The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-02-23

Yesterday Gen. Allied BECKLEY, Dele.
gate from Raleigh county read WASH.
lNGToN's Farewell Address in the Hall
of the House, last night.
Speaker GIBSON introduced Gen,
BEcKLEY to the audience by stating that
he was son of Revolutionary sire,
and that the General himself was an old
officer of the United States army, having
graduated at West Point fifty three
years ago.
Before reading the address Gen.
BKcKLEY made the following remarks:
WASHINGTON.
At this name what true Amer can
heart does not swell with unutterable
emotions of admiration and veneration.
In the DAYS of our fathers, the better
days of the Republic, the name was cleo
trical, and if man had but spark OF
patriotism in bis soul it would get him
all on fire, and he was ready to place
upon the altar of his country his lie.
his fortune and bis sacred honor" But
now, in these latter times, we see but de-
generate sons, since that illustrlous name
seems to have lost its prestige among US
In ancient days, Moses, providentially
preserved in his infancy from the waters
of the Nile and the jaws Of the ferocious
crocodile, was brought up by Pharosh's
daughter, in all the learning and wisdom
of the Egyptian court, and was thus Mt
ted to become the captain and leader of
Gods chosen people in their great exodus
from "the house of bondage across the
Red Sea, and IN their painful, laborious
and punitive wanderings in the waste
and bowling wilderness, Iul OF merry. n.y.
ing serpents, to the promised land, How
lng with milk and honey.
In like manner, when in the counsels
of the Almighty Ruler OF nations, thlr'
teen feeble, .sparsely Inhabited colonies
of people, who had fed from the relig-
jous persecution and civil tyranny IN the
Old World, across the ocean to this
ives ern main, were to be led and guided
through an unequal, terrible and desc
lsting war of seven years, with the then
most formidable military and naval pow
.r IN the world, 10 their heaven-decreed
destiny of becoming great nation, built
upon the basis of constitutional liberty
aud religious toleration; and to be set up
on highas a rock of refuge, safe asylum
for ali the oppressed and down trodden
people of the Old World, Washington
was raised up in wonderful, almost NIL
raculous manner, by chain OF remarka-
bic providenceS, to become the captain
and leader OF his countrymen IN tneis
sturdy resistance to British tyranny,
and in their pairful yet victorious march
through blood, suffering and selie sacrl-
nee to independence.
At Braddock's fatal defeat on the
banks of the Monongahels, the intrepid
Aid de camp had tour bullets through his
coat. had a seal with his initials shot
from his person (which was picked up on
tue fed of battle eighty years at.
teri and had two horses killed
under him. So marvellous was his
escape on that disastrous day, that
the celebrated Presbyterian divine,
Samuel Davis afterwards President OF
Nassau Hall, PrinCeton) uttered the fol.
lowing prophetic sayings: 81 may point
out to the public that heroic youth, whom
cannot but hope Providence has
preserved in So signal manner for some
important service to his country.
And how il!ustriously was this promise
of his youth made perfect in his subse-
quent g teat career, while as a military
chieftsn he had not the genius OF julius
Caesar or Napoleon Bonaparte, and he
may he better compared to Fablus, the
Roman general, who by his cool judg-
ment, his cautious movements and his
indomltabe courage foiled the great
Hannibal, as did Washington his sstutc
and consummate opponent Lord Corn
Wallis.
| will make brief analysis, followed
bp concise summation OF his character.
In his physical stature, IN his mental
capacity and in his moral qualities there
was such congruity. such a perfect hsr-
monv, such An admirable equipoise that
his cotemporsrIes looked upon him as
codlike man, nor could his most intimate
associates divest themselves OF feeling
of awe in his presence. :,
As Genert be was unstfectedIy
brave and cautious, but at times bold ss
lion. confounding his adversarles, as at
Trenton and Princetonll
As a statesman he was wise, self pos
sessed, and prudent, but not profound,
and there never lived a man Of more
lofty, disinterested patriotism. To make
4 brief summation of his character, he
even exhibited an admirable fitness for
the many weighty duties and response
bilities laid upon him in the providence
of God, as the Father of his country.
There was such perfect homogeneous
ness such grand repose in all his at
tributes physical, intellectual and moral,
as to Justify the popular sentiment that
he came Is near the stature OF perfect
man A. fallen humanity could afford.
Some men have idly talked of second
Washington but God never does work
of supererogsticn, and in our history
there has existed but one man, and
there never will be another, to whom
the magnificent eulogy..of Light Horse
Harry 1.-THE father Of our illustrious Rob
crt 4. Leel couli be applied: First in
war, first in pea -, and first in the hearts
of his countrymen."
But three years elapsed after he re-
turned from the Presidency till he was
called upon to pay the lsst debt of nature.
He died as be had lived. evincing the
same equsnimity Of mind and heart BE
has been long dead, and his ashes, await
ing the trumpet of the Arch Angel, re-
pese IN the tomb Of Nj Vernon, 10 which
the great and the good of all nations are
wont to make pilgrimages. But though
dead. be yet spesketh to his countrymen
in tine sacred legacy of bis farewell I'D.
dress. which l am about to read How
much better for our country If succeed
ing statesmen had been more guided and
governed by his sage impartial and
sstr,otic counssls, his prophetic warn
ings and his paisrnal admonitions.