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S AVA NNAH— Puli*h*o on TUESDAYS and FRIDAYS, * SEYMOUR and VTOOLHOPTER, oh tb BAY; at-SIX DOLLARS r*% Annum, yayaili hal* yiarly.
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Vot. V.—No. 3.3
!tbe following ORATION was
* delivered at Savannah, on
the 22d of February Lift , by
John Y. Noel, Esq. in
compliance with a resolution
of the honorable the Mayor &
Aldermen of the City—-and
*}. is no w publtjbed by their re -
quejt.
Fellow Citizens ,
TN cordial compliance with
ithe recommendation of Con
gress, 3c the requcft of the Ci
ty Council, we have convened,
publicly to teftify our grief for
the death of Gen. GEORGE
WASHINGTON. The ap
propriation of this particular
day to the occaiion, affords an
opportunity of combining with
regret for his death, the cele
bration of his nativity and life.
This is the anniversary of that
fortunate day, which gave birth
to Columbia’s moll illustrious,
and mod: beloved Son. The
commemoration of that day
must arouse in each American
bread the mod fervent emo
tions ofgratitude—of gratitude
to Heaven, for having blessed
this Wedern World with a
life so pre-eminently ufeful—
of gratitude to the memory of
him, who fuccefsfuily devoted
his talents, his time, and his
all, to the edablifhment and
preservation of freedom and
political happiness for his coun
try.
By assembling for the pub
lic celebration of this day, we
do not pay homage on the birth
of a prince, or at the tomb of a
departed monarch : We meet
not to gratify aristocratic pride,
by tracing a pedigree ofancef
try, illustrious only by name,
or by recounting a train of fan
guinaiy atchievements, whose
end is fl ivery—nor, are we as
sembled under the coercion of
a directorial decree, attended,
by an armed force, with a. mix
ture of spies, to remark whe
ther or not, we utter acclama
tions ot joy, forevents in which
we forefee our deftrudion.
Our meeting is the voluntary
tribute of free-men ; our sen
timents are the effufions of
grateful hearts.
By a short review of Gene
ral WASHINGTON’S life
and character, we find that ev
ery dage of his career was
marked with progressive utili
ty and greatness.: We find also,
connected with this pleasing
and interesting detail, a recapi
tulation, not only of those
great events by which the In
dependence of the United
jSfates was confirmed, but also
of many which have fucceedcd
them, in the rife and progress
of this great nation.
At the period of early man
hood, polfefling drong facul
ties of mind, and having ac
quired a liberal education, en
joying a competence which
afforded him ease and leisure,
he embarked in military life.
And although he dudioully ap
plied his talents to the art of
war, he early evinced that
this profelTion bad no charms
for him, other than as the ne
cessary means of peace and
happiness to mankind. After
his retirement from a short
military service, he pursued the
iludy of philosophy, govern
ment, and the just line between
the natural rights relinquifhcd,
and those retained in a date of
fbciety.
In the year 1775* and at the 1
age of 44 years, he was invited
to take command of the army
then forming for defence of
the American colonies —with
that native diffidence, which
peculiarly adorned his whole
life, he declared and called
V* each member pf Congrefs*
(Kolumtoan Mtiftum 8 Ssatannai) Mmtiser.
to remember his declaration,
that he did not confidcr him
felf equal to the command
with which they were about to
honor him. Notvvithftanding
this urgent declaration, Con
gress, inspired by Heaven,
(whose interposition in our fa
vour, marked this and every
fuccceding dage of the Revo
lution,) infided on his accep
tance —Great in humility and
felf.denial,he furrenderedhim
felf to the call of his country,
bad adieu to peaceful retire
ment, and entered upon the
duties of his important com
mission.
Within a few months after
accepting the command of the
army, the people of the Uni
ted Colonies, though not ma
tured for a revolution, were
reduced to the awful necessity
of withdrawing their allegiance
from the mother country, and
avowing a date of indepen
dence. Convinced of the judice
and propriety of the measure,
he meekly sympathized with
his brethren in the solemn ap
peal and pledge, which that
declaration contained.
At this momentous period,
each American heart beat
high with patriotic ardour;
but soon, very soon, did the
dreadful crilis arrive, which
difeovered, that the patriots
of America were draggling for
freedom, without resources,
without an army, and without
a government, in opposition to
veteran hods of the mod pow
erful nation in Europe.—
” These were the times that
” tried men’s fouls.” This
was a crifisto which the firm
nefs, ind,uftry and talents of
our Washington, were well
adapted. In the midd of that
unhappy dilemma, when many
gopd men, attached to the
cause of American liberty, but
overawed by the apparent fai
lure of defenflve resources,
funk under the weight of des
pondency, W as h 1 n g ton stood
firm as a rock, impelled by the
tempeduous billows.
