Washington telegraph., 1856-05-14
From the National Inteligencer of March % I
MR.. EVERETT'S GRAFTON.

MIR. EVERETTS GRAFTON.
Accustomed as the citizens and residents
Of Washington are to the highest politi-
cal and forensic efforts In the Halls of
Congress, and before the tribunal of the
Supreme Court, we yet doubt whether any
single Orat1on has created among them a
Evelier interest, or is destined to leave a
Tnorc permanent impression, than that of
Mr. Everett, on the Character of Wash
ington-" Whether considered with rela-
ton to the moral grandeur and public in
terest of his theme, the mastery ability
with which it was treated by the distin-
guished orator, or the character of the as
semblage who were gathered in homage to
both, the lecture was in every way, as we
have before described it, "a great success
In that assemblage we observed the hon
cred representatives of several foreign
courts, many among the most eminent of
American statesmen, and others of dis
tinction in the various walks of life, the
whole being graced and animated by a
large attendance of ladies' No similar
occasion has, we are sure, concregated an
auditory more intellectual in its compost
ton or more respectable in its character ::
and We are equally confident that rarely.
if ever, have the highly-raised expecta-
tiOns of SO many minds experienced a
qualification SO completely unalloyed with
disappointment. If there was aught in
any part of the Grafton, elaborate and va
ried as it was, to which, in point of style
or matter, fastidious criticism might
venture to take exception, it was so fully
retrieved by the finished and consummate
excellence OF the whole, that none, per-
haps, but "a catcher at words" could feel
himself authorized to mingle tone of
dissent in the universal applause which
crowned the effort, and which has thus
far followed the speaker in every city he
has visited As a patriotic tribute to the
pTe-emInence of our Pt1tcr Patrir, as a
specimen Of skillful analysis, fine appreci-
alton and characterization of the compo-
Hents which entered into his greatness.
and as a production of surprising clo-
quence and rhetorical splendor of diction,
this great Grafton may be already consid-
cred as a part of the literature of the
country.
Although the press has everywhere re-
spected the wish of Mr. Everett, that no
full report of his lecture should be at
tempted, at least while he has yet to re-
peat it in other places, we subjoin for the
qualification Of our distant readers sum-
mary of some of its salient points. As
the Grafton occupied nearly two hours in
the delivery, a full report of it would eli
many columns of our paper.
BRIEF OUTLINE OF MR. EvERETT'S ORA
TION.
Having been introduced to the audi
ence, Mr. Everett made brief but hap
py reference to the place and the presence
In which he then stood-at the national
metropolis, place selected and laid out by
the illustrious subject of his discourse,
and where Were assembled the Executive.
Legislative and Judicial departments Of
the Government. In such region, in
sight of Mount Vernon, hallowed by the
associations of the great man whose life
and character were the theme of the eve
ming, he could not but feel diffident and
sensibly impressed with the magnitude
and difficulty of the task he had underta-
ken.
Mir Everett then alluded to the many
tributes which had, from time to time,
been paid p the memory of Washington
On his decease, in December, 1893, on
the recommendation of Congress, eulogies
we're delivered on the 22d of February
next following, by great number of dis
tInguished speakers and writer's Some
OF these performances had passed into the
literature of the country, and were famil-
lar to all. On other occasions the life and
character of Washington had been fire.
quently discussed The more obvious and
appropriate topics of discourse on this
great theme-a narrative of his life and
discussion of his principles and policy
had been exhausted in the performances
alluded to- Mr. Everett would not at
tempt to say over in other words what
had already been said so well by his dis
tinguished predecessors, but would en-
deayor to take somewhat different view
of the sui ject, and would offer some re-
fections upon the relation of Washing
ton, not merely to the United States, but
to the age in which he lived, and then at
tempt to indicate the true nature and
moral foundation of his greatness
Mr.. Everett remarked that the present
occasion was one of more than ordinary
interest. 1t was the completion of cen
tury since Washington, in 1756, entered
upon the GREAT events of his hfe- The
seven years war had not then been de-
clared in Europe, but hostilities had been
carried on for two years upon the inland
frontiers of the British colonies In Amer
ica- Washington had already greatly dis
unguished himself In the morning Of
ms days he had been tried, and, like the
fehner's gold, he came out of the fire un-
iarnlshed. He was preserved by mani
lest Providence at Braddock's defeat, and
Young as he was, had become the subject
VI public interest and anticipation He
was then twenty-four years old, mode
cl manly vigor, grace and beauty Nearly
twenty years afterward, in 1775, he ap
Peared before the country as the comman
In zh, ,of r Il