The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-22
WashalnxsOa,s Blrl hcluy.

ms, being the Birthday OF the Father OF his Coun-
ty, seems to he htting occasion to indulge few
brief reflections the condition and prospects OF our
GLORIOUS Union No man did more 10 achieve our indie
pendence and to establish Tree institutions than
Washington He led our armies to victory; he presided
over the convention that framed federal constitu.
Ition he the frs, President under whose auspices
|the government organized and put into operation
and throughout his whole brilliant career he was the
Ifrm, fast, undertaking friend of the Union. He and
|he felt the dangers to which ii exposed, and to
guard his counymen against them, he dedicated almost
entire Farewell Address to the great end OF preserving
forever. Time has been when these lessons OF pa,ri-
|o,ism and wisdom did not fall ears unheeled.
But there many who cavi at and question their
shorty now. Opposite factions for opposite reasons pro-
Tess regard them obsolete The great mass of the
people, however, of all sections of the country, still ven
crate the and the services OF Washington too deeply
10 slight his admonitions
1t is lile less than century and quarter since
Washington was born-t is half century since he
died and within these two epochs what revolutions,
changes, and reformaons have taken place on this con-
tinent and in all parts Of the world When Washington
born this continent had scarcely been compre-
ended general outlines few seattle red settlements
whites existed at remote points along the seaboard and
few adventurous travellers had caught a glimpse Of
our mighty rivers and inland The rest of our bound
less domain given ny the Indians the wild beasts
nd to solitude English, French, and Spanish rival col
pnies were intriguing with the Indians, and deyising
methods Of destroying and Gripping each other Even
when Washington arrived at years OF manhood Jour
ney from Jamestown to Pittsburg was more hazardous
aud little less lxborious than it is now from New York
10 San Francisco. +a
Events were rapidly the wing. European wars had
involved the colonies in their destructive conseq
and had thus trained those OF the British empire TO vaor
skill and harihood soon to be required for the main.
enance oil their freedom. British oppression became in
olerable the Congress OF 1916 struck the chains from
her countrymen's necks, and Washington calamity sus
aned, carried the standard OF the Old Thirteen" In
triumph through the bloody battle fields Of the reyolu.
ton Aithe close Of the war with England still greater
dangers began to show themselves The articles Of
confederation ceased 10 be regarded or observed An
archy and Dsunion raised their heads on all sides, and
the fruits OF all the toll and blood OF the revolution ap-
peared to be turning into dust and ashes" A few wise
and brave men resolved to avert the catastrophe They
determined That the Union should be made more per-
yea" and that those whom mutual danger and mutual
a'srest had united in the hour OF peril should not be torn
asundef IN the sunshine OF peace. After unexampled
struggles and opposition, federal constitution was
adopted Conspicuous in this movement as in the battles
was Washington IL true he was aided by band OF pa
ots who, in all the great and noble qualities that aorn
human nature, could have been valed BY Greece in
ner pamest days Of liberty and renown To those grea,
"en we owe under Heaven our constitution our Union,
astounding national advancement which has made
vs. 'oe wonder Of the sge-the peerless in history. We
pave COPIED successfully with England in second con.
nlc Tor our rights We have chastised the aggressoas
OF asiser republic We have stretched our domain to
"e raclhc ocean, and now survey, with an unblenched
e, oo'n sides OF the eastern hemisphere from own
Vues 10 numbers wealth. intelligence, personal and
poDcal security, we may challenge the annals OF the
human race Tor parallel European domination has
'"os' disappeared from this continent and, without en-.
..oacn'ng on the rights Of Others the destiny OF the New
world placed IN our hands We have but begun the
ace Oh glory and Of happiness Ages lie before us to
ENJOY The blessings which God has bestowed upon u.s.
''e ioure Is brighter than the paslunless. indeed we
prove ourselves unworthy to retain what we now pos
sues should faction and dscord in quarter OF the
.'un'y' and fsnacm and madness in another, succeed
- producing Jealousy and alienation, and in imbterins
"o'e ifaierna feelings that animated The hearts Of
'ne's then, IN truth. may the patriot despond for the
'cehre has departed from Judah !" ibe Unon may be
e' asunder the history of the cady days Of TIE epub-
be no longer the HISTORY Of our country rival
eOnedencesriva States in each ccnfsd,racy -mirled
y dtmagogue-, betrayed by traitors ,ae sport and the
victims alternately OF foreign ln,rigu,s and csjolng