Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-02-28
F0H I'HE FNQTYRBR.
NAN,I9SG ROSS Nf1Tfi.ilAN.

Orr two n-ii1Gai irsjiyaIS inSl,ictci--t,,e
ore 20 ce;cbgaS,, the ,nsrHihg OF oar indepen-
a"nce ihe ofir 70 commemorate the Li.fa
ond csFiHe " as catJ f"GAdcr were nor 40
pointed by The priests. OF enacted hy the z. -
isirSrS az North Anne rca. Ee.h have heen
or3a'ned by the people Themselves in the
pCmfrde ~ thU' dnfosrsfcal cdpdciiy. BEING
myself one of the people merely, and wItiout
aspiaiion 10 amy other distinction, il would he
iepnsnant To popular se!:-iove, If | did NOT
appreciate institutions Winch the popular soy
eIeiSnty has ordained. Hat sirch self conf
pihcency apart, these festivals appear well
adapted TO cherish aud propagate patriotic
sentiments. Both are the p"iiaG'p feStieais OF
the only great republic ti,ai exists in tins age
or that probably 'csH e.SiS. tOr several ares TO
come. sSati they are coueriiy characieri.
zed by eAhibIiiOns OF :.cn"rai loy and yrat,-
iudc trust ,in not Sin.u.,i ia tie op.on
wmch erieiia'n, that the ,0nmeuiVratIon of
tcc"s Atnei:ctgt md CreAtS in0ftdni Ia he remit.
III, o"shi TO be fixed 10 stnled days, the more
certainly TO perpetUotc't them 10 pOSteritv. Is
II to he aSciiacd tn ririUdict, or only TO the
bias of associations iavOrabl, To the Dignity Of
man, that love 20 took Tor The nSageS vi
liberty to the iilns'ioi:s Tree states of antilu.
~ " no viii deny that their most i>iin-
gulShed public amusements we're tcrdereI
politically su1Servicrt to nOhIvr purposes =
Nho does Not know that Sparta aS well rs
Athens, employed puDhc festivals to foster
pubiic splrts HE dominant genius of Ame-
rlc%, at present Il fear,) inclncs most of her
sons too much 10 the GcJ,si,ifi or deSire NJ
pirate WeGHh aud too little 10 the asccnddacy of
phSHc spirit. Nay, is there not at this tine
ciicum>tan,ial and preSumptive evidence
abroad tending to demonstrate that evena
majority al our law civ ers ,Ove property more
than liberty! Is il then ia;Heicious for MS the
people, TO correct tae fo,1ae, ropt nsy, and pro-
mote The litter, by celebrating annually lie
oith-dGy OF American freedom. and that Of the
nero Who led onr gallant armies 10 achieve il ?
he CT est festival instituted at Athens in the
earliest ages of Greece, in honor of Minerva
was, ai'er The lapse OF ages, revived by The
Srns, 10 commemorate the union Of all the people
Or itl"cd by their representatives. poctical aud
ether contests calculated either TO exercise
the bo;y or eXat the D,iad. were ordained and
estabiished. One nf the subjects Annually
proposed, was the eu!Cgium of Ihrasybulus
an here ''ho had rescued ttat repubiic from the
yoi;t ~ fpants. Nhy shoui,! not such policy Of
the enlightened AtheniamS BIZ adopted or ni-
tated hy the enlightened Americans? Can it
be iniadiciOus i'll This " land of the free and
home OF the brave" 20 cultivate by similar
institutions love ofcountry nnd deeds of hero
ISM 10 celebrate certain days as memorials
as monuments for those citizens WHO have
cninently servedour republic ; and AIS lessons
as incentives for those mo shall hereafter he
called npOn 10 serNeti The modes Of such
ccmmcmcratiOn may lie so diversified as to he
rendered comnodous TO every section of our
great republican empire. local genius can
easily invent or adopt modes suitable to cur
modern manners and american usages
Perhaps some of those which fashion las in
considerably preScI bed ought 10 be cllauUed
Which imply temperate JtStirifV, the riHrHs eg
Hisic and the presence 81 accomplished females
require hnl liItle innovation. Owing to pre-
Nd'ling manners. PROFESSIONS. OTQti0nS ddRcire
G"d nHsic are ruth as NaercSp fionGbie eaiertaia-
ntaf5. Impressed by Spch ideas | cheerlully
assisted at the late bah III Frederick sbnrs
gwen AS ON The daRlreTgGrY Of ip0SiingtOn's
DHfh dug. felt II bccomii,ra faith; al citizen
and 2eatOuS SON of lilici ~. TINS to csmnen,o-
rate the merit Of the iiaa--'' first in war FIRST
in peace, ard farsi III tho hearts of his country
men. In contemplating the character OF
SuCh eiotlOnS patriots, aud vettdcinr from
recollection the CAUSES Of their glory, The dom.
