The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-22
hdsy 81 Washington-Ths A
prosching Centennial.

The growing tendency in this country to
mark anniversary occasions is partly due to
our advance beyond the period of national
youth. A perfectly new nation, founded on q
new continent has little to look back to, and
its eyes arc turned to the future. Hope and
imagination take the place of memory, because
memory is not yet furnished with objects on
which it can dwell with national pride. In
| such early stages the mind is attuned to
prophecy rather than history, of which there
is fine exemplifcation in the well known
lines of the good Bishop Berkeley. written q
few years before Washington's birth, and
predicting, in . noble strain of poetical antici-
patton. the westward course of empire:-
Tho TOUR nrst acts already past,
4 NTH shall Close the drama OF the DAY;
Times MODEST OFFSPRING is the last.
This turn of sentiment, which expends its
enthusiasm ON future painted in the bright
colors of hope, gradually gives way, in proper
ton as these bright visions are at length
realized, to the pride of actual achievement
and admiring recollections OF the past When
. nation has made such progress that it has
succession of great men and historical events
which minister to national self-respect and
justify pride of origin the anniversary spirit
gains strength, and memory is glad of re-
curing occasions for contemplation Of the
past We imagine this line of remark to be
the philosophical explanation of the growing
tendency of our people to celebrate national
anniversaries and cherish national memories.
The development of this tendency has been
very marked during the last twenty years,
especially in relation to the most illustrious
man in our history. The legislative enactment
making the anniversary of his birth legal
holiday is the latest proof Of this progress, to
which q great impulse was given previous to
the civil war by the patriotic association of
American ladies who purchased Mount YER
non and consecrated it to the uses of venerat-
ing pilgrimage. The Mount Vernon Associa-
ton was greatly indebted for its success to the
eloquence of the late Edward Everett, who
stirred national feeling on the subject by adj
dresses in all the chief cities of the United
States and gave the proceeds to the associa-
ton. The guide who accompanies visitors
and explains the objects of interest at Mount
Vernon is accustomed TO tell every party he
precincts was defaced by the license of SOL
diers during the war, Confederates and fed
erals alike paying voluntary homage to the
great patriot whose ashes repose there. The
Centennial anniversary, which is to be cele-
brated next year, will increase this reverent
interest, and there will be stream of visitors
to Mount Vernon which will attest the ma
tional gratitude to the purest and most virtu-
Gus of all the great men who have ever lived.
Among the many eulogies Of Washington
by great statesmen and competent judges
there is perhaps none which quite equals the
speech of Mr.. Webster, forty-three years ago,
on the hundredth anniversary of Washing
tons birth Portraitures have been attempted
by eminent foreign writer's, like Guizot and
Brougham, and by statesmen and historians
in our own country; but Webster, who sur.
passed everybody in this species of eloqueuce,
evinced truer appreciation of Washington's
character and expressed it more nobly than
any other orator or writer. We cannot resist
the temptation to quote one admirable pas
sage, which does not indeed bear directly on
the character of Washington, but is an elo-
quent vindication of the value of such mod
els:-''When sublime virtues cease to be abb
stractions, when they become embodied in
human character and exemplifed in human
conduct, we should be false to our own ma
ture if we did not indulge in spontaneous
illusions of our gratitude and our admiration.
A true lover of the virtue of patriotism
delights to contemplate its purest
models; and that love of country
may be well suspected which affects
to soar SO high into the regions
of sentiment as to be lost and absorbed in the
abstract feeling, OF become too elevated OF
too refined to glow with fervor in the COM
mendation or the love of individual benefac-
tors. All this is unnatural It is.
as if one should be so enthusiastic
q lover OF poetry as to care nothing for Homer
or Milton; so passlonately attached to elo-
quence as to be Indifferent to Tully or Chat
ham; or such o devotee to the arts, in such an
ecstasy with the elements of beauty, proper
ton and expression, as to regard the master
pieces of Raphael and Michael Angelo with
GOODNESS or contempt. We may be assured,
gentlemen, that he who loves the thing itself
loves its finest exhibitions A true friend of
his country loves her friends and benefactors,
and thinks it no degradation to commend and
commemorate them. The voluntary outpour-
ing of public feeling made to-day, from the
North to the South, from the East to the West,
proves this sentiment to be both just and
natural
There is no way in which our countrymen
could, at present, SO truly honor the memory
of Washington as by adopting the violated
advice of his immortal Farewell Address,
especially that impressive part of it which
warns the country against geographical or
sectional parties. Were he to reappear among
the living and issue new advice on this ami
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