the country, both from within and without, abroad and at home-the people of three continents at daggers drawn with the young republic of America! THE pirates of Morocco laying their uncircumcised hands on our rich commerce in the Mediterranean. THE British grumbling and threatening war. THE Spaniards shutting up the Mississippi! THE Kentuckians in great warmth, threatening to break the union, and join the Spaniards! THE Indian nations, from Canada to Georgia, unburying the tomahawk! NORTH-CAROLINA and Rhode-Island, blowing on the confederacy! strong parties in other states against it!-and an alarming insurrection in Massachusetts ! While, to combat all these enemies, the United States had but 600 regular troops!! and, though eighty millions of dollars in debt, they had not one cent in the treasury!!! Here, certainly, if ever, was the time to try a man's soul. But Washington despaired not. Glowing with the love of his country, and persuaded that his country still enjoyed an opportunity to be great and happy, he resolved, whatever it might cost him, that nothing should be wanting on his part to fill up the measure of her glory. But first of all, in his inaugural speech, he called upon Congress and his countrymen, to look up to God for his blessing; next, as to themselves, to be most industrious, honourable, and united, as became men responsible to ages yet unborn, for all the blessings of a republican govern ent, now, and perhaps for the last time, at stake, on their wisdom and virtue; then as to himself; "I feel," said he, "my incompetency of political skill and abilities. Integrity and firmness are all I can promise. These, I know, will never forsake me, although I may be deserted by all men: and of the consolations to be derived from these, under no circumstances can the world ever deprive me."-And last of all, as, in a crazy ship at sea, tossed by furious winds, no pilot can save without the aid of able seamen, Washington prudently rallied around him the wisest of all his countrymen. Mr. Jefferson, secretary of foreign affairs. John Rutledge, } Associate Judges. THESE judicious preparations being made for the storm, (Heaven's blessing invoked, and the ablest pilots embarked with him,) Washington then seized the helm, with a gallant hard-a-lee; luffed up his ship at once to the gale, hoping yet to shoot the hideous gulfs that threatened all around. His first attention was turned to the call of Humanity, i. e. to satisfy and make peace with the Indians. This was soon done; partly by presents, and by establishing, in their country, houses of fair trade, which, by preventing frauds, prevent those grudges that lead to private murders, and thence to public disturbances and wars. Some of the Indian tribes, despising these friendly efforts of Washington, were obliged to be drubbed into peace, which service was done for them by General Wayne, in 1794—but not until many lives had been lost in preceding defeats; owing chiefly, it was said, to the very intemperate passions and potations of some of their officers. However, after the first shock, the loss of these poor souls was not much lamented. Tall young fellows, who could easily get their half dollar a day at the healthful and glorious labours of the plough, to go and enlist and rust among the lice and itch of a camp, for four dollurs a month, were certainly not worth their country's cry ing about. N2 WASHINGTON's friendly overtures to Spain were equally fortunate. Believing that he desired nothing but what was perfectly just, and what both God and man would support him in, she presently agreed to negociate. The navigation of the Mississippi was given up. The Kentuckians were satisfied: and Spain and the United States lived on good terms all the rest of his days. WASHINGTON then tried his hands with the British. But alas! he soon found that they were not made of such pliable stuff as the Indians and Spaniards. Nor had he the British alone to complain of. He presently found it as hard to satisfy his own countrymen, in the matter of a treaty, as to please them. For whether it was that the two nations still retainod a most unchristian recollection of what they had suffered from one another during the past war-or whether, more unchristianly still, they felt the odious spirit of rivals, and sickened at each other's prosperity-or whether each nation thought that the ships of the other were navigated by their seamen; but so it was, that the prejudices of the two people, though sprung from the same progenitors, ran so high as to render it extremely difficult for Washington to settle matters between them. But it was at length happily effected, without the horrors of another war. Though the treaty which brought about this desirable event was entirely execrated by great numbers of sensible and honest men no doubt, yet Washington, led, as he says, by duty and humanity, ratified it. Ir the signing of the treaty displayed his firmness, the operation of it has, perhaps, shown his wisdom. For, surely, since that time, no country like this ever so progressed in the public and private blessings of industry, wealth, population, and morals. Whether greater, or, indeed, equal blessings would have resulted from a bloody war with England at that time, let others determine. But scarcely had Washington got clear of his embarrassments with Britain, before still worse wer thrown in his way by France. THE cause was this. "The French army," as doetor Franklin observes, "having served an appren" ticeship to Liberty, in America, on going back to "France, set up for themselves." Throughout the kingdom, wherever they went, they could talk of nothing but the Americans. "Ah, happy people!" said they, "neither oppressing nor oppressed, they min"gle together as one great family of brothers. Every " man is free. Every man labours for himself, and " wipes with joy the sweat from his brow, because "'tis the earnest of plenteous food and clothing, edu"cation, and delights, for his children!" THE people every where listened with eagerness to these descriptions of American happiness, and sighed to think of their own wretchedness. The smothered fire soon broke out. The press teemed with papers and pamphlets on the rights of Man-the true ends of government, and the blessings of Liberty. The eyes of the great nation were presently opened to a sight of her degraded and wretched state. Then suddenly springing up, like a mighty giantess from the hated bed of violation and dishonour, she began a course of vengeance as terrible as it had been long delayed. The unfortunate king and queen were quickly brought low. The heads of her tyrants every where bounded on the floors of the guillotine; while in every place dogs licked the blood of nobles: and the bodies of great lords were scattered like dung over the face of the earth. FEARING that if France were suffered to go on at this rate, there would not in a little time, be a crown left in Europe, the crowned heads all confederated to arrest her progress. The whole surrounding world, both by land and water, was in commotion: and tremendous fleets and armies poured in from every side, to overwhelm her. With unanimity and valour equal to their dangers, the war-loving Gauls rushed forth in crowding millions to meet their foes. The mighty armies joined in battle, appearing to the terrified eye, as if the whole human race were rushing together for mutual destruction. But not content with setting the eastern world on fire, the furious combatants (like Milton's warring Spirits tearing up and flinging mountains and islands at each other) flew to America to seize and drag her into their war. FLAMING on this errand, Mr. Genet lighted on our continent as an envoy from France. He was received with joy as a brother republican. The people every where welcomed him as the representative of a beloved nation, to whom, under God, they owed their liberties. Grand dinners were given-sparkling bumpers were filled and standing up round the vast convivial board, with joined hands, and cheeks glowing with friendship and the generous juice, they rent the air with "health and fraternity to the sister republics of France and America." WASHINGTON joined in the general hospitality to the stranger. He extolled the valour, and congratulated the victories of his brave countrymen. "Born, sir, said he, in a land of Liberty, for whose sake I have spent the best years of my life in war, I cannot but feei a trembling anxiety whenever I see an oppressed people drawing their swo ds and rearing aloft the sacred banners of freedom." ENRAPTURED at finding in America such a cordial spirit towards his country, Mr. Genet instantly set himself to call it into the fullest exertion. And by artfully ringing the changes on British cruelty, and French generosity, to the Americans, he so far succeeded as to prevail on some persons in Charleston to commence the equipment of privateers against the British. Dazzled by the lustre of false gratitude to one nation, they lost sight of their horrid injustice to another: and during the profoundest peace between England and America, when the American planters, by their flour, rice, and cotton, were making money |