sent over. But even he was not equal to the task. The discussions between Mr. Jefferson and the agents of these two powers do him immortal honor.

His Reports, whilst Secretary of State, on moneys, on weights and measures, on the fisheries, and on the restriction of commerce, are ample attestations of the enlarged views of the philosopher, statesman, and financier.

In 1797 he was elected Vice President, in which high station he presided with great dignity and impartiality. He wrote a manual for the Senate, which is considered its rule of conduct.

In 1800 he was elected to the high and responsible office of President of the United Sates. His general conduct while in that office you all know; his republican simplicity-his dovotion to his public duties. There are some particular acts of his, however, to which I will draw your attentionfor having been an actor myself during the whole of his administration, in habits of familiar and confidential intercourse with him, I believe I am acquainted with the motives which governed him on those subjects. To review all the important acts of an administration which will long be held in high estimation, would be endless. I shall confine myself to a few of them; the most prominent, which related to the internal policy of the nation.

I well recollect that many good men apprehended that Jefferson would introduce a wild system of government, which would lead to anarchy and confusion; and many wise men were alarmed, and actually believed he would destroy the credit of the nation, by either repealing the funding system, or lessening the value of the public debt. How little did they know that great man! Amongst the first acts of his administration, was a bill passed appropriating eight millions of dollars per annum, as a permanent fund, to be applied to the payment of the interest and principal of the public debt, until the whole should be paid. This fund had the preference of all other appropriations. This act removed

all idle fears. The public credit was strengthened and affirmed; and all Europe was taught to know that whatever party might prevail, the credit of the nation would be sustained-her faith and her honor held sacred and inviolate. Our stock rose in consequence of the increased confidence in the government, and the debt of the revolution (the three per cents excepted) is extinguished.

1 recollect, too, that great apprehensions had been entertained by a considerable portion of the people, that Mr. Jefferson would prove unfriendly to the navy; and yet his Notes on Virginia breathed a contrary spirit; viewing the navy as a necessary protection of commerce and defence of the country. It was true, that many of his friends were hostile to it. There were others of us, however, who were its uniform advocates; and his very first act, after having executed the law passed under his predecessor, for the sale of certain vessels and reducing the number of our naval officers, was to fit out a squadron for the Mediterranean. Tripoli had made some insolent demands, accompanied by threats in case they should be refused. Jefferson's doctrine was, "not a cent for tribute." The squadron was despatched and appeared before Tripoli; the Dey was obstinate-war ensued, and he was severely chastised for his insolence. He sued for peace, and peace was granted him. The bravery displayed by the navy during that war raised the American character in Europe, giving to our officers confidence in themselves. Affording them much instruction and an opportunity of acquiring a practical knowledge of their profession, it prepared them for a future contest in which they crowned themselves and their country with glory-fought their way to popularity at home-to the admiration of the world, and to the affections of their countrymen. I know, (for I did the duty of Secretary of the Navy for a short time, and was perfectly acquainted with his opinion)—that no man was a greater friend to the navy than Jefferson. His acts brought it into notice-its own gallantry

and bravery have done the rest-it now occupies a proud station in the eyes of the world.

The next of his acts which I shall mention, I have always thought the most wise and important ever executed by him or any other of our great men. It showed his great political foresight-I allude to the purchase of Louisiana. He seized the lucky moment for its acquisition, which, had it been neglected, would never again have occurred. It was deemed by him, the strong link in the chain which was to bind the west and east together. An outlet to the ocean for our western brethren was the strong and durable link of interest. Spain it is true, had accorded New Orleans to us as a place of deposit. But that did not, could not satisfy our brothers of the West. The ties of natural affection could not hold us together these bind neither nations nor individuals—all, all give way to the great absorbing principle of interest. Washington, the great Father of his country, thought so. He has told us, and his was the voice of wisdom, that "every door to the western country should be left wide open, and the commercial intercourse with it rendered as free and as easy as possible that this is the best and only cement to unite those people to us—and that our interest is in so much unison with this measure, and no obstacle ought to intervene." Jefferson had long entertained similar views-and in his instructions to Mr. Livingston, he charged him to use his best endeavors to procure a cession of Louisiana, (I think) from Spain, through the influence of France. Early in the year (I think) 1803, I introduced a resolution in the House for the appropriation of two millions of dollars to defray any extraordinary expense attending the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations. A committee was raised, and the resolution adopted. The well known object of this appropriation was the purchase of the Island of New Orleans and West Florida. Mr. Monroe was sent to France to act with Mr. Livingston, but before he reached his destination, he received a letter from Livingston informing him,

that he doubted whether any thing short of the ultima ratio would effect their object. It had become known that Spain had secretly ceded all Louisiana and West Florida to France. This was appalling indeed! France-all-powerful France, in possession of the only outlet from the West to the ocean, and of a boundless territory in our vicinity! What had been our situation? It would have been no easy measure to have dispossessed her, and the West would have been a mine of inexhaustible wealth to her. But fortunately Bonaparte wanted money-a tempting offer was made him, and he accepted it. And thus the United States obtained a possession great in a pencuniary point of view, but incalculably great in a political view. Had Mr. Jefferson done no other act, this great stroke of policy would have handed down his name to posterity as a great benefactor of his country. Another im, portant act, promoted by Mr. Jefferson, which tended much to bind the West and the East together, was the Cumberland 'road-a work which does honor to the nation. Affording an easy communication from the Western Waters to the Atlantic States, it forms a strong band of political union.

The economy introduced by Jefferson in the public expen ditures; the introduction of specific appropriations, and the excellent arrangements in our financial system, made what was before difficult and confused, clear, simple, and easy to be com prehended.

There were certain acts adopted in Virginia, of which Mr. Jefferson was the author, in which he took perhaps more pride than in any thing else he ever did. These were, "The prohibition of the Slave Trade; the abolition of entails, and the right of primogeniture; the subversion of a dominant re ligion, commenced by him, and completed by Mr. Madison."

It required the bold and original genius of Jefferson, to break down a hierarchy supported upon the deep-rooted and strongest prejudices of man. It required the republican spirit of a Jefferson to break the unnatural fetters of primogeniture,

and nip aristocracy in the bud. One other act was wanting to fill up the measure of this great man's usefulness. Employing the evening of his days in the same great cause to which the morning of his youth and the noonday of his life had been devoted the cause of his country and mankind; he has erected an imperishable monument to his own glory, and conferred a lasting benefit on his country, in the University of Virginia.

Thus, in the service of his country, he expended sixty-one years-more years than are allotted to the usual life of man!

What a train of curious coincidences is remarkable in the lives, the acts, and the deaths, of these two great men-Jefferson and Adams. Both prominent in the act of Independence; both Ministers sent to France together-both returning about the same time-both selected about the same time to the highest offices-both Vice-Presidents-both Presidents of the United States-and most wonderful of all! both closing their mortal careers on the same day-the 4th of July— the Fiftieth Anniversary of the day on which both had signed the Declaration of Independence.

The last words of the venerable Adams were, " Independence forever." The last words of our beloved Jefferson, (and let not his country forget them,) were, "I resign my Soul to my God, and My daughter to my country!" and I humbly hope that his country will watch over and guard her, aid and cherish her and I feel a proud confidence that they will thus evince their gratitude to the Patriot.

Had such a coincidence occurred in the days of ancient Greece, to two of their great men, they would have placed them among the lesser deities. If in the days of our ancestors-they would have believed and exclaimed, that the hand of God was visible in it. And may we not believe that an All-seeing Providence, as a mark of approbation of their well spent lives, has been mercifully pleased to grant their last prayer "That they might be spared until the Fourth of