THE life of our WASHINGTON cannot suffer by a comparison with those of other countries, who have been most celebrated and exalted by fame. The attributes and decorations of royalty, could have only served to eclipse the majesty of those virtues which made him, from being a modest citizen, a more resplendent luminary. Misfortune, had he lived, could hereafter have sullied his glory only with those superficial minds, who, believing that characters and actions are marked by success alone, rarely deserve to enjoy it. Malice could never have blasted his honour, and envy made him a singular exception to her universal rule. Trust FOR himself he had lived enough, to life and to glory; for his fellow-citizens, if their prayers could have been answered, he would have been immortal. For me, his departure is at a most unfortunate moment. ing, however, in the wise and righteous dominion of providence over the passions of men, and the results of their councils and actions, as well as over their lives, nothing remains for me, but humble resignation. His example is now complete, and it will teach wisdom and virtue to magistrates, citizens, and men, not only in the present age, but in future generations, as long as our history shall be read. If a TRAJAN found a PLINY, A MARCUS AURELIUS can never want biographers, eulogists, or historians. JOHN ADAMS. In the house of representatives, General MARSHALL made a report, in part, from the joint committee appointed to consider a suitable mode of commemorating the death of Gen. WASHINGTON. HE reported the following resolutions : Resolved by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America, in congress assembled that a marble monument be erected, by the United States, in the capitol of the city of WASHINGTON, and that the family of General WASHINGTON be requested to permit his body to be deposited under it, and that the monument be so designed as to commemorate the great events of his military and political life. A And be it further resolved, that there be a funeral procession from Congress hall, to the German Lutheran church, in memory of GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON, on Thursday, the 26th inst. and that an oration be prepared at the request of Congress, to be delivered before both houses on that day; and that the president of the senate, and speaker of the house of representatives, be desired to request one of the members of Congress to prepare and deliver the same. And be it further resolved, that it be recommended to the people of the United States, to wear crape on their left arm, as mourning, for thirty days. And be it further resolved, that the president be requested to direct a copy of these resolutions to be transmitted to Mrs. WASHINGTON, assuring her of the profound respect Congress will ever bear to her person and character, of their condolence on the late afflicting dispensation of providence, and entreating her assent to the interment of the remains of General WASHINGTON in the manner expressed in the first resolution. And be it further resolved, that the president be requested to issue a proclamation, notifying to the people throughout the United States, the recommendation contained in the third resolution. THESE resolutions passed both houses unanimously. DECEMBER 24. THIS day, in the house of representatives, the speaker informed the house, that in conformity to the second resolution passed on Monday, Major-General LEE had been appointed, by the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives, to prepare and deliver the oration in honour of our late illustrious commander in chief, on Thursday next, which appointment he had been pleased to accept. A MESSAGE was received from the president of the United States, notifying the house that he had agreed to the resolutions passed on Monday, in honour to the memory of GENERAL WASHINGTON, and deposited them among the rolls and records of the United States. FUNERAL ORATION, ON THE DEATH OF GENERAL WASHINGTON, PRONOUNCED BEFORE BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS, ON THE 26th DECEMBER. 1799. BY MAJOR-GENERAL Henry Lee. IN obedience to your will, I rise your humble organ, with the hope of executing a part of the system of public mourning which you have been pleased to adopt, commemorative of the death of the most illustrious and most beloved personage this country has ever produced; and which, while it transmits to posterity your sense of the awful event, faintly represents your knowledge of the consummate excellence you so cordially honour. DESPERATE indeed is any attempt on earth to meet correspondently this dispensation of heaven; for while with pious resignation we submit to the will of an all-gracious providence, we can never cease lamenting, in our finite view of omnipotent wisdom, the heart-rending privation for which our nation wecps. When the civilized world shakes to its centre; when every mo |