t　personal　influence；　all　such　intentions　on　the　part　of　the　army。　On　the　23d　of　December；　1783；　he　met　the　Congress　at　Annapolis；　and　there　resigned　his　commission。　What　he　then　said　is　one　of　the　two　most　memorable　speeches　ever　made　in　the　United　States；　and　is　also　memorable　for　its　meaning　and　spirit　among　all　speeches　ever　made　by　men。　He　spoke　as　follows：
  Mr。　President：The　great　events　on　which　my　resignation　depended　having　at　length　taken　place；　I　have　now　the　honor　of　offering　my　sincere　congratulations　to　Congress；　and　of　presenting　myself　before　them；　to　surrender　into　their　hands　the　trust　committed　to　me　and　to　claim　the　indulgence　of　retiring　from　the　service　of　my　country。
  Happy　in　the　confirmation　of　our　independence　and　sovereignity　and　pleased　with　the　opportunity　afforded　the　United　States　of　becoming　a　respectable　nation；　I　resign　with　satisfaction　the　appointment　I　accepted　with　diffidence；　a　diffidence　in　my　abilities　to　accomplish　so　arduous　a　task；　which；　however；　was　superseded　by　a　confidence　in　the　rectitude　of　our　cause；　the　support　of　the　supreme　power　of　the　Union；　and　the　patronage　of　Heaven。
  The　successful　termination　of　the　war　has　verified　the　most　sanguine　expectations；　and　my　gratitude　for　the　interposition　of　Providence　and　the　assistance　I　have　received　from　my　countrymen　increases　with　every　review　of　the　momentous　contest。
  While　I　repeat　my　obligations　to　the　Army　in　general；　I　should　do　injustice　to　my　own　feelings　not　to　acknowledge；　in　this　place；　the　peculiar　services　and　distinguished　merits　of　the　Gentlemen　who　have　been　attached　to　my　person　during　the　war。　It　was　impossible　that　the　choice　of　confidential　officers　to　compose　my　family　should　have　been　more　fortunate。　Permit　me；　sir；　to　recommend　in　particular　those　who　have　continued　in　service　to　the　present　moment　as　worthy　of　the　favorable　notice　and　patronage　of　Congress。
  I　consider　it　an　indispensable　duty　to　close　this　last　solemn　act　of　my　official　life　by　commending　the　interests　of　our　dearest　country　to　the　protection　of　Almighty　God；　and　those　who　have　the　superintendence　of　them　to　His　holy　keeping。
  Having　now　finished　the　work　assigned　me；　I　retire　from　the　great　theatre　of　action；　and；　bidding　an　affectionate　farewell　to　this　august　body；　under　whose　orders　I　have　so　long　acted；　I　here　offer　my　commission　and　take　my　leave　of　all　the　employments　of　public　life。〃
  The　great　master　of　English　fiction；　writing　of　this　scene　at　Annapolis；　says：　'Which　was　the　most　splendid　spectacle　ever　witnessedthe　opening　feast　of　Prince　George　in　London；　or　the　resignation　of　Washington？　Which　is　the　noble　character　for　after　ages　to　admireyon　fribble　dancing　in　lace　and　spangles；　or　yonder　hero　who　sheathes　his　sword　after　a　life　of　spotless　honor；　a　purity　unreproached；　a　courage　indomitable　and　a　consummate　victory？〃
  Washington　did　not　refuse　the　dictatorship；　or；　rather；　the　opportunity　to　take　control　of　the　country；　because　he　feared　heavy　responsibility；　but　solely　because；　as　a　high…minded　and　patriotic　man；　he　did　not　believe　in　meeting　the　situation　in　that　way。　He　was；　moreover；　entirely　devoid　of　personal　ambition；　and　had　no　vulgar　longing　for　personal　power。　After　resigning　his　commission　he　returned　quietly　to　Mount　Vernon；　but　he　did　not　hold　himself　aloof　from　public　affairs。　On　the　contrary；　he　watched　their　course　with　the　utmost　anxiety。　He　saw　the　feeble　Confederation　breaking　to　pieces；　and　he　soon　realized　that　that　form　of　government　was　an　utter　failure。　In　a　time　when　no　American　statesman　except　Hamilton　had　yet　freed　himself　from　the　local　feelings　of　the　colonial　days；　Washington　was　thoroughly　national　in　all　his　views。　Out　of　the　thirteen　jarring　colonies　he　meant　that　a　nation　should　come；　and　he　sawwhat　no　one　else　sawthe　destiny　of　the　country　to　the　westward。　He　wished　a　nation　founded　which　should　cross　the　Alleghanies；　and；　holding　the　mouths　of　the　Mississippi；　take　possession　of　all　that　vast　and　then　unknown　region。　For　these　reasons　he　stood　at　the　head　of　the　national　movement；　and　to　him　all　men　turned　who　desired　a　better　union　and　sought　to　bring　order　out　of　chaos。　With　him　Hamilton　and　Madison　consulted　in　the　preliminary　stages　which　were　to　lead　to　the　formation　of　a　new　system。　It　was　his　vast　personal　influence　which　made　that　movement　a　success；　and　when　the　convention　to　form　a　constitution　met　at　Philadelphia；　he　presided　over　its　deliberations；　and　it　was　his　commanding　will　which；　more　than　anything　else；　brought　a　constitution　through　difficulties　and　conflicting　interests　which　more　than　once　made　any　result　seem　well…nigh　hopeless。　