FOOTNOTES:
[86] Randall's Life of Jefferson, ii, 268.
[87] The late Richard Rush relates an interesting incident, illustrative of the feelings of Washington on account of the misfortunes of his noble friend. Mr. Bradford, the attorney-general, who lived directly opposite the residence of Washington, was spending an evening with the president, when the conversation reverted to Lafayette. Washington spoke with great seriousness, contrasted the marquis's hitherto splendid career with that of his present forlorn and suffering condition; and at length became so deeply affected that his eyes filled with tears, and his whole great soul was stirred to its very depths. “Magnanimous tears they were,” says Mr. Rush, “fit for the first of heroes to shed—virtuous, honorable, sanctified!” Mr. Bradford, who deeply sympathized with the feelings of Washington, was much affected at the spectacle, and, retiring to his own house, wrote some simple and touching verses, called the “Lament of Washington.” They were an impromptu effusion from his heart.
[88] See Mount Vernon and its Associations, pages 285-293, inclusive.
CHAPTER XXXI.
washington's seventh annual message—treaty with the indians—other indian relations—treaty with algiers—treaty with spain—picture of national prosperity—forbearance in congress recommended—responses to the president's message—action of legislatures on the treaty—letter to gouverneur morris—washington's political creed—he is prepared to meet any action of congress—presentation of the french flag to the united states—the french constitution and the national convention—action in congress concerning the french flag.
On the eighth of December, 1795, Washington read his seventh annual address to the assembled Congress. It contained a gratifying summary of the events of the year in which his government and country were concerned. He had the pleasure of informing them officially of the “termination of the long, expensive, and distressing war,” in which the army had been engaged with the Indians of the Northwest Territory, by the treaty made by Wayne at Grenville, to which we have already alluded. That treaty was doubtless more easily consummated, after Wayne's victories, because of the knowledge that the western posts were about to be given up to the United States. By that treaty, a tract of twenty-five thousand square miles was ceded to the United States, lying in one body east of a defined line, and including the eastern and southern part of the present state of Ohio. They also ceded sixteen detached portions of territory in the region westward of that line, most of them two miles square, but several of them much larger. These included the sites of some of our most flourishing villages and cities in the West. As an equivalent for these cessions, the Indians were to receive goods to the amount of twenty thousand dollars in presents, and an annual allowance of articles to the value of nine thousand, five hundred dollars, to be distributed proportionately among the tribes who were parties to the treaty.