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vised, with the affectionate earnestness of a father and the sagacity of a sage, to guard against foreign influence, to avoid all interference with European politics, and the baneful violence of party spirit and sectional jealousy; above all, he urged the importance of "cherishing a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to the UNION, as the main pillar in the edifice of independence, the support of tranquilli ty at home and peace abroad; of safety, prosperity, and liberty.

After witnessing the inauguration of Mr. Adams as his successor in office, Washington hastened to seek at Mount Vernon that calm felicity, that happy retirement, which he had long fondly anticipated; but the din of war soon broke in upon the tranquil shades of his retreat. The spirit of the veteran soldier was roused by the insults offered to his country by France, and laying aside all considerations of age or ease, he accepted the chief command of the army of the United States on condition that he should not be called into the field until his presence became indispensable; that necessity never occurred, but before peace was restored, Washington was no more.

On the night of the 13th of December, 1799, (having been exposed to a shower in the morning), he was attacked by an inflammatory affection of the throat, and in twenty-four hours after, the first luminary of America was removed to a higher, brighter, happier sphere.

The shock of this event fell upon the country with the unexpected suddenness of an earthquake, dismay and affliction suspended all business; all ages and classes united in sorrow, and in demonstrations of veneration and affection.

On the 18th, his remains were deposited in the family vault at Mount Vernon.

Having thus sketched the chief events in the life of Washington, very little more seems to be required; the value, the importance, the results of that life are before the world. In the place of thirteen scattered, oppressed, and degraded colonies struggling in poverty, and united only by the resolution to be freewe have an empire, rich, powerful, and independent; to found which, he, more than any other individual, contributed.

"For

In life, malice never tarnished his honor, envy forbore to practice her craft; "favored of heaven, he departed without exhibiting the weakness of humanity; magnanimous in death, the darkness of the grave could not obscure his brightness."* himself, he had lived long enough to life and to glory; for his fellow citizens, if their prayers could have been answered, he would have been immortal."t † Adams.

* Marshall.

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BIOGRAPHY

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JOHN ADAMS.

John Adams was second president of the United States. If the images and superscriptions of the great men of antiquity were stamped upon médals and coins to give future times an account of their existence, and their deeds, and this has been considered by all ages since, as extremely proper; ought not we to multiply brief histories of those who have assisted in building up our national character, and in founding those institutions which are the glory of the age in which we live? Gratitude, patriotism and justice answer that we should. But few among the departed great, have done more for their country than John Adams. He was born at Braintree, now Quincy, on the 30th day of October, 1735. He descended from the pilgrims. His father was a man of plain good sense, and thinking that his son discovered marks of genius, put him at first to school in his native town to acquire a sufficient degree of knowledge of the classics to gain admission to Harvard college; of which institution he became a member in 1751, and graduated in regular course. He was distinguished among his contemporaries for those traits of character which were his through life, energy, directness, and perspicuity. No man can mistake his meaning. On leaving college he went to the town of Worcester to teach a school, and at the same time to study law, a common course in that

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