Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-07-12
REMARKS OF EDWARD EVERETT. ON
WASHINGTON. .--t t.s

Memory of ashington" having been proposed,
Hon Edward Everett was introduced by the
Mayor, and was received with enthusiastic
cheers. He spoke as follows:
Mr.. Mayor: | feel greatly honored by the
manner IN which you have called upon me to
respond To the toast given 70 the memory of
Washington have elsewhere thought it right
TO say that TO be named in connection with him
Is an honor so far beyond any desert of mine
that there would he degree OF vanity in think
ing Il necessary TO disclaim it. You win give me
credit, if not for the self f-knOwledge and huml-
ity, at least for the good taste, which would
lead me to put far aside any such association
with that great name, which, more than any
other name of human renown, has drawn to
itself incommunicably the gratitude and affec-
tlon oil ms own c0untTymen, and the admiration
of mankind. But may, without presumption,
return you my thanks for affording me the op-
portunlty 0i giving utterance, on your behalf
and on behalf Of the city of Boston, to the emo
tIons with which the mention of that illustrious
name, ever honOred, ever dear, must warm the
bosom OF the true patriot on the anniversary Of
our National Independence.
L fcel sir, more and more as advance i'm
lie, and watch With mingled confidence soici-
tude and hope, the development of the mo-
mentous drama Of our national existence seek
ing to penetrate that futuEe which his excel
lency has so elCquently foreshadowed, that it is
well worth our while, that 1t is at once one OF
our highest social duties and important priyi-
leges TO celebrate with ever-incressiug solem.
nifty with annual augmented pomp and
circumstance OF iestsl cOmmemora atiOn-the an
niyersary oil the nation $ birth, were it only as
aHJrdIng hitting occasion to bring the charac-
ter and services of Washington with ever-fresh
recognition; to the public notice, as the great
central hGure of that unparalleled group, that
noble army" OF chietains sayes and patriots
BY whom the revelation was accom- blished
Inis Is the occasion, and here is the spot and
this Is the day, and we citizens of Boston are
the men, If any in the land, to throw wide omen
tne portals OF the Temple Of Memory and
p Fame, and there gaze with the eyes of a rever-
ent and grateful imagination on his beni.nant
countenance and majestic form. This is the
occasion and the day, for who needs to be told
how much the cause Of inde pend ence owes to the
services and character of Washington. tn the
purity OF that stainless purpose, to the firm
ness of that resolute soul! This is the spot
this immortal ball, from which, as from an
altar, went forth the burning Goals that kipdled
into consuming fire at Lexington and Con-
cord, at Bunker Hill and Dorchester HEIGHTS
We, citizens of Boston, are the men, for the
first great success of Washington in the Reyo-
lutlonary War was to restore to orr fathers
their ancient and beloved native town. This
Is the time, the accepted time when the voice
oil the Father OF his Country cries aloud to us
from the sods of Mount Vernon, and calls upop
US. East and West, North and South. As the
brethren Of one great household to be faithful
to the dear-bought inheritance which he did so
much 10 secure to US.
Nor Is the fame Of Washington confined 10
our own country. BOurdaloue, in his eulosy
on the military saint of France. exeIaimSH
The other saints have been given by the
Church TO France; but France in return has
gwen 81. Louis to the Church Born into
the family OF nations in these latter days. re-
eeiYing from foreign countries, inheritinx from
ancient times, the bright and Instructive ex-
ample of all their hOnOred sons il is the glory
OF America, in the very dawn Of her national
existence, to have given back to the world
many names of which the iustre will never
fade, one name Of which the whole family of
Christendom Is willing to acknowledge the un-
enFied e-emlnence, name of which neither
dreece nor Rome, nor republican Italy, Swift
zerland, nor Holland, nor constitutional Eng
land, can boast the rival "A character Of
virtues so happily tempered by one another,
Il use the language of Charles James Fox
ana 80 wholly unalloyed by any vices is
hardly TO b. found Oh the pages of history
IL Is delightful to witness the generous recog-
milton OF Washington merit, even in countries
"here, from political reasons, some backward
ness In that respect might have been antici-
patei. notwithstanding his leading agency
In Wrestling colonial empire from Great Brit
AIN, Ensisnd was not slow to appreciate the
grandeur and beauty of his character. Rufus
ANe "trt'HS " "eneral Hamilton, in 1897,
says " No one who has not been in England
can have just idea of the admiration ex
pressed among all parties for Gen Washington
IL Is common observation that he is NOT oniv
tne most ltlustrious, but the most meritorions
character which has yet appeared
Nor was France behind England in her adj
miration OF Washington. Notwithstanding the
Uneasy relstions OF the two countries at the
Tune oil his decease, when the news of his death
reached Paris, the youthful and fortunate sol.
aier' VINO mad already reached the summit of
his power by paths which Washington never
could have trod, commanded the highest honor,
10 De PAID TO him. A solemn funeral service
was performed In the "Invalids," )" in the pres
ence OF ali that was most eminent in Pari.
a sorrowful cry" said Fontanes, the orator
CHOSEN by Napoleon for the occasion, " has
reached us from America, which he libera ted
IL belongs to France to yield the first response
70 tne lamentation which will be echoed by
every great SOUL These august arches have
oeen well chosen tor the apotheosis of a hero :,
How often, in those wild scenes of her reyo.
iuuon, when the best blood of Franco was sbed
oy the Eemorseless and ephemeral tyrants Who
cnased each other, dagger in hand, across that
dismai stage OF crime and woe during the
reign OF terrOr-how often did the tbo,, - e
Lafayette and his COMPANIONS IN a.,. VI
had fought the battles of cons nstitutionai liz
IN America, call up the image of the pure The
Just, the humane, the unambitious Wasbipqton,
How different would have been the fate Of
France, If her victorious chieftain, when he
reached the giddy heights Of power, had imi
tated the great example which he eulogized.
lie might have saved his country from being
crushed by leagued hosts of Europe; he might
nave prevented the names Of Moscow and Wa
terioo from being written in letters of blood on
tne pages of history he might have escaped
himself IRON the sad significance of those me-
inoraole words OF Fontanes, on the occasion 90
which have alluded, when, in the presence of
Napoieon, he spoke Of Washington as q man
VINO, : ey destiny seldom shared by those
VINO change the fate of empires died IN peace.
private citizen, In his native land, where
ne had held the first rank, and which be had
himself made Free ''O - r'N
How different would have been the fate Of
Spain, OF Naples. of Greece, of fierm,nv 6f
Mexieo, ana the South American Republics.
had their recent revolutions been condnc,si 10,
men like Washington and his patriotic ...o.
crates, whose prudence, patriotism, probity .nd
dlslnterestedness conducted our rsyolty -