sown in the American army, by the French; and, uniting with the infidelity, which before had taken root in the country, produced a serious declension in the tone of religious feelings, among the American people.

In addition to this, religious institutions, during the war, were much neglected; churches were demolished, or converted into barracks; public worship was often suspended; and the clergy suffered severely, from the reduction of their salaries, caused by the depreciation of the circulating medium.

During the

Sec. 111. TRADE AND COMMERCE. war of the revolution, the commerce of the United States was interrupted, not only with Great Britain, but, in a great measure, with the rest of the world. The greater part of the shipping, belonging to the country, was destroyed by the enemy, or perished by a natural process of decay.

Our coasts were so lined with British cruisers, as to ren