Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/385

 An Account of the Chikkafah Nation. 373

have rejected it with contempt. When a gentleman of abilities employs his talents, in his proper fphere, in promoting the general good of fociety (in- ftead of forwarding only his own intereft) he is both an honour and a blef- fing to the community : the grateful public always revere fuch a character, and fail not to hand it down to the lateft pofterity, to ftimulate others to fol low the example. Such was Mr. Ellis in Georgia ; and fuch was the learned, wife, polite, affable, and now much lamented Sir Henry Moore Bart, the late governor of New-York colony. His virtues fo ftrongly endeared him to thofe he governed, and to every one who had the pleafure of his acquaintance, that his memory will never be forgotten. He came to his government at the moft confufed time America ever knew. He found the lenior member of the council ftrongly barricaded in the fort, but prefently he ordered away the cannon, and put a ftop to other hoftile preparations. He converfed with the people as a father. They were foon convinced of his upright inten tions, and he lived triumphant in their hearts. If ftric~t integrity, great abilities, and the moft ardent defires and endeavours to promote the mu tual interefts of prince and people, if the moft impartial adminiftration of juftice to every denomination of faithful fubjects if indefatigable application to public bufmefs, and a cheerful nefs to redrefs every grie vance that had the leaft tendency to affect the lives or property even of the meaneft perfon : if thefe be the characteristics of one of the beft of governors, our hearts feelingly teftify, and the tears of a grate ful people plainly mewed, he enjoyed them in the moft eminent degree. His ftay, however, among them was but ihort, for having given a finifhed copy for others to purfue, heaven called him home to reward him for his fhining virtues : and, though the other worthy patriot is in being, yet the honeft fons of Georgia deeply lament his being loft to them.

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