The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-06-08
l;ancreft's Persralt Of w..hingson.


Of hoou OF daring which escaped notice, becaus
he was so enveloped by superior calmness and "
dom. lie was cheerful as he was spirit
frank and communicative in the society
friends, fond Of the fox-chase and the dan,
~ often sporti.e in his letters, and liked hea
ae laugh. Thisjoyousness of disposition remain
]. 70 the last, though the vastness of his respon
At oihtles wfs soon to take from him the right
displaying the impulsive qualities OF his n
- tare, and the weight which he was to bear
WAS to overlay and repress his gaiety and opc
+. ness.
= His hand was liberal; giving quietly and wit
e out observation, as though he was ashamed
). nothing but being discovered in doing, good
= lie was kindly and Epassonate, and OF live
sensibity to the sorrow OF others; so that
l. ms country had only needed victim for its r.
i!ef, he would have willingly offered himself
a sacrifice. But while he was prodigal of hin
self he was considerate for others !; ever parsr
onious of the blood of his countryman.
lie was prudentin the management Of his pr
va;e affairs, purchased rich land from the Nc
hawk Valley TO the fats of the Kanawha, an
! improved his fortune by the correctness of h
, Judgement; but as public man he knew n
other aim than the good OF his country, and i
the hour OF his countrys poverty, he refuse
personal emolunent or his service.
) lis faculties were SO well balanced and com
bined that mis- consultation, free from excess, wa
m2ered evenly with all the elements OF aotiy
| lt., and his mind resembled we'll ordere
common wealth has passions, which had tn
intensest vieor, owned allegiance to reason; an
with all the fiery quickness Of his spirit, his i'm
pei nous and massive will was held in check b.
coi.sumate Judgment. He had in his compo
si;ion a calm, which gave him, in moments o
highest excitement, the power Of sef-control
aud enabled him to excel in patince even whel
he had most cause for disgust Washington
| was offered a command when there was little tc
bring out the unorganized resources of the con
! tncnt but his own influence and authority was
connected with people by the most frail, mos,
at;enuated, scarcely discernable threads yet,
vehement as was his nature, impassioned al
was his courage, he so restrained his ardor that
he never failed continuously to exert the at
tracing power Of that influence, and never ex-
erted 1t 30 sharply as to break its force.
IN secresy he was unsurpassed but his secre.
| sy had the character of prudent reserve.
| not OF cunning or conceament.
Ills understanding was lucid and his iudg-
ment accurate, so that his conduct never be-
trayed hurry or confusion. No detail was too
minute for his personal inquiry and continued
| supervision and, at the same time. he comprc-
hended events in their widest aspects. He new
er seemed above the object which engaged his
att nton, and he was always equal without
an effort to the solution ofthe highest questions
even when there existed no precedents to guide
his decision.
II this way, he never drew to himself admi-
ration for the possession Of any one quali%y in
excess, never made in council any one sugges-
ton that was sublime but impracticable, never
in action took to himself the praise or the
blame OF undertakings astonishing in conception
but beyond his execution. 1t was the most
wonderful accomplishments of this man, that,
placed upon the largest theater Of events at the
head ofthe greatest revolution in human af-
fairs, he nevers failed to observe all that was
possible, and at the same time to bound his as.
pirations by that which was possible
slight tinge in his character perceptable
only to the close observer, revealed the region
from which he sprung, and he might be descri.
bed as the best specimen of manhood as deve-
oped in the South but his qualities were so
faul,lessly proportioned, that his whole country
rather claimed him as its chosen representative
the most complete expression of all its attain
ments and aspirations. He studied his country
and conformed to it. His countryman felt that
he was the best type OF America, and reioiced
in il, and we're proud of it. They lived in his
life, and made his success and bis Praise their
own.
lrofoundly impressed with confidence in
Gods Providence, and exemplary in his respect
for the forms of public worship, no philosopher
of the eighteenth century was more firm in the
support of freedom of religious opinion none
more tolerant or more remote from bigotry
but belief in God, and trust in his overruling
pow er formed the essence of his character,-
Divine wisdom not only Eliminates the spirit,
it inspires the will.
Washington was a man of action, and not of
theory or words; his creed appears in his life
not in bis professions, which bursts from him
very rarely, and only at those great moments of
crisis in the fortunes of his country when earth
and heaven seemed actually to meet, and his
emotions became too intense for suppression +:
but his whole being was one continued act Of
faith in the eternal, intelligent, moral order of
the universe. Integrity was so completely the
law OF his nature, that planet would sooner |
have shot from ~ sphere than he have departed |
from his uprightness, which was SO constant |
that 1t often seemed to be almost impersonal.
They say of Giotto that he introduced good |
ness into the art Of painting Washington car |
ried it with him into the camp and the cabinet |
and established new criterion of human great.
ness. The purity of his will confirmed his for |
titude, and as he never faltered in his faith in |
virtue, he stood fast by that which he knew to |
be just, free from illusions, never detected by |
he apprehension of the difficulties and peris
that went before him, and drawing the promise
pf success from the justice of his cause. Hence
ae was persevsring, leaving nothing unfinished;
Tree from all taint OF obstinacy in his frmness,
seeking and gladly receiving advice, but immo-
rable in his devotedness to right.
Ola ''retiring modesty and habitual reserve"
ais ambition wss not more than the conscious.
ness of his power, and was subordinate to his
sense Of duty; he took the foremost place, for
he knew, from inborn magnanimity, that it be-
onged to him, and he dared not withhold the
service required of him; so that, with all his hu
nifty, he was by necessity the first, though
Iever for himself or for private ends. He loved
aiLie, the approval of coming generations, the
.eod opinion OF his fellow men Of his own time,
Md he desired to make his conduct coincide
with their wishes; but not fear of censure, nor
he prospect OF applause, could tempt him to
"erve from rectitude; and the praise which he
coveted was the sympathy of that mora! senti-
nent which exists in every human breast, and
,oes forth only to the welcome of virtue.
There have been soldiers who have achieved
niahtier victories in the field, and made con-
luests more nearly corresponding to the bound
essness of selfish ambition; statesmen who have
'een connected with more startling upheavals
II society; but 1t is the greatness of Washington
hat in public trusts he used power solely for
he public good; that he was the life, and mod
rator. and stay, OF the most momentous revo.
t ion in human affairs, its moving impulse,
md its restraining power. Combining the GEN.
fipetal and the centrifugal forces in their ut
most strength and in perfect relations, with
;reative grandeur of instinct he held ruin in
heck, and renewed and perfected the institu-
ions of his country. Finding the colonies dis
and dependent he left them such
United and well ordered commonwealth az no
visionary had believed to be possible. So that
has been truly said, "he was as fortunate as
,reat and good"
1.-THE Happy Home" is the title Of an lSmo.
'olume, Of 206 pages, from the pen of Kirwan. |
I is an able plea in behalf Of the family insttu.
ion, thing which some nations, specially the
French, do not possess. We do not see how . |
ather or mother can prayer:ally read it with. |
out being greatly benefited. On page 50. in
ome remarks on truthfulness, we have this |
anecdote: "A gentleman Of nervous tempera- |
nlent once called on DR.. Dwight, President Of |
Yale College. One of the Doctors boys was |
rather boisterous, and pesssred the nervous |
pentleman solnawhat whePeunnn he ssid Tn |