Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-03-04
The Tuenty-SesOnd at the state UnIversit,

AEe Ahelti-SeeUnd AT the state University.
The birthday of the Father Of our country
is not only legal holiday, but it brings re-
cess from study ina all schools, from the high
est TO the lowest. Services commemorative
of his career and character were held Wednes-
day morning in the chapel Of the University.
Prof. BUrLER, at the request of the Faculty,
delivered an address. Some of the lessons
inculcated by the life of WASHINGTON cannot
be studied too often. We extract one of
them: t0 +.
Had Washington in bOyhood absconded
ike Franklin, had he been an infidel like
Jefferson, or fought a duel like Hamilton !;
had he plunged in debt, cast in his lot with
gamblers, or put an enemy into his mouth TO
steal away his brains, or plucked the rose
from the fair forehead of an innocent love, to
set blister there, yet been himself in all
other points, his life might have been more
remarkable than it is, even as the coliseum
IN ruin has a fascination unknown to any
palace that stands in unmarried integrity :;
but then it would have blazed with beans
more baleful than could shoot forth from all
the lighthouses which sentinel the coasts of
the earth enciTcling ocean, were they all
usurped by the false fires which wFeckefs
kindle, and more pOrtentOus than were ever
tabled 10 cOruscate from any comet, 3s
sThat fires the length of Ophiushus huge
= .In the arctic sky, aud from has horrid hair
Shakes pestilenee and war ~ .,l..
No, only does all the light radiating from
him, lead men in the right direction, il is
mellowed to an undazzling lustre suited 20
delight all ewes. All the steps by which he
rose from a fatherless boy, uneducated, I'M
friended, and in an obscure village, to such
a re putatiOn that continent cried, "Come
thou and rule over Vi" and that all CONT
nents did him homage-though many, are all
clear and natural. There is no guilt between
any two of them. No man has more mani
testify been made ruler over many things be-
cause he was faithful in a few things.
Moreover, his career rouses moie interest
and emulation because be never trod prlm,
rose path; nor was smooth success ever
strewed before his feet. Whatever he at
tanned, he earned by labor. His promotion
might we'll convince US that there ought to
be no such word as i'sek, inasnuch as there is
in fact no such thug. 1 y
Thrown ON his own resources at sixteen, so
scantily instructed that he was never taught
grammar, so reduced in rank that he resigned
MS commission, his first military enterprise
failure, no one of his enterprises, not even
at Trenton or ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sue
cessful, undergoing many sickness, and
from hrst TO last backbitten by calumny, he
bids Us never despond, since the fault lies
in ourselves, not in our circumstances, If we
are ciphers in the world.
As scholars and teachers in University,
We cannot forget the following testimony
from that gOlden nouthed orator, who having
sounded has praise in the ears of many my
riads. and thus secured his sepulchure from
Dissertation, has now just departed in peace
-Edward Everett H''f :. T. =
-s =. Though he had not received a college
education himself, he entertained a decided
conviction OF its utility. He sent his adopted
grandson, Custis, 70 Princeton College, and
Ihe correspondence between them, first pub
Iished of late, shows that WashingtOn's views
If the Faine Of academic .traiRing, were clear
aud aceurate.s The shares in the Potomac
and James River canals, presented him by the
Legislature of Virginia, he appropriated to
the endowment Of Collegiate institutions. A
National University at the seat OF General
Government, was a qavorite object with him,
and was recommended by him to Congress in
his last message. He accepted himself the
Chaneellorsbip of William and Mary Col
lege."
We learn to take heart the more as We
mark how, handling every matter so wisely
as TO find good, be used the stumbling blOcks
in his pathway as stepping stones to his OBJ
ao,a aftap sha axampla 0f Moses whO 40