The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-03-17
Written for the Sentinel
CHARACTER OF wAsHfNGToN---ITs IEFLU.
ENCE AND IMPORTANCE.

| CHARACTER OF WASHlNGTON---ITS 1EFLC.
| ENCE AND IMPORTANCE
| In reviewing the changes of empire. and re
fecting OH those vcisstuies of national glory
I and decline, which furnish themes OF his
torc eloquence and poetic inspiration, no perio'i
SO strongly arrests the attention that IN which
! Witch we are abe TO attribute to the energy of
! an Individual character, the origin OF Il couh-
! try's ,litical existence. Such period seem
the her"cc age of that nation The develop
ment of such character is viewed with emo
, tions the most hattering To human pride-wth
| hopes the most dear enlarge: to philanthropy
! TO behold the grand enginery of military anil
/ civil government Obeying the impulse OF SIN
/ gle hand, arfnrds pleasing conviction of the
1 energy of intellect. when its powers are con
centrated a single object and guided with un
wavering decision. But when to this energy is
added the charm of moral excellence. the
tendency of individual influence is complete !:
and, i'll the former Instance, The minds Of
men yielded to superior policy, So i'll the latter
their hearts won by superior goodness. while
the cheerfulncss of obedience, AMI the enthusi-
asm of personal attachment afford full deition
strition of the controlling power of character
History presents no personage. in whom this
happy combination of talents and virtues are SO
strik ng!y illustrated as in the splendid charac-
ter of WAsHIYGToS. He WAS formed TO deserve
and gain illustrious name. tn support il in
the pr"u.Iest elevation. by unremitted activity
ful magic where discipline had scarcely found
place-where government i'll its infancy Was
compelled TO resort tn the assistance OF inhu-
cnce and where ali other influence was unavail
ing.
The circumstances which contributed 10 form
the character of WAsHINGToS, (so far as its for
nation may be supposed to have resulted from
external causes, are clearly apparent and are
simple and natural. Had his education been
conducted with sole view To the part he was
to act a better method could not have been chU-
sen than the one that pursued.
The sacred regard tn truth, which was per-
haps the earliest principle inculcated on his
mind NAV he readily followed To its admirable
result in the sincerity of his political conduct,
So opposite to that Machavel;n policy. whose
prevalence in the old world fixes "A stigma on its
Courts and Potentatee. His early of
mathematical disc pline and its practical appi
cation TO the purposes OF surveying, cnntribu-
ting in no small degree, tn form some "f his
remnrable. and decisive traits. To the
former may refer his habits of careful aud
persevering investig ;.tion, his caution i'll belief
and his attention to system and arrangemt; while
the latter produced far more important results
exercising and maturing that hysical vigor i'll
action and patience of fatigue, 81 noby displayed
in early solitary embassy; in furnishing him
with those practical elements nf field disciriine,
Indispensable to the General rs they are un-
attanahe to the mere theoretic student and.
above all in ripening that consummite power of
Judgment which guided the powers of his self
taught genius. tempered the arlnr of his cour-
age, and displaying itself on innumerable occa-
sinns through his whole life invaribly secured
the ready confidence, AMI cooperation of his
inferior in command, AMI the final success of
his military and political enterprises: In its
practical character, his education strkingly
analogous TO that which fitted the renowned
commanders of antiquity for their
paigns and splendid victories. An active survey
or and the scholar of an ancient gymnasium,
might well be expected to discover the same
traits of masculine frmneSs, moderation. an
Judgment The energetic habits of mind
qured while he breathed the m"untiin air and
brnved the fttigues Of the f"rest. appear in
interesting point of view in the influence on his
reading and writing composition That he read
the best authors of English style no one can
doubt, who has Il single effusion of his
That he profted so well by his reading of any
study of the ancient classics is to he attributed
to the peculiar tone of an energetic and prict-
cal mind. His style of writing is precisely
what might expect from character which
rather sought to develop itself by eloqdent ac-
tions. and retained the other modes of express
sion. the marks of its strength, by preserving
nervous conciseness amidst the grandeur of sem
timent and elevate II of language produced by
occnsions no less august, than that i'll which
warworn army is harangued by its veteran lea
der ar Il nation receives the paternal benediction
of its political founder.
The character of WASHINGTON thus admira-
bly, formed in the school of hardy action.
successfully developed in the field of national
enterprise calle, tn command mt an age when
the facul les are fully matured, he engaged in
most nrduous course of military action. and by
his cunsummate address supplying his c"untrys
deficiency of furce, he overcame every obstcie
To the vindicstion of her rights. The simple
reci al of the events of the revolutionary war,
while il affords the fullest evidence, of his men,
tai resources and transcendent moral excellence,
almost superseleS the necessity of comment on
his absolute and unremitted influence.
1t is there that we behold WASHINGTON dis
playing the able field disciplinal ian, and the
verely tried commander. i'll the operations of the
campaigns of l776; the enterprisng warrior
and cnusurnmate general. in the BATTLES of Tren-
ton, Princeton. and Monmouth, the officer OF
true fortitude, conquerng advcrsity itself in the
event of Brandywife and Germantown the
nagnanimous soldier. moderite in success as
Mt Yorktown !: and throughout his whole career,
the infexabie patriot. who disregar led the cor
rupt articles of those he served, and. with un-
shaken trust in Heaven, and single view to the
glory of his country, rose superior to external
circumstances ordinary motives OF human
action.-It WAS WASHINGTON. who prescribed to
Congress the only efficient mode of raising and
org ,nizing army. who often Kept tire army
united Ivy his soul pers NAL influence. inspired
its mrdor amidst its most trying silfferings and
discouraging prospects who guided the discip-
lined and managed the lawlesS of his Ill ap-
pointed forces, aut medated between them and
the yeomanry from whom they were obliged