CALLED to the unaccuſtomed taſk of publicly addreſſing you, and led by a regard for the true intereſts of this community, I ſolicit your attention to a few of the reflections, which the event we are aſſembled to commemorate and thoſe intereſts are calculated to excite.

The formation of a permanent and well ordered ſtate of Society, is deſervedly conſidered among the higheſt objects which can engage the enquiry and exertions of mankind. On the exiſtence of ſuch a ſtate, the individual and the ſocial improvement and happineſs of man eſſentially and invariably depend. In that ſtate only, are the duties reſulting from the various relations which its ſeveral members bear to each other, and which all bear to the whole, clearly underſtood and faithfully obſerved. It is this which guarantees the unmoleſted enjoyment of property, of liberty, and of life; with the unnumbered bleſſings which theſe lead in their train. It is this which guards under its protecting wings, thoſe religious inſtitutions formed to ſhed the moſt benign influence on all the powers and conditions of man—aſſimilate him to the character of his maker and ſecure the anticipation and the future poſſeſſion of unmeaſurable joys. A ſociety ſecuring theſe ineſtimable bleſſings, affords a remedy to all the moral, and renders impotent, all the natural evils to which mankind are expoſed; and ſupplying its various members with their full meaſure of improvement and of happineſs, exhibits, not merely an appearance but in reality, a miniature of Heaven.

To introduce and eſtabliſh on ſolid foundations, this ſtate of ſociety, have the labors of the wiſeſt and beſt of men, in every age, been anxiouſly exerted.— For this great end, have all the real inſtructors of mankind labored, in developing the nature and urging the practice, of the duties reſulting from ſuch a ſtate; for enforcing a compliance with theſe duties, have government and laws been eſtabliſhed, and bands unnumbered waded thro' ſeas of blood, to hurl the proud violaters of them from their ſeats.

Foremoſt in the accompliſhment of this all-intereſting object, ſtands the founder of this wide extended empire, the beloved the venerated WASHINGTON, whoſe departure has called forth the ſolemnities of this day: At the ſound of whoſe name, ruſh into the mind the overwhelming ideas of all that is aſtoniſhingly great, and attractively amiable in the human character, and all that is extenſively beneficent and godlike in human conduct. A mind of the largeſt and cleareſt perception, improved by induſtry and experience unparalleled, concentrating the nobleſt excellencies of our nature, uniting the tendereſt mildneſs with firmneſs immovable, the cooleſt prudence with invincible and daring fortitude, the moſt commanding dignity with modeſty unequalled, ardent affection for his family and friends, with unextinguiſhable love for his country, and benevolence embracing the whole human race, founded on an aſſemblage of virtues which has adorned and aſtoniſhed the world. The dignity of our nature unſtained with its vices and its weakneſſes, in him ſhone with unrivalled luſtre. In him, virtue accompanied by the largeſt intelligence was uniformly exhibited in public and in private, in ſcenes the moſt various, trying and important. In him was it exhibited, diffuſing itſelf in beneficence through the world, ſpreading innumerable bleſſings through our country, conveyed to every ſtate and to every town; foſtering the happineſs of every family, and ſhedding on the head of every individual, the dews of a father's bleſſing.

Such was the illuſtrious perſonage whoſe departure has wrung every American heart with anguiſh, and calls forth, throughout the world, the burſting ſigh from every virtuous boſom—Such the perſonage that founded American freedom, was the pervading ſoul in the formation and in the guidance of our government, and in the eſtabliſhment of the happineſs and the glory of our empire. When the thunder of war roared round our ſhores—when the vengeance of a moſt powerful and incenced foe flaſhed its lightnings to blaſt our infant bands, with all we held dear, in one common ruin—when ſlavery armed with its train of agonies, flew to ſeize the exiſting and unborn millions of his countrymen for its victims—ſtrong in love for his country, and leaning on the God of battles, he braved the mighty tempeſt, and fought through toils and hoſts unnumbered, our path to victory, independence and peace. Had a mind leſs vaſt, a heart leſs ſound, an arm leſs powerful, a character leſs glorious, conſtituted our leader—had leſs than WASHINGTON been our chief, the ſun of victory had never beamed on the American arms—and this wide extended empire, which, notwithſtanding its declenſions, is ſtill the glory of the world and the favorite of heaven, had now been writhing under the laſh of a foreign maſter, or ſwept away in ruin by that wide-waſting war which has ſo long tempeſted the European world. From theſe miſeries, from this deſtruction, victory, guided by his arm, delivered us—ſevered the ties which bound us to Europe—placed us on the high ground of national ſovereignty, and depoſited in our hands the largeſt means ever given to man, for attaining to national glory and happineſs. A numerous people, inhabiting a wide extent of territory, yielding the richeſt and moſt various productions, and formed by nature for the moſt intimate union—remote from the broils of Europe—ſubject to no maſter on earth— compared with the reſt of mankind, ſingularly enlightened and virtuous, and glowing with all the fire of freedom—ſuch was our character, ſuch the ſituation in which he had placed us, when he withdrew from the field of victory to his favorite retirement, enthroned in the hearts of his country, and crowned with the applauſes of an admiring world.

