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  Upon the formation of the New Constitution he was elected
one of the first Senators from Kentucky, which distinguished
honor was three times consecutively conferred upon him by the
State, and he retired from public life about the close of the year
1805. He had the good fortune to enjoy the confidence of and a
personal intimacy with General Washington, by whom he was
honored with important commissions of a military trust, in con-
junction with General Charles Scott, Benjamin Logan, Harry
Innis and Isaac Shelby, with power to enlist men, commission of-
ficers and carry on war at home and abroad. In conjunction
with General Knox, and by the assent of General Washington,
(whom he had convinced of the propriety of the proposed meas-
ures,) he devised several of those military expeditions into the
Indian territories which were of such signal service in suppressing
the savage invasions. In one of these successful expeditions, he
himself accotipained the army as a volunteer in the ranks, thus
lending the influence of his example to enforce his official ex-
hortations. In the controversy for the Presidency between Mr.
Jefferson and Colonel Burr, he being at that time presdent elect
pro. tem. of the Senate, he advocated the claims of Mr. Jeffer-
son, with zealous ardor. Mr. Jefferson's administration pressed
upon him the acceptance of several highly important and lucra-
tive offices iender the General Goverment, all of which he de-
clined. He had also the good fortune to enjoy the friendshp
of Mr. Madison and Mr. Monroe, and when Mr. Monroe be-
came President, that eminent patriot addressed him a letter
wishing him to make known to the Administration in what man-
ner it could testify its regard for his character and early public
services. With the most distinguished men in the annals of the
west he had a most friendly and intimate association. With Gen.
George Rogers Clark, Governor Shelby, General Scott, Governor
Madison, Judges Innis and Todd, and Col. Nicholas, and their
illustrious cotemporaries, he lived upon terms of the most endear-
ing intimacy. At the time of his death there was probably no
man living who knew as much of the personal history of the
principal men in the Revolutionary combat as he did, and being
nearly, if not the very last, survivor of the old Congress, and
having served three terms immediately succeeding the adoption
of the New Constitution, his conversation in relation to the ac-
tors and occurrences of those days was peculiarly interesting and
valuable.
  Upon ceasing to act a part in the politics of the country, he
devoted himself with great care to the duties which devolved up-
on him as a private citizen. His walk through life was without
a deviation from the paths of honor and rectitude, and he was a
liberal contributor to every thing which had for its object the