No villain," said he, "has ever escaped me before; and he would not, had it not been for my confined situation."

Some blood was seen on his face, and he was asked whether he had been much injured?

"No," said he, "I am not much hurt; but, in endeavoring to rise, I have wounded my side, which now pains me more than it did."

About this time, one of the citizens of Alexandria, who had heard of the outrage, addressed the General, and said: “Sir, if you will pardon me, in case I am tried and convicted, I will kill Randolph, for this insult to you, in fifteen minutes ?"*

"No, Sir," said the President, "I cannot do that. I want no man to stand between me and my assailants, and none to take revenge on my account. Had I been prepared for this cowardly villain's approach, I can assure you all, that he would never have the temerity to undertake such a thing again."

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The spirits of the whole party had been much affected by this outrage; no one could think or talk of any thing else; and it seemed that the sacred errand which the President was proceeding upon would be defeated. But, after the steamer had got under way from the fort, and after the report of the last cannon, fired as a salute in honor of the Chief Magistrate, had died away, some one exclaimed, "We are approaching, and shall soon be at Mount Vernon." Upon this the pulse of every heart on board was quickened, and every eye was turned toward the beautiful promontory, which projects into the river; and upon the sacred mansion (which is situated upon the highest part of it) where once dwelt the father of his country. The band played a funeral dirge as we passed his tomb, and then the steamer lay to for some time, and a small boat was seen gliding to the shore, bearing two gentlemen of the party, who landed on the plantation, and ascended the hill to the mansion. But few on board knew the object of the delay. In a few moments, however, they returned to the boat with three ladies, the descendants of Washington, and the residents of Mount Vernon, who had agreed to honor the occasion with their company. Upon reaching the deck of the steamer, they were introduced to General Jackson, when each presented him with a bunch of flowers culled from the garden which had been cultivated by the hands of the immortal Washington. This incident dispelled the gloom occasioned by the outrage already related, and the remainder of the passage was pleasant and agreeable.

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"The President was met at Potomac creek, nine miles from Fredericksburgh, by the Monument committee, and a long concourse of gentlemen on horseback, who escorted him to the heights north of Fredericksburgh, from whence was an extensive view of the beautiful and fertile valley of the Rappahannock, of the city itself, which is delightfully situated upon the south bank of the river, and likewise of the numerous and splendid country seats in the vicinity of the city. The view from this spot was grand and imposing beyond description. Here the President was met by several companies in uniform, under the command of Major Patten,

* It has been well remarked, that this proposal was more insulting than the assault.

and conducted in an elegant open carriage, through the principal streets in the city, to Doctor Wallace's, whose hospitable mansion was thrown open to him, as were the dwellings of all the members of the committee. and of the citizens, to the invited guests and numerous strangers then assembled. The kind, hospitable manner in which the citizens received and entertained their guests and friends, made an indelible impression upon all, and will long be remembered with gratitude."

On Tuesday the seventh, the day fixed upon for the ceremony, the city, at an early hour, was crowded to overflowing. At 10 o'clock, a procession was formed by the marshals of the day, and moved to the site of the monument. On the arrival of the column on the ground where repose the remains of the mother of Washington, a detachment of cavalry wheeled to the left and formed outside of the green. The infantry were formed in line on the left, and the strangers and citizens formed a square, within which the President and heads of department, the Masonic societies, and the ladies and relatives of the Washington family, the architect, the committee, marshals, mayor and common council, occupied the space about the monument. The spectacle was grand and imposing; all seemed desirous of approaching as near as possible, in order to witness the ceremony. After an appropriate prayer from the Rev. E. C. M'Guire, an eloquent address was delivered by Mr. Bassett, one of the members of the monumental committee.

To this address, the President made a reply, distinguished for its chaste and appropriate character; a specimen of finished and touching eloquence that would have done honor to any statesman or orator that our country has produced. It was delivered with deep feeling, and listened to by all with proud attention. Upon concluding it, the President deposited a plate, with a suitable inscription, in the place intended for it, and then the stone was laid, and the procession returned in the same order to the town-hall.