But ſcarcely had the noiſe of battle ceaſed—ſcarcely had this new-born empire began to taſte the ſweets of exiſtence and rejoice in the beams of peace— ſcarcely had this illuſtrious father of his country reſted from his toils, when the frenzied ſpirit of diſſention burſt forth, and ſpread among a people thus great and thus greatly bleſſed, with rapid and deadly progreſs. In the ſhort period of time which elapſed from the commencement of peace to the eſtabliſhment of our preſent conſtitution of government▪ were the baleful effects of this ſpirit deeply and widely experienced. A deſtruction of public and private confidence—a general proſtration of morals—convulſions which ſhook the firſt ſtates of the Union to their centre—the bands of our union and government diſſolving, and all our deareſt intereſts haſtening to their extinction, were the exiſting effects of this diſſention—effects rapidly plunging us into complete wretchedneſs among ourſelves, and ſinking our name into a proverb, a hiſſing, and a bye-word through the world.

Let us, without prejudice, more minutely examine this ſpirit of diſſention, not as exiſting in this or that particular party, but as invariably exiſting in all parties. Has it not the moſt malignant influence on the individual, as well as the national character and happineſs of man? Warping and contracting his mind by invincible prejudices, does it not incapaciate him for the perception of truth, and lead him to embrace for truth the wildeſt and moſt ruinous errors? Lead him to approve and ſupport as right all the acts of his party, however wrong and deſtructive? To condemn, to thwart every oppoſite act, however advantageous and important? Does not this ſpirit empoiſon the nobleſt affections of his heart? Inſtead of inſpiring him with love to his neighbours and exciting endeavors for their happineſs, does it not lead him to regard and ſecretly to treat them, if not of his party, as his declared enemies, the enemies of his country and of human happineſs? To miſrepreſent their beſt actions, or attribute them to the vileſt of motives. Do not theſe feelings and practices, cheriſhed by indulgence and ſtrengthened by habit, generate in his heart, the fell ſpirit of revenge as the ſettled principle of his conduct towards them? Infuriated by this paſſion, what but want of power reſtrains him from plunging the dagger of death into their boſoms?

To what lengths had this diſſention carried us, had not the eſtabliſhment of our preſent government reſtrained its career? What had been our condition, as a ſtate, compoſed of ſuch individuals, of ſuch feinds as its members? What our condition as a combination of ſtates, with their ſeveral legiſlatures frenzied with the ſame paſſions and armed with power to wreak the full force of them upon the property, peace, happineſs, and exiſtence of each other? Had not our victory over a foreign foe been worſe than death? Our Independence, if it could, under ſuch circumſtances, have exiſted, worſe than the heavieſt foreign bondage? Had not our liberty, transformed to anarchy, proved the deadlieſt curſe heaven could inflict? Had it not proſtrated our national ſovereignty with all our darling privileges at the feet of the firſt foreign invader? Or deluged this country in the blood of her ſons, ſtreaming from the murderous hands of each other?

