Washington telegraph., 1846-12-23
WASHINGTON.
Inn TnnsIAs Irrrnn.nN.

General Washington has been drawn, il
has never perhaps been drlinealei with 81
much imparlialIiy aud fidelity. by 50 able a
hand, aud by an individual having such
favorable opportunities OF intimately know.
ing that great and good man. a the follow.
ing sketch from the pen Of Mr.. Jefferson,
which we eupy from the iourlh volume II
his works.
Mr.. Jefferson was in the Virginia l.egis,
lalurc with Gen. Washington, rom 1863
10 the commencement oi The Revolutionary
War. was with him short time in Con.
gross, aud was appointed Secretary of
State by the General after he heeame Pres.
iieni. In which situation he was \ conf
denlial friend a well a. an ollieial aasiser
during time Of political difficulty greater
than the country has yet experienced.
81 think lsays Mr. Jrlisrsanl | knew
Gen. Washington intimately aud thorough
y; aud were called on 10 delineale bis
character il should be IN terms lie ibese:
Ills mind aas gfeal aud powerful. with
aiii hriug Vi lie lifsi order; his penetration
strong though nj as acute as that o., New.
I'm, Bacon OF lasaei and as far a h. saw.
no judgment was ever salnder Il Wa
slow ia operation, heing little aiiei hf in
srnliun ur Imagination, l,ui sure in enncla.
sian. llenze lhe common remafk ii his
officers, Of the advantage he derived from
councils ai war. Nhene hearing all slsgas.
TORS, he selected whatever was hest aud
certainly no General planned his battles
mnre Dideionsl1. But Il dcrangei during
tie action, if5nY memhn, OF his pan Was
dis.uca'ed bysgddsn circumstances, h. Was
slow Ia n ra lluamenl. Tue consequence
was. that be- u.ien ibiIrl ia The field, and
arely against an enemy Ia station as al
Boston AMI York. lie was Incapable q
lrar, uiecling personal dangers with the
calneI uncourern. Perhaps the strongest
iclluro in bis charcier was prudence. nc.
yer acting until every Circumstance, every
CONFEDERATION, was malnrely weighed, re-.
framing # he saw doubt, bat when once
decided. going through with hi. puposc.
Whatever Obstacles oppnscd. lis integrity
was most pure, his ipslice the most inlleHi.
bic lhavc cyerhaown. NJ motives Of inter.
est OF con.angIiniIy, Of friendship or hatred
being able 10 bias hi, decision. lie was,
indeed, in evrp sense Of tho word, wise,
good aud a gtca, nan.
His temper was naturally irritable and
highloncd, but reflection aud resolution had
obtained firm anl habiiual ascen1aney
overil. II eyer. bows,er, il broke its
bounds, he was most Tremendous IN bis
wrath. In he expenses be was honorable
bui exact; liberal in contributions to what
ever promised utility; hut irowning and un.
yieldln, on all visionary projects, and all
unworthy calls on his charity, His hean
was nlt warm m his affections; but he ex.
acily calculated every mans value, and
gave him o solid esteem in proportion Ia il.
"!lsperson was dne, his stature exactly
what one would wish, bis dspormeni easy
cIeti, aud noble; the best hofseman of bis
aye, aHl lhc mosi graceful figure that conld
be seen on horseback. Although in the
circle Of hi. friends where he might ho un.
rosarycd with sala;y, he took free share
Ia the conversation, hi. coloqnial talent.
were not above mediocfity, possessing uci.
thcr copiousucs4 Of IDEAS or fluency Of
words. In public, when called on for
sudden opinion, be wls unrrady, short and
embarrassed. Yet he wrulc readily, rather
dillisely, in M easy aud correct style. This
he had acquired by conversation with the
world, Ion bis education was merely read.
Ing, writing anil common arithmetic, to
which he added surveying at a later day.
His time was employed in action chiefly.
reading liulc, aud that only ia agriculture
anl Lnglish history. Ills correspondence
became necessarily extensive, anl with
joumalizing his agricultural proceedings.
occupicd most Of bis leisure hours within
doors. On the whole bis character was, in
IL mass prriect--in nothing bad, in few
poins indifferent, and i may truly be said,
that never did uaturc aud fortune combine
more perfectly to make a man great, aud to
place BIN in the same constellation With
whatever worthless have mcritcd FROM man
an everlasting remembrance. Fo- bis was
The singular merit Of leading The armies Of
bis country successfully through an ardu.
pu, war lut the establishment Of ils indie
psnjrncr: conducting ils councils lhro'
he birIhuia guytinmenl new IN ils forms .
lnd principles, until ii had settled down in.
10 applet and orderly train; and o' scupI. |
'ously obcying the laws through the whole .
Of bic career civil and military, Of which .
he history of The world furnishes no other .
Example.
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