1800. ] 
liberty ; and he maintained, and even con- 
folidawed, the authority of government, 
without abridging the privileges of the 
people. 
Among the many examples of change 
and viciffitude in political connexion, which 
are amufing from their fingularity, and 
which would be moft ufeful if they were 
received as leffons of moderation by con- 
tending parties; there is none, perhaps, 
more remarkable, than that which may be 
obferved in the life of General Wafhington. 
In 1776, he was confidered in England as 
a proferibed rebel. In 1796, he was re- 
garded as the leader of the * Engiih party 
in America. Ii 1776, hisdeftruction was 
thought the only means of preferving Ame- 
rica to Great Britain. In 1796, his au- 
thority was thought the principal fecurity 
again her failing under the yoke of 
France. In 1776, he looked to the aid 
of France, as his.only hope of guarding 
the liberties of America againft England. 
In 1796, he muft have confidered the power 
of Great Britain as one main barrier of 
the fafety of America. againft France. 
Never, perhaps, did twenty years in the 
life of any individual, produce fo ftriking 
and fo important a change. But there was 
no inconfsftency in his character. There 
was no change in his principles or objects. 
There was a great change of circum/tances 
which required a correfpondent variety in 
the means to be employed for the attain- 
ment of his objects, .in the aid to be fought, 
the connexions to be cultivated, the mea- 
fures to be adopted for giving effect to his 
. principles. Means, plans, and connec- 
tions, muft always vary with the infinite 
variety in the fituations of men and of 
fiates. But the principles of public vir- 
tue, which were the principles of Wath- 
ington, are immortal and unchangeable. 
A good man always defires the liberty and 
happinels of his country, and, as far as 
poffible, of the whole human race. But 
a wife man varies his means according to 
the changing circumftances of the world, 
to fecure the attainment of the fame end, 
There would be no more real coniiftency 
in the eppofite conduct, than if a man 
were to continue the fame precautions 
* It is far from our intention to infinuate, 
that Wafhington either was or could be the 
' partizan of any foreign government. But as 
the violent democratic party became more or 
lefs conne&ted with France, fo thofe who 
ftruggled for the prefervation of the govern- 
ment, became naturally in fome degree par- 
‘tial to Great Britain, and were often called, 
efpecially by their opponents, the Englith 
party. : ; 
Memoirs of George Wafpinzion. 
357 
againft being froft-bitten at Bencooleny 
which he had found neceffary in Green- 
land ; or employ the ‘ame anxious care to 
fave himfelf from a coup de foletl in Ca- 
nada, which might have been very pruden 
in Bengal. 
The refignation of Wafhington in 37965 
is one of thofe meafures of his life in 
which his patriotifm and prudence feera 
the moft eminently confpicuous. Nothing 
was more certain than his re-election, if 
he had thought it wile to offer himfelf as 
a candidate. In that unfettled ftate of 
public aifairs, it might at firt fight ap- 
pear, that the man of moft’ influence and 
weight in America ought to have re- 
mained at the helm. The conduct which 
he purfued was, certainly, however the 
moft wile. ~ All the enemies, and many 
of the friends, of the American govera- 
ment believed, that.it had a fevere trial to 
encounter, wien the aid of Wafhington’s 
character fhould be withdrawn frem its 
executive government. Many apprehend- 
ed, that it had fcarce vigour enough to 
furvive the experiment. And, if the trial 
had been delayed till the death of Wafh- 
ington, the event might perhaps have been 
more doubtful. | It was neceflary, that fo 
critical an experiment fhould be performed 
under his eye. It was fit that the Ame- 
ricans fhould have an example.of a quiet 
election and a profperous adminiftration, 
apparently independent of the perfonal in- 
fluence of the great founder of their li- 
berty, though, in reality, fupported by the 
whole ftrength of his charaéter. It was 
fit, that the world fhould fee that the A- 
merican government was able to move by 
itfelf; but it was alfo fit, that fo hazard- 
ous a trial fhould be made while that 
guardian wifdom was at hand, which could 
guide and help its movements. The elec- 
tion of the firft fucceffor of Wathington 
was the moft critical event in the hiftory of 
the infant republic, and the example was 
likely to be of great and lating import- 
ance. America and her friends, after the 
happy iffue of this trial, may with con- 
fidence expect, that a government which 
has ftood fuch a teft, will maintain itfelf 
againtt ali future fhocks ; and that a peo- 
- ple with fuch an example before them, will 
fo exercife their great and hazardous right 
of eleéting a firft magiftrate, as to preferve 
the quiet of their country and the protect- 
ing power of the laws. In that cafe their 
fortune will be the more admirable, be- 
caufe we have no authority from the ex. 
perience of paft times to expe&t futh a 
degree of prudence, moderation, and equa- 
ninimity in any great community, as to 
make 
