Lewisburg chronicle, and West Branch farmer. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1850, 1850-02-06
Washington's Farewell Address.

Washington's Farewell Address.
The Dollar Newspaper objec,s,,in flippant
style, TO the proposed purchase by Congress
Of the original manuscript of Washing,on's
Farewell Address, which has been offered
10 them by the heirs Of Mr.. Claypoole,
who first printed it. 1t is urged that it is
probably only copy prepared for the
press BY Wash;ng;on's private secretary !;
and tha, at any rate it would be senseIess
piece Of superstition, that might soon ex.
tend 10 his old clothes, to Revolutionary
pols and pans. and other still less valuable
and digntied material relics Of the Father
of his Country. The editor of that jour.
nal holds ready and racy pen, but occa-
when hard up for leader is
apt, as in the p-esen, instance, TO run the
thing into the ground. There is little dan,
ger of the American people making even
an approximation to the degrading Super
s,,ion in which the nations OF The old " world
are sunk. Ii is not the tendency Of the
aye, it is not the character of our insliu.
,ions, nor The spirit of our people. Ba, on
The contrary, they are ap, TO leave the
"dead pas,'' 10 take care ofi,self, and are so
absorbed in the present, and grasp so ca
gerly after the future, as 10 feel more con-
tempt than reverence for past generations
who have done their work and are now
laid on the shelf. The bump Of venera,ion
is decidedly below par on the American
head, and will require extra cultivation 10
bring i. up TO the level OF a becoming pro-
prie,y. 1t is a s,ubbora fact that in our
lines children do not look up to their pa
rents with becoming deierence-oId age is
not honored as it once was, and ought to
be-lnle respect is entertained for the
persons who fill the high offices of the gov
ernment-lhe sancii,y which attaches to
the sanctuary of the Most High, and its
ordinances, and 10 those who administer
them, is not as pure and elevated in char.
acter as in bv-gone days-and the men of
this universal Yankee nation drive on in
their multiplied and gigantic schemes of
enterprise and speculation. with as bold
and reckless daring as if the creative and
controlling energies Of The world were en-.
iirely in their own hands, and The Almighty
had nothing TO do with them or their al
fairs, and such thing as an overrulIng
Providence had no existence. Vcnera,ion
is an innate principle in the human mind,
wisely planted there by the Creator for le-
climate purposes, aud under the guidance
Of enlightened intellect cannot 20 a.;ray.
and bend in reverence before degrading
idols. And you cannot, in this free land,
pcrvert it TO gross and unworthy purposes
until the Cimmerian darkness that broods
over the masses in Europe, settles down
also upon the American mind, and that is
not likely to happen this side OF dooms-
day. 1t wilLand should awaken perva-
ding interest in such objects as are worth,
of regard. and the fact that it, as well as
every other good principle is liable to abuse,
is no argument agains, its healihlul and
appropriate exercise.
We grant that Washington, in his
character, and deeds, and principles,
is embalmed in the hearts OF his country
men, and embalmed for immortality. and
tina, is the best and most enduring monu.
ment to his memory but this does not de-
pr,ve his manuscripts Of their interest, as
personal mementoes of the man who fills
the highest niche in The temple of fame.
And there is a vide difference between the
original Farewell Address and the cobwebs
in Washington's library, the snuff from
his candles, bits Of the old mill in which
the paper was made, and the clay in which
the types we're cast with which il was
printed almos. as graf q difference as
there is between mind and matter. In the
one case The association Of ideas is more
elevated and Intellectual. You are brought
into as direct and intimate communion asis
possible win the mind, and heart and soul
Of The mighty dead. Ia the other The in
terest awakened, if any, is Ifeless in COM
parson. and the associations are strained
and unnatural. 1t is no, blind superstition,
nor any approach 10 it, that places high
value upon this document, or tina. always
leads visi,ers at the national Capital. off on
a pilgrimage to Noun, Vernon and the
tomb OF Washington. But il is because.
standing on the spo. where he lived aud
lies buried, the associations Of The place
enable lhem 10 call W the living. breath