When　the　Constitution　formed　at　Philadelphia　had　been　ratified　by　the　States；　all　men　turned　to　Washington　to　stand　at　the　head　of　the　new　government。　As　he　had　borne　the　burden　of　the　Revolution；　so　he　now　took　up　the　task　of　bringing　the　government　of　the　Constitution　into　existence。　For　eight　years　he　served　as　president。　He　came　into　office　with　a　paper　constitution；　the　heir　of　a　bankrupt；　broken…down　confederation。　He　left　the　United　States；　when　he　went　out　of　office；　an　effective　and　vigorous　government。　When　he　was　inaugurated；　we　had　nothing　but　the　clauses　of　the　Constitution　as　agreed　to　by　the　Convention。　When　he　laid　down　the　presidency；　we　had　an　organized　government；　an　established　revenue；　a　funded　debt；　a　high　credit；　an　efficient　system　of　banking；　a　strong　judiciary；　and　an　army。　We　had　a　vigorous　and　well…defined　foreign　policy；　we　had　recovered　the　western　posts；　which；　in　the　hands　of　the　British；　had　fettered　our　march　to　the　west；　and　we　had　proved　our　power　to　maintain　order　at　home；　to　repress　insurrection；　to　collect　the　national　taxes；　and　to　enforce　the　laws　made　by　Congress。　Thus　Washington　had　shown　that　rare　combination　of　the　leader　who　could　first　destroy　by　revolution；　and　who；　having　led　his　country　through　a　great　civil　war；　was　then　able　to　build　up　a　new　and　lasting　fabric　upon　the　ruins　of　a　system　which　had　been　overthrown。　At　the　close　of　his　official　service　he　returned　again　to　Mount　Vernon；　and；　after　a　few　years　of　quiet　retirement；　died　just　as　the　century　in　which　he　had　played　so　great　a　part　was　closing。
  Washington　stands　among　the　greatest　men　of　human　history；　and　those　in　the　same　rank　with　him　are　very　few。　Whether　measured　by　what　he　did；　or　what　he　was；　or　by　the　effect　of　his　work　upon　the　history　of　mankind；　in　every　aspect　he　is　entitled　to　the　place　he　holds　among　the　greatest　of　his　race。　Few　men　in　all　time　have　such　a　record　of　achievement。　Still　fewer　can　show　at　the　end　of　a　career　so　crowded　with　high　deeds　and　memorable　victories　a　life　so　free　from　spot；　a　character　so　unselfish　and　so　pure；　a　fame　so　void　of　doubtful　points　demanding　either　defense　or　explanation。　Eulogy　of　such　a　life　is　needless；　but　it　is　always　important　to　recall　and　to　freshly　remember　just　what　manner　of　man　he　was。　In　the　first　place　he　was　physically　a　striking　figure。　He　was　very　tall；　powerfully　made；　with　a　strong；　handsome　face。　He　was　remarkably　muscular　and　powerful。　As　a　boy　he　was　a　leader　in　all　outdoor　sports。　No　one　could　fling　the　bar　further　than　he；　and　no　one　could　ride　more　difficult　horses。　As　a　young　man　he　became　a　woodsman　and　hunter。　Day　after　day　he　could　tramp　through　the　wilderness　with　his　gun　and　his　surveyor's　chain；　and　then　sleep　at　night　beneath　the　stars。　He　feared　no　exposure　or　fatigue；　and　outdid　the　hardiest　backwoodsman　in　following　a　winter　trail　and　swimming　icy　streams。　This　habit　of　vigorous　bodily　exercise　he　carried　through　life。　Whenever　he　was　at　Mount　Vernon　he　gave　a　large　part　of　his　time　to　fox…hunting；　riding　after　his　hounds　through　the　most　difficult　country。　His　physical　power　and　endurance　counted　for　much　in　his　success　when　he　commanded　his　army；　and　when　the　heavy　anxieties　of　general　and　president　weighed　upon　his　mind　and　heart。
  He　was　an　educated；　but　not　a　learned　man。　He　read　well　and　remembered　what　he　read；　but　his　life　was；　from　the　beginning；　a　life　of　action；　and　the　world　of　men　was　his　school。　He　was　not　a　military　genius　like　Hannibal；　or　Caesar；　or　Napoleon；　of　which　the　world　has　had　only　three　or　four　examples。　But　he　was　a　great　soldier　of　the　type　which　the　English　race　has　produced；　like　Marlborough　and　Cromwell；　Wellington；　Grant；　and　Lee。　He　was　patient　under　defeat；　capable　of　large　combinations；　a　stubborn　and　often　reckless　fighter；　a　winner　of　battles；　but　much　more；　a　conclusive　winner　in　a　long　war　of　varying　fortunes。　He　was；　in　addition；　what　very　few　great　soldiers　or　commanders　have　ever　been；　a　great　constitutional　statesman；　able　to　lead　a　people　along　the　paths　of　free　government　without　undertaking　himself　to　play　the　part　of　the　strong　man；　the　usurper；　or　the　savior　of　society。
  He　was　a　very　silent　man。　Of　no　man　of　equal　importance　in　the　world's　history　have　we　so　few　sayings　of　a　personal　kind。　He　was　ready　enough　to　talk　or　to　write　about　the　public　duties　which　he　had　in　hand；　but　he　hardly　ever　talked　of　himself。　Yet　there　can　be　no　greater　error　than　to　suppose　Washington　cold　and　unfeeling；　because　of　his　silence　and　reserve。　He　was　by　nature　a　man　of　strong　desires　and　stormy　passio