Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-03-20
ADDRESS OF HON. A. H. STEPHENS,
Before The Maryland Institute, on the egeniag Of 23d
february Commemoratioac Of The Bathdayof Washington

OF GEORGIA,
Before The Maryland Institute on the eUeniag Of 23d
February, IN Comemoratoa Of The B6thdaycf Washington
RESPECTED AUDIroRY-Lades and Gentlemen: need
you that feel very much embarrassed in rising
to address you under the circumstances in which appear
before you had expected to be preceded by another
gentleman who would have presented the prominent
points for the evenings entertainment but find my
self in the foreground instead of the shade of the pic
ture. am also admonished by the place of assem-
bling, building dedicated to mechanical skill and art
that all who bring offerings for exhibition here SHOULD
have them perfected by the exactest rules Of correct taste
and due proportion What have to say win be the crude
thoughts which the time and occasion suggest When
gave my reluctant consent to be thus situated said to
the friend who urged me it, other person could
be got the task We'll, prepared unprepar-
ed P speak 1t shall not be said that the Birthday of
Washington goes begging for orator" Youw please,
then, bear with Besides your kind indulgence,
have but support which Irey and that is the
seriousness that out Of the abundance Of the heart the
mouth speaketh. The occasion presents theme with
which all hearts should be full. 1t is country,
whole country, and nothing but country We have
just heard read the Farewell Address the Father of this
Country This may justly be considered the last will
and testament Of common parent to his children.
1t bequeaths rich legacy of wise lessons and preceps
which deeply concern our future political welfare that
should never be forgotten.
propose first to say something Of the author of these
lessons and then say something Of the lessons themselves
and their bearing upon present and coming interests
In speaking of WASHINGTON, it is not my object to at
tempt delineaton of his character, to pronounce
euogy becoming his name and his memory Well might
shrink from undertaking which the abes and the
best in his day and have failed to succeed
in There things in nature that defy the power
of the pencil and WAsHSGToNs is character that
hand IN ha n6
by the emotions it exces by actual contemplation
must look at it, behold it, and study it to realize its grand
proportions and gigantic structure Some suppose and
maintain that circumstances make that circum-
stances made Washington. Not so. Men make circum-
1t is true that events and accidents may
sionally give position and notorety to small
and in the whirl of public affairs undeserving may
sometimes get attached to their names and memory what
we call distinction and fame. Such indeed may well be
styled the of circumstances But those great
that mark epochs in the history Of nations and in
the history of the world the orks of men, and they
always bear upon them the impress Of the Of
the times Great make the subjects of history little
only figure in them All greatness is Of
parative and with mind it is in respects it is with
matterthe same law obtains in the intellectual in the
material or physical world. There is something in mind
not unlike what is called gravity gravitation in bodies
Each and every within the sphere of its influence
and acted upon by all others. But the larger denser
and greater always predomnates in its power the
smaller and weaker The lesser is subject to the inu
of the greater This is true of the heavenly bodies
school books teach similar principle governs
mind and intellect And tested by this principle where
does WASHINGTON stands What was his influence over his
associates, and who were his associates They were
FRANKLIN and JEFFERSON, and HANCOCK and HAMILTON
and MADISON SAMUEL ADAMS and JOHN ADAMS, JAY LEE
and PATRICK HENRY, and many others who will live in
history peers amongst the greatest both
and statesmen that this earth has given birth to-
There intellectual giants in those days. No mis-
take about that And these were the men on the stage
with Washington when the greatest drama of the world
came of-the American Reyoution-and the establish
ment of the Constitution Of the United States speak of
those events constituting the greatest drama of the
world-because, though history may give account
of bloody battles and tragcal incidents, yet
had there been before has there been since
thing like similar contest, in which the true principles
of human liberty not only involved but successful
The success of our arms and the establishment of
independence but in that dramatic act The
great work the establishment of the principle Of self
government amongst men, That was easy task Every
has produced men who could win victories and
turn empires But age before since has pro-
duced who had the ability the forecast the ntegr
ty the WILL the patriotism, and the philosophical states
manship construct form Of Governments political
organism, by which rational berty-berty regulated and
protected By lacoud be enjoyed equally by every cit
of the State. Such is American liberty And in it
is involved problem that the aw-givers Of the world
from the days of Moses to the meeting Of the Phade
phia Convention not able to solve. But by them it
solved-we live happily and prosperousy under the
success of the experiment And who was first amongst
these greatest Of the worlds great men To whom
did all look in the field well as in the Cabinet 1t
WAsHINGToN! Great as Franklin, Jefferson, Madi-
son. Jay, and Hamilton and Adams, they all looked to
Washington the ruling spirit of the day He was if
you please the great central about and around which
the Others lesser orbs revolved in their majestic
spheres each being himself the centre Of another but
smaller system. When the struggle with the parent
country first commenced, all looked to him to lead
the armies to victory and triumph When the articles Of
union needed revision all looked to him give directions
to their councils When the constitution formed, all
looked to him the to put the system in operation
View him when you will where you within the paror
tion as General or as President in adverse prop
tious forunes-and you viii him at all times first in
peace first war; and first in the hearts Of his country
men," Tell me not that such owes his greatness
to circumstances He bore natures stamp of true nobility
Of soul He had the genius not only to throw off Govern
ment which then the best the world had but TO
sruct and establish another and better in its stead.
There are many points in this great mans character
that it might be agreeable to dwell 1t is often less
pleasant than profitable to philosophize character
With this view biographies entertaining and nstruc
tive Character motive exemplfed by action and its
study is the best key those secret causes which often
determined the fate Of nations In Washingtons charac-
ter there is nothing striking than the entire absence
of sefshness-that nutrimsnt which unholy ambition
feeds His action prompted by Of duty, and
from no desire of what is commonly called glory 0ce
with him was high trust which he never sought and
which he never held either for its honors emoumens
He never fattered either the King when he subject
nor the people when he chosen be their ruler
And no man could ever say that he deceived by him.
Truth fidelity temperance, fugaty sobriety fortitude
courage patience forbearance with undertaking integrity
and honesty-that honesty which you have just heard