"In the town* of in Connecticut, where the roads were extremely rough, Washington was overtaken by night, on Saturday, not being able to reach the town, where he designed to rest on the Sabbath. Next morning about sun-rise, his coach was harnessed, and he was proceeding onward to an inn, near the place of worship, which he proposed to attend.

"A plain man, who was an informing officer, came from a cottage, and inquired of the coachman whether there were any urgent reasons for his travelling on the Lord's day. The General, instead of resenting this as impertinent rudeness, ordered the coachman to stop, and with great civility explained the circumstances to the of ficer, commending him for his fidelity, and assured him that nothing was farther from his intention than to treat with disrespect the laws and usages of Connnecticut, relative to the Sabbath, which met with his most cordial approbation."

Though he had, as we have seen, paid a marked respect to the claims of the Sabbath, throughout his previous life-there seemed to be, during his Presidency, an increased regard and deference for the same. Not only was he most punctual in his attendance on the public worship of God, whenever it was possible, but the discipline of his house was strictly conformed to the obligations and proprieties of the day. It was an established rule of his mansion, that visitors could not be admitted on Sundays. It is understood that an exception to the rule

* Town or Township--a section of country six miles square; into a number of which the State is divided. General Washington was now making the tour of New-England, in the autumn of 1789.

was made in the case of one individual, viz., Mr. Trumbull, Speaker of the House of Representatives. He often spent an hour on Sunday evenings with the President; and so entirely was the privilege confined to him, that it was usual with the house servant when he heard the door-bell ring, on those evenings, to call it, the "speaker's bell."

After spending a part of the day at church, and occasionally an hour in the evening with Mr. Trumbull, one of the most pious men of his age-the rest of the time preceding the hour of repose was occupied, as mentioned in a previous chapter, by the President's reading to Mrs. Washington, a sermon or a portion of the Holy Scriptures.

CHAPTER VI.

HIS RESPECT FOR THE CLERGY.

At every period of his life, was the conduct of Washington marked by a special respect for the office and person of the ministers of religion. He honoured the calling, as one of express divine appointment, and him who filled it, as the living representative of the Divine Author of Christianity. This was the combined result of his good sense and pious affections. He well knew that religion could not long be maintained in any community, where its ministers were lightly esteemed. He also knew and felt that no higher offence could be offered the Almighty, than to contemn and refuse his duly accredited ambassadors. He was incapable of that injustice and pusillanimity, which can insult a clergyman, because he is known to be comparatively defenceless-as of that narrow-minded and illiberal jealousy which looks with suspicion upon the ministers of Christ for no other assignable reason, than the errors or vices which may have distinguished some of their order, in the lapse of ages. He was well able to discriminate between the innocent and the guilty; and his sense of justice, as well as bene

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volence of feeling, prompted him to a scrupulous regard for so manifest a duty.

Through every stage of his illustrious career the marks of this wise and becoming course may be distinctly traced.

While embarked in the French and Indian War, as Commander of the Virginia forces, he earnestly sought of Governour Dinwiddie the supply of a chaplain to his regiment. His language was:

“The want of a chaplain, I humbly conceive reflects dishonour on the regiment, as all other officers are allowed. The gentlemen of the corps are sensible of this, and proposed to support one at their private expense. But I think it would have a more graceful appearance were he appointed as others are."

To this the Governour replied:

"I have recommended to the commissary to get a chaplain, but he cannot prevail upon any person to accept of it; I shall again press it to him."

In answer to which Washington wrote:

"As to a chaplain, if the government will grant a subsistence, we can readily get a person of merit to accept the place, without giving the commissary any trouble on that point."

With the letter, of which this was a part, the Governour seems not to have been well pleased. In his reply, among other things, indicating displeasure, he says:

"In regard to a chaplain, you should know, that his qualification and the bishop's letter of license, should be produced to the commissary and myself: but this person is also nameless."

Washington answered :

"When I spoke of a chaplain, it was in answer to yours. I had no person in view, though many have offered; and I only said, if the country would provide subsistence, we could procure a chaplain, without thinking there was offence in the expression."*

Notwithstanding the importunity of Washington, no chaplain was provided, at least by the government. His solicitude on the subject continuing, he wrote to the President of the Council, about two years after the above correspondence with the Governour, in words already quoted under another head.

"The last Assembly, in their Supply Bill, provided for a chaplain to our regiment. On this subject I had often, without any success, applied to Governour Dinwiddie. I now flatter myself that your Honour will be pleased to appoint a sober, serious man for this duty." &c.

Having seen the nature of his feelings, in regard to the Christian ministry, as evinced in his earlier days, we pass to similar indications as attending his subsequent life.

It has before appeared, that after his marriage, he was a constant attendant on divine worship; and that the most friendly intercourse subsisted between himself and the minister of the parish-the latter being often a guest at Mount Vernon. The annexed portions of a letter from his pen, are inserted more as serving to fill up a chasm in our record, than for any thing very decisive, The letter is addressed to the Rev. Dr. Cooper, President of King's College, New-York; its date, Mount Vernon, December 15, 1773:

* Governour Dinwiddie, though compelled by public opinion, to place Washington in honourable station, was never his cordial friend,