dependent; confer on us a distinct and elevated national character; and secure to our country those high advantages, which seem destined for her by Providence, you may be assured of an hearty support.

May Heaven grant, Sir, that your life may be long and happy; and that the freedom and independence of our country may be perpetual.

JOHN MORGAN,

In behalf of the Mayor, Aldermen, Common Council, and Freemen of the city of Hartford.

HARTFORD, June 23, 1817.

To which the President made the following Reply:

To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of Hartford.

FELLOW-CITIZENS ;

I beg you to accept my grateful acknowledgements for the favourable sentiments which you have expressed towards me, and the kind and friendly manner in which you have received me. No one can take more interest than I do in the present prosperous and happy condition of our country. Having witnessed two wars, attended with imminent distress, and which made a severe trial of our institutions, I see, with the most heartfelt satisfaction, the happy consequences attending our exertions, and which you have so justly described in the review which you have taken of them. Blessed with peace, agriculture, the arts, and commerce flourishing; jealousies subsiding, and our bond of union daily gaining strength, our situation is peculiarly happy, and the prospect of its long continuance the most flattering. In a State where the arts and sciences are so happily cultivated, and which has evinced so strong an attachment to the cause of liberty, full confidence is entertained, that it will always be found among the most zealous supporters of that cause, and of our most excellent Constitution.

JAMES MONROE.

The city of Hartford was the first place upon the river Connecticut, in the interior, where a permanent settlement was made by Europeans. A selected company, from the ancient colony of Massachusetts, commenced their travels to the westward, in pursuit of a fertile region. Upon the banks of this beautiful stream they found it, and began the arduous labour of planting a new colony. Providence smiled upon the undertaking, and blessed the labour of their hands. This city has always been the leading place in the state; although the legislature alternately sits here and at New-Haven. This practice arose from the union of the ancient colonies of Connecticut and New-Haven, uniting together to form the State of CONNECTICUT. No interior town in New-England unites more advantages than Hartford. Although it will not rank with great commercial places, it commands a great proportion of the trade of the fertile and flourishing country upon the Connecticut, from Canada to its mouth; a stream unrivalled in the NewEngland States. An active trade is also carried on from this place with the West Indies, and with most of the other States. Hartford is situated upon the West bank of this river, about fifty miles from its mouth, and at the head of sloop navigation; it being navigable for boats of considerable burthen, 200 miles above it. The city is divided into two sections by the Little river. The main street is nearly two miles in length upon the height of ground; a number of streets running from it, East to the Connecticut, and West to the Little river, and the adjoining country. The public buildings, considering the size of the place, are not exceeded by any town in the union. The State-House, the Brick

Meeting-House, and the two Banks, are fine specimens of architecture, and excite the admiration of travellers.

The toll bridge across the Connecticut river, at this place, and the cause-way through the adjoining meadow, will not suffer by a comparison with the first works of this kind in the union.

Although this place can boast of no literary institution above a grammar school; yet it will forever be remembered as the first place in the Western world that established an institution for the instruction of the Deaf and Dumb. The Abbe SICARD, of France, has already had his name enrolled amongst the benefactors of mankind. His pupils, one an American, a native of Hartford, the other a Frenchman, are conductors of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum in this city. Language is incompetent to the grateful task of eulogizing the founders of this institution. By their benevolent aid, they are rescuing a portion of their fellow creatures from a humilitating state of mental imbecility, and giving them a rank in the intellectual world. Without their aid, the interesting objects of their benevolence, with the human form, would rise but little above mere animal nature. The unceasing assiduity of Mr. GALLAUDett, and LE CLERC, the conductors of this institution, has secured to them the undivided approbation of men, and angels must smile with complacency upon their labours. This institution owes its origin to private munificence. Much has been done from this source. The Legislature of Connecticut made the first grant from a public treasury. It requires the fostering aid of the nation. The President has visited this Asylum, and his known

and acknowledged philanthropy excites a hope, that his influence will be exerted to make this an Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in humble and dependent life, as well as for those whose abundant means enable them, from their own resources, to obtain the inestimable blessing of rational reflection.

The benevolent founders of this institution have it in contemplation to erect a building in the South part of this city, suitable for a college for the Deaf and Dumb. The place selected, will embrace the delightful scenery, and the salubrious air of the country, within a few minutes walk of the city. As long as heaven permits the world to remain as it is, and continues to call human beings into existence, this ASYLUM will be. resorted to as an aid for the deficiences of nature. portion of man have always been born Deaf and Dumb, and probably will so be born hereafter. The population of the city and town, in 1810, was 6000.

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Early upon the 24th, the President and his suite left this place, after visiting the State Arsenal, with the Quarter-Master-General of the State; and, passing through the flourishing towns of Windsor and Suffield, arrived at Springfield, in Massachusetts, the same day in the forenoon.

"The President arrived at the line of Massachusetts, on the West side of the Connecticut, about two o'clock, where he was met by an escort from this town and the vicinity, consisting of about sixty gentlemen on horseback, and so many other gentlemen in carriages, as to make the retinue extend more than half a mile when in close order. In this manner he was introduced into town. At the bridge, he was met by the Artillery

Company commanded by Capt. Warriner, and a federal salute was immediately commenced, and the bells rung. On his arrival at Bennett's Inn, he was received by a concourse of people as large as we recollect ever to have seen on any former occasion. The following Address was then delivered by the Chairman of the Committee, to which the President made a highly satisfactory answer, verbally; a written one not being requested or expected."

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY ;

We wait on you as a Committee, in behalf of the people of this and the neighbouring towns, cordially to welcome your arrival within the limits of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Of such extent is the country over which, by the voice of the people, according to our excellent Constitution, you are called to preside; so various and all important are the duties of your high station, that but a small portion of our citizens could ever expect the honour and favour of personally knowing their Chief Magistrate.

When your Excellency's intention to visit the Northern States during this season, and the other States of the Union, whenever your cares and arduous labours at the seat of government would admit of your leaving it, was announced, we contemplated it with pleasure, as having a tendency to draw still closer that bond of union which ought never to be broken, or even relaxed, by the intrigues of foreign nations, or the faults and follies of our own.

In personally viewing the various establishments made by the government of the United States, since the adoption of the Constitution, for the security and defence of our country, we sincerely hope your Excellency will see much to approve; and that in this place you will find the efforts made to relieve us from that dependence on other nations for implements of war, (so

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