Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-03-03
Mr.. Hunter,a Grafton.

versaily pronounced model OF terse strength
beautiful thought and eloquent expression. AT
ter considering Washington in his twofold char
acter as soldier and statesman, the Grafton con
cludes as follows: 1 9ca
1t is duty then which Virginia owes to him
to herself and to posterity, to tell the great sto
ry of his life in all the forms in which it car
reach the hearts and minds of men. Let it be
told in the graceful numbers of the poet; let il
be carried down in the everlasting traditions Of
history let it be imaged forth in the highest
impersonations of the painters and sculptor's
genius. There is great moral in that story
which,ought to be felt by every hnman heart
for tits the story of one who alone, of all the
great rulers of men, has proved by a consistent
example that in the midst of temptations and
the most seducing opportunities for the gratiti
cation of selfish ambition, he preferred the du-
ties of life to its pleasures, its power and even
to life itself. Let, then, Virginia on this natal
day raise the effgy Of her noblest son before the
eyes of admiring men and who shall blame her
ii some touch of maternal pride should be min
gled with the tears of pious regard which she
may shed for HIM who was the worlds great
paragon for all that is sublime in virtue and all
that is patient and brave in the human soul q
She raises this image not to refresh the foun-
tains of her grief, not to take tribute from hu-
man sympathy for the souls deep wound, not
to express the sad sense of bereavement in what
ever form Of utterance may be most enduring /;
but she this day elevates it in the face of the
world to consecrate his memory in the best af
fections of every heart, and to dedicate his name
to the great cause of humanity, and as COM
mon possession to all mankind. This is no idle
ceremonial of grief which we celebrate to-day;
but State is inauguratiDg with the reverentia
sorrow which such greatness may inspire in e.
ven mothers heart, the influence of perhaps
the highest human example, which is to be as
wide as the world in its operation and to com.
mand love and sympathy from every human
heart. Long, then, may yonder expressive
bronze continue to speak its lessons of virtue
and wisdom to each succeeding generation of
man. Let the mother bring her boy hither that
she may teach him in this presence as his EARL
est lesson so much of the great story of Washing
ton as be may be able to appreciate and compre-
hend. Let the aspiring youth whose ambition,
like Cesar's, may have been fred by the study
of early successes so much greater than his own,
pause to behold that calm face and consider its
associated story of patient fortitude and noble
perseverance. Or should he, in his eagerness
for fame, find that he is in danger to prefer the
prizes of ambition to goodness, let him pursue
that story to its conclusion, and learn that it
was Washngton's unfaltering loyalty to duty
and faith in virtue which endowed him with an
almost superhuman strength, and made his name
immortal among men. .a4
Is it man of maturer years, who disappoint-
ed in his aspirations and misconstrued in his
best and noblest efforts for his race, begins to
grow weary in the struggle and despair of achiey-
ing anything great or even good, let him consid-
er how sternly the great soul of which that stat
ne speaks was tried and with what courage and
faith it passed through the fires OF consuming
strife, until every difficulty was surmounted and
It stood purified and annealed by the fierce orde-
al to which it had been exposed. Who amongst
MS all might not gather from his meditations, in
this calm presence, precious lessons for the gui-
dance and direction of his future conduct
Here then is the "genius loci" which should in
vite the universal pilgrimage of man, for all its
influences are sacred to the great cause of HUI
manity. Touched by the inspired hand of hu-
man genius that mute bronze pours forth it
tull tide of living associations which, like water
from the rock of Horeb, may refresh the soul OF
him whose hopes and strength are failing under
the toilsome, aud it may be, the sad experience
OF his devious journey through life.
This statue is not merely monument to
Washington, but an altar erected to Heroic Vir.
tue itself, before which the human heart may
purify its own aspirations under the Christening
influences of the great example Of the Father Of
his country, and upon which it may sacrifice ev'
cry wild or mad desire that may be adverse t.
the country's good.
And yet this monument itself shall pass away
when time with slow corroding tooth, shal
have dissipated, atom by atom, its consecratet
dust. But when all its particles, fugitive on th'
winds, shall have disappeared from human view
there will still survive the monument which
Washington's own genius has erected for itself
for there is promise in which We all conhde
that the good which men do shall live after them
How much of all that we admire in human q
chievement must lose its influence, because it i
founded in i'll The very process of itsprogres
dsspates it at last, for the circles OF its impuls
grow fainter as they grow broader, until they
finally disappear altogether on the face OF tn
great ocean of life. But the good which mel
do in this life, and especially such as Washing
ton achieved, shall live always rs an efficien
causeaand permanent influence in the progres
of human affairs. The foot of the spoiler ma
trample down for while what is best in tn
garden Of life, but heaven, soon or late, will sen'
its rains to wash out all traces of the step. 1t
tempered airs will visit the terminating seed
its genial light will guide the upward growt
until by full development of leaf and flower
and fruit and seed, it has not only completed tn
course of one charming circle OF existence, bu
provided for the re e.appearance OF another. IN
work of him who planted the good seed shal
live long alter all traces of the destroyer shal
have been lost and forgotten. If, then, the goo.
which men do he the charmed seed oflife, whcl
must increase and multplyin in the successive pro
cesses of continued reproduction, who shall at
fix limits to the growth and existence of tha
which Washington planted as deep as the foun
dations of human society itself2 Who does no
believe that the seed which he sowed will con
tinue to bear the rich fruits of human happines
and social progress until man shall have compile
ted his destiny upon earth? He who bequeathe
a great moral influence to his race, whether
be the influence of precept or example, sha
continue to repeat bis existence through eac
succeeding generation of man, and its interes
will live and grow throughout the whole marc
of the great story of humanity, until the boo
of mans life upon this earth is closed forever.
"Immortile nihi mundi compage tenetur,
Non orbis non regina hominum, non aurea Roma.
"The cloud clapped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself;
Yea, oil which it inherit shall dissolve,
And like the unsubstantlal pageant faded,
Leave not wreck behind"
And still surviving all the good which men hav
done on earth must live. 1t will live in the G
ternal consciousness of the soul from which
emanated, the seed, it may be, Of new life
which is to be constantly reproduced in the as
cending scale of continued succession of high
er developments from the old. But | must no
obtrude with profane gaze upon mysteries so liz
fnitely beyond my ken. It is enough for me t
have proclaimed that the influence of what
good in the reputation Of man is alone immortal
and so much l was bound to say in justice t