BOOK the general passed he was received with the highest demonstrations of gratitude and joy. XXI. 1782. Gen. Wash ington re When he arrived at Annapolis, he signified to signs his congress his intention to resign the command he commission had the honor to hold in their service, referring to them the mode in which it should be done. They resolved it should be in a public audience. When the day fixed for that purpose arrived, the hall of the senate-house was crowded with personages of the highest merit and distinction; and general Washington, addressing the president in a speech. remarkable only for its dignified simplicity, "demanded leave to surrender into their hands the trust committed to him, and, having finished the work assigned him, to retire from the great theatre of action to the tranquil scenes of private life, earnestly recommending to the protection of Almighty GoD the interests of his dear country, and those who have the superintendance of them to his holy keeping." To this address the president replied in words to the following purport :-"The United States in congress assembled receive with emotions too affecting for utterance the solemn resignation of the authority under which you have led our troops with success through a perilous and doubtful war. Called upon by your country to defend its invaded rights, you accepted the sacred charge before it had formed alliances, and whilst it was without friends XXI. 1782. or a government to support you-you have con- BOOK ducted the great military contest with wisdom and fortitude, invariably regarding the rights of the civil power through all disasters and changes-you have, by the love and confidence of your fellow-citizens, enabled them to display their martial genius, and to transmit their fame to posterity. Having defended the standard of liberty in this new world, having taught a lesson useful to those who inflict and to those who feel oppression, you retire with the bless. ings of your country; but the glory of your vir tues will not terminate with your military command-it will continue to animate remotest ages. May the Almighty foster a life so beloved with his peculiar care, and may your future days be as happy as your past have been illustrious!" The grand and interesting scenes which crowded upon the imagination of the general and the president almost deprived them of the power of articulation; and the mingled emotions of joy, regret, and admiration, which agitated the minds of the spectators, were expressed more forcibly by looks and gestures than they could have been by words. Immediately on this resignation, the late commander "hastened," to use his own words, "with ineffable delight to his seat at Mount Vernon, on the banks of the Potowmac;" whence, at the powerful call of his country, he in a short time. again emerged in order to assume the high station 1 BOOK of president and guardian of that new and noble XXI. 1782. Session of parliament, constitution which, by one of the happiest and most extraordinary efforts of human virtue, wisdom, and ability, has been substituted in America to her former feeble, inefficient, and defective form of go vernment. In Great Britain, to the affairs of which we must Dec. 1782. 'now revert, the session of parliament commenced December 5, 1782, with a very excellent speech from the throne, in which his majesty, reverting after a long and inglorious series of years to the genuine principles of Whig policy, declared, that he had lost no time in giving the necessary orders for prohibiting offensive operations against America, and had been directing his views to a cordial reconciliation with her. Such being his own inclination, and such the sense of his parliament and people, he had not hesitated to conclude with them provisional articles of peace, by which they were acknowledged free and independent States. He deplored this dismemberment of the empire, which had become a matter both of policy and prudence; but testified a hope that religion, language, interest, and affection, would yet prove a permanent tie of union between the two countries. He spoke with pride and satisfaction of the late gallant defence of Gibraltar he recommended an immediate attention to the great objects of public receipt and expenditure, and above all to the state of the national debt. XXI. 1782. He applauded the liberal principles which had ac- BOOK tuated the conduct of parliament respecting Ireland; he pressed a revision of the whole system of trade, with a view to its fullest extension: and turning his attention to Asia, pointed out our vast possessions there as a most important object of regula tion and care. He declared that the true spirit of the constitution would be the invariable rule of his conduct, and called upon parliament to exercise their temper, wisdom, and disinterestedness." the mini Loyal addresses were voted in both houses with- Strength of out a division; but some severe remarks having ster. been directed in the house of peers against the inconsistency of the minister, who had at a former period so strongly opposed the recognition of American independence, his lordship declared "that he had exerted every effort to preserve America to this country;" and with great animation exclaimed, "that he had not voluntarily yielded up this independency he had merely submitted to the controlling power of necessity and fate. It was not I was the evil (said he) that made this cession-it Doubts having arisen whether the acknowledgment of independency was absolute or conditional, BOOK and lord Shelburne declining to communicate any XXI. 1782. Prelimina ries of peace signed at Paris, Jan. 1783. particulars of a negotiation actually pending, Mr, Fox moved in the house of commons an address to the king, to lay before the house copies of such parts of the provisional articles as related to the same; but this was opposed as inexpedient and im proper, not only by the chancellor of the exchequer, Mr. Pitt, but by the late minister lord North; and the question being put, Mr. Fox's motion was negatived by a majority of 219 against 46-a division perhaps fatal to the minister, by inspiring him with high and lofty ideas of his own strength and security. On the 23d of December the parliament, after with France Voting one hundred thousand seamen and marines and Spain for the service of the ensuing year, adjourned to the 21st of January 1783-the day preceding which, preliminary articles of peace were signed between Great Britain, France, and Spain, which immediately after the recess were submitted to the consideration of the two houses. By this treaty Great Britain guarantied to France the island of Tobago, and restored that of St. Lucia; also the settlements of Goree and Senegal in Africa; and the city of Pondicherri, with her other conquests in the East, accompanied by some additions of territory. Lastly, the claims of Britain respecting Dunkirk were expressly relinquished; and on her |
