Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-03-14

Darrah, who did such noble service TO
Washington at White Marsh; then track
those bleeding feet over the snow ct
Valley Forge; 60 through the dreadful
winter of 1777.177S see Baron Steuben
arrive; then go on with Monmouth.
Newport, Savannah, Wyoming; read
how Wayne surprised Stony Point, and
Cornwalis still master of Charleston;
skip about in your geography-master
the confusing details"
30 Orestesl cannot you let me up q
little How dreadful all this is ~
Yes, but it is the history Of your
country, and you must know it. Bear
with me moment longer. See Congress
hampered by want of money; imagine,
describe, dwell upon that depreciation
OF continental money"
That is not so difficult to do now,
Judging from recent events.
Then get to Arnold's treachery."
al never could believe in the hanging
of Andre; he was young. he was hand
some, ne was brave"
And so he must escape. Never! 1t
was military necessity"
Then why not shoot him."
THAT would have been contrary to
the laws of war. Washington did right"
81 know he always did, that is the
reason one cannot always sYmpathize
with him! | like little human infirmity."
You would not have been here if he
had had any human infrmity."
perhaps not; but who knows but l
might have been in better place "
Ignorance! A remark unworthy Of an
American citizen approaching first
acknowledgements !"
Ignorance leads to want of patriotism,
you were about TO say, Orestes y
Yes, indeed it does. Tue commence
meut of the year 1871 found our affairs
more hopeless than ever. You will need
all your courage to read through this
period; but imagine what courage it
required 10 HUs il! Suffering in the field,
disalfected men. mutiny; aid solicited
from France!-Robert Morris! | declare
to you, when read his history, and
remember the ingratitude OF our govern
ment, think We deserve, not success
but failure. However. let US skip until
we reach the siege of Yorktown and the
surrender OF Corvallis; that you can
read, can't you?"
al have no. lost my eyesight by the
time get there"
but now we reach what we we're
talking OF before, and that is, the defects
OF the articles of confederation. Re-
member. the contest between the State
government and the general government
had led 10 Shay's rebellion in Massachu-
sets, and that other troubles beset the
unhappy people everywhere. 1t was in
January. 1856 that the initial movement
OF reform was proposed in the Legislature
OF Virginia, and congress was recon-
mended to call general convention.
George Washington was elected presi'
dent. This body remained with closed
doors over three months, and produced
the constitution"
at was severely criticised, this con-
stitution, was it not? seem vaguely to
have heard So"
"Oh yes Alexander Hamilton made
speech of three hours length before New
York would listen to it. Madison and
Jay answered objections from other
quarters. North Carolina and Rhode
Island accepted It only after some delay"
Little Rhody was recalcitrant9"
"Yes. She had a will of her own
always"
But it was not until April Il. 1889.
thst Washington received an official
announcement that he was elected
president under the new constitution.
was it?"
mo; and in this fact of his being
president OF the convention before, has
arisen much confusion. All American
history is confused. 1t was period of
confusion You need good head,
clear head. aud q great determination 10
master it,"
81 have got none of these things, but
I remember what Webster said OF
Hamilton, He smote the rock of nation.
al resources. and abundant streams Of
revenue burst FORTH"
"Ah. yes, you can remember a bit OF
eloquence, and you can remember about
Hamilton, because he was young, and
handsome, and eloquent and genius.
want you to remember about the plain,
unheroic people-the silent heroes, the
warp and wool OF a linsey.w woolsey histo-
ryP No brocade, cloth of gold, no
roseate tiats of romance; but fabric
that was woven to last forever, to cover
the freezing, to protect the lowly. to be
a safeguard TO the millions That is the
sort of stuff our Washington essayed to
weave. II there were some defects in it,
consider what an experim ent it was ~
THE roseate tints of this romance do
come in occasionally, as in De Soto's
march from Florida to the sea, in the
study of Marion and his men, in the
pages of Cooper. and in such sporadic