The Penn's Grove record., 1923-04-06
LIFE OF WASHINGTON

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honest like this, must have been a sub
lime treat. He stopped to present to
the acknowledgements an account OF
all the public monies which he had
spent. Though this account was ia his
own hand writing, and accompanied
with the proper vouchers, yet il will
hardly be credited by European states
men and generals, that, in the course
of an eight year war, he had spent
only 12,497lb IS. Sd. sterling.
From Philadelphia he fastened on
to Annapolis, where Congress was
then in session, that he might return
to that honorable body the commits
, sion with which they had entrusted
him.
Having always d5sliked parade. he
wished to make his resignation in
IN writing; but Congress, it seems,
Willed otherwise. To see a man vol
unfairly giving up power. was a spec
taele not to be met with every day.
And that they might have the pleasure
of seeing him in this last, and perhaps
greatest, act of his public life, they
expressed a wish to receive his resig-
nation from his w hand at a full
audience. The next day, the 25d Of
December, 1888, was appointed for
the purpose. At an early hour the
house was crowded. The members Of
Congress, with the grandees Of the
land. filled the floors; the ladies
sparkled in the galleries. At eleven
o'clock Washington was ushered into
the house, and conducted to a seat
which had been prepared for him, GOV
cred with red velvet. After a becom-
ing pause, and information given by
the President, that the United States
in Congress assembled were ready to
receive his communication, he arose,
and with great brevity and modesty
observed, that he had presented him
self before them, to resign into their
hands with satisfaction the commits
sion which, eight years before, he had
accepted with diffidence. He begged
to mingle his sincerest congratula-
tons with. them, for the glorious re-
suit of their united struggles-took no
part of the praise to himself, but
ascribed all to the blessing of Heaven
on the e~xertions of the nation. Then
fervently commencing his dearest
country to the protection of Almighty
God. he babe them an affectionate
farewell; and taking leave of all the
emplovments of public life, surrender
ed up his commission!
Seldom has there been exhibited so
charming a display of the power of
which pre-eminent virtue possesses
over the human heart, as on this oc-
casion. Short and simple as was the
speech of Washington, vet it seems
to have carried back every trembling
imagination to the fearful days of
rs, when the British fleets and armies
were laundering on u coasts, and
when nothing was talked of but slav-
cry, c~enfscation, and execution. And
now they saw before them the man to
whom they all looked for safety in
that gloomy time. and who had COM
pletely answered their fond hopes
had stood by them ~incorruptible and
mistaken, had anticipated their mighty
enemy in all his plans-had met him
at every point-had thwarted, defeat
ed and blasted his hopes-and, victory
after victory won, had at length laid
his strong legions in dust or in chains,
and had secured to his country a glori-
Gus independence, with the fairest
chance of being the most respectable
nd happy nations of the earth-and, in
consequence of all this, had so com
pletely won the hearts of his army
and his nation, that perhaps he could
have made himself their master-at
all events, a Caesar or a Cromwell
would, at the hazard of a million of
lives, made the sacrilegious attempt.
Yet they now saw this man scorning
to abuse his power to the degerada-
ton of his country;-but, on the con-
trary, treating her with the most
sacred respect-dutifully bowling be-
fore her delegated presence, the Con
gress-fheerfully returning the COM
mission she had entrusted with him
with-piously laying down his extern
sive powers at her feet-and modestly
of the rest of her children. The sight
of their great countryman, already so
beloved, and now acting so generous,
so godlike a part, produced an effect
beyond the power of words to express.
Their feelings of admiration and affec-
ton were too delicious, too big for