Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-02-25
From tie Californian
. V''V WIG OVtIT Ut IT W
Phnnix,s Life of Washin gton.

"George Washington was one of the most dis
! tingulshed movers of tie American Revolution.
He was born of poor but honest parents, at Ge
noa in the wear 1892. His mother was called
the mother of Washington. He married early
in life, widow lady, Mrs. Martha Curtis
Washington commenced business as county
surveyor. and was present in that character at a
sham.fght under General Braddock, when so
many guns were fired that the whole body of
militia were stunned 10y the explosion, and sat
down to supper unable to hear word that was
said. This supper was afterwards alluded to as
Braddock's deaf eat, and the simie, deaf as
Braddock.' subsequently vulgarzed into deaf as
haddock. had its rise om'that circumstance.
Washington commanded several troops during
the revolutionary war, and distinguished him
self bv fearlessly crossing the Delaware River on
ice of very moderate thickness, to visit family
of Hessians of his acquaintance. de was pas
sionately fond of green peas ahd string beans !;
and his favorite motto was, in time of peas pre-
pare for war; Washngtons most intimate
| friend was French gentlemen, named Marcus
Dee. who .eoin q constant habitof rlsiblty, was
nick-named, 'Laughy yet.' His greatest victory
was achieved at Germantown, where coming
upon the British in the night, he completely
surrounded them with wall of cotton bales,
from which he opened destructive and terrible
fire, which soon caused the enemy to capltulate.
The cotton bales being perforated with musket
balls were much increased in weight and con-
seouently in value, and the expression, playful
! " used What is the price OF cotton Z was much
in vogue after that battle. During the action
Washington might have been seen driving up
and down the lines, exposed to deadly lire, IN
small Concord wagon, drawn by bobtailed
gray horse. His celebrated dispatch, 'Fena, o.
d. gici,' or | came and saw in Concord wag-
on, has reference to this circumstance wash
ington has been called the Father OF his Coun-
try Gan unapt title, more properly belonging to
the late Mr. McClusky, parent OF the ceeorat-
ed pugilist); the child has grown, however, to
that extent that its own father would not know
Iitn
"Although, for the time in which he lived, a
very distinguished man, the ignorance OF wash
ington in some things is perfectly lncredlole.
He never travelled on q steamboat; never saw
railroad or locomotive engine; was perfectly
ignorant of the magnetic telegraph; never had
q daguerreotype, Colts pistol, Sharp's rifle or
friction match He ate his meals with an iron
fork, never used postage stamps on ms letters'
and knew nothing of the application OF chloro-
form to alleviate suffering, or the use OF gas 1or
illumination. Such man as this can hardly be
elected President of the United States in these
times, although it must be confessed we occa-
sionally have candidate who proves not much
better informed about matters in general
Washington died from exposure on the summit
of Mount Vernon, in the year 1876, leaving behind
him name that will endure forever, II poster
ity persists in calling their children after him to
the same extent that has been fashionable. A
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 it is completed; in which case their re-
membrance will probably endure forever"