"The day was concluded with a ball in the evening. The attention shown the venerable guest of Virginia by the citizens of the old dominion, furnished a striking illustration of the proverbial hospitality and generosity of that people. The deepest abhorrence was manifested and expressed by all at the attempt made at Alexandria to deprive them of the President's promised visit, to perform the patriotic and sacred rite which he had been invited to pay to the mother of Washington.

"On the day following, at noon, the procession was again formed, and the President was escorted to the high grounds north of the city, where he was first met by the procession. A line was formed by the military. and he reviewed the troops. From thence he was attended by the committee and marshals to the Potomac creek, where he embarked for Washington. On his return, and before the boat arrived at Mount Vernon, the ladies from that place gave a pressing and earnest invitation to him, and the heads of department, and the others in his company, to land and pay a visit to the tomb of Washington, which he reluctantly declined for want of time, it being then near sundown. After landing the ladies, the boat soon reached Alexandria, where a national salute

was fired, and the citizens having assembled on the piers, welcomed the President's return by loud and repeated cheering.

"On reaching the city of Washington, a large concourse of citizens had assembled on the wharf. The mayor and common council waited upon the President in the cabin; and the mayor, General Van Ness, delivered a spirited and feeling address to the President, expressing his regret, as also that of the citizens of Washington generally, at the wanton and dastardly attack made on the person of the Chief Magistrate ; to which, and to the resolutions of the citizens of Washington on the same subject, which had been read by Colonel Gardner, the President made a reply in his peculiarly happy style, and then left the boat with the mayor and common council; and on landing he was cheered by the citizens until he reached his house."

The war, which had long been waged along our western frontiers, having ended in the capture of many of the hostile Indians, it was thought advisable to retain the Chief Black Hawk and his son, together with the Prophet and his son, as hostages. On their arrival at Washington, they waited on the President to receive his orders. The interview was friendly and satisfactory.

The judicious plan, which has been recently carried into execution, of conveying to these sons of the forest an idea of the resources and population of our country, by means of showing to them some of the principal cities of the Union, has been justly commended.

On Thursday, the 6th day of June, 1833, President Jackson set out on his journey to New England, accompanied by the Hon. Martin Van Buren, the Vice-President; Mr. McLane, Secretary of State; Governor Cass, Secretary of War; and Major Donaldson, Private Secretary. The President was welcomed at Baltimore with every demonstration of respect, by a large concourse of citizens. He left Baltimore on Saturday in the steam-boat Kentucky. On his passage, he stopped about twenty minutes at Chesapeake city, while the barges were preparing to proceed through the canal. At Delaware city, the President and suite were received into the Ohio, and at New-Castle they disembarked with military salutes, where the President was received by Governor Bennett of the State, and committees and delegates from Wilmington and all the towns in the vicinity. Again they embarked amid the salutes of the guns, "the streamers waving in the wind," and the shouts of the applauding multitudes. Long before his arrival, every convenient spot in and around the navy yard was densely thronged with anxious spectators. About five o'clock the President landed under a national salute, and was cheered with the oft repeated plaudits of the people. His onward progress was marked by the repeated congratulations of the citizens. When he had reached the hotel, he showed himself from one of the windows, and was again received with enthusiasm.

The public reception of the President at Philadelphia, took place on Monday. At an early hour the city was alive with the bustle of extensive preparation, and the streets through which the procession was to pass grew populous as he approached. From nine until twelve o'clock, the President remained at the State House to receive the compliments of

his fellow-citizens. At the latter hour he proceeded on horseback to Arch-street, where he reviewed the military. The President was dressed in a suit of deep black, and passed along a great portion of the route with his hat off. The appearance of the military who assembled to an immense number, was imposing and effective. Towards five o'clock the procession reached the City Hotel, and the President alighted, evidently gratified with a reception at once so respectful and so general.

