The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-04-10
Everett's Grafton on Washington.

Everett'S Grafton on Washington.
This oration, at the request Of number
Of members Of Congress and citizens, was
lately repeated at Washington, and we take
the following summary of its salient poiu,s
from the National Intcllgencer:
Mr.. Everett made a brief but happy refe
renee to the place and the presence in
which he then stood-at the national me
tropolis, spot selected and laid out by
the illustrious subject of his discourse, and
where were assembled the Executive, Ju-
dicial, and Legislative departments of the
Government. In such region, in sight
of Mount Vernon, hallowed by the associa-
tieas of the great man whose life and char-
acter were the theme of The evening, he
could not but feel diffidcnt and sensibly
impressed with the magnitude and the dit
fculty of the task he had undertaken.
Mr.. Everett then alluded TO the many
tributes which had from time to time been
paid to the memory Of Washington. On
his decease, in December, 1899, on the re-
commendation of Congress eulugies were
delivered on the 22d OF February next FOL
lowing by great number of the most dis.
unguished speakers and writers. Some OF
these performances had passed into the
literature of the country and were familiar
to all. On other occasions the life aud
character of Washington had been frequent
Iy discussed. The more obvious and ap-
propriate topics Of n discourse on this grea,
,heme-a narrative Of his life and discus
sion OF his principles and policy-had been
!, fal al, Ii
Mr.. Everett would not atten,pt 10 say over
IN other words what had alrea iy been said
so well 10y his distinguished predecessors,
but would endeavor Ia take Il somawhat
different view of the subject. and would of
Ter some reflections upon the relation of
Washington, not merely to the United
States, but to the age in which he lived,
and then attempt 10 Indicate the true nature
aud moral foundation Of his greatness.
Mr.. Everett remarked that the present
OCCASION was one of more than ordinary in.
ietest. IL was the completion of Il century
since Washington, in 1856. enter d upon
The great events nf his life. The seven
years war bad not ihen been declared IN
Suropc, hut ho,lilitics had been carried on
for two years upon The inland frontiers Of
thc i'''Aisi CctOblltS w .hliiciICt. w
ton had already greatly distinguished him
sci. In the morning of his days lie had
been tried, and, like the rctincr's gold, he
came out of the fire un,arnished. lie was
preserved by manifest Providence at
Braddock's defeat, and, young rs he was,
had become the subject Of love and antici-
patton. lie was then twenty four years
old, model of manly vigor, grace, and
beauty. Nearly twenty years afterwards,
in 1775, he appeared before the country rs
commander-in-ch of the American ar
mics. A: this period of his life Washing
ton is represented as having been deeply
impressed with the responsibilities resting
upon him, and conscious OF the great desti-
ny before him. There is an authentic ira
dition that afterwards the Father of l,is
Country" never smiled. 1t would not be
TOO much TO sag that more was owing 10
the goodness, sagacity, aad great abilities
of Washington that Our country was made
free than 10 any other man. Heaven for
bid that the claims Of otker great men Mt
that critical period should be deprecated.
Heaven forbid that injustice should be done
to those who aided in prom oting the vel.
fare of the nation. But this might be said,
that Washington was tke beacon light
which guided the nation through the stor-
my seas Of the Revolution. Due praise
shonld DC awarded to all those who con.
tr!buted to his success in this wonderful
career-the uenrys, Adamses, Hancock,
Jefferson, Hamilton, and others but, above
all, to Washington, who was born and era
died almost in arms. Washington rs first
PFesideu. Of The United States, III 1889,
was unanimously chosen in the hearts OF
the people, in advance not merely of the
constitutional forms Of election, but the
poor machinery of caucUses and conven.
tions, by which, in later times, il has been
found convenient to relieve the people from
the trouble of choosing their rulers. The
relation Of Washington to the country at
these three periods was briefly alluded to,
and reference made to tho time when the
great man stepped forward and took the
oath from Chancellor Livingston to support
dhc Constitution and Laws Of his country.
oh! that his voice might now speak to the
North and say, "Oh give up" and to the
South, "Keep not backr Oh that that
voice might now be heard from Heaven, in
words of reconciliation, to bind the North
and the South by one indissoluble bond of
Constitutional Union, and make it, as it
once was, one in the hearts of the people.
MIR. Everett quoted remark of Lord
Brougham, that Washington was "the
greatest man of our own or any age" add.
ing that il the first part of this remark was
true the last must be equally so, inasmuch
as the period dating from the commence.
ment Of the last century was unquestiona.
bly, the richest in great events, great names,
and the general progress Of intelligence in
the world. To illustrate this remark, and
show that Washington was not, like Alfred