The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-03-17

| luilS the nUUle cOnIlct again UlSptay-
ed the irresistible inf uence of his character, by
so. ten.ng the Indignation of his officers, exas-
perited at the delay OF Congress to relieve per-
SoLiai wants. and dlStres-es incurred by their
patriotic adherence to the common cause-in
short W. behold in hin, the guiding genius of
the Revolution. and feel that noby as they ac-
quilted themselves in subordinate station,
yet ii is no disparagement to the host of wor-
thie5 who aidei him, 10 pronounce that none
wouli have dispayeti the same cOnsummate skill
! and enterprise, So tempered with judgment and
5n graced and dignitied with all that eeyates the
human character, and wins from impartial
pr - 'er.ty the free tribute of admiration. Nor
was his influence in the formation of admi-
r;inle institutions of government of less impor-
taI.ce. As no one Was well qualified to pro-
nounce on the character of the old confe,ier;i-
ton, 50 no one WAS confe in declaring its
complete incompetency, not only for supporting
the nntional dignity. at home and abroad, but
even for the purposes of union and self preser-
walton.
He had bitterly experienced the futility of the
system of State re4uisitons /: he well knew the
necessity on confeIr ng The general govern
ment ample and direct powers, and he
strenuous III urging on the distinguished civil
affairs AMI the leading men of the times the ne
cessty OF forming new constitution. lie pre-
ed Ills success in these Efforts though it
does not strike the wondering multitude with
that imposing briiliancy, which is si'rea around
his military character, has conferred on his
country the blessings of ctvil liberty, secured
by sound and energetic government. aui his
enabled her rise to the proude5t elevation, in
all that 'iiit.huted 10 render nation truly
Specialize and pt rnnntn tniiy yhappy-WAsHIsGTos
WAS next called to try the government he had
proposed. fur the country he had saved it was
here too that he 10 bring his own frmness
U. principle and strength of mind TO the seve-
rest ira. In adjusting the remaining difficult
rl.1S ria h1o
tional advantage TO the qualification of present
res,ntrnent and prejudice, exposed him to the
clamor OF party deniaEogu1s, and even in some
INSTANCES to tile unjust suspicious of those who
had witnessed his magnanimity in the most try
ing scenes OF the Revolution. Ii was even sug-
geSied that he had yielded To foreign influence
III this negotiation, but the suggestion arose
from party of men, who were bind enough TO
yield their unwarrantable assertions while they
refused to believe proposition, of all others
tile least To he doubted, by an intelligent obser-
Yer OF facts that %AsHIsGToH, Was on every
prinelple of his soul, III every act of his life,
AN American patriot. This truth WAS fully IL
lustrated in the last great national affair which
Occupied his thoughts and feelings, the manage
nient OF our o al with France If any infiu-
euce could have warped the integrity of so stern
q patriot. one would suppose, it were that of
attachment TO brothers in arms and sharers IN
danger and tr umph. The undue prevalence of
generosity 10y nlrs, of his contemporaries, and
Il III ISL pard'ned by posterity. WASHINGTON
Wa, fully aware of this,-he heard the clnmors
aised oy this seady adherence 10 the prin iples
which his Judgment approved. lie was not ig-
norant that by violating the neutrality of the
laws of good faith required America to observe
III the contest between FIR rrnce and England, he
might purchase the most enthusiastic praise as
Sfeatful and disinterestej friend, n chivalrous
avenger of the wrongs of his late ally. But
he knew, too that he should thus sacrifice the
welfare OF his cuuntry t. that of France. This
his Anercan feelings forbid, and rather choos-
ing to consult the true interests of his country
men than t" gain their appliance, he maintained
stea iy course, to tue Close of his administr;i-
tIou. When subsequently the insults of the
mad directory or France hec iine intoler,ble he
obeyed with alacricty the call of his country.
once more to defend her rights He was as usu-
il equal TO the OCCASION and lust to his elevated
cna,raoter- In his Spir. ted determination to
meet the enemy at the very shores we behold
the Old heroic fire of the Revolutionary patriot
kindling for the last time and throwing its lus-
tire over the closing scenes of his life. The in
fiuence ot WASHINGTON may be regarded, as
thoroughly interwoven with our political desti-
nies. AS IT was exerted in the early and elem
entary history of our country and gave to other
institutions their decisive tofie AMI character SO
III our latest epoch pOSterity will trace its effects
widely dlfused as the spreading millions of our
population, an. N 'bly felt as the sun beams or
the fertilzmS deus of Heaven. Such hopes
SHOULD not be regarded as chiulerical, merely
because we speak the language of another coun-
try. This by no means excludes the idea. of an
original national spirit We have manners opin-
ions and notions as peculiar and idiomatic as
any other country. We have superstitions AID
traditions "f our own, if these are necessary
and thanks to WASHINGTON AMI his iustrious
associates, we have had our heroic age, whose
spirit is by no means extinct, whose events and
characters possess most powerful hold on the
prepossessions and associations of the people,
and present rich aud almost unbroken field of
literary enterprise. Is it esteemed an ,.dvan-
tage to have the great national hero known only
by dark traditions that his virtues may be repre-
sented ms go,iiike, afii his actions related with
the III ,rvei"us embellishments of poetcai fancy?
lt is surely Il much greater advantage to have
one whom flithfui history places far above such
redouhled champions, whose actions shine with
one bright splendor when deineated with the
strictest truth. Ii is true that the Spanish, the
most truly national of all literature has its ori-
gin in Il remote and uncertain age ami that the
Cid is to be regarded more as n poetical, than
a historical character. But it should not be for
gotten that the most truly national portion. of
the English literature, the dramas in which
Shakespeare has represented their heroic and
glorious age, take its rise in period of consid-
erable Advancement in letters, and relates to
well known characters and events. The favor
ite era Of our history is by no mean s too recent
to furnish dign;fed subjects for the various de-
departments of literature. Our materials nre
abundant, but almost untouched That 80 little
has hitherto been effected, we are to attribute.