Who can look back to his
retreat across Netv-Jerfey, in
the Fall of 1776, with the mere
shadow of an army,& not shud
der for the suspended fate of
the revolution.
A dark cloud had o’er spread
our political horizon, and the
Genius of Liberty, hoplefs
and dismayed, was about to re
tire from the gloomy feene; bur
lhe hclitated, &: could not bear
a reparation from her favor
ite children, which mud have
eventuated in their deftrudion.
When the darkness had nearly
overwhelmed the U. States,
and but a few rays of light re
mained, a lingle effort, dicta
ted by the calm deady mind
of Washington, and execu
ted under his command, at
once dissipated the cloud, and
redored the hopes of our pre
siding Genius—hail bright,
auspicious morn—The intre
pid Militia of Penfylvaniaand*
New-Jerfcy, who co-operated
with a few remaining troops,
the vassals ot Helfe, who were
made captives on that occa
iion, bear tedimony of the
glorious event.
Throughout an arduous
druggie of seven years, Gene
ral Washington remained
continually in service, patient
ly enduring all the difficulties
and disappointments to which
he was incelfantly fubjeded—
Commanding an army enlided
only for Ihoit periods, serving
a community which had jud
emerged from a date of depen
dence, and were yet without a
[yftem, either of Government
1 or means j hi* labor* and fervid
—— REASON AMD TROTH IMPARTIAL .GUtO* T* p WAY,-
FRIDA Ty March 14, 1800.
ces were conduded under the
pressure of difficulties, almod
insurmountable.
At length the toils and
druggies of a patriotic army
were terminated by a recog
nition on the part of Great
Britian, of that Independence
which the people of America
had asserted and defended—
This event leads us to refled
on a happy period in the Ame
rican hi dory—But a. period
.which, however happy it may
have been in many refpeds,
brought the virtue of General
Washington to a solemn
ted. Peace with her felicita
ting attendants, brought also
in her train circumdances
new f , dangerous and embar
rassing—an army to be diiban
ded without the means of com
pensating their service
dipulations contained in the
treaty of peace, pressing hard
on those who had borne the
heat and burthen of the day,
and a plan of Government
neccffarily to be formed, suit
able to the Genius and tem
per of a people lpread over a
vad extent of territory—From
this chaotic date of things,
what was to be apprehended,
and wfiat was the result ? The
total deficiency of resources to
comply with national engage
ments to the army, afforded
them a pretext for refuting to
disband—The commander in
chief polieffed the unbounded
confidence of the officers and
soldiers.—Did Washington,
crowned with laurels, and dif
traded with the fruits of his
successes, approach the sacred
hall of representative delibera
tion, with imperious and
threatening Ktogtiage ?—Did
he fay to the great Council of
the nation, “ These brave of
” ficers and soldiers who, for
” seven years pad, have been
” the companions of my toil
” and my glory, have eftabli
” died your Freedom and In
” dependence—l now demand
” for them a comperifation
” commensurate with their mc
” ritorious services we will
” a form of government foun
” ded on national judice,
” national gratitude and civil
” liberty—we ffiall have it, 1
” swear it, in the name of my
” felf, the victorious Wash
” ington, and that of my
” companions in arms.”—
Happy, thrice happy Ameri
can People—from the com
mencement of your glorious
druggies for freedom to the
present day, no fuccefsful as
piring champion has ever at
tempted to invade your rights,
or to usurp your government —
contrad this dreadful picture
of what might have been ex
pected, with what was realized
—can you review his valedic
tory address to Congress, and
his lad general orders to the
army, and remark the purity
of principles and sublimity ot
foul which he displayed in that
intereding feene, without a
mixture of admiration and af
fection—in addressing himfelf
to Congress he fays, “ Happy
” in the confirmation of our
” independence and fovercign
” ty, and pleased with the op
” portunity afforded the Uni
” ted States of becoming a ref
” pectable nation, I resign
” withfatisfadiontheappoint
” ment I accepted with diffi
” dence—a diffidence in my
” abilities to accomplith lo
” arduous a talk ; which how
” ever was fuperceded by a
” confidence in the rectitude
” of our cause, the support of
” the supreme power of the
” Union, and the patronage of
” Heaven/*—•
“ The fuccefsful termina
” tion of the war has verified
“ the mod sanguine expeda
” tions. And my gratitude
” for the interposition of Pro
” videncc and the afliftance I
” have received from my
” countrymen, increases with
” every review of the momen
tous contell.”
