Oroville daily Butte record., 1857-02-05
Fourth Of July Grafton.
BY JOHN PHOENIX.

p During the action, Washington might
have been seen driving up and down
the lines, exposed to a deadly fire in
a small Concord wagon, drawn by a
bob-tailed gray horse. His celebrated
dispatch, 'rcni. ridi, rici,' or, | came
and saw in Concord wagon, has ref
ercnce to this circumstance.
Washington has been called the fa-
ther Of bis country, Gan unapt title,
more properly belonging to the late
Mr.. McClusky, parent Of the celebrat-
ed pugilist,) the child has grown, how,
ever, to that extent that its own father
would pot know it. General Walker
(William Walker is also called the
Father OF Nicaragua, aud we have no
doubt, in case Of his demise, his chill
dren, the native Nicaraguans, would
erect a suitable monument over his
remains, with the inocrip ion, 60 ia
ther, and fare worse
Washington was member of the
Know Nothing order, and directed that
noue but Americans should be put on
guard, which greatly annoyed the Am.
ericans, their comfort being entirely
destroyed by perpetual turns of guard
duty.
lie was twice elected PresideGt OF
the United States by the celebrated
Wing and Know Nothing parties, the
Democrats and AboIitioni.ts voting
against him, and served out his time
with great credit to himself and the
country, drawing his salary with re-
gularity and precision worthy o. all
commentator.
Although, for the time in which he
lived, very distinguished man, the
ignorance of Washington is something
perfectly incredible. He never travel.
ed on steamboat never saw a rail-
road, or a locomotive engine, or u
steam coach was perfectly ignorant
Of the principle of the magnetic tele-
graph never had daguerreotypc,
Colts pistol, sharp's rife, or used a
friction match. lie ate his meals with
an iron fork, never used postage stamps
on his letters, and knew nothing OF the
application of chloioform to alleviate
suffering, or the use Of gass for llIum-
nation. Such man as this could
hardly be elected President OF the Unit
ed States in these times, although, 1t
must be confessed, we occasionally
have q candidate who proves not much
better informed about matters IN gem
eral.
Washington died from exposure on
the summit of Mouut Vernon, in the
year l7S6, leaving behind a name that
will endure forever, If posterIty persist
in calling their children after him to
the same extent that has hitherto been
fashionable. He is mentioned in his
tory as having been first in peace, first
in war, and first in the hearts Of his
countrymen;' in other words, he was
No. IN everything, and it was equal
" his interest and his pleasure to look
out lol that number and he took preci-
ous good care to do SO. a portrait by
Gilbert Stuart, of this great soldier and
Statesman may be seen, very badly en-
graved, on the History of the United
States but as 1t was taken when the
general was in the act Of chewing to-
bacco, the left cheek is distended out
of proportion, and the likeness render
ed very unsatisfactory. Upon the
whole, General George Washington
was very excellent man, though un-
familiar with 'Scott's Infantry Tactlcs,'
he was a tolcrabIe officer though he
married a widow, he was fond hus-
band and though he did not know the
Beecher family, (and would have des-
pissed them if he had, he was sincere
Christian.