hereafter, attend those, who, under the divine aufpices, 1783. have fecured innumerable bleffings for others! With these wishes, and this benediction, the commander in chief is about to retire from service.-The curtain of feparation will foon be drawn-and the military scene to him will be closed for ever!"

In Auguft Sir Guy Carleton received his final orders Aug. for the evacuation of New York. On the 17th he in- 17. formed the prefident of congrefs, that he should lofe no time in fulfilling his majefty's commands. But he could affign no precife period. The violence of the Americans, which broke cut foon after the ceffation of hoftilities, increased the numbers of thofe that looked to him for escape from threatened deftruction. The newspapers contained repeated menaces from committees formed in various towns, cities and diftricts, and even at Philadelphia; which augmented the terrors of the loyalists, so that Sir Guy could not in honor leave any of those behind, who were defirous of quitting the country. He expreffed his concern at congrefs's having fufpended to that late hour the recommendations ftipulated by the treaty. The committee of congrefs had reported, on the 30th of May, after a preamble,

therefore, refolved, that the feveral states are hereby required to remove all obstructions which may interpofe in the way of the entire and faithful execution of the fourth and fixth articles; and that it be at the fame time earnestly recommended to them, to take into ferious confideration the fifth article, and to conform to the several matters therein contained, with that spirit of moderation and liberality, which ought ever to characterize the deliberations and measures of a free and en

lightened

1783. lightened nation." Inftead of adopting and publishing the refolution, a motion was made that the report be committed, to which 22 members of congrefs prefent agreed: the New York delegate Mr. (formerly colonel) Hamilton, one of the committee, diftinguished himself by his firmness and confiftency in giving it his fingle negative. The inveteracy difcovered in the states against the parties alluded to in the fifth article, undoubtedly influenced the minds of feveral to vote for the commitment, while the inclination of others prompted them to ufe that as an argument for their fo voting. The averfion of the people to a compliance with fuch recommendations, had they been published, did not proceed altogether from the rancor of the heart; but intereft influenced. Debts, which had never been contracted, were claimed, and paid out of the confifcated eftates: in some instances by those who were debtors to the parties fuffering by the confifcations. Confifcated property to a confiderable amount had been purchased by many at a trifling expence. Had the recommendations been passed and complied with, fcenes of notorious injustice would have been laid open, the moft beneficial bargains fuperfeded, and the payment of a number of fimple contract and bond debts speedily required.

Nov.

Tuesday, November the 25th, was the day agreed 25. upon for the evacuation of New York. To prevent every disorder which might otherwife enfue from fuch an event, the American troops under the command of general Knox marched from Haerlem to the Bowery lane in the morning. They remained there till about one o'clock, when the British forces left the pofts in the Bowery, and the Americans marched forward and took

3

poffeffion

'

poffeffion of the city. This being effected, Knox and 1783. a number of citizens on horseback rode to the Bowery to receive their excellencies general Washington and -governor Clinton, who, with their fuits, made their public entry into the city on horfeback; followed by the lieut. governor and the members of the council, for the temporary government of the fouthern diftrict, four abreaft-general Knox and the officers of the army, eight abreast-citizens on horfeback, eight abreastthe speaker of the affembly and citizens on foot, eight abreaft. The proceffion ceafed at Cape's tavern. The governor gave a public dinner at Frances's tavern; at which the commander in chief and other general officers were present. The arrangements for the whole bufinefs were so well made and executed, that the most admirable tranquillity fucceeded through the day and night. On Dec. Monday, the governor gave an elegant entertainment 1. to the French ambaffador, the chevalier de la Luzerne. General Washington, the principal officers of the New York state and of the army, and upward of a hundred gentlemen, were prefent. Magnificent fire works, infinitely exceeding every thing of the kind before seen in the United States, were exhibited at the Bowling-green in the Broad-way, in the evening of Tuesday, in celebration of the definitive treaty of peace. They commenced by a dove's descending with the olive branch, and fetting fire to a marron battery.

I.

On Thursday noon, the principal officers of the army 4. affembled at Frances's (alias Black Sam's) tavern, to take a final leave of their much-loved commander in chief. After awhile, gen. Washington came in, and calling for a glass of wine, thus addreffed them-" With

an

1783. an heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of

you. I most devoutly wish, that your latter days may be as profperous and happy, as your former ones have been glorious and honorable." Having drank, he faid— "I cannot come to each of you to take my leave; but fhall be obliged to you, if each will come and take me by the hand." General Knox being nearest turned to him; Washington with tears rolling down his cheeks, grafped Knox's hand, and then kiffed him: he did the fame by every fucceeding officer, and by fome other gentlemen who were prefent. The paffions of human nature were never more tenderly agitated, than in this interefting and diftrefsful fcene. The whole company were in tears. When Washington left the room, and paffed through the corps of light infantry about two o'clock in his way to Whitehall, the others followed, walking in a folemn, mute, and mournful proceffion, with heads hanging down and dejected countenances, till he embarked in his barge for Powle's Hook. When he had entered, he turned, took off his hat, and with that bid them a filent adieu. They paid him the fame affectionate compliment, and the barge pushing off, returned from Whitehall in like manner as they had advanced.

Though general Washington was not ftayed in his progrefs to Philadelphia, by the congrefs, who, on the Ift of November, had elected the honorable Thomas Mifflin prefident, and three days after had adjourned to meet at Annapolis in Maryland on the 26th; yet it was the 8th of December at noon, before general Washington arrived at the capital of Pennsylvania. When his intention of quitting the army was known, he was com

plimented

.

plimented and received with the utmost respect and 1783. affection, by all orders of men, both in the civil and military line. He remained fome days in Philadelphia. While in the city he delivered in his accounts to the comptroller, down to December the 13th, all in his own hand writing, and every entry made in the most particular manner, ftating the occafion of each charge, so as to give the leaft trouble in examining and comparing them with the vouchers with which they were attended.

The heads are as follows, copied from the folio manufcript paper book, in the file of the treafury office N° 3700, being a black box of tin containing, under lock and key, both that and the vouchers. Total of expenditures from 1775 to 1783, exclufive of provifions from commiffaries and contractors, and of liquors, &c. from them and others

Expended befides, dollars according to the fcale of depreciation

s. d.

3387 14 4

- 1982 10 0

1874 8 8

- 2952 10 I

6114 14 O

£. 16,311 17 1

Note, 104,364 of the dollars were received after March 1780, and although credited at 40 for one, many did not fetch at the rate of a hundred for one, while 27,775. of them are returned without deducting any thing from the above account [and therefore actually made a prefent of to the public.]

200 guineas advanced to general M Dougall are not included in the 19821. 10s. not being yet fettled, but included in fome of the other charges, and fo reckoned in the general fum,

VOL. IV.

C c

[General