iuHnt public spirit of iudi,iJUglS is .,u akencd
and nHigorated. HE occasion indeed seemed
spontaneously TO exhilerate all minds aud
lItmonize all hearts the old and HE middle
aCCh, tiie NounS anu the beautiful. the grave
and the Spriehuy, appeared TO symiaillIze in
feelings otJoy, eAritaiion aud gratitude. For
my oWnrart, have bet n so much hahituatedto
solitary thinking, tha; am con,monly visited
bN Some train at involuntary reflection even
III public ball room. On this occasion. I
rccoiected that Washington himself, who had
religion without ausicrily, dignity without
haushiiness, nodcSty without haSIinneSs and
poliieiess without afiectaliop, during a part Of
his lie not only delighted in dancing bur
personally partOok Of that elegant exercise
For when youth myself have more than
once seen him at balls and concerts Asa
pn''iic man, / had frequent access 10 lin (:
Afterwards, on other occasions, when matmrer
age and the gravity of his public fnnc,Iops
I IL
Indeed us public character had become so sfiHl-
gent. that his private virtues or faults If he had
c"y, seemed 10 disappear as tdissG'redin ihergd-
i9Hce OF RS renOwn. But at period still LATER
| las retreat from public life, his devotion 10
domestic pursuits, and above all. the euger
earnestly OF mankind to learn BY tctdt l,eri0us
training character so trdnScfntaBt hat hee9
JOU8d-haYe contributed to enlarge nv ac-
quainiaECe with his private qualities. IT is
now manifest, both from authentic annals ard
| iroiD ms domestic documents, that Wasting
ton II OLE early youth was indrlatigably indus
irlCus iuSonucli, that II may I've truly affirm
eC mat he was an utter stranger 10 inoccugGijap
no Youth, Il appears, SURPASSED him in perse-
VeIIng dssidnity. Whafsoeverhis mind dictated
o. his hand found to do he did il with ALI h;s
might Irpti and utility hp steadily nursued
ana generally attained. The integrity OF
Washington has never been Questioned His
real motives were openly aVowcd His fE6s
were always upright and his means pure Ills
""ucstioh was plain. His opportunities for
Tie early acquisition Of know lefge from, hooks
were limited. II is believed that he was Rlini.
| liar win "a few only of the best English au-
| lhoTs Yet by knoWlng the character lis cum
| tryn'en Thoroughly, By the unsn Of dii-cnt
'hohgAt, Fatleit enquiry, unwearied reflection
ana correct TASTE, he filled d sound and v. cor.
Gus mud wlii nauly and momentOus ideas 49,
ihcsc wsfc wholly prUciicai; and he aiwavs
applied them with energy an@ PRECISION to ti,.ir
proper ObIcCts. Washington was pnuct,tgl in
all las engagements, temperate in his eriov
ments, liberal, loSpiiable and nrbane /. aid
sueh lover of order. that he was exact and
methodical in every transaction In f.. q. he
! was dntllri son, a good husband "a iust mas
tel, kind neighbor, fond brother and IA,
exemplary step father. InpriYafe life as we'd
az IN public profession, ,cifhOuf osfehfGfjog Of
piCty, lie the sincere friend of n,or,I,t, ,.d
religion. Who that reflects npon he irnrN
and iriSdom Of such man can doubtiIat IL IL
upon the 5HUHnfdbte b0sis Of pirate rjrfDes lbf