The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-05-23
John PhGniI upon Geo. w..h,uy,s,

TiOii al oi@toi ieHtttu 10 nave Deem dc
livered at Vancouver, ". T., on the 4th o
July, 1866, by John Phnnix, G, s d, Ser
gesnt Major, SD Regiment, Oregon Tcrrto
~, Light Mules, We extract the followin:
amusing eulogy upon George Washington
GENERAL GEOKGE WASHINGTON.
George Washington was one Of the mos
! distinguished movers in the American Revo
| luton. He was born Of poor but honest
! parents, at Genoa, in the year 1892. ilis
mother vas called the mother of Wishing
| ton. lie married early in life, widow lady,
Mrs. Martha Custis whom Prescott describes
As the c.sstdest pretty woman south Of Ma
! son and DiIon's line. Young Washington
/ commenced business as county surveyor,
and was present in that character at a sham
! fight under General Braddoch, when so many
guns were fired that the whole body Of mill
tia were stunned by the explosion, and sat
down to supper unable to hear a word that
was said. This supper was afterwards a.
| luded to as Braddock's dcaf-eat, and the
sime &c deaf as Braddock," subsequently
yulgar;zed into deaf a. a haddock, had its
rise from that circumstance. Washington
commanded several troops during the revo-
lutionary war; and distinguished himself by
/ fearlessly crossing the Delaware on ice OF
very inadequate thickness, to visit family
Of Nessians Of his acquaintance. He was
pa5slonately fond Of green peas and string
beans and his fayorIte motto vas =" In
time Of pas prepare for war
Nasflngtsns most intimate friend was 4
French gentleman, named Marcus Dec. vino,
from his Constant habit Of ri.Ibilty, vas
nichnancd "iuughy yst." III, greatest vic
tory was achieved at Germantown. where
coming upon the British at night, he COM
pleteIy surrounded them with = wall of cot
ton bales, from which he opened doslruC-
tive fire, which coon caused the enemy t.
capitulate. The cotton bales being pcIfO-
rated With mu-ket balls very much increased
in weight, and consequently in value, and
the expression playful y used, - " hat is the
price Of cotton = was much IN vogue after
the battle.
During the action, Washington might
have been seen driving up and down the
liu,S, EXPOSED IN d small Concord wagon,
drawn by a bob,tai!ed gray horse. His cele.
brlted despatch, "r,Lf, rG1t tici or, /
came and saw il a Concord wagon, has re-
fereuce 10 this circumstance
Washington has been called the " Faith r
If his country" ;" IAN unapt title, more pro
periy belonging II the lat. Mr.. McCiusky,
parent Of the celebrated puEilist > the child
EaS grCwD, however, 70 that extent that his
own father wouli not know II. General
Walker (Niiilam Walker Is also called the
Father Of Hicaragua,' and We have no
doubt, in case Of hs demise. his children.
the native NlcaraguaHs, would erect a suita-
Die monument over Eis remains. with t.c
inscription, " GO, father, and fare worse"
aShingtOn was q member Of the know
nothing order, and directed that none but
Americans should be put upon guard, which
greatly annoyed the Americans, their com
fort beng destroyed by perpetual turn. Of
cuarG-auty.
He was twice elected President Of the
United States by the combined Wing and
know nothing parties, the democrats and
abJ.itiOnIats voting against him and served
out MS time with great credit To hims elf and
the g"try-araniag his salary with d re-
g4!arity and precision worthy all c-ujLcnGa-
ii0r.
Although, for the time in which he lived,
a very distinguished man, the ignorance ot
ashlnctOD : something perfectly licftIi-
bic. lie never Travelled on a steamboat;
never sa~ a railroad. or y locomotive engine;
Vas perfectly ignorant OF the principle #
the magnetic telegraph Eeyer had ia
guerrcotyPe, Cots pistol. Sharp'S rife. cr
used friction match. lie eat his meals
with an iron fork, never used postage stamps
N his letters, and knew nothing # the ap-
phcation OF Choro:Orrn to aileviatc suffering,
or the use Of gas for illumination. >uc, a
man a. this could hardly be elected Prcsi-
dent Of the United states in these times. al.
though, II mus; b. confessed, we occasionally
have candidate VINO proycs not much bet.
? inf 81 ,t.
Washington died from exposure on the
summit OF Mount Vernon, in the wear 1856.
leaving behind him name that viii endure
forever, if posterity persists in calling their
children after him to the same extent that
has been fashionable. He is mentioned in
history a. having been first in the hearts
of his coun.rymyn;' in other words, he was
No. in every thing, and it was equally his
interest and pleasure to look ont for that
number and he took precious good care to
do so. A portrait, hy Gilbert stuart, of this
great solder and Statesman may be seen.
very badly engraved, in the " History of the
United States ;" but as il was taken when
the General was in the act Of chewing to-
nacco, the len cheek distendcd out Of pro-
portion, and the likeness rendered very
unsatisfactory. Upon the whole, General
George " aShingtOn was q very excellent
man; though unfamiliar with SCOTS In
iantry Tactics, he vas tolerabie officer;
though he married widow, he was fond
husband; and though he did not know the
Beecher family, he was 4 sincere Christian.
PLuRIBUs USUM.
\ monument has been commenced in the
city of Washington to his memory, which
is to be five hundred feet in height; and it
should be the wish of every true hearted
American that his virtues and services may
not be forgotten before il is completed; in
which case their remembrance will probably
endure forever.