Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-11-01
vol. VI.

I'll N 4 GNn ODtttAH y OAt NOho@Ak
1t IS not my mind you need, It is that
of your father, my son. Let " go together
o his grave.
She then cast hasty glance over the
papers which lay upon the table, selected
two among their number, which she placed
il her bosom, and locked up the rest IN
casket together with the portrait.
The widowed mother and her son then
togctEer sA siienose u ths grave;
they there knelt side by side and prayed.
The widow was the first to rise; she drew
the papers from her bosom, and handed
one of the two to the young man, saying,
as she did So
Read this, George, and remember it is
your father who speaks
The paper contained series of reflections,
full of grandeur and yet Of simplicity, on
the origin, the history, and the destinies OF
America. They closed with these words:
America must become New World in
the full acceptation Of the word and, to
effect this, she must detach herself from
the Old World Independent and Re-
public. All her future destinies lie in
these two words, which | commend to my
sons meditations 1t is from new nation
alone that a great republic can be formed
These words seemed to quicken thoughts
and feelings into life, which had hitherto
laiu dormant in the young mans breast.
My father was right he exclaimed,
with patriotic pride.
His mother smiled in the midst of her
grief, and a faint glow tinged her pale
cheek. She handed to her son the second
letter she had brought; it contained these
words -
Il have only one counsel to give my
child with regard to his profession let
him choose one which is in accordance with
his tastes and his talent. Let him follow
it honorably and with loyal heart; but
let him beware Of entering the service of
England, that he may remain free to COM
bat one day against her power
Well, George asked his mother, when
he had finished perusing this letter, do
you now wish to enter the English navy ?
No. no, my mother, exclaimed the
young man, laying his hand upon his faith
er's tomb; / vow by these sacred ashes,
never to fight beneath the British flag.
The widow embraced her son, and charged
him to preserve his fathers letters to the
latest day of his existence.
Next day, as the English noblemal was
about to embark, his young friend joined
him on the shore.
We'll, you are coming with me-! said
the former, with that frank kindness for
which he was distinguished.
tNo-I remain here replied the young
American, 'but we shall one day meet
again ...
And they did meet again, in 1871, un.
der the walls of Yorktown-the one ir
, command of the whole English army, th'
! other at the head Of the American troops
u They met at that critical moment whicl
> wrested from Great Britain her overgrowl
!, Atlantic colonies, and established O
u a firm basis the independence of the Unite
) States.
The elder of the two was Lord Cornwa
v lis-the younger was George Washington
u Having renounced all thoug ht of ente
d. ing the English navy, Washington resume
those mathematical studies which had hit
- erto been his chief delight, and turned h
attention more especially to farming ar
~ agriculture.
10 When hostilities commenced with tt
mother country, he quilted the plough f
'e- the sword, and was placed at the age
:, nineteen, at the head Of the Virginia militi
y ~ He rose rapidly from one step to anothe
IL, until he was appointed general of the who
'n' American army, and became the leader
MS the celebrated eight years war. His u
'or alterable frmness and calm good sense, ca
ried him through all the complicated dii
I"H culties he had to encounter from undlsci
ne lined soldiers, and a nation still in the
."' fancy of civilization.
E'- On the goth of January, 1888, the trea
"'o of Versailles proclaimed, in the face of
:, whole world, the Independence of the U
at ted States of America Then was Was
~, 9n' ington received in triumph everywhel
MS ~ and the victorious general, feeling that
'ne warlike career was now terminated,
= farewell to his army, and laying down
sword, returned once more to cultivate
'arS favorite estate Of Mount Vernon, on
-, river Potomac.
ol1 His mother now advanced in the vale
ne wears, stood awaiting her noble hearted
ave when he returned to his home, and fol
lave to her heart the liberator whom she
nn' given to America, and whom America !
ssed restored to her, laden with glory and v
honors.
our George Washington again resumed
spade and the plough, and triumphed I
nSNe nature in the wild and uncultivated pl
" of the New World, even as he had
'.ee' w umphed over the enemy in the battle-f
"o' He organized the great company of
: "n cinuatus, which brought a vast extel
'iSu'' land under cultivation, and multiplied
riches Of the United States. Many of
uio officers and soldiers who had served u
''SV him in former days enrolled themselve
e' der his orders in this new campaign
no' We need not dwell on his political
Y 70 which was marked by the same straigf
no"'u ward singlemindedness and good sense
!, distinguished every other step of his ca
.ne' After having been, on two different
l'e'Se I've sions, unanimously elected President {
a'h OF Republic, he, in 1897, refused the (
: : nes- and retired de6nitively into private Ii
oeS"e On the 9Th of December, 1899, '
ington-then in the sixty eighth y
auu his age, and still enjoying that full
un.a! both Of body and mind which had be,