Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-03-26


after his death, Washington, ever true
to the instincts of his nature, to prevent
the Indians from disturbing his remains,
buried them in the road and ordered the
wagons in the retreat to drive over his
grave. Here see duty, patriotism and n
proper regard for his superior in rank,
rose infinitely higher than mortified
feelings, and prompted him to perform an
act of magnanimity almost without pre-
codent, and in strict accordance with the
golden rule, "do unto others as yc would
others should do unto you 2 thus setting
an example which should be model for
all who desire to be governed by true
Christian principles. In the engage
ment referred to, Washington had four
I bullets shot through his clothes and two
! horses shot under him while h rsnJained
unhurt. An Indian warrior upon one
occasion remarked, that Washington was
not born to be killed by bullet, for he
had seventeen fair ires at him with his
rife, and after.all could not kill him; and
|, thus it seems he was predestined by
/, Providence to be the leader of his people
through the wilderness and Jordan of the
; revolution.
merely mention these few historical
, facts to show the character and quali6-
, cations of Washington for the discharge
of the duties subsequently devolved upon
him, which no doubt secured to him the
, appointment of commandcr-in-chie of
, the American forces BY the Continental
Congress. So, sir, We find him possess
: ing in pre-emincnt degree all the capaci-
5 ty for carrying on, to successful issue,
, that war which taxation without repre-
: sentation, large standing army in our
, midst, eating out our substance, carrying
, the colonists to England to be tried for
$ pretended offences, and imposing upon
, them other restrictions incompatible with
their colonial condition and in contraven-
ton of their rights and interests, had
: brought about.
, 1t is altogether unnecessary by regular
! progression to enumerate all the iInpor-
tant events of the revolution from the year
G 1875 until the close of the war, because
D the name Of Washington is intimately as
: ISOLATED with every great military achieve
ment which adorns the pages of American
' history, until the star of liberty illumna.
S ted our political horizon, and the Amer
lean eagle was perched upon the Amer.
c lean banner, and drove the British
2 lion from the American shores, and
n freedom was achieved
], These facts and circumstances dem
c onstratc unanswerahly, and form nu
cleus around which we can centralizc ou
i consentaneous views and opinions as i
n regards the propriety of Washington be
ii ing styled, " first in war, first in peace
s. and first in the hearts of his countrymen,
c and that his name has been rendered
= " deathless in fame, immortal in the his.
$ tory of his country's renown."
: After the close Of the war, and peace
o was established, he resigned his commits
: sion, he sheathed his sword, and sought
for repose and retirement in the peaceful
t and scquestcred shades Of his own Mount
4 Vernon. But a new theatre of action
r soon awaited him. He was called from
e his quiet home and rural pursuits to pre-
c side over the deliberations of that con-
vention of patriots assembled for the
purpose of framing a national ccnstitu-
D ton. There, sir, he proved himself to
' be as wise in council as he was brave in
t battle. The characteristics of his nature
0 seem 10 have been impaired to that in-
r strumcnt in order to give it capacity for
D all emergencies, and all the ends and
G objects of its creation That constitu-
ton, sir, as our Magma Charta, our
political chart, the boundary and limit of
American legislation, is the most perfect
instrument that ever came from mortal
0 hands, or was ever conceived by mortal
, mind. After the adoption of the federal
5 constitution he again returns to his IA
/ vorite pursuits, with the view of ending
his days in that retirement from which
he had been called. But his countrymen
were not willing that he should remain
! there until they should prove to him, and
to the world, that they so far appreciated
his invaluable services, that nothing short
, of elcvoting him to the distinguished and
exalted position of President of the re-
public he had built up, could satisfy
them that they had melted out to him
that measure of gratitude due TO him,
and which he deserved for all the bene-
fits he had conferred upon the American
, people. The martial wreath Of fame en-
f twined around his brow upon the field of
battle now invited and welcomed the
chaplet of civil rcnown, to festoon the
patriot brow Of the immortal Washing
ton in the Presidential chair. lie graced
, that station for two consecutive terms.
A short time previous TO the expiration
Of the last, he made known to his fellow
citizens that he desired no longer TO
T occupy that position, by tho publication
Of the impressive and patriotic address
which has been read in our hearing this
day; an address whose every line breathes
sentiments Of lofty patriotism; an ad-
dress which seems 10 DO impressed with
awful forcbodings Of the future, and
which indicates that he raw Swallowed
forth in the vista Of futurity, the dark
clouds Of fanaticism and disuniou, which
have hung like a sable pail upon our po-
litical sky, and which have threatened
to break with fury upon our devoted
land. In almost prophetic language he
paints the scene. With words Of patriot
ism he deprecatcs the consequences.
Perhaps no more favorable time could
have been selected for the reading Of that
address than when we behold in our ma