Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-02-27
Washington.

stimulus Of progress, lool; down the
vista of the past with reveIential graft
tude that so noble moral structure
as the character of Washington is still
in view, They secretly acknowledge
that the base line would be lost and
that all would become aimless and va
grant, if that grandly simple example
did not still furnish the buttress and
stay Of all that they presume to pre-
figure in our common future. For it
so consists with the eternal law that
Honesty, though it may for time go
out Of fashion, cannot go wholly out
of existence. And in the case of our
own Washington, what single quality
of his character, or what combination
of them all, stands so conspicuous and
firm as his thorough integrity. Try
to imagine such a man buttoning his
pocket over Gift Of ten or twenty
shares of Credit Mobilier. lie return
ed to his fellow citizens the Gift Of
Virginia canal stock, prohered openly
and as simple testimonial Of grateful
respect. He would take nothing from
his country for his illustrious services
during the long term of the Revolu-
ton except his actual expenses, which
were recorded with u jealous particu
larity. True, those ,rere simple times,
but can any times be an improvement
which take no account of integrity of
character? it was the same, too,
with Jefferson. He declined public
gifts, and appointed no relatives to
Office, He died poor and pure.
The melancholy exposure Of the
stuff which public men are now made
Of forces this unwelcome contrast. 1t
seems that nation may still set up its
idols and ideals, but forget where they
were placed, or lose the connecting
thought that beoets yeneration.
Washington makes as ornamental a
theme for the rhetorical politician as
he ever did, while his great central
qualities may be all the time without
their living magnetism. 1t is not his
ideas, his method, or his manner, that
we are asked to revive only the re.
storing influence Of his spotless charac-
ter. Recent revelations affirm that a
people who will tolerate a supple,
sinecure hunting, and corrupted body
of representatives, should abandon
their gods of the pure past, and learn
to forget the very names Of their no.
BILE benefactors. Mammon is as dam
gerous to political as to religious life.
Would that the timely return Of the
birthday Of Washington, who gave
the name to its legislative seat as a
:isible memorial, might awaken that
slumbering sense of honesty and truth
throughout the country which the
canting professions of political hypo
crisy have done their utmost to smoth-
Ell. The Day furnishes the landmark
for new departure in political NOR
ais. Let the people gather their
thoughts once more around the altar
of a patriotism which Washington
illuminated with his life, and resolve
to permanently restore the influence of
ofhis pure example.--Boston Post,
February %.
WooD's Household MAGAZINE, for
rch.-Contents "A Plain Man S
Problem; Moral Cosmetics; The
Duty of housekeeping; Haddonfeld +;
Loves Philosophy; The Tea Rose +;
The Good, Great Man; My Brothers
Keeper; The Spectator; Elizabeth
Blackwell; The Use of the Corset {;
A Husband Sold: Danesbury House
"A Prize Story; A Married Mans
Reverie; Kissing the Bride; Greta
at School; The Mystic Key; Rikke-
tikke-tak The Microscope; Editor
ial S. s Wood & Company, Pub
Usher, Newburgh, N. Y. Terms !:
One Dollar per year.
OUR Young Folks for March. --
Contents Doing his Best The Ug-
Iy Old Toad Cracie's Kitty (Poem)
Young Abe; A Talk about Electric
A II