The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1874-07-01

acter OF OeOTBo w hsuiueeoh, 10 e"~S"
from letter written by Thos. Jeffer-
son in 1914. 1t has become fashiona-
BILE in these days to treat the memory |
of Washington, if not with contempt
at least with Indifference and sighting
words. 1t will be seen from the ex-
trac. given below, that he was all that
history claims for him, and his mem
cry deserves the reverence of the peo.
pie as much now as when he was the
living idol of the nation:
"I think l know General Washing
ton intimately and thoroughly and
we're l called on to delineate his char
acter, it should be in terms like these:
"His mind was great and powerful,
without being Of the very first order {;
his penefrhtion strong, though not so
acute as that of Newton, Bacon or
Locke; and as far as he saw no judg-
ment was ever sounder. 1t was slow
in operation, being little aided by in
vention or Imagination, but. sure in
conclusion. Hence the common re-
mark of his officers, of the advantage
he derived from councils of war, where,
hearing all suggestions, he selected
whatever was best; and certainly no
General ever planned his battles more
judiciously. But # 6eranged during
the course Of the action, if any men,
ber of his plan was dislocated by sud
den circumstances, he was slow in
readjustment. The consequence was,
that he often failed in the field, and
rarely against an enemy in station, as
at Boston and York. He was incapa-
BILE of fear, meeting personal dangers
with the calmest unconcern. Perhaps
the strongest feature in his character
was prudence, never acting until every
circumstance, every consideration, was
maturely weighed refraining if he saw
a doubt, but, when once decided, going
through with his purpose, whatever
obstacles opposed. His integrity was
most pure, his justice the most infexi-
Bile have ever known, no motives OF
interest or consanguinity, of friendship
or hatred, being able to bias his decis-
ion. He was, indeed, in every sense
of the words, a wise, good and greai
man. His temper was naturally irrita'
bic and high-toned but reflection and
resolution had obtained firm and ha-
$ bitual ascendancy over it. If ever
however, it broke its bounds, he wa;
most tremendous in his wrath. In hi;
expenses he was honorable, but exact
liberal in contributions to whatever
promised utility; but frowning and
unyielding ON all visionary projects
and all unworthy calls on his charity
His heart was not warm in its affec
I, tions, but he exactly calculated every
mans value, and gave him solid es
TEEN proportioned to it. His person
you know, was fne, his stature exactly
what one would wish, his deportmen
easy, exact and noble ), the best horse
:. man of his age, and the most gracefu
figure that could be seen on horseback
Although in the circle of his friends
= where he might be unreserved witt
safety, he took free share in CONVEX
sation, his colloquial talents were no
above mediocrity, possessing neithe
s copiousness of ideas. nor huency o
words. In public, when called on 70
Il sudden opinion, he was unready
short and embarrassed Yet he wrot
readily, rather diffusely, in an cas-
ID and correct style. This be had acquire,
by conversation with the world, for hi
education was merely reading, writin
p" and common arithmetic, to which b
= added surveying at a later day. Hi
Z time was employed in action chiefly
reading little and that only in Agri
culture and English history. His col
respondence became necessarily exter
sive, and with journalising his agricu
tural proceedings, occupied most c
his leisure within doors. On the who'll
his character was, in its mass, perfect
in nothing bad, in few points indiffe
l, ent and it may truly be said, ths
never did nature and fortune combin
more perfectly to make a man grea
and to place him in the same conste
lation with whatever worthless hay
merited from man an everlasting +,
membrance. For his was the 3inguli
}. destiny and merit of leading the armi'
of his country successfully through a
arduous war, for the establishment
its independence, of conducting i
councils through the birth of go
ernment new in its forms and prime
Piles, until it had settled down into
quiet and orderly train and of scr
B. pulously obeying the laws through d
whole of his career, civil and militai
y, of which the history of the world fu
nishes nc other example.
These are nay opinions Of Gener
Washington, which l would vouch
the judgment seat of God, having be
for formed on an acquaintance of thir