490 adviser, but still retaining all his confidence, as to the preparation of his " Farewell Address." This was issued to the country Sept. 17, 1796. At the close of the next session of congress Washington retired, as he thought for ever, from the public service, and withdrew to Mount Vernon. But a year bad hardly elapsed be- fore our long standing controversy with the directory of France culminated in a quasi war. Measures of preparation, military and naval, were adopted by congress, and Washington was appointed lieutenant general of the armies of the United States. He had never believed that the government of France would push the controversy to the arbitrament of war ; but he did not live to see the threatening cloud dis- persed. The commencement of the month of December, 1799, found him in remarkably good health, approaching the close of his 68th year, and in the entire enjoyment of his physi- cal and mental faculties. On the morning of Thursday, the 12th, after writing to Hamilton, he took his usual ride around his farms. The day was overcast when he started, and about one o'clock " it began to snow, soon after to hail, and then turned to a settled cold rain." He remained for two hours longer in the sad- dle, and on his return home sat down to din- ner without changing his dress, although the snow when he came into the house was cling- ing to his hair. The next day there was three inches of snow, on the ground in the morning, and Washington, complaining of a cold, omitted liis usual ride. As it cleared up in the after- noon, he went out to superintend some work upon the lawn. Ho passed the evening as usual, reading the papers and answering the latters of the day, and in conversation with his secretary. Between 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning of Saturday he awoke Mrs. Washing- ton, telling her he had had an ague fit and was very unwell ; but he would not allow the family to be disturbed for aid. At daybreak his secre- tary was called, and his physician, Dr. Craik, who lived at Alexandria, was sent for. At sunrise ho was bled by one of his overseers, but with little relief, and he rapidly grew worse. Dr. Craik arrived about 11 o'clock; bloodletting was repeated, and other remedies were adopted, but without effect. Two con- sulting physicians arrived during the day, and venesection was again attempted. About half-past 4 he requested Mrs. Washington to bring two papers from his study. Having ex- amined them, he gave her back one to be de- stroyed, and the other to be preserved as his will. He continued to speak and swallow with increasing difficulty, and suffered great pain, but retained his faculties to the last, and gave a few directions relative to his affairs and his burial. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon he said to Dr. Craik : " I die hard, but I am not afraid to go. I believed from my first attack that I should not survive it. My breath can- not last long." At 6 o'clock, as the three phy- sicians stood by his bedside, he said to them : " I feel myself going ; I thank you for your attentions, but I pray you to take no more trouble about me. Let me go off quietly ; I cannot last long." About 10 o'clock, after several ineffectual attempts to speak intelligi- bly, he said to Mr. Lear, his secretary : "I am just going ; have me decently buried, and do not let my body be put into the vault till three days after I am dead." He presently said : "Do you understand me?" and on Mr. Lear's replying that he did, Washington said : " It is well." These were the last words which he spoke. Between 11 and 12 o'clock, and about 10 minutes before he died, his breathing be- came easier. He lay quietly, withdrew his hand from Mr. Lear's, and felt his own pulse. At this moment his countenance changed, his hand fell from his wrist, and he expired with- out a struggle. The disease of which he died was " acute laryngitis," of rare occurrence, and never described till ten years later by Dr. Matthew Bailey of London. In the house of representatives of the United States, appropri- ate resolutions drawn by Gen. Henry Lee, one of the members from Virginia, were, in his absence, moved by his colleague John Mar- shall, soon after appointed chief justice of the United States. They express the public sor- row at the loss of him who was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his fel- low citizens." This expression is repeated in the funeral oration pronounced by Gen. Lee, at the request of the committee of arrange- ments, with the substitution of the word " countrymen" for "fellow citizens," and it is now usually quoted with that change. Wash- ington was 6 ft. 2 in. high, his person in youth spare but well proportioned, and never too stout for prompt and easy movement. His hair was brown, his eyes blue and far apart, his hands large, his arms uncommonly strong, the muscular development of his frame perfect. He was a bold and graceful horseman, and fol- lowed the hounds with eagerness and spirit. He was scrupulously attentive to the proprie- ties of dress and personal appearance ; his man- ner was gracious and gentle, especially toward the young, with a certain military reserve in public circles. He was childless, but most happy in his domestic relations. His wife was of the same age as himself, comely and amia- ble ; she brought him a large fortune, pre- sided over his household with punctuality and order, received and entertained his guests with gracious hospitality, and in all respects adorned his official station and cheered his Srivate life. On the death of her son, Col. ohn Parke Custis, at Yorktown, leaving four children, the two youngest, Eleanor Parke Custis, afterward married to her cousin Major Lewis, and George Washington Parke Custis, were adopted by Washington and brought up as children at Mount Vernon. An original full-length statuo by Houdon in the capitol at Richmond is accepted as the standard like- ness of Washington. ]The attitude is rather
