The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-01-22
Gbs yuiuu aua sournaL.
FRIDAY MORNING, JAN. a, 1853.
Editorial Correspondents.
AUGUSTA, Jan'y Is, 1858.

AuGusrA, Jan'y Is, 1858.
Winthrop Hall was filed last evening
with proud array of manly strength
and womanly beauty, brought together to
hear the soft and polished Edward Everett
deliver his famous lecture on the charac-
ter of Washington. Two hours he talk
ed, captivating his hearers by his grace
full ges,ieulation and smooth and ornate
sentences. The lecture itselfis the fault
less production Of literary artist, who
has surprising skill in the use Of words,
and in the arrangement ofsentences. MIR.
Everett is called the greatest Of American
living orators and If grace Of delivery,
and the use Of elegantly finished compo-
sition, is the highest type oforatory. prob
ably his superior is not to be found in
America. There is in him, a rare union
Of graces of delivery and composition
He selects his words to convey his ideas
with almost marvellous exactness and APP
propriateness, and his style, though al
ways beautifully ornate and gorgeous in
comparison and simile, is never wearisome
from its profusion in the drapery Of i'm
agination. a friend who listened to this
lecture, and who is no admirer Of Mr..
T., indeed, who hates as cordially as my
SELF his iimpsiness, IL it is justifable to
coin a word to express correctly the idea
Of want of vertebre, such as Mr.. L. has
shown politically, told me after the lecture
was over that il was a wonder, and so it
is, vet one listens to il, after all, with
the feeling that full, proportionate as it Is,
there is no connection Of Washington
with any great idea or thought on which
is based the structure Of popular govern
ment. One listens to this wonder, as my
friend calls il, with the painful feeling
that our Washington, as portrayed by
Mr.. Everett, accepted without inquiry the
maxims of Others IN support OF popular
government, caring only to make them
practically useful. 1t is indeed wonder
tul work that Mr.. Z. attempts and exc
cutes, to hold Washington up as lacking
in genius and creative power, rs he really
does, yet to demonstrate that even with
this lack, he was UNNECESSARILY superior
in greatness to any man ofany age what
ever. This Mr.. L. does, but an admirer
of Washington cannot help feeling that
his history is not destitute OF materials
from which might be drawn proofs that
his well rounded proportions OF character
were the result of much genius.
The fault Of Mr.. +. is, that in describ-
inc the character of Washington, he in
vests it with some Of the peculiarities Of
his own, and draws upon what his own
conception Ct what should be the charac-
ter Of model man. Ii is an inadequate
of Washington to deny him
genius, or only to allow him secondary
place in the ranks of men of genius
had intlexible will, not OBJ
stinacy, and no man who possesses this
quality is without genius, he had too, rare
power Of combination, and this too, is
quality ofgcuius, and in addition TO this,
he had, what Mr.. Z. fails to mention, aud
which he seemingly iorgcts, profound
appreciation of popular rights, an appre-
citation not derived from taking the max
ms of Others on trust, but which arose
rom earnest contemplation and philo-
,ophical study, such as men ofgcnius on
" make. Everctt's lecture has been found
ault with, because it does not accord to
Washington, the character which he real.
y possessed of being an advocate Of the
rights of man in their widest sense. Ii
; this conviction that has caused CO.
speaking of this lecture, to
'ay -
"Gen. WASHINGTON, living, devoted
MS Z" life, fortune aud sacred honor" to
he cause of FREEpoN; and DYING, he
proved his faith Of his works, in emanei-
,ating his Slaves. This was his last, and
,ne OF his most glorious achievements.-l
Il gave completeness and perfection to his
character. 1t belongs TO his History
40 man, whether Historian, Orator or
Poet, has right to rob him of it and
10 man. whether the greatest or meanest,
# "living orators" shall do so with i'm.
,unity.
The example OF the great aud good
in giving freedom to his
slaves, has influenced, and is influencing
'ther good men. Ii has given freedom
o thousands. And yet "thc greatest OF
wing orators" ignores the fact which
heds lustre upon the name Of the Father
{ his Country. The heroism and virtues
{ Greece and Rome were perpetuated by
heir Orators. II, through all coming
inc, the World is to be indebted to the
reatest American Orator for knowl-
dgc of the character of WASHINGTON,
hat character will have lost one of its
ighest and brightest attributes. Until
ir. EVERETT supplies the "lost link in
he chain" which binds the affections
nd gratitude of the American People to
he character and memory of WASHING
on, "hounds will hang upon his heels"
: tenaciously as ours seek to justify or
Reuse this attempt to falsify History
IA. c..l. =. ...... II .,s..o. tbat NJ