The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-14

| the French and Indians; from his youth,
when the Seven Years War was begun
by the death of Jumonyille at the hands
of 4 party under his command, until,
after the disasters of the Big Meadows
and Braddock's defeat, he saw Fort Du-
quesne razed to its foundations and upon
its bloody site another erected bearing
the name of the illustricus Pitt-which
has since grown into the fourishing city
OF PittsBurg. 1t would also have been a
delightful recreation to sketch some of
the principal incidents aud battles of the
great revolution from the time when, on
3rd of July, 1776, he wheeled his horse
at the Old Elm, on Boston Common, and
drew his sword as the Commander-in-
chief of the patriot armies of the colo
nies until he surrendered that sword to
the Congress at Annapolis and retired to
the grateful shades of Mount Vernon,
and from that secluded retreat heard,
with modest surprise, the first faint
shouts of that fame which has since
filled the world. But time does not per-
nit. The subject is too vast for this oc-
casion.
Neither shall I attempt to analyze the
character of Washington. That has
often been done by those much more
competent to the task than the humble
person who stands before you to-day.
Characters which are imperfect, disjoin-
ted or unequal, and for that very reason
remarkable for striking points and &C.
centricities, are easily sketched and made
to stand out Enthusiastically upon the liv-
ing canvas. But the task is not SO easy
where there is no imperfection, no irreg-
ularity, no conflict of contradictions, but
where all the qualities of head and heart
are 50 well blended and in such perfect
unison as to make one grand symmetrical
whole. This very simplicity and COM
ple.eness-this perfect equipoise which
with the vulgar and superficial might
pass for mediocrity-did in fact consti-
tute the true greatness of Washington,
and gave him that graceful dignity and
power of command which made him the
peer of any man that ever lived. He
had strong passions, but no prejudices.
He was popular, but he scorned the
character of demagogue. He was not
hasty in counsel, but was firm and un-
wayering in action. He was not extreme
in his views, but moderate, considerate
and essentially conservative. He was a
patriot, tried in the furnace seven times
heated. He loved his country ardently,
but it was the whole country; and much
of his life was spent during the war and
afterwards in soothing local, party and
sectional prejudices and animosities. :.
It would be vain to attempt panegyric
upon Washington it would be- like the
wasteful and ridiculous excess of gliding
refined gold or painting the lily. AS
suredly the measure of his glory is full.
I shall not venture upon the subject, but
with Difference aud pride adopt .the
splendid and discriminating eulogium
passed upon him by distinguished
statesman of that country against which
he successfully directed the great work
of his life. With as much generosity as
truth and eloqusnce, Lord John Russell
says: George Washington, without the
genius of Julius Cesar or Napoleon Bo-
nepsrte, has far purer fame, as his am
bition was of hig cher and holier nature.
Insttadof seeking to raise his own name
or seize supreme power, he devoted his
whole talents, military and civil, to the
establishment of the independence and
the perpetuity of the liberty Of his own
country. In modern history no man has
done such great things without the soil
of selfishness, or the stain of a groyelling
ambition. Caesar, Cromwell, Napoleon,
attained higher elevation, but the love
of dominion was the spur that drove them
on. John Hampden, William Russell,
Algernon Sydney, may have had motives
as pure and an ambition as sustained;
but they fell. To George Washington
alone, in modern times, has it been given
to accomplish wonderful revolution,
and vet to remain to all future times the
theme of peoples gratitude and an ex.
ample of virtuous and benefcent. power"
Such and so great was our own Wash
ington, who vouchsafed to US the appoin-
ted time, fulfilled his mission as the lib
orator of his country; and, that accom-
plished, in the last month of the last year
of the expiring eighteenth century, which
his life and achievements had made men,
orable, quietly sank to rest in the bosom
of his liberated country, with the appro-
pirate and eloquent, though perhaps un-
conscious, comment ON his own career
upon his dying lips, and expressed in his
last words, ut is WE'LL"
THE CONTEST BETWEEN THE STATES.
This great American festival furnishes
good halting place in our career-a sta
ton, as it were, for rest and reflection.
It is an elevated standpoint from which
we can survey the'past and learn lessons
of wisdom, consider the present with all
its duties and responsibilities, and consult
the oracles, cast the horoscope, and. d.as
far as it is permitted, read the stars about
our future destiny.
In taking retrospect, the first matter
of Importance in the recent past which
IirIesistibly arrests our attention, Is the
great struggle between the States with its
consequences. We cannot fail to be i'm
pressed in contemplating conflict in
which we were deeply involved, which
conyulsed the Continent, and will be re-
markable in all times for its seyerity, for
the qualities it developed, and for its mo-
mentous consequences. know of no
one in history which caused greater sac.
ri6ces Of blood and treasure, inflicted
more toll and suffering, or exhibited
more devotion to country, more fortitude,
endurance and dazzling heroism. It was
q conflict between the countrymen OF
Washington. It is q recent event, its
memories Yet green and tender, and l
approach. its consideration solemnly, GER
tainly not in the spirit of the partisan,
nor with desire to stimulate or perpetu-
ate animosities; for that would be to
abuse this holiday, which belongs to the
whole country and is dedicated to good
from the bitterness of party spirit, which
in these latter times, like harpies of Vir-
Gil, devours or befouls and besmears
everything it touches. My object is pre-
else " the contrary-to invoke in the name
| of Washington on this his natal day tho
spirit of justice, harmony and peace.
THE CAUSES.
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