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AGREEABLE to his wishes, two wealthly companies were soon formed to extend the navigation of James River and Potomac, the noblest rivers in Virginia. Struck with the exceeding benefit which both themselves and their country would speedily derive from a plan which he had not only suggested, but had 'taken such pains and expence to recommend, they pressed him to accept one hundred and fifty shares of the company's stock, amounting to near 40,000 dollars! But he instantly refused it, saying, "what will "the world think if they should hear that I have "taken 40,000 dollars for this affair? Will they not "be apt to suspect, on my next proposition, that mo66 ney is motive? Thus, for the sake of money, "which indeed I never coveted from my country, I 66 may lose the power to do her some service, which may be worth more than all money!!"

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BUT, while engaged in this goodly work, he was suddenly alarmed by the appearance of an evil, which threatened to put an end to all his well-meant labours for ever this was, the incipient dissolution of the federal government!! The framers of that fair but flimsy fabric, having put it together according to the square and compass of equal rights and mutual interests, thought they had done enough. The good sense and virtue of the nation, it was supposed, would form a foundation of rock whereon it would safely rest, in spite of all commotions, foreign or do mestic.

"BUT, alas!" said Washington, "experience has shown, that men, unless constrained, will seldom do what is for their own good. With joy I once beheld my country feeling the liveliest sense of her rights, and maintaining them with a spirit apportioned to their worth. With joy I have seen all the wise men of Europe looking on her with admiration, and all the good with hope, that her fair example would regenerate the old world, and restore the blessings of equal government to long oppressed HUMANITY. But alas! in place of maintaining this glorio s attitude,

America is herself rushing into disorder and dissolution. We have powers sufficient for self-defence and glory; but those powers are not exerted. For fear congress should abuse it, the people will not trust their power with congress. Foreigners insult and injure us with impunity; for congress has no power to chastise them.-Ambitious men stir up factions. Congress possesses no power to coerce them. Public creditors call for their money. Con

gress has no power to collect it. In short, we cannot long subsist as a nation, without lodging somewhere a power that may command the full energies of the nation for defence from all its enemies, and for the supply of all its wants. The people will soon be tired of such a government. They will sigh for a change and many of them already begin to talk of monarchy, without horror !"

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In this, as in all cases of apprehended danger, his pen knew no rest. The leading characters of the nation were roused: and a CONVENTION was formed, of deputies from the several states, to revise and amend the general government. Of this convention Washington was unanimously chosen president.Their session commenced in Philadelphia, May, 1787, and ended in October. The fruit of their six months labour was the present excellent CONSTITUTION, which was no sooner adopted, than the eyes of the whole nation were fixed on him for president.

BEING now in his 57th year, and wedded to his farm and family, he had no wish to enter again into the cares and dangers of public life. Ease was now become almost as necessary as it was dear to him. His reputation was already at the highest ; and as to money, in the service of his country he had always refused it. These things considered, together with his acknowledged modesty and disinterestedness, we can hardly doubt the correctness of his declaration, that, "the call to the magistracy was the most unwelcome he had ever heard.”

HOWEVER, as soon as it was officially notified to him, in the spring of 1789, that he was unanimously elected President of the United States, and that Congress, then sitting in New-York, was impatient to see him in the chair, he set out for that city. Then all along the roads where he passed, were seen the most charming proofs of that enthusiasm with which the hearts of all delighted to honour him. If it was only said, "General Washington is coming," it was enough. The inhabitants all hastened from their houses to the highways, to have a sight of their great countryman; while the people of the towns, hearing of his approach, sallied out, horse and foot, to meet him. In eager throngs, men, women, and children pressed upon his steps, as waves in crowding ridges pursue the course of a ship through the ocean. And as a new succession of waves is ever ready to take the place of those which have just ended their chase in playful foam, so it was with the ever-gathering crowds that followed their Washington.

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"On reaching the western banks of Schuylkill," said a gentleman who was present, "I was astonished at the concourse of people that overspread the country, apparently from Gray's ferry to the city.. In"deed one would have thought that the whole popu“lation of Philadelphia was come out to meet him. “And to see so many thousands of people on foot, 66 on horseback, and in coaches, all voluntarily wait"ing upon and moving along with one man, struck "me with strangely agreeable sensations. Surely, "thought I, there must be a divinity in goodness, that mankind should thus delight to honour it.".

His reception at Trenton was more than fattering. It was planned, they said, by the ladies, and indeed bore marks that it could have been done only by them. The reader must remember, that it was near this place that the fair sex in '76 suffered such cruel indignities from the enemy; and that it was here that Providence in the same year enabled Washing N

ton so severely to chastise them for it. The women are not apt to forget their benefactors. Hearing that Washington was on his way to Trenton, they instantly held a caucus among themselves, to devise ways and means to display their gratitude to him. Under their direction, the bridge over the Sanpink, (a narrow creek running through Trenton, upon whose opposite banks Washington and the British once fought,) was decorated with a triumphal arch, with this inscription in large figures:

DECEMBER 26, 1776.

THE HERO WHO DEFENDED THE MO THERS, WILL ALSO PROTECT THE DAUGHTERS.

He approached the bridge on its south side, amidst the heartiest shouts of congratulating thousands; while on the north side were drawn up several hundreds of little girls, dressed in snow-white robes, with temples adorned with garlands, and baskets of flowers on their arms. Just behind them stood long rows of young virgins, whose fair faces, of sweetest red and white, highly animated by the occasion, looked quite angelic and, behind them, in crowds, stood their venerable nothers. As Washington slowly drove off the bridge, the female voices all began, sweet as the first wakings or the Eolian harp and thus they rolled the song:

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"Welcome, mighty chief! once more
"Welcome to this grateful shore.

"Now no mercenary foe

"Aims again the fatal blow,

"Aims at thee the fatal blow.

"Virgins fair, and matrons grave,
"(These thy conquering arm did save!)
"Build for thee triumphal bowers.
"Strew, ye fair, his way with flowers;
"Strew your hero's way with flowers."

WHILE singing the last lines, they strewed the way with flowers before him.

SOME have said that they could see in his altered looks, that he remembered the far different scenes of '76; for that they saw him wipe a tear. No doubt 'twas the sweet tear of gratitude to him who had preserved him to see this happy day.

AT New-York the behaviour of the citizens was equally expressive of the general veneration and esteem. The ships in the harbour were all dressed in their flags and streamers; and the wharves where he landed were richly decorated. At the water's edge he was received by an immense concourse of the joyful citizens; and, amidst the mingled thunder of guns and acclamations, was conducted to his lodgings. Such honours would have intoxicated most men: but to a mind like his, habitually conversant with the far sublimer subjects of the Christian philosophy, they must have looked quite puerile. Indeed it appears from a note made in his journal that very evening, that he regarded all these marks of public favour rather as calls to humility than pride. "The "display of boats on this occasion," says he, "with "vocal and instrumental music on board, the deco"rations of the ships, the roar of cannon, and the "loud acclamations of the people, as I passed along "the wharves, gave me as much pain as pleasure, " contemplating the probable reverse of this scene "after all my endeavours to do good."

It was on the 23d of April, 1789, that he arrived in New-York: and on the 30th, after taking the oath, as president of the United States, to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution, he entered upon the duties of his office.

As things then stood, even his bitterest enemies, if he had any, might have said, "happy man be his dole!" for he came to the helm in a perilous and fearful season. Like chaos," in the olden time," our government was" without form and void: and darkness dwelt upon the face of the deep." Enemies innumerable threatened

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