Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-02-26
PORTRAIT BY MR.. JEFFERSON.

L think i knew General Washington inti-
mately and thoroughly and were called ON to
delIneate his character it should be in terms
like these:
His mind was great and powerful, without
being of the very first order; his penetration
strong, though not so acute as that of a Newton
Bacon. Or, Locke and far as he saw, no
judgn was ever sounder 1t was slow in
operation, being little aided bv invention or i'm
aglnatlon, but sure in conclusion. Hence the
common remark of his officers, of the advanta-
ges be derived from councils of war where hear
ing all suggestions, he selected whatever was
best But if deranged during the course of the
action-if any member of this plan was d1slo-
Gated, he was slow in read iustment. The con-
sequence was, that he often failed in the field
but rarely against an enemy in station as at
Boston and New York. He was incapable of
fear-meeting personal dangers with the calm
est unconcern Perhaps the strongest feature
In his character was prudence-never acting un-
til every circumstance, every consideration was
maturely Notwithstanding il he saw doubt,
but, when once decided, going through with his
porpose, whatever obstacles opposed. His in
tegrity most pure !; his justice the most in
flexible have ever known-no motives of inter-
est or consanguinity, of friendshipor hatred, be-
ing able TO bias his decision. He was, indeed,
in every sense of the word, a wise, a good, AID
great man. His temper was naturally irrita-
bic and high-toned ; but reflection and resolu-
ton had obtained firm and habitual ascen-
dancy over it. If ever, however, it broke its
bounds, he was tremendous in his wrath. In
L L., J,nr
eral in contributions to whatever promised util-
ity. but frowning and unvielding all visiona-
ay projects, and all uworthv calls on his charity.
His heart was not warm in its affections but
he exactly calculated every mans value and
gave him solid esteem proportioned to it
His person was fine his stature exactly what
one would wish, his department erect and noble
the best horseman of his age, and the most
graceful figure that could be seen on horseback.
Although in the circle of his friends, where he
could be unreserved with safety, he took free
share in conversation; his colloquial talents
were not above mediocrity, possessing neither
copiousness of ideas nor fiuency of words In
public, when called upon for a sudden opinion,
he was unready, short and embarrassed \ ct
he wrote readily, rather ditfusely, in an easy
and correct style. This be had acquired by
conversation with the world for his education
was merely reading, writing and common arith-
metic, to which be added surveying in later
dav. His time was employed in acting chiefly
reading little and that only in agriculture,
and English history. His correspondence be-
came necessarily extensive, and, with Journal
izing his agricultural proceedings occupied most
of his leisure hours within doors. On the whole
his character was, in its mass, perfect--in moth
ing bad, in few points indifferent; and it may
truly be said that never did nature and fortune
combine more perfectly to make man great,
and to place him in the same constellation with
whatever worthless have merIted from man
an everlasting remembrance. For his the
singular destiny of leading the armies of his
country successfully through and arduous war,
for the establishment of its independence of
conducting its councils, through the birth of a
government new In its forms and principles,
until it had settled down into a quiet and or
derly train ; and of scrupulously obeying the
laws through the whole of his career, civil and
military, of which the history of the world fur
ni.hes no other example"