The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-04-18
George Washington Not That
-..l.-lt Sort of o Man.


el,f Sort of q Man.
The following article which appear
ed in the Utica, (Penn) Observe, en-
titled "Not that sort of man." is a
capital and spicy article, which we
commend to the careful perusal of our
readers -: -fia. af aeaat
1.-The one hundred and fortieth an
niversary of George Washington's
birth day passed quietly away. Little
effort is made to celebrate the occa-
sion in any part of the country.-But
in quiet homes minds will turn to the
records of the past, that they may con-
template afresh the character of the
man who was "first in war, first in
peace, and first in the hearts of his
countrymen." sl laWut 1oi &.
Washington WAS whole in himself,
and therefore truly great. He lacked
Jeferson's gigantic mental strength,
Madison's analytical power, Burr's au-
dacity, Hamilton's brilliancy and Ad-
ans self-sufficiency. He always
weighed his words and guided his
actions by rules almost as fixed as ma
tare's laws. Hispositive achievements
were brilliant, but his negative great
ness WAS most magnificent. He made
fewer mistakes than any man who fig
ures in our history. 1t is marvellous
to mark how Washington's character
shines in the light of what he did not
do. Let US see five can make this
possible paradox plain to the readers.
First of all he did not cut down his
fathers cherry tree. 1t is time that
the children were taught that that il
lustration of trpthfulness is ailie. We
don't know how many fruit trees have
been destroyed. by boys with hatchets,
emulous to initiate the Father of his
country, but the wanton destruction
should be stopped. - Washington's
youth was, distinguished by remark
able display of goodDsense, and it is a
libel On his character to make him out
a fool inlorder.to prove that he was
not given to falsifying. lapprecia-
ted The value of property7--cherry trees
included-before he had reached his
tenth year.
p Another thing that he did not do;
When George Washington was ia the
army he did not issue an order ban
ishing and ostracising all who profess
ed the Hebrew faith, because q couple
of jews had got the start of his father
in a swindling cotton speculation at
which all three were engaged. In fact
he couldn't hane done it-abecabse his
father died before he entered the ar
my. And even If his father had lived
he could not have done it--because he
was not that sort of man.lfl
He distributed the patronage placed
at his disposal with wise regard to
the best interests of the people.-He
sought and found public servants who
would administer theif offices honest
ly,. economically and well. He did not
a near relative Of bis wife
to go down to New 0FIean4 10 con-
troll political lspQhFcafion with Feder-
a. gunsWhiie setting as Celleotor OF
the PoI&, He could not have done SO, :
because New Orleans did not beloHfnk
TO the United States at that time. lBh3e
even if New Orleans had belonged 4tS
the United States he could not have
done SO, because he was not that sopt 4
of a man.
Washington wonthe respeGa@s;for--
eign nations as well as of hia satry.
To the worlds remotest la Is name
and fame have gone. ThB large hon
or is due, in some small part, to tho
care he exercised, W hile President,s3fl,
guarding the diplomatic SERVICE tA
disgrace. He did not send O. lecher-
Gus, drunken, hypocritical brother-in-
law to the court of Denmark as the
of the American peo-
pie, and thereby compel the accredited
ministers of other powers at Copen-
hagen to suspend all friendly inter-
course with the United States. In fact
he could not have done so-because
he had no brother-ln-law. And even
If he had had a brother-in-law it
would have made no difference-be-
cause he was not that sort of man.
He was remarkably free from any
desire to increase his personal wealth
1t the expense of his country. When
be took the Presidents chaiEhs-specif-
ically requested Congress to make no
appropriation for his salary-he would
accept nothing but his actual expenses.
He did not use his official position to
line his purse by compelling the Gov
contractors to employ Sene-
ca sandstone in repairing the public
buildings in the District of Columbia.
He could not have done so because
the District of Columbia was not set
apart, he could not have done so-be-
cause he was not that sort dfa man.
In all the private rel2tiens of life
Washington was an exemplary gen.
;leman. His sense of H6nor was very
Inc. He did not send his son abroad
n q government ship and maintain
,im in idleness in the capitals in Eu-
'ope at the governments expense. I'm
act, it would have been impossible
or him to do so, because he had no
ION. And even If he had had q son,
I would have been equally impossi-
IL fa,. e. Il hA
lot that sort of a man.
He believed that the three separate
of the Government-the Ju-
licial, the Legislative, and the Execu-
ive-should be maintained in their
vigor. He saw the dam
,er which would arise from any en-
of one upon the other,
md he warned his countrymen against
hat danger repeatedly. He did not
'ack the Supreme Court of the United
states in the interests of gigantic rail-
Dad corporations, which were bent
N repudiating their honest debts. He
ould not have done SO, because there
we're no railroad corporations in his
Iay.-And even If there had been any
abroad corporations he could not
ave done so-because he was not
hat sort of man.
Now is it not evident that Wash
lgton's character shines brighter in
he light of what he did not do?-
Would not all the honest citizens of
his country forget their minor differ
rences and join hands, if by SO doing
hey could secure as their Chief Mag
strate man whose public and private
fe was as free from public faults as
1as the life of George Washington?
This is good day on which TO an
wer that question:" fst
CHARM BELLs.-A Lacrosse (Wis.)
aper says: "Now that about $780,
O0,000000 bushels of charm bells,
lade out of the Chicago Courthouse
ell, have been sold, and whereas the
rain elevators of Chicago are full of