Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-09-22

WOTks in INC vi vi VIC
proach, and in the evening number OF
sky-rockets were discharged in honor OF
the occasion.
The whole scene was no less interest
ing than novel. and has made impressions
on those who witnessed it, that time will
not readily effsce.
Yesterday, at IL O'Clock, agreeabiy to
the previous arrangement, the mayor OIL
the City of Washington, and the mem
bers of the boards of Aldermen ant OF
Common Council waited on the presiden;
aud Benjamin G. Orr, esq. the mayor,
presented to him, in behalf of the City,
the following address:
Mr. President:
Your feIlow-ci liens and neighbors
canno, receive you amongst them after
the iute esting and useful tour you have
taken, without using the occasion 10 de
monstrate their high respect and attach
ment.
The people, sir, in their undivided and
unrestrafned honors to their chief mdgis-
tratc, have not only dcne justice TO Il C.
rit, but have done more, they have
| strengthened their government by spun-
, ;aue"u, nauilesiati, IF their happiness
and unanimity-they have developed the
highly interesting TACT, that that system
is best which interie~es least with the
! rights inherent IN every rational creature.
and which secures the blessings Of civili-
Zatien BY the moral sense OF the nation
more than by the coerciye arm of the
civil and military power.
In the tour which you have just finish
ed, we have sympstEised with YOU in
your tatigucs, and exuited with you in
the extraordinary demonstrations of The
aation's love, which, thod.h sometimes
oppressive, ale always grateful. Despot-
ic rulers obtain the adu alton of slaves,
who, By their vices. they have made mi
ssrab!e but You, the choice of free
and Heightened people, receive assurance
of appreciation and esteem from those you
largely participate in rendering happy.
The pleasure which your return af
fords Us is augmented by the considera-
ton that we have now the opportunity Of
addressing you in tie dwelling which the
nation has once more prepared fer the re-
ception and accommodation of the chief
magistrate Of the U. Statrs. In these
sentiments the MAYER, board of aldermen
and board of common council, cordially
unite with the citizens OF Washington, in
rendering you the welcome of friendship
in the language OF candor and in the full
ness of affection and confidence.
To which the president returned the
following reply:
To the MAJOR, board of aldermen. and
board Of common councilof the City Of
Washington.
Icannot express in sufficiently strong
terms the qualification | ieel in returning
to the seat of government, after the long
and very interesting tour in which have
been engaged aad | be- you to be as
sured that nothing can contribute more
to dissipate the fatigue to which | have
been exposed, than the very cordial re-
ception which has been given me by my
tellow-citizens and neighbors, Of the cit,
and district.
shall always look back TO the impJr-
tant incidents of my late tour with pecu-
liar satisfaction. fiatter myself that !
have derived from it information which
will be very useful in the discharge OF
the duties Of the high trust confided TO
me; and, in other respects, i has afford
ed me the highest qualification. In all
that portion of our country through winch
l have passed, have seen, with delight,
proofs the most conclusive, of the aevO
ton Of our felOw-citizens to the princi-
pies Of our free republican government,
and to our happy union The spontane.
Gus and independent manner in which
these sentiments were declared, by the
great body Of the people, with other
marked circumstances attending them,
satisfied me that they came from the
heart. United firmly in the support OF
these great, these vital interests, we may
fairly presume that all difficulty on minor
questions will disappear.
In returning to the city of Washington,
rejoice to find the public building in
tended for the accommodation Of the
chief magistrate in state to receive me,
and to admit within it this friendly inter-
. - I A