Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-03-28

cin whole,
tion was further illustrated by comparison of Wash
inoton. individually, with three persons who ithls
na7;od have received the designation of great
viz. Peter the Great of Russia, Friedrich the second
of Pussia, and Napoleon.
The speaker observed, however, that though
Washington was great in an age OF great men, his
greatness was moi borrowed reflected, bat orlgi-
nal In common with his distinguished associates
he derived but little aid in the formation OF his char
acter and the grandeur of his course from the prece'
ding century. In this respect ms poslon was woe
" different ftom that of the of this age, who
are so amply furnished with examples and illustra-
tions of every kind, from the revolutionary and con-
stuonal period. There no Washington in the
18th century, on The model of whom the Washington
of the 18th could form himself "Tbere none
in America, there was in Europe; there
none in the modern world there none in the an
Gent | cast nv eve (said Mr. Everet) along the
far stretching galleries of history; behold with ad
miration the statues Of the great and good with
which they are adorned ampden, Alfred, Cato,
Timoleon, Epaminondas-bu see no other Wash
ington.'
Mr. Everett then passed to the inquiry in what
the true greatness of Washington consists, and ad-
mitted that he found it difficult TO furnish an answer
10 the question which fully satisfied his own concep-
tons After all the usual points of great charac-
ter were enumerated, there still something in
Washington that escaped analysis, there an
indescribable charm in his portraits, by Stuart i'm
parting an interest to them, but which 1t was not
There could, however, be doubt that the essence
and strength of Washngtons character lay in two
things first, in his possession In due proportion,
each in the golden mean, of all the powers and
qualities required for the useful and honorable dis
charge of the duties of life and second in the pure
morality which lay at the foundation. In reference
to the first point the speaker maintained that the alb
of dazzling traits which strike the imagination
so far from needing apology, was in reality one
Of the chief eXceilencies of the character of Wash
| Ihox-, Sfyy .afan 7,,Iy
pair the beauty Of q well balanced character Such
a character also includes the sober and little popular
| qualties-such as prudence justice, common sense
which, although by far the most useful qualities
in public man, neither win applause nor 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 teing the characterized
! by quiet equilibrium and silent energy.
| But the pure morality of Washingtons character
ter was the most important feature, and Mr. Everett
declared it to be his decided conviction that it
an important part of the design of Providence, in
raising up Washington TO be the leader of the revo-
luuonary 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 living example to prove that armies may b. best
conducted, just most successfully fought, and
governments most ably and honorably administered
! by # sound moral principle to leach TO gifted
and aspiring individuals. and the parties they lead,
temporary success, the plain and straight path
of public and private virtue alone lead 10 pure
and lasting fame and the blessings of posterty.
| The speaker then glanced at the course of Wash
ington in moral point OF view, beginning with his
nurture as good boy" by a mother worthy to be
named with the noblest matron> of Rome and Isra-
ell" on through the various stages Of his career; and
asked whether the judgment of mankind was so de-
PRAYED that they would withhold their admiration
from such a and bestow it on men like AleXan-
der, Caesar and Marlboroug h-Whose characters and
cond, ct were briefly passed in review -! In this
nexicn Mr.. Everett described Blenleim Castle, the
splendid palace erected to perpeuate the fame Of
Marlborough, compared with Mount Vernon, the
modest homo of Washington, and contrasted the OPP
posie feelings which they awaken in the mind of the
observer.
Finally, Mr.. Everett observed that ii pecu-
ary incumbent the citizens of America, depos-
tares of the fame and memory of Washington, to
follow his advice and obey his counsels especially
contained in his Farewell Address The most i'm
pOrant of his exhoratinns that which onjoincd
and care which lay nearest to his heart and it de-
ponds this whether the Unitel States shall be
broken up into group of independent military gov
| ernments, wasting each other in perpetual border
wars, remain great, powerful, and prosperous
confederate republic. If his parting counsels,
on this head should be forgotten, on that day il may
truly be said that Washington had lived in vain
Such a calamity, however, The speaker exclaimed,
should never be permitted to take place, while the
memory of the glorious days and deeds of the Revo-
luton remained and least Of all should its posi-
bity be admitted on the birthday Of Washington
when in every part of the country, from the North
10 the South, from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific rib-
ues of affection and respect simultaneously paid
to his name.