Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-22
CLEVELAND. TUESDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY %. 1859

material basis as well as in his mental super
structure. But it is rather a refreshing fact to
I find that this cool, cautious, diplomatic man,
could once in a while swear.
Mr.. P. can praise as well as blame The fol-
lowing is very just;
Washington was courageous. He had that
animal courage which laughs at danger and
despises fear. This was tempered with caution;
it was discreet valor, that did not waste its
strength. But he had that high moral courage
which dares confront perils worse than whist
ling bullets, uphOlds righteous cause, though
ever so unpopular, and fears nothing so much
as to do wrong. When defeated, he still bore
up, s'bating no jot of heart or hope" and wrote
home, "Our cause is SO good, God will not per-
nit it to fall"
The highest moral quality is integrity-faith-
fulness to conviction and delegated trust. That
is the crowning virtue, and Washington had it
in the highest degree. Here know not who
is his superior. In the whole range of American
history | find no superior cannot put my
finger upon single act of his public or private
life which would detract from this high praise
He did get angry, he did swear Let him do SO;
he kept his integrity, and if he did wrong In his
wrath, he asked the mans forgiveness when the
wrath was over. He had no subtlety, no cum
ming, no duplicity. He hated hars-it was a
great merit He withdrew from jefferson when
he found him fraudulent, and from his secretary,
Mr.. Lee, whom he loved as his own brother,
when he found him false to some small trust
He would not give Aaron Burr an office, be-
cause, "although he has got a great intellect, lie
is an intnguer."
There was nothing little, nothing mean to him
There was nothing selfish in his ambition. He
rises above the most of men about him, in the
camp, in the cabinet, as the tall pine tree above
the little bushes at its foot Some of the officers
of the army, aided by monarchical men in the
States, wanted to make Washington King, but
he pushed the crown away from him with con
scientious horror In all the history of man.
kind, where do you find such an example of
forbearancel-a triumphant soldier refusing
power, preferring to 60 back and till his ground!
'His means were honest as his ends"
Mr.. Parker then speculates upon Washing
toms religious character We shall spare our
readers Theodore Parker's sPeculatiOns on any
thing religious. He says, 81 find the proof of
WashingtOns religion in his TeraciOusness, in
his adherence of falsehood, in that moral ccur-
age which never failed him, and in that mastery
integrity where he stands superior to the rest of
mankind"
Washington is the first man of his type
When will there be anotherl As yet American
rhetoricians do not tell half his excellence, be-
cause they are afraid the people cannot compre-
hend it. Cromwell was the greatest Anglo
Saxon that ever ruled on a large scale. In
intellect he was superior to Washington, in
integrity immeasursbly below him. Washington
never dissembled-he sought nothing for him.
SELF in him there IS no unsound spot, save his
wrath, and that is hardly unsound-rather
protuberance than weak spot. There is moth
ing little or mean in his character. The whole
was clean and presentable. / think better of
mankind because he lived, enriching the earth
with life so full of humanity