The next day, the President embarked on board the People's Line steam-boat Philadelphia; she moved off from the wharf, and a salute of twenty-one guns announced the departure of the President on his northern tour. He stopped for about twenty minutes at Burlington, and thence crossed over to Bristol, whence he proceeded to Bordentown. After a short delay in this place, he next proceeded to Lamberton, where he took carriage for Trenton. Here he dined, and soon after passed on to Princeton, where he spent the night. The next morning he proceeded in a carriage to New Brunswick, and thence to Perth Amboy.

Having spent half an hour at Amboy, he went on board the North America, and was received with proper honors by the company, with whom he dined. On passing the Narrows, salutes were fired from forts Hamilton and La Fayette. The General took his station on the upper quarter deck, where he appeared to be highly delighted with the beautiful appearance of the bay, harbor, and fortifications. Salutes were fired by vessels of various nations; three steamers, elegantly decorated, and crowded with passengers, attended the North America all the way, and, on approaching the city, numerous steam and sail boats were plying about the river, which, with the crowds of men and women in the Castle and Battery, and on the housetops in the neighborhood, gave to the whole scene a singular brilliancy of effect.

On Saturday, the President and his suite embarked from New York, and arrived at New Haven, at about three in the afternoon. Having passed through Newport, Providence and Dedham, the President arrived on the 21st of June, at Roxbury, where he was very handsomely received. He arrived in Boston the same afternoon, and was greeted by an immense concourse of citizens. On Wednesday, he visited Cambridge, where the degree of LL. D. was conferred on him by the President of Harvard University. From Cambridge he passed with his suite to Charlestown, accompanied by the Governor and other officers of State.

On Thursday, June 27, the President passed through Lynn, Salem, Marblehead, and Andover, to Lowell. He had intended to proceed as far north as Portland, but on reaching Concord, N. H., he found that his strength would not enable him to undergo a repetition of the labors which the various engagements he had made, would require of him. He was therefore under the necessity of giving up his journey, and returning to Washington. He would have found it impossible to have borne up so long under the fatigue of exchanging salutations and greetings with so many thousands of his fellow citizens, but for the animation inspired by their enthusiastic kindness.

SKETCHES OF THE PRESIDENTS.*

THE rapid growth of this people has been the wonder of the world; but the causes of this growth have been overlooked or misunderstood. It has vaguely been attributed to their freedom; yet the aborigines were freer than they have been; and what did they do for the advancement of national prosperity? The secret of their growth has been the development of their civil institutions; the seeds of which they brought from their native land. They have grown up without fetters. The very independence of this people was a living principle in them, when they first reached these inhospitable shores; and in the fulness of time it burst into a flame. In all their reasonings they united the government of man with the government of God, and insisted that the ruler over men should be just, ruling in the fear of God. The history of the colonies is full of their wise sayings and doings, but I have not time to draw your attention to any portion of it; at this moment my remarks will be principally confined to the current events, and to living men; but occasionally shall take a limited retrospection. It has often been remarked that elected rulers have not been as good as hereditary ones; and the history of Great Britain is quoted as proving it. That the House of Lords have been, and still are, a highly honorable body, no one will deny : and that it contains many true patriots is very certain; but I should doubt very much whether, at any time, it contained so much practical talent, and mental activity, as the House of Commons. The whole of the rulers in the United States are virtually elected directly by the people, or selected by those they have elected for that purpose. The seven Presidents that have ruled over the United States since 1789, is a proof that a man must have some rare qualifications to induce the great mass of the people to give their votes for him. He must have some strong hold of their affections for services rendered, or have given proofs of powers from which great services may hereafter be expected, who ventures to think of being President of the United States.

Those who have held this office have been men of distinction. The first can never be equalled, because he lived in an age that can never return; and circumstances gave him opportunities for exertions that no man ever had before him, or can have after him. He was raised up for the times. He was a warrior of that peculiar cast that such a struggle demanded. He inspired his followers with confidence in his capacity

* The connected view of the several Presidents of the United States, given in this paper, seems an appropriate sequel to the detailed account of their lives and services. It exhibits all the likenesses on the same canvass, so that we can compare and contrast them. For this article we have been indebted to Robertson's Sketches of Public Cha racters, a very interesting volume, from the pen of a popular writer.