UNITED STATES, _December 19, 1799_.
The Message and letter were read and ordered to lie for consideration.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the
House having received intelligence of the death of their highly-valued
fellow-citizen, General GEORGE WASHINGTON, and sharing the universal
grief this distressing event must produce, have resolved that a joint
committee be appointed, to report measures suitable to the occasion, and
expressive of the profound sorrow with which Congress is penetrated on
the loss of a citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the
hearts of his countrymen; and, having appointed a committee on their
part, desire the concurrence of the Senate.
The Senate proceeded to consider the foregoing resolution of the House
of Representatives; whereupon,
_Resolved_, That they do concur therein, and that Messrs. DAYTON,
BINGHAM, DEXTER, GUNN, LAURANCE, TRACY, and READ, be the committee on
the part of the Senate.
_Resolved_, That the Senate will wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, to condole with him on the distressing event of the death of
General GEORGE WASHINGTON; and that a committee be appointed to prepare,
for that occasion, an Address to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
expressive of the deep regret of the Senate; and that this committee
consist of Messrs. DEXTER, ROSS, and READ.
_Resolved_, That the chairs in the Senate Chamber be covered, and the
room hung with black, and that each member, and the officers of the
Senate, go into mourning, by the usual mode of wearing a crape round the
left arm, during the session.
MONDAY, December 23.
TIMOTHY BLOODWORTH, from the State of North Carolina, and JOHN E.
HOWARD, from the State of Maryland, severally attended.
Mr. DEXTER, from the committee appointed for the purpose on the 18th
instant, reported the draft of an Address to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, on the death of General GEORGE WASHINGTON; which being read in
paragraphs, was adopted, as follows:
_To the President of the United States:_
The Senate of the United States respectfully take leave,
sir, to express to you their deep regret for the loss
their country sustains in the death of General GEORGE
WASHINGTON.
This event, so distressing to all our fellow-citizens, must
be peculiarly heavy to you, who have long been associated
with him in deeds of patriotism. Permit us, sir, to mingle
our tears with yours; on this occasion it is manly to weep.
To lose such a man, at such a crisis, is no common calamity
to the world. Our Country mourns her Father. The Almighty
Disposer of human events has taken from us our greatest
benefactor and ornament. It becomes us to submit with
reverence to Him who "maketh darkness his pavilion."
With patriotic pride, we review the life of our WASHINGTON,
and compare him with those of other countries, who have
been pre-eminent in fame. Ancient and modern names are
diminished before him. Greatness and guilt have too often
been allied; but his fame is whiter than it is brilliant.
The destroyers of nations stood abashed at the majesty of
his virtues. It reproved the intemperance of their
ambition, and darkened the splendor of victory. The scene
is closed, and we are no longer anxious lest misfortune
should sully his glory; he has travelled on to the end of
his journey, and carried with him an increasing weight of
honor; he has deposited it safely, where misfortune cannot
tarnish it, where malice cannot blast it. Favored of
heaven, he departed without exhibiting the weakness of
humanity. Magnanimous in death, the darkness of the grave
could not obscure his brightness.
Such was the man whom we deplore. Thanks to God! his glory
is consummated; WASHINGTON yet lives--on earth in his
spotless example--his spirit is in heaven.
Let his countrymen consecrate the memory of the heroic
General, the patriotic Statesman, and the virtuous Sage;
let them teach their children never to forget that the
fruit of his labors and his example are their inheritance.