The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-01-05
FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY.
WASHINGTON AT HOME.

WASHINGTON AT HOME.
A JOURNAL OF ExcU RsIoN IN THE UNITED
STATES IN THE SUMNER OF 1794-wHAT
THE WRITER SAW AT THE HOME OF GEORGE
wAsHINGToN-A PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
SOME INTERESTING R,EMINIsCENCEs.
Col. Forney, writing from London on the
18th inst, to the Philadelphia Press, gives
some extracts from valuable old book, re
Gently discovered by our minister, Gen.
Schenck. 1t is entitled journal of an Ex-
cursion to the United States of North Amer
lea in the summer of 1894" and is embel-
lished with profile Of Gen. Washington
and an aqua tinto view of the state house
at Philadelphia, by Henry Wansey,
f. A. s., Wiltshire clothier.
The author-traveler givies the following re-
port of an interview accorded him with the
then president of the United States. He
says: He received me- very kindly, and
after reading my letter. 1 was asked to
breakfast. There was little ceremony, of
course the Americans WILL not permit this,
nor does the position OF his excellency lead
him to assume it. 1 con fess 1 was struck
with awe and venIerstion when
recollected that was no W in the presence
of one of the greatest linen upon earth
the great Washington, tho noble and wise
benefaetor Of the world, as Mirsbeau styles
him; the advocate OF human nature; the
friend Of both worlds. Whether we view
him as a general In the feld vested with
unlimited authority and Flower, at the head
of a victorious army. or INF the cabinet as
the president of the United states, or as
private gentleman cultivsting his own
farm, he is still the same great man, snx-
ious Ohlv 10 discharge with proprlety the
duties Of his relative situl alton. His con-
duct has always been go uT iformly manly,
honorable, Just, patriotic, and disin-
terestea, that his greatest,enlemies can not fix
on any one trait of his character that can
deserve tho least censure. lHis paternal re-
gard for the army while he commanded 1t; his
earnest and sincere desire t6 accomplish the
glorious object for which the " were contend
ing; his endurance oft TOP lis and hazards
of war, without ever receiving the least
emolument from his county, and his re-
tirement to private life after the peace,
plainly evince that his motives were the
most Just and patriotic that could proceed
from
BENEVOLENT he ART.
His letters to congress during the war, now
lately published in England, as well as his
circular letter and farewell orders to the
armies of the Unite States at the end of the
war, show him to have been justly ranked
among the fine writers of the age. When we
look down from this truly great and illus
trious character upon other pp blic servants
we find glazing contrast; NOR can we fix
our attention upon any other great men
without discovering in them a vast
and notifying dissimilarityl The presi-
dent, in his person, Is tall and thin,
but erect-rather of an engaging than a dig
nified presence. He appears very thought
full; Is slow in delivering himself, which oc-
casions some to conclude he Ia reserved,
but it is rather, L apprehend, the effect OF
much thinking and reflection, for there Is
great appearance to me of affabflity and &C
commodation. He was at this time In his
sixty-tbird year, being born February IL
| 1882, o. s.; but he has very little the APP
pearance of age, having been all his lifetime
so exceedingly temperate. There is GER
| tain anxiety visible In his countenance
with marks of extreme sensibility.
Notwithstanding his great attention and
employment in the affairs OF his well-regu-
lated government, and of his own agricul-
tural concerns, he is in correspondence with
many of the eminent genluses in the differ
ent countries of Europe, not SO much for
| the sake of learning and fame as 20 procure
the knowle dye of agriculture and the arts
| useful to his country. informed his ex-
cellency in the course of conversation that
[ was a manufacturer from England, who,
made
AN EXCURSION TO AMERICA
to see the state of society there; to inspect
various manufactures, and particularly the
wooden, with which was best acquainted
The general asked me what thought of
their wool. L informed him that 1 had seen
SINE very good and fine at Hartford, In
Connecticut. which they told me came from
Georgia; but that, in general, it was very
Indifferent, yet, for the appearance OF il, /
was convinced 1t was capable Of great
improvement; that, to my surprise,
In course of travelling $50 miles, from Boston
hither, had not seen any flock OF more
than 20 to 80 sheep, and but few of these;
from whence / concluded there was 10 great
quantity grown in the states so as TO
answer any great purposes for manufacture.
His excellency observed that from his own
experience he belived it capable of great
improvement, tor he had been trying some
experiments with his own fiocks lat Mount
Vermont that by attending to breed
and pasturage he had so far inn
proved his heeces as to have increased them
from two to six pounds apiece, but that
since, from multiplicity Of other objects to
attend to, they were, by being neglected,
gone back to half their weight. being now