The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-04-29

recently published, and gives a view of W ASH.
ISGroNs mental and physical characteristics
at the time Of his taking command of the
army at Cambridge
Washington was then 43 years OF age In
stature he little exceeded six feet his
limbs were sinewy and well proportional :;
his chest broad his figure stately, blending
! dignity of presence with ease. His robust
constitution had been tried and invgorated
by his early life in the wilderness his habit
/ OF occupation out Of doors, and his rigid
| temperance so that few equaled him in
strength OF arm or power of endurance
His complexion was tlorid his hair dark
brown; his head in its shape perfectly round
His broad nostrils seemed formed TO give
expression and escape to scorniul anger
Ills dark blue eyes, which were deeply set,
had an expression of resignation, and an
earnestness that was almost sadness.
AT eleven years old left an orphan to the
care Of an excellent but unlettered mother,
he grew up without learning. Of arihme-
tic and geometry he acquired just knowl.
edge enough to be able to practice measur.
ing land, but lis instruction at school taught
him not so much as the photography or rules
Of grammar OF his own tongue. His culture
was altogether his own work, and he was in
the strictest sense IA sell made man. yet from
his early life he never seemed uneducated.
AT sixteen he went into the wilderness as Il
surveyor, and Tor three years continued the
: pursnli. where The forest trained him, 10 med
ltative solitude to freedom aud largness of
mind and Nature revealed TO him her ODE
dience TO serene and silent laws. In his in
tervals from toll he seemed always to be at
tracted to the best men, and to I've cherished
by them. Fairfax, his employer, an Oxford
scholar, already aged, became his fast friend.
lie read little, but with close attention.
Whatever he took in hand he applied him
sell to with care and his papers, which
have been preserved, show how he almost
imperceptibly gained the power Of writing
cOrrcctly-always expressing himself with
clearness and directness. often with felicity
of language and grace.
When The frontiers ON the West became
disturbed he at nineteen was commissioned
an acknowledgement, with the rank Of major.
At twenty-one he went as the envoy OF Vir-
ginia to the council of Indian Chiefs on the
Ohio and to the French officers near Lake
Eric. Fame waited upon him from his
youth, and no one OF his Colony was so much
spoken Of lie conducted the first military
expedition from Virginia that crossed the
Alleghanies. Braddock selected him as au
aid, and he was the only man who came out
Of the disastrous defeat near the M0nonga-
gela with increased reputation, which extend
cd to England. The next year, when he was
but four and twenty, 1.-THE great esteem in
which he was held in Virginia, aud his real
merit led the Observation-Disclosures vi Ma
ryland to request that he might be com
missionated and appointed second in com
| mand' OF the army designed TO march to the
Ohio; and Shirley the commander in chief
hcarh the proposal with great satisfaction
and pleasure for "he knew no priyincial
! officer upon the continent to whom he would
so readily give it as to Washington" In
! 1875 he acted under Forbes as brigadier
and but for him that general would never
have been able TO cross the mountains.
Courage was 50 natural 20 him, that it
was hardly spoken of to his praise; no one
ever at any moment of his life discovered in
him the least shrinking in danger and he
had harlihood OF daring which escaped
notice, because it was so developed by supe-
rior calmEcss and wisdom.
He was as cheerful as he was spirited,
frank and communicative in tue society OF
friends, fond OF the iox-chase and the dance,
sportiye IN his letters and liked hearty
laugh. Ills joyousness Of disposition re-
NAMED to the last, though the vastncss OF
his responsibilities was soon to take him from
the right OF displaying the impuisiye quail
ties OF his nature ana the weight which ne
was to bear up was to overlap and reprcss
his gayety aud Opcnness.
His hand was liberal giving quietly and
without observation. a. though he was
ashamed OF nothing but beng discovered IN
doing good He was kindly and compass
sionate and OF lively sensibility 10 the sor-
rows of Others 30 that il his country had
only needed victim for its relief, he would
have willingly offered himself az a sacrifice
But while be was prodigal of himself, he
was considerable for others ever parslmo-
Nous Of the blood Of his cOuntrymcn.
He was prudent in the management Of bis
private affairs, purchased rich lands from
lie Mohawk V alley to the fiat, Of the Ma
nawha. and improved bis fortune by the cor
rectncss of his Judgment; but a. a public
man he knew 10 other aim than the good OF
his country. and in the hour oil his country
poverty, be refused pcrsonal eiaolnment Tor
his service.
His faculties were 80 we'll balanced and
combined that his constitution, fee from
excess. was tempered evenly with oil the Gle
men,- OF activity. and his mind resembed a
well ordered common wealth; hGs passions
which had the intensest yigor, owned ale
glance to reason; and, with all thu hery
quickness OF hisspirt. hi impetuous and
massive will was held IN check by eonsl.m
mate Judgment He tad 10 hi. cOmposii'ot
calm. which gave him in moments d high
e.. exci,emen; the power o. ifcon,ro anc
enabled him to excel IN patience, even wheel
he had most Cause Tor disgust. Washing
Ton VA, ogr,1I z command when there wa