Washington sentinel., 1856-04-01
From the National inielligencer of Saturday
Brief Outline OF MIR. Eyerett,. Grafton.


the place and the presence in which he ther
stood-at the National Metropolis, spot Sc
lecied and laid out by the ilustrious subjec
of his discourse, and where were assembled
the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative De
partments cf the Government In such
region, in sight of Mount Vernon, hallowed b.
the associations of the great man whose lift
and character were the theme OF the evening
he could not but feel dfident and sensibly i'm
pressed with the magnitude and the difficulty
of the task he had undertaken.
Mr. Everett then alluded to the many tribute.
which had from time to time been paid to the
memory of Washington. On his decease, in
December, 1899, on the recommendation oil
Congress eulogies were delivered on the 22d oi
February next following by great number Of
the most distinguished speakers and writer's
Some Of these performances had passed into
the literature Of the country, and were familiar
to all. On other occasions the life and charac-
ter of Washington had been frequently dis
cussed. The more obvious and appropriate
topics of discourse on this great theme-a
narrative of his life and discussion Of his
principles and polcy--had been exhausted in
the performances alluded to. Mr.. Everett
would not attempt to say over in other words
what had already been said so well by his dis
tinguished predecessors, but would endeavor to
take somewhat different view of the subject,
and would offer some reflections upon the re.
lation Of Washington, not merely to the United
States but to the age in which he lived and
then attempt to Indicate the true nature and
moral foundation of his greatness.
Mr.. Everett remarked that the present occa-
sion was one of more than ordinary interest.
1t was the completion of century since Wash
ington, in 1856, entered upon the great events
Of his life The seven years war had not then
been declared in Europe, but hostilities had
been carried on for two years upon the inland
frontiers of the British colonies in America.
Washington had already greatly distinguished
himself In the morning of his days he had
been tried and, like the refEer's gold, he came
out Of the fire untarnished. He was preserved
by manifest Providence at Braddock's defeat,
and, young as he was, had become the subject
of public interest and anticipation. He was
then twenty-four years old, model of manly
vigor, grace, and beauty. Nearly twenty
years afterwards, in l775, he appeared before
the country as the commander-in-chief of the
American armies. At this period of his life
Washington is represented as having been
deeply impressed with the responsibilities rest
ing upon him, and conscious Of the great
destiny before him. There is an authentic
tradition that afterwards the "Father of his
Country" never smiled. 1t would not be too
much to say that more was owing to the good
ness, sagacity, and great abilities of Washing
ton that our country was made free than to any
other man. Heaven forbid that the claims of
other great men at that critical period should
be deprecated. Heaven forbid that injustice
should be done 10 those who aided in promo.
ting the welfare Of the nation. But this mig hit
be said, that Washington was the beacon light
which guided the nation through the stormy seas
OF the Revolution. Due praise should be
awarded TO all those who contributed to his sue,
cess in this wonderful career-the Henrys,
Adams, Hancock, Jefferson, Hamilton, and
others-but, above all, to Washington, who
was born and graded almost in arms. Wash.
ington, as first President of the United States,
in 1889, was unaniEo ously chosen in the hearts
Of the people, in advance not merely Of the
constitutional forms of election, but Of the poor
machinery of caucuses and conventions, by
which, in later times, it has been found con-
venient to relieve the people from the trouble
of choosing their rulers. The relation of Wash
ington to the country at these three periods
was briefly alluded TO, and reference made to
the time when the great man stepped forward
and took the oath from Chancellor Livingston
to support the Constitution and Laws of his
country. O.! that his voice might now speak
to the North and say, 30 give up" and to the
South, "Keep not back" Oh that that voice
might now be heard from Heaven, in words of
reconciliation, 10 bind the North and the South
by one indissoluble bond Of Constitutional
Union, and make il, as il once was, one in the
hearts Of the people!
Mr.. Everett quoted a remark of Lord
Brougham that Washington was "the greatest
man of our own or any age;" adding that if the
first part of this remark was true the last must
be equally so, inasmuch as the period dating
from the commencement of the last century
was unquestionably the richest in great events,
great names, and the general progress of in
telligence in the history Of the world To Illus
trate this remark, and show that Washington
was not, like Alfred or Charlemagne, a bright
light shining in dark age, but the principal
ornament of an age in almost every respect
the most distinguished, a rapid survey was taken
by the speaker of what may be called the age
ofWashington, commencing with the eighteenth
century. The entrance Of Russia into the
European system the foundation Of the British
empire in the East; the commencement Of the
great Australian system the colonization and
civilization OF Africa the downfall of feuda-
lism; the establishment of the liberty Of speech
and the press the development Of journalism
the growth OF manufactures; the applications
Of the steamengine the progress of science
and Of the great moral enterprise of the age
we're alluded 10 in this connection. OF all the
great names connected with these events, al
though many shone with brightness, each in
its peculiar sphere, Washington, by general
admission, on the whole, outshone them all.
This position was further illustrated by COM
parison Of Washington individually with the
three persons who in this period have received
the designation of "great," viz: Peter the Great
Of Russia, Frederick the Second Of Prussia, and
Napoleon. The speaker observed, however,
that, though Washington was great in an age
Of great men, his greatness was not borrowed
nor reflected, but original. In common with
his distinguished associates, he derived but
little aid in the formation of his character and
the grandeur Of his course from the preceding
century. In this respect his position was widely
different from that OF the men Of this age, who
are so amply furnished with examples and illus.
trations OF every kind from the revolutionary
and constitutional period. There was no Wash.