Southern telegraph., 1836-09-13

lu.s aaj to dec.uJ afterwards, migb, be b
,eucl as Gad ana uuc1ajjd. Ic
IS { would lNn carry my request b you 10
uher ihan is asked ahove, although am !
ansiblo that your compluuce with il must
dd TO your trouble. But as the recess may 4
Frl you leisure, aud ] Aauer myself You
ave the disposition to obligo me, / WILL
without apology, desire, If the measure IN /
itself should Strike YOU as proper, or likely I
to produce public good or private honor, /
that YOU would turn your thoughts to Vale
dictory Address from me to the public, eX-
pressing, in plain ana modest terms, lhat
having been honored with the Presidential
Chair, aud, 10 tie best Of my abilities, con-
lributed to the organization aRd admihistra-
,ion Of the government; that, having. ar
rived at period Of life, when the private
walks Of it, in the shades Of retirement be-
come necessary and will be most pleasing
to me, and the spirit Of the government may
render rotation in the elective officers of
it more congenial with their ideas Of liberty
and safety, that take my leave Of ;hem -
public man; and, in Liddng them adicu,
| retaining no other concern Than such as will
arise from fervent WISHES for the prosperity
Of my country, take the liberty at my de-
parture from civil lie, as | formerly did at
my military exit, to invoke a continuation
Of the blessings of Providence upon il, and
upon all those who are the supporters Of its
interests, and the promoters Of harmony,
order, and good government.
"Tha, to impress these things, It might,
among other topics, ho Observed, that we
are all the children Of the same couniry-a
country great and rich in itself, capable,
and promising to be as prosperous and hap
py as any which the annals of history ever
brought to our view; that our interest how
ever diversified in local and sma Her matters,
is the same in all the great and essential
teoncerns of the nation; that the extent OF
our country, the diversity of our climate
and soil, and tho various productions OF the
states consequent Of both, are such as to
make one part not on y convenient, but per-
haps intlispcnSably necessary to the other
part, and may render tho whole, at no dis
tant period, one Of the most independent
(nations) in the world that the established
government, being the work of our own
hands, with the seeds of amendment en-.
grated IN the constitution, may, by wisdom
good dispositions and mutual allowances
aided by experience, Lrlng it as near per
ieciion as any human institution ever ap
proXimaed, an3 therefore the only. strife
among us ought to be, who should be fore
most in facilitating and finally accomplish
ing such great and desirable oljec;s, BY
giving every possible sHpPort and cemen
to the Union; that, how ever necessary
may Ee to keep watchful eye over publi,
) servants and public measures, yet there
ought TO be limits to it, for suspicons un
) founded, and iealousios too lively, are irri
; tatIng to honest feelings, and ottentimes ART
productive Of more evil than good.
"To enumerate the various uljcct.
which might be introduced into such an ad
dress, would require thought, and to men
ton them to you would be unnecessary, 81
yonr own judgment will comprehend al
that will be proper Whether to touch spe
J cifcally any Of the Objectionable parts o
the constitution, may be doubted. All
, shall add, therefore, at present is, to beg th'
favor of you to consider: First, the pro
8 priety of such an address; Secondly, if ap
proved, tho several matters which ought t,
. be contained in it: Thirdly, the time i
should appears that IL, whether at the de
| claratlon of nay intention to Withdraw from
the service of the public, or to let it be tn,
closing act of my administration, which vii
end with the next session of congress; III,
: probability being that that body will con
: tinue sitting until March, when the Hous,
of Representatives will also dissolve.
3 Though ] do not wish to hurry you Oh,
case not pressing) in the execution of cithe
Of the publications before mentioned, yet
should be glad to hear fiom you generally
e on both, andto receive them in time, if yol
r should not come to-Philadelphia before thu
: session commences, in the form they are
! finally to take. beg leave to draw you
attention also to such things as you shall
conceive fit subjects for communication o1
that occasion; and, noting them as they oc
cur, that you would be so good as to furnish
me with them in time to be prepared, anC
engrafted with Others for the opening of the
, session.
With very sincere and affcctionato re.
CARDS, am ever yours,
GEORGE WASHINGTON"
At the time Of receiving this letter, Mr
Madison was at bis residence in Virginia
ln compliance with the request contained
in it, he drew up the following paper, car
ried it with him when he returned to Con
gress, and gave it into the hands of the Pre-
sIdent:
Mr.. MADIsoN's DRAFT.
"'Fhe period which will close the appoint
F. ment with which my fellow citizens hav,
t honored me, being not very distant, and tn,
: time actually arrived at which their Thoughts
t must be designating the citizen, who IS t
administer the executive government Of th
: United States during the ensuing term,
d may be requisite to more distinct expires
g sion Of the public voice, that should ap
$ prise such Of my fellow citizens as may re
). tai,, THAR ,,a,fialt,, touya.Ja - .L,t / =