The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-02-23
THE CELEBRATION IN BOSTON.
Il HON. EDWARD EvERETrs GRAFTON ON I

THE CELEBRATION IN BOSTON.
THE HON. EDWARD EvERETr's GRAFTON on THE
CHARACTER OF WASHINGTON.
BOSTON, Feb 90, 1856.
The anniversary Of washingtons birthday was gene
rally observed here to day. Salntes fired, and balls
rung at morning. noon and night. The Custom House,
banks and many Of the stores closed Weather
and springlike.
The Mercantile Library celebrated the day The lead
pg features of the occasion splendid grafton of Mr.
Everett on the character of George Washington.
The Rev, George W. Blsgdsn offered Mp prayer when
an edo, written for the occasion by DR.. Holiness was
sung by q chorus of male vol ,es.
The Hon. EDWARD EVERETT then deliver ed the grafton.
We can only send you abstract and for this am in
debted TO the Courier Of this city
After the portrait of Washington was disclosed by
drawing the curtain from before it, Mr. Everett pointing
to the figure of Washington, began substantially a.
follows =
Behold, my friends, the subject of nv address this
evebipg it stands before you. Would tina. could exc
cute my work the artist has done his aad pr,seat
Is here presented TO the eye Toe Mercantile Library
Association, IL fitting up their and spa ous 70 ms
cpai haL-not m for the grariacav N Of the tas
thsn .he nourishment Of pure patriotic feeling faith
fSl copy OF snsris full length portrait Of Washington
arts of merit ct different peri IDS Of his Ii and ia dit
fereht character and all valuable but the original pr
traits Of Stuart will works Of art bear comparison
with anything from the pencil of vandyks Reynolds
while for us they possess, need not say terest
Mr. s Albert Mo Of t tns city, ha a
the work befo ynu produced a copy faithful you
see 70 the well known characteristic' Of the great ori
enal which own place among the richest treasures Of
the country never reflect without gratiuds thas in
the cosiDg period oftte life of Washington wnen the
Ct that countensnce in every ns Of which wis.
CON- and foritude and paien e and aess
out plainly mind can speak through form and color
an American artis-equalin his peculiar walk to the
first of any country or agwas found to transfer that
venerated countena and form to the CANVASS
there to live when all that mortal of the Father Of
his country should have passei away-thsncs by the
down to posterity, so tina. our chi deem and our
children's children, while they contemplate his life
may inadequate idea the features the expires
sioD and the majestic presence Of the man. whom it
sn snas the head 80 BY sus
frcm life, Ia the Boston Athenauu Of two three
tulepgth portraits, executed oy him that basis one
and IL at Newport. OF that fine original Mr. Hoi.
has most successfully executed the spirited and faithful
ion and designed to form the principal ornamen
of The Mercantile Library Association There may It long
the latest Generation 3" Young men Who shs 10 h uno1
It, remember with gratitude how much under Providence
both they and their fathers owe to thst trsnscendant
spirit which dwelt in the form thus ed to their
contemplation.
After this introduction Mr. EVERETT observed that ie
could not but be sensible to the diff ulty Of task
had un 1erfaken. the eecease OF Washington in l799
the recomms ndaon of Congress-, euIogIes were de-
vered the cd Of February folio wing by great
Dnmber Of she most distinguished speakers aud wsers
~ Boston, by one of the most gifted OF Msssachu
setts Fisher Several Of these performances had
passed into the literature OF the country ana fami
liar to ell. On other occasions the life character o.
Washington had been frequently discussed An address
on THE subject delivered by Mr. Wooster at the city
of Washington In 1882 mastery performance; 1t
admirably treated BY Mr. Winthrop taen Speaker II
the National Monument at washing on Tue mo OBVIOUS
and appropriate topics CT discourse This
q narrative Of his lie and discussion of hts principles
and poicyhad been exhausted 10 toe p'rformauces al
luded to. Mr. Everett would attempt say over in
other words what had ready been said well BY his
distinguished predecessors but woud endeavor to take
q somewhat Il. rent view Of the subject aud after au
ding to the particular occasion Of the evening would offer
merely to United States but ths .~e in xsics be-
lived and then attempt ind,ae the nature
moral foundation OF his greatness Afaer some further
Introductory Arks OF personal character Nc Everett
remarked that the occasion Of more than idi
nary interest It not only the celeb raion of the
tury since his first vi,is to Boston Bost three
times honored with vsi: from Wa ,hius ton. H,
came for the first tine in the last week OF Febru-
airy, 1855. The seven years war had MT thsu
been declared in Europe, but hosti,es had been
GarfS On or Two yea the inland frontiers Of she
greatly distinguished himself. lie preserved oya
manifest PROVIDENCE at Braddocks de aud ,ung
he was bad become the subject of pubic iateres and
anticipation He came WITH brother onicsrs
to consult Governor shIey upon question Of rank AID
twenty -four years ods model OF manly vgor grace and
beAuy Hts second visit the 18Th OF March, 1916
the Gay after the evacuation of Boston BY the British
army, when Washington entered he city NINA oder
chief OF the forces OF the American Union He for
the third rime the 18th of October 1885, rst Pre-
fearts of the people, in advance no. merely OF
the constitutional forms of election, but Of the
wi ich, in later time, it has been found nvsnient
to ieve the PEG the trouble OF choosing their
Ses ee ssd = inc M
then quoted remark of Lord Bcougham tina. Washirg
ten was ,he greatest man OF our own any ags;' and
ing that If the first part Of this remark true the
must be equally so inasmuch the p.iod dating
the commencement of the ast century was unquesIen
general progress Of in esence Ia IL. hss.v aa Of ,bs s
world. To illustrate this remark aad show that Was-
ington was not Ike Alfred or Chsrlemague. brgh. light
shining IN dark age but the principal Of
age In almost every res tect the most distinguished
rapid surrey WAS taken By the speaker Of what
with the eighteenth century. the en- rance Of
Russia INTO the European sys eu-tde foundl ion
ment Of the great Australian systenthe colouiz,tiou
and civilization of Africs-'he downt OF feuIas n the
establishment o. the liberty of speech and Of the
the developement Of journalism-.hs or with OF
features tine application OF the steam eoRins-the pro-
gess Of science and OF the grea. moral erpse of
age we're alluded to in this connect, OF alt gcest
COM ec'ed with these events although many shous
with brightness, eacn In It's pecusr sphere
This po i,ion was further ILLUSTRATED by cm,s.isou Of
Washington individually, wi the three persons Who in
this period have received the designation OF great"
viz Peter the Great Of Rusa, Frederick the nd Of
Prussia, and Ma poeon. The speaker observed viewer
that though Washington was great an ass Of great
men, his greatness wss not b,.rowei nor reelected,
but original In common with his distinguishes ~
socises he derived but liz IL aid ia me for nation OF hg
character and the grandeur CT hs ie pre-
ceiling century In this respeo, his position Wiley
different from that of the of thus age who
ply furnished with examples and illustrators of
kind, from the revolutionary and constitutional period
There Washington In sevep eenth century,
the model OF whom the Washington Of the .ish esath
could form himself "rnese none Ia America, there
was nore In Europe; there Ia the modern
(aid Mr. slopg this fArstretchipg gale las Of
htory behold with a. rst the sta of he great
and coed with which they are ad, ned--qsmp len,
Alfreo, Cato, Epau inondss-but see n, o.uer Wash
ingtcn Mr.. Everett then passed to the inquiry In
what the true greatness of Washipgton cynsist anil
admitted that ne founi It diiR:uIt to furnish au
ansser to The question, which fully satisfied his own
conception Ahes all the usual points OF great cha