To reſcue us from this gulph into which we were then rapidly precipitating ourſelves, the impreſſive example, the comprehenſive wiſdom, the all commanding love of WASHINGTON, ſtrengthened by his enlightened and virtuous compatriots, were called forth into the moſt anxious and vigorous exertions. By theſe exertions were the intereſting principles on which our individual and national exiſtence and happineſs invariably depend, unfolded and eſtabliſhed in our minds. By theſe exertions, was brought home to our boſoms, an irreſiſtible conviction of the neceſſity of burying our diſſentions, of uniting every heart, of bracing every arm in the eſtabliſhment and ſupport of an energetic government; a government commenſurate to the extent of the territory, the foreign and internal relations, and the character of the people, of our country. Was not the neceſſity of this government evidenced by the higheſt authorities, and its adoption and ſupport, urged by every conſideration moſt intereſting to the human mind? Had not the word of God, the experience of ages, and our then affecting experience demonſtrated ſuch imperfection in men, as evinced that they have not as individuals ſufficient knowledge to diſcern, much leſs ſufficient virtue voluntarily to practice the duties which they owe to each other, and to the community of which they are members? Had not the ſame authorities and the ſtrongeſt dictates of reaſon equally demonſtrated that ſociety cannot exiſt in any ſtate, much leſs, in an improved and happy ſtate, if theſe duties are unknown, or when known, violated and contemned. That therefore a government poſſeſſed of wiſdom to unfold theſe duties in its laws, and of power ſufficient to enforce the obſervance of them, becomes indiſpenſably neceſſary to ſocial exiſtence and happineſs. That the neceſſity of ſuch a government muſt invariably continue, until the propenſities to vice are annihilated, by a general renovation of the human character; and that every project for leſſening the coercive power of this government, and of encreaſing the individual liberty of a people, not founded on that renovation of character as its baſis, is viſionary and deſtructive?

To unite and animate our exertions in the formation of a government of this deſcription, calculated to ſave us equally as individuals and as a people, from ruin, and to ſecure to us all the intereſts moſt dear to our hearts, did this illuſtrious character, not leſs our preſerver than deliverer, ſeconded by his enlightened and virtuous aſſociates, call up to our view every conſideration moſt intereſting and important—That if we valued that victory, for which our fathers, our brethren, and ourſelves had toiled and bled—and if we valued our Independence, the ineſtimable fruit of that victory; if we valued the full tide of bleſſings which nature and art were pouring in upon us; if we valued the real enjoyment of that liberty which we held moſt dear— if we valued our religious inſtitutions, the higheſt bleſſings heaven could confer, and which were equally with every other mean of our happineſs, ſinking in the general wreck of our country, theſe immenſe conſiderations called on us to pluck the ſpirit of diſcord from our boſoms, ſheath the ſword of party, baniſh jealouſies, unite as a band of brothers, and, by a vigorous exertion, erect a government inſpired with wiſdom, and clothed with power, to ſave, extend, and perpetuate the happineſs, the greatneſs and the glory of our empire.

On that union, on that exertion, the goodly frame of our government, under his forming hand, aided by the wiſe and virtuous of our country, and favoured by Heaven, has ariſen; has been upheld, adorned and eſtabliſhed, amid the unexampled convulſions which are rending the civilized world, ſtill ſhields us in ſafety and in happineſs; and, unleſs we betray ourſelves and poſterity, will ſtand the admiration and bleſſing of future ages.

Do we weep that the feet of our WASHINGTON, the leading procurer of theſe ineſtimable bleſſings, have ſtumbled on the dark mountains of death? Does grief for our loſs rend our boſoms? Are gratitude, veneration, and love for his character and ſervices deep engraven on our hearts? Let us evidence theſe ſentiments, not by idle tears, but by imitating the impreſſive example which he has left us, and improving the bleſſing beſtowed. Let us practice as far as our circle extends, the virtues which ſhone with ſuch luſtre and beneficence in him. Let us bear in mind, that every motive which has been ſuggeſted, for extirpating diſcord, ſtrengthening the bands of our union, and upholding our government, applies with redoubled force, to ourſelves in particular. Let us eradicate from our hearts and our conduct, that vile ſpirit of party, for which we have become proverbial. Let us cheriſh the harmonizing principle of benevolence towards each other, an unqualified love for our country, a veneration and love for our invaluable civil and religious inſtitutions, and a readineſs to devote our obedience, our talents, our fortunes, and our lives, for their ſupport.