CALLED to the unaccustomed task of publicly addressing you, and led by a regard for the true inter­ests of this community, I solicit your attention to a few of the reflections, which the event we are assem­bled to commemorate and those interests are calcu­lated to excite.

The formation of a permanent and well ordered state of Society, is deservedly considered among the highest objects which can engage the enquiry and exer­tions of mankind. On the existence of such a state, the individual and the social improvement and happi­ness of man essentially and invariably depend. In that state only, are the duties resulting from the various rela­tions which its several members bear to each other, and which all bear to the whole, clearly understood and faithfully observed. It is this which guarantees the unmolested enjoyment of property, of liberty, and of life; with the unnumbered blessings which these lead in their train. It is this which guards under its pro­tecting [Page 6] wings, those religious institutions formed to shed the most benign influence on all the powers and conditions of man—assimilate him to the character of his maker and secure the anticipation and the future possession of unmeasurable joys. A society securing these inestimable blessings, affords a remedy to all the moral, and renders impotent, all the natural evils to which mankind are exposed; and supplying its vari­ous members with their full measure of improvement and of happiness, exhibits, not merely an appearance but in reality, a miniature of Heaven.

To introduce and establish on solid foundations, this state of society, have the labors of the wisest and best of men, in every age, been anxiously exerted.— For this great end, have all the real instructors of mankind labored, in developing the nature and urg­ing the practice, of the duties resulting from such a state; for enforcing a compliance with these duties, have government and laws been established, and bands unnumbered waded thro' seas of blood, to hurl the proud violaters of them from their seats.

Foremost in the accomplishment of this all-interesting object, stands the founder of this wide extended em­pire, the beloved the venerated WASHINGTON, whose departure has called forth the solemnities of this day: At the sound of whose name, rush into the mind the overwhelming ideas of all that is astonishing­ly [Page 7] great, and attractively amiable in the human cha­racter, and all that is extensively beneficent and god­like in human conduct. A mind of the largest and clearest perception, improved by industry and experi­ence unparalleled, concentrating the noblest excellencies of our nature, uniting the tenderest mildness with firm­ness immovable, the coolest prudence with invincible and daring fortitude, the most commanding dignity with modesty unequalled, ardent affection for his fa­mily and friends, with unextinguishable love for his country, and benevolence embracing the whole human race, founded on an assemblage of virtues which has adorned and astonished the world. The dignity of our nature unstained with its vices and its weaknesses, in him shone with unrivalled lustre. In him, virtue accompanied by the largest intelligence was uniform­ly exhibited in public and in private, in scenes the most various, trying and important. In him was it exhibited, diffusing itself in beneficence through the world, spreading innumerable blessings through our country, conveyed to every state and to every town; fostering the happiness of every family, and shedding on the head of every individual, the dews of a father's blessing.

Such was the illustrious personage whose departure has wrung every American heart with anguish, and [Page 8] calls forth, throughout the world, the bursting sigh from every virtuous bosom—Such the personage that founded American freedom, was the pervading soul in the formation and in the guidance of our govern­ment, and in the establishment of the happiness and the glory of our empire. When the thunder of war roared round our shores—when the vengeance of a most powerful and incenced foe flashed its lightnings to blast our infant bands, with all we held dear, in one common ruin—when slavery armed with its train of agonies, flew to seize the existing and unborn millions of his countrymen for its victims—strong in love for his country, and leaning on the God of battles, he braved the mighty tempest, and fought through toils and hosts unnumbered, our path to victory, independ­ence and peace. Had a mind less vast, a heart less sound, an arm less powerful, a character less glorious, constituted our leader—had less than WASHING­TON been our chief, the sun of victory had never beamed on the American arms—and this wide extend­ed empire, which, notwithstanding its declensions, is still the glory of the world and the favorite of heaven, had now been writhing under the lash of a foreign master, or swept away in ruin by that wide-wasting war which has so long tempested the European world. From these miseries, from this destruction, victory, [Page 9] guided by his arm, delivered us—severed the ties which bound us to Europe—placed us on the high ground of national sovereignty, and deposited in our hands the largest means ever given to man, for attaining to na­tional glory and happiness. A numerous people, in­habiting a wide extent of territory, yielding the richest and most various productions, and formed by na­ture for the most intimate union—remote from the broils of Europe—subject to no master on earth— compared with the rest of mankind, singularly en­lightened and virtuous, and glowing with all the fire of freedom—such was our character, such the situa­tion in which he had placed us, when he withdrew from the field of victory to his favorite retirement, enthroned in the hearts of his country, and crowned with the applauses of an admiring world.

But scarcely had the noise of battle ceased—scarce­ly had this new-born empire began to taste the sweets of existence and rejoice in the beams of peace— scarcely had this illustrious father of his country rest­ed from his toils, when the frenzied spirit of dissen­tion burst forth, and spread among a people thus great and thus greatly blessed, with rapid and deadly progress. In the short period of time which elapsed from the commencement of peace to the establish­ment [Page 10] of our present constitution of government▪ were the baleful effects of this spirit deeply and widely ex­perienced. A destruction of public and private con­fidence—a general prostration of morals—convulsions which shook the first states of the Union to their cen­tre—the bands of our union and government dissolv­ing, and all our dearest interests hastening to their extinction, were the existing effects of this dissen­tion—effects rapidly plunging us into complete wretch­edness among ourselves, and sinking our name into a proverb, a hissing, and a bye-word through the world.