cc I confider it as an indif
“ penfable duty to close this
” lajt aft of my official life , by
” commending the intcrefts of
,f our dearest country to the
,f protection of Almighty God,
ft and those who have the fu
” perintendance of them, to
” his holy keeping”—
Cf Having now finifhed the
“ work afligned me, I retire
” from the great Theatre of
“ action, and bidding an as
s( fectionate farewell to the
“ augufi: body, under whose
c< orders I have so long acted,
“ I here offer my commifiion
” and take my leave of all
“ the employments of public
“ life.”—ln his lafl general
orders, he addreifed the army
as a tender and beneficent fa
ther would his children, from
whom he was about to be se
parated—” It only remains for
” the commander in chief to
“ address himfelf once more,
“and that for thelafttime, to
” the armies of the United
” States, and to bid them an
” affectionate—a long farewell
?* —but before the com man
rc dcr in chief takes a final
” leave of those he holds moft
” dear, he wishes to indulge
” himfelf a few moments, in
” calling to mind a flight re
” view of the past ; He will
\” then take the liberty of ex
” ploring, with his military
tc friends, their future piof
” peCts—of advising the genc
” ral line of conduct which,
“in h's opinion, ought 10 he
“pursued; and he will con
” elude his address, by cx
” pressing the obligations he
” feels himfelf under, for the
” spirited and able affiflancc
” he has received from them,
“in the performance of an
“arduous office.”—His clo
” ling Words w r cre these—
” And being now to conclude
” these his last public orders,
” to take his ultimate leave,
” in a short time, of the mili
” tary character, and to bid
” a final adieu to the armies
” he has so long had the honor
“to command, he can only
” again offer, in their behalf,
” his recommendations to
” their grateful country, and
“his prayers to the God of
” armies; may ample justice be
” done them here, and may
“the choicest of heaven’s fa
” vors, both here and hcreaf
” ter, attend those, who under
” the divine auspices, have
” fecurcd innumerable blef
” lings for others—with these
” wishes, the commander in
” chief is about to retire from
” service—the curtain of fep
” aration will soon be drawn,
” and the military fccnc, to
” him, will be closed for
” ever.”—
The army W’as di(banded
without tumult, and without a
murmur—The soldiery peace
ably returned to their labori
ous occupations—the officers,
after having exhausted their
and the prime of their
lives in the service, retired
wuth contentment, to private
life. Thus did the merit of a
patriotic general and a patriot
ic army, lhinc with (till more
splendor, in laying down, than
taking up their arms.
The great proteeftor of Ame
rican rights, having finifhed
tb.S important duty affixed
fWhole No. 419 1
him, having arrived at that
state of peace, for which ht
had so long panted, retired to
the still feenes of private life,
giving a full flow to the native
and acquired virtues of a heart,
rich in moral excellence.
He had not long enjoyed
the comforts of retirement,
before his country made ano
ther claim to his services.
The people of the United
States, having gained the ex
perience of a few years in a state
of peace and composure, (du
ring which no ambitious dc
magogue rose up to compel
their adoption of idle expe
dients, which could only af
ford nurture for fatftion,) they
were ultimately convinced that
it was neceifary to form a per
manent constitution on con
federated principles. Here he
appeared, not as a dictator,
nor usurping superiority of
power or influence, but in the
capacity of one of the repre
sentatives of an independent,
state.
Asa member of that con
vention he participated in a
feene of magnanimity, which,
will be a fourcc of admiration
to succeeding ages—Here we
behold four millions of free
men, unanimously cxercifing
their highest power—peacea
bly performing the primary
adl of foverignty, by consider
ing, approving and ratifying
for themfelvcs, a system of
national Government This
great rera is not only magnifi
cent, but new and unexam
pled. Forms of Government
have more generally been the
result, either of conquest or of
arbitrary usurped power, than
of free and voluntary corn
pad:.—The admired conftitu
tionsof ancient republics were
not framed by the people, or
their representatives elected
for that purpose, nor were they
submitted to the approving
voice of the people—They
were didated by individuals,
cither under the impulse of
power, or the fandion of su
perstition. Were I compe
tent to the talk, it would be
unsuitable, on the present oc
casion to develope the excel
lencies of our much admired
conftitution —Let it fuffice to
add, that its basis is ftrid
equality of rights, and that it
embraces all the virtues, rejec
ting all the vices of other mo
dern systems.
Have wc now passed thro*
a summary of the great Wash
ington’s public life ? Have
we reached the point which
terminates his glorious career ?
No, my Fellow-Citizens but
we have arrived at a stage
of it in which his patriotism
and public virtue, burst forth
with still brighter effulgence:
How (hall I accommodate
my words and sentiments, to
the residue of this important
theme—Oh! for fome preli
ding Genius, to condud me
through the remaining way.
In the organization of the
government, the constitution
al eledors called him to the
office of President. Upon re
ceiving that lummons, what
inward firuggles betwixt du
ty and inclination, must have
conflided in his breast—How
did the tear of virtuous re
gret flow down his cheek f
Far advanced in the vale, and
having confidently hoped that
he fliould never more be com-,
pelled to leave those “ feenes
” where homcfclt pleasures
” dwell,” —hard indeed was
the reparation. But accus
tomed to obey thcrvoice of hia
country, he could not refufe.
Hud General Wahinc-