Peace being thus proclaimed, the general re turned to visit his family and friends, after an ab sence of several years, passed in unremitted labour and exertion. On the 7th of February 1796, he entered Philadelphia, under circumstances that gave to his arrival all the marks of a public tri umph. The shops of the city were closed; the bells sounded forth the notes of welcome; the military companies of the place and its neighbourhood turned out to greet him, and he was received, uni versally, with the hearty congratulations of his fellow-citizens of every description.
While all things wore this appearance of triumph and rejoicing, circumstances occurred in the West to throw a damp, for a time, upon the general joy. The British treaty was received by no means with universal approval. A strong party was enlisted against its ratification; many supposed that war would again ensue. Emissaries from Canada were at work among the Indians, and additional appre hension was excited by the conduct of the Spanish Governor of Louisiana. By Jay's treaty, the Bri tish posts at Detroit, Michilimackinac, Oswego and Niagara, were to be surrendered immediately to the United States, and it was necessary to ap point a commissioner to superintend the delivery; one in whom the government had full confidence. Under these circumstances, then, General Wayne was directed to return to the western country; and he was clothed by the executive with extensive discretionary powers. When he arrived at the place of his destination, he was received by the savages with the greatest pleasure and respect, and by his presence, and the arrest of some emis saries, which he very soon took measures to direct, order and tranquillity were happily preserved.
Fortunately for the good and peace of the United States, congress ratified the treaty with Great Bri tain, and voted the appropriation to carry it into effect: and the surrender of the posts into the hands of General Wayne completed the settlement of the difficulties which the government laboured under in that quarter. The territory north and west of the Ohio, which had been the scene of so much commotion and bloodshed, forms now one of the most beautiful and peaceful spots of the mighty em pire of the federal union. It is part of the great valley of the 'Mississippi, whose resources, magnifi cent as they have appeared, are but partially devel oped. The astonishing increase of that section of country is well known, and has set at defiance all known rules of progression in population. In 1790 it contained only 3000 white inhabitants; in the year 1800 the number had risen to 50,000; in 1810 to 250,000; and now millions dwell on its bosom.
Having placed matters upon the best possible footing, and done all that the exigencies of the case demanded, in the month of November General Wayne sailed from Detroit for Presque Isle, which was the last post within his circuit of duty, previ oUsly to his return to the seat of government. This,
most unexpectedly to himself and his friends, was the last journey on earth that he undertook. On his passage, he was seized with an attack of the gout, upon the 17th of November, the day before he landed. It continued with considehble violence until the 30th, when it apparently subsided, but in a few days returned with increased force, and on the 15th of December 1796, terminated the life of one of the greatest and best amongst American soldiers and patriots.
He died in the vigor of his life, and in the midst of his usefulness. He was sixteen days less than 52 years of age at the time of his decease, and just at that period of life when experience, the gift of mature years, would have proved a powerful addi tion to a character in every respect most estima ble. His remains were temporarily deposited at the place where he died, and were removed thence, in the year 1809, by his son, to the cemetry of St. David's church, near Waynesborough farm, in the county of Chester, Pennsylvania, where he had been born, ar.d where for many years of his life he had peacefully resided. A handsome monument was reared to his memory by the Pennsylvania State Society of the Cincinnati, with the following in scription:— • " Thirty-fourth Anniversary of The Independence of The United States of America; An event which constitutes The most Appropriate eulogium of an American Soldier and Patriot.
The character of Anthony Wayne, as a soldier and a general, stands forth in such bold relief from the pages of his history, that probably a statement of his peculiar merits in those particulars may be considered superfluous repetition. To say that he was bold, ardent, undaunted and persevering in the onset of battle, and extremely cautious and skilful in his previous preparations, is but to narrate what the reader has seen exhibited in every instance of his active military career. These are qualities which are not always found united in the same in dividual; on the contrary, the majority of those who are the bravest and the most impetuous in the fight, are generally the least qualified for the cool and calm reflections which are the parent of cautious preparation; and the head that can the best plan, is not always accompanied with either the stoutest heart or the steadiest hand. The whole of General Wayne's military life is an evidence of his being an exception to the truth of this remark.