Let us, without prejudice, more minutely examine this spirit of dissention, not as existing in this or that particular party, but as invariably existing in all par­ties. Has it not the most malignant influence on the individual, as well as the national character and hap­piness of man? Warping and contracting his mind by invincible prejudices, does it not incapaciate him for the perception of truth, and lead him to embrace for truth the wildest and most ruinous errors? Lead him to approve and support as right all the acts of his party, however wrong and destructive? To condemn, to thwart every opposite act, however advantageous and important? Does not this spirit empoison the [Page 11] noblest affections of his heart? Instead of inspiring him with love to his neighbours and exciting endea­vors for their happiness, does it not lead him to regard and secretly to treat them, if not of his party, as his declared enemies, the enemies of his country and of human happiness? To misrepresent their best actions, or attribute them to the vilest of motives. Do not these feelings and practices, cherished by indulgence and strengthened by habit, generate in his heart, the fell spirit of revenge as the settled principle of his conduct towards them? Infuriated by this passion, what but want of power restrains him from plunging the dagger of death into their bosoms?

To what lengths had this dissention carried us, had not the establishment of our present government re­strained its career? What had been our condition, as a state, composed of such individuals, of such feinds as its members? What our condition as a combina­tion of states, with their several legislatures frenzied with the same passions and armed with power to wreak the full force of them upon the property, peace, happiness, and existence of each other? Had not our victory over a foreign foe been worse than death? Our Independence, if it could, under such circumstances, have existed, worse than the heaviest foreign bondage? [Page 12] Had not our liberty, transformed to anarchy, proved the deadliest curse heaven could inflict? Had it not prostrated our national sovereignty with all our darling privileges at the feet of the first foreign invader? Or deluged this country in the blood of her sons, stream­ing from the murderous hands of each other?

To rescue us from this gulph into which we were then rapidly precipitating ourselves, the impress­ive example, the comprehensive wisdom, the all com­manding love of WASHINGTON, strengthened by his enlightened and virtuous compatriots, were called forth into the most anxious and vigorous exertions. By these exertions were the interesting principles on which our individual and national existence and happiness invariably depend, unfolded and established in our minds. By these exertions, was brought home to our bosoms, an irresistible conviction of the necessity of burying our dissentions, of uniting every heart, of bracing every arm in the establishment and support of an energetic government; a government commensu­rate to the extent of the territory, the foreign and internal relations, and the character of the people, of our country. Was not the necessity of this govern­ment evidenced by the highest authorities, and its adoption and support, urged by every consideration most interesting to the human mind? Had not the word of God, the experience of ages, and our then [Page 13] affecting experience demonstrated such imperfection in men, as evinced that they have not as individuals suffi­cient knowledge to discern, much less sufficient virtue voluntarily to practice the duties which they owe to each other, and to the community of which they are members? Had not the same authorities and the strongest dictates of reason equally demonstrated that society cannot exist in any state, much less, in an im­proved and happy state, if these duties are unknown, or when known, violated and contemned. That there­fore a government possessed of wisdom to unfold these duties in its laws, and of power sufficient to enforce the observance of them, becomes indispensably necessary to social existence and happiness. That the necessity of such a government must invariably continue, until the propensities to vice are annihilated, by a general re­novation of the human character; and that every pro­ject for lessening the coercive power of this government, and of encreasing the individual liberty of a people, not founded on that renovation of character as its basis, is visionary and destructive?

To unite and animate our exertions in the formation of a government of this description, calculated to save us equally as individuals and as a people, from ruin, and to secure to us all the interests most dear to our hearts, did this illustrious character, not less our pre­server than deliverer, seconded by his enlightened and [Page 14] virtuous associates, call up to our view every consider­ation most interesting and important—That if we va­lued that victory, for which our fathers, our brethren, and ourselves had toiled and bled—and if we valued our Independence, the inestimable fruit of that victory; if we valued the full tide of blessings which nature and art were pouring in upon us; if we valued the real enjoyment of that liberty which we held most dear— if we valued our religious institutions, the highest blessings heaven could confer, and which were equally with every other mean of our happiness, sinking in the general wreck of our country, these immense consid­erations called on us to pluck the spirit of discord from our bosoms, sheath the sword of party, banish jealou­sies, unite as a band of brothers, and, by a vigorous exertion, erect a government inspired with wisdom, and clothed with power, to save, extend, and perpe­tuate the happiness, the greatness and the glory of our empire.

On that union, on that exertion, the goodly frame of our government, under his forming hand, aided by the wise and virtuous of our country, and favoured by Heaven, has arisen; has been upheld, adorned and established, amid the unexampled convulsions which are rending the civilized world, still shields us in safe­ty and in happiness; and, unless we betray ourselves and posterity, will stand the admiration and blessing of future ages.

[Page 15]Do we weep that the feet of our WASHINGTON, the leading procurer of these inestimable blessings, have stumbled on the dark mountains of death? Does grief for our loss rend our bosoms? Are gratitude, venera­tion, and love for his character and services deep en­graven on our hearts? Let us evidence these senti­ments, not by idle tears, but by imitating the impress­ive example which he has left us, and improving the blessing bestowed. Let us practice as far as our circle extends, the virtues which shone with such lustre and beneficence in him. Let us bear in mind, that every motive which has been suggested, for extirpating dis­cord, strengthening the bands of our union, and up­holding our government, applies with redoubled force, to ourselves in particular. Let us eradicate from our hearts and our conduct, that vile spirit of party, for which we have become proverbial. Let us cherish the harmonizing principle of benevolence towards each other, an unqualified love for our country, a veneration and love for our invaluable civil and religious institu­tions, and a readiness to devote our obedience, our ta­lents, our fortunes, and our lives, for their support.