Washington sentinel., 1856-04-01

so far from needing an apology, was in reality
one of the chief excelencies of the character
of Washington. They are in reality defects,
and would impair the beauty Of a we'll balanced
character. Such character also includes the
sober and not very popular qualities-such as
prudence, justice, common sense, which, al
Though by far the most useful qualities in a
public man, neither win applause strike
the imagination. They place their possessor,
however, in harmony with the great powers
which govern the universe, material and moral;
which, the higher we rise in the scale of being,
are the more characterized by quiet equilib-
rum and silent energy.
But the pure morality of Washngton's char
acter was the most important feature, and Mr..
Everett declared it to be his decided conviction
that il was an important part of the design
of Providence, in raising up Washington to be
the leader of the Revolutionary struggle, and
afterwards the first President OF the United
States to set before the people of America, in
| the morning Of their national existence, a lv-
ing example to prove that armies may be best
| conducted, just wars most successfully fought,
aud governments most ably and honorably ad-
minislered by men of sound moral principle !;
to teach to gifted and aspiring individuals, and
the parties they lead, that, though hundred
crooked paths may conduct to temporary sue
| cess, the one plain and straight path of public
! and private virtue can alone lead to pure and
lasting fame and the blessings of posterity."
The speaker then glanced at the course of
| Washington in a moral point of view, beginning
with his nature as "a good boy" by mother
worthy to be named with the noblest matrons
| of Rome and Israel on through the various
stages Of his career, and asked whether the
| judgment Of mankind was so deprayed that
| they would withhold their admiration from such
a,1 ha. - A L. A..
Caesar, and Marlborough, whose characters
and conduct were briefly passed in review In
this connection Mr.. Everett described Blenheim
Castle, the splendid palace erected to per-
petuate the fame of Marlborough, compared
with Mount Vernon, the modest home Of Wash
ington, and contrasted the opposite feelings
which they awaken in the mind of the observer.
He raised the question whether the judgment
of mankind could withhold their admiration
from Washington, and bestow it upon Alex
ander, Caesar, and Marlborough. lie believed
that God made the former to stand alone among
mankind-possessing all the lovely traits Of
character, the love of the people mounted into
veneration, and reverence melted again into
love.
In drawing his address to close, Mr. Everett
quoted the language Of Hamilton in his gene
raj orders communicating the tidings of Wash
ington's decease to the army in 1893, that "the
voice of praise would in vain endeavor to ex-
alt name unrivalled in the lists of true glory
aud he spoke of the privilege enjoyed by Ame
rlca, III the first generation of her national ex
istence, of being permitted, in exchange for
the bright examples she had inherited from
other countries ana ages, to give back name
by acknowledgment brighter than ALL He
quoted the remark of Charles James Fox, that
"a character of virtues so happily tempered by
one another, and SO wholly unalloyed by any
vices as Washington's, was hardly TO be found
in history" He referred also to the account
given by Mr.. King. in 1897, of the veneration
in which the name of Washington was held in
England, Notwithstanding his leading agency
in depriving her of great colonial empire
and also to the honors paid to his memory in
Paris by order of Napoleon in 1900, when a
pompous ceremonial was had in the Iaralides
and a eulogy pronounced by Fontanes. He
remarked on the different result that might
have been expected to the revolutions Of the
last generation in the Spanish and Portuguese
possessions on this continent, in Spain, Italy,
Greece, and Germany, had they been led by
men like Washington.
Finally, Mr.. Everett observed that it was
| peculiarly incumbent on the citizens Of
America, as depositaries of the fame and
memory of Washington, TO follow his advice
and obey his counsels, especially as contained
in his Farewell Address The most important
of his exhortations was that which enjoined
the preservation Of the Union. This was the
thought and care which lay nearest 10 his
heart; and it depends on this whether the
United States shall be broken up into group
| Of dependent m lilary governments, wasting
each other in perpetual border wars, remain
great, powerful, and prosperous confederate
| Republic, If ever his parting counsels on
this head should be forgotten, on that day it
may truly be said that Washington had lived
in vain. Such calamity, however, the speaker
exclaimed, should never be permitted to take
place while the memory Of the glorious days
and deeds Of the Revolution remained.
This synopsis though embracing every
topic discussed by Mr.. Everett lacks the
charm which attended the spoken words. The
felicity of illustration, and the elegant and
graceful eocuton, too, are wanting TO enable
those who did not hear this mastery perform
ance to appreciate how great it was. 1t was
an Grafton worthy of the subject.
A NIGnT OF Horror IN WILDERNESS
| The Poughkeepsie Eagle gives an account Of
nights adventure OF Mr.. Arvine Clark in a will
derness in Potter county, Pa, during the past
winter. 1t appears he lost his way travelled
for hours, when, as night set in, he found him
self eight miles from any settlement, surround
ed by bears and wolves. One of the former he
shot dead in the dark as the animal was about
to spring upon him. His next effort was to
kindle FIRE. He collected some dry materials
and loading his gun with powder fired the
charge into dry cotton handkerchief. 1t was
a failure As the gun was discharged another
bear, apparently within twenty feet of him,
gave hi1eous and awful roar that made Clarks
hair stand on end. Brun was terribly fright.
ened by the discharge Of the gun, and hastily
scampered, much to the relief of Clark, who
now began to fully realize the danger of his
position.
Here he remained, not daring to fall asleep.
About two o'clock in the morning, to add to
the horrors Of his situation, the yell of pan
ther was heard. The beast pproached-came
nearer every few minutes-uttered a screech
that froze the blood in his veins. AS a last re-
sort to defend himself from the attack of the
savage animal, he reloaded his gun, putting
some three-cent pieces and some steel pens:
| flor he had nothing elsel which he hoped might