d the president at every step. Receptions, escorts,
artillery salutes, and public dinners, everywhere testified the respect
of the people, and many invitations to private entertainments were given
him: he declined all. Among others was one from his kinsman, William
Washington (a hero of the southern campaign), to make his house in
Charleston his home while there. The president's reply in this case
exhibits the spirit of the whole: "I can not comply with your invitation
without involving myself in inconsistency," he said; "as I have
determined to pursue the same plan in my southern as I did in my eastern
visit, which was, not to incommode any private family by taking up my
quarters with them during my journey. It leaves me unencumbered by
engagements, and, by a uniform adherence to it, I shall avoid giving
umbrage to any, by declining all such invitations."

At Richmond, Washington inspected the works in progress of the James
River Navigation company, of which he was president, and received from
Colonel Carrington, the marshall of that judicial district, the pleasing
assurance that the people generally were favorable to the federal
government. To ascertain the temper of the people, become personally
acquainted with the leading citizens, and to observe the resources of
the country, were the grand objects of the president's tour, and he was
rejoiced to find evidences that his own state was gradually perceiving
the value and blessings of the Union. At Richmond he was entertained at
a public dinner, and escorted far on toward Petersburg by a cavalcade of
gentlemen. Having been much incommoded by dust, and finding an escort of
horse was preparing to accompany him from Petersburg, Washington caused
inquiries as to the time he would leave the town to be answered, that he
should endeavor to do it before eight o'clock in the morning. He managed
to get off at five, by which means he avoided the inconvenience
above-mentioned.

At Wilmington, in North Carolina, he was received by a military and
civic escort, entertained at a public dinner, and attended a ball given
in his honor in the evening. At Newbern he received like homage, where
the dinner and the ball were given at the palace built by Governor Tryon
about twenty-five years before. On the morning of the second of May he
breakfasted at the country-seat of Governor Pinckney, a few miles from
Charleston; and when he arrived at Haddrell's point, across the mouth of
the Cooper riv