Gentlemen of the Senate,

and of the House of Representatives,

THE letter herewith transmitted will inform you that it hath pleased Divine Providence to remove from this life, our excellent fellow-citizen GEORGE WASHINGTON, by the purity of his character and a long feries of services to his country, rendered illustrious through the world. It remains for an affectionate and grateful people, in whose hearts he can never die, to pay fuitable honor to his memory.

SIR,

JOHN ADAMS.

Mount Vernon, December 16, 1799.

IT is with inexpressible grief, that I have to announce to you the death of the great and good General WASH-INGTON. He died last evening between 10 and I o'clock, after a short illness of about twenty-four hours. His diforder was an inflamatory fore throat, which proceeded from a cold, of which he made but little complaint on Friday. On Saturday morning about 3 o'clock he became ill. Doctor Dick attended him in the morning, and Dr. Craick; of Alexandria, and Dr. Brown, of Port Tobacco, were foon after called in. Every medical affiftance was offered, but without the defired effect. His last scene correfponded with the whole tenor of his life. Not a groan nor a complaint efcaped him, in extreme

distress. With perfect resignation and a full poffeffion of his reafon, he closed his well fpent life.

I have the honor to be, &c.

TOBIAS LEAR.

MR. MARSHALL, with deep forrow on his countenance, and in a low, pathetic tone of voice, rose and addressed the House as follows:

THE melancholy event which was yesterday announced with doubt, has been rendered but too certain. Our WASHINGTON is no more! The hero, the fage, and the patriot of America the man on whom in times of danger every eye was turned and all hopes were placed, lives now, only in his own great actions, and in the hearts of an affectionate and afflicted people.

IF, fir, it had even not been usual openly to testify respect for the memory of those whom Heaven had felected as its instruments for dispensing good to men, yet such has been the uncommon worth, and such the extraordinary incidents which have marked the life of him whose lofs we all deplore, that the whole American nation, impelled by the fame feelings, would call with one voice for a public manifestation of that forrow which is so deep and so univerfal.

MORE than any other individual, and as much as to one individual was possible, has he contributed to found this our wide spreading empire, and to give to the western world its independence and its freedom.

HAVING effected the great object for which he was placed at the head of our armies, we have feen him convert the fword into the ploughshare, and voluntarily fink the foldier into the citizen.

WHEN the debility of our federal system had become manifest, and the bonds which connected the parts of this vast continent were dissolving, we have seen him the chief of those patriots who formed for us a constitution, which, by preserving the union, will, I trust, substantiate and perpetuate those blessings our revolution had promised to bestow.

In obedience to the general voice of his country, calling on him to preside over a great people, we have feen him once more quit the retirement he loved, and in a season more stormy and tempestuous than war itself, with calm and wise determination, pursue the true interests of the nation, and contribute more than any other could contribute, to the establishment of that system of policy, which will, I trust, yet preserve our peace, our honor and our independence.

HAVING been twice unaniniously chosen the chief magistrate of a free people, we see him, at a time when his re-election with the univerfal fuffrage could not have been doubted, affording to the world a rare instance of moderation, by withdrawing from his high station to the peaceful walks of private life.

HOWEVER the public confidence may change, and the public affection may fluctuate with respect to others, yet with respect to him they have, in war and in peace, in public and in private life, been as steady as his own farm mind, and as conftant as his own exalted virtues.

LET us then, Mr. Speaker, pay the last tribute of respect and affection to our departed friend. Let the grand council of the nation display those sentiments which the nation feels.

For this purpose, I hold in my hand some refolutions which I will take the liberty to offer to the House.

"RESOLVED, That this House will wait on the President of the United States, in condolence of this mournful event..

"RESOLVED, That the Speaker's chair be shrouded with black, and that the members and officers of the House wear black during the session.

"RESOLVED, That a committee in conjunction with one from the Senate, be appointed to confider on the most suitable manner of paying honor to the memory of the man, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his country.

RESOLVED, That this House when it adjourn, de adjourn to Monday."

THESE refolutions were unanimoufly agreed to.Sixteen members were appointed on the third refolution.

GENERALS Marshall and Smith were appointed to wait on the President to know at what time it would be convenient to receive the House.

GENERALS Marshall and Sinith having waited on the President with the first resolution, reported, that the President would be ready to receive them at one o'clock this day. The House accordingly waited on him.

THE Speaker addressed the President in the following words:

SIR,

THE House of Representatives, penetrated with a sense of the irreparable loss sustained by the nation, by the death of that great and good man, the illustrious and beloved WASHINGTON, wait on you, fir, to exprefs their condolence on this melancholy and distressing event.

To which the President made the following answer:

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,

I RECEIVE with great respect and affection the condolence of the House of Representatives on the melancholy and afflicting event in the death of the most illuftrious and beloved personage which this country ever produced. I sympathize with you, with the nation, and with good men through the world, in this irreparable loss sustained by us all.

JOHN ADAMS.