Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-02-21
PUBLISHED DAILY AND TRI-WEEKLY B.
EDGAR SNOWDEN.
FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 81, 1879

To- morrow will bo The anniversary OF the
latal day Of General Washington, one OF toe
greatest men of whom America hossts. Ills
warrant cf greatness, lIks everything else, is'
of course, denied by some, but that be Is talrlY
entitled TO it is proved conciusively by his pa
triotism and his self denial, and by his volun'
tary REIMBURSEMENT of office and powerful order
that he might afford no obstacle to the smooth
working Of the machinery Of nation that nc
had been chisfy instrumental IN starting upon
u successful onward course. His greatness WAS
reflected upon his country and ais State, and
30 little of the reputation which either once
enjoyed arose from the fact that it was the land
Of Washington. Tie recurrence OF his birthday
naturally suggests comparison Of bis times
With the present, and, in our view, that com-
parison is not favorable, to the latter ID any re-
SPEC. save only az regards wealth aud popu
laliop. Tho religious, moral, patriotic, aod
fraternal condition of the people Of tho country
is infinitely inferior to that which existed dur
ing Con. Washington's life time, aud though
both the Iudmens and higher branches ct
education may possibly b more generally ex-
tended, and though art AID science have ad-
vanoad with wonderful speed, we doubt if the
average of intelligence is greater now than it vas
then, we fear that some st least ofthe skeptiolsm
that DOW prevails is due to that adVarce of
science, ard we know that the iocreasc OF Tom
Paines is out Of all proportion to that ct the
other class Of population. 1t is tho fashion
now when comparing the present prominent
men of the country with those Of the RsVou-
ton to give the preference to the former, ard
to say that tho immeasa progress that has been
made 10 civilization, snd in nearly all tho
branches OF learning, ha7s not only made thsm
greater, but require them to ba greater in order
to be at all distinguished from the common
herd. Blu: true greatness is no ordinary bril-
lisnt; it is q diamond that shines and sparkles
most when surrounded by other jems, aud who
among living Americans constituted such has re-
liefs On the plano surface CT their cortempor-
cries as arc formed by tho statesmen and heroes
OF the Revolution on that Of the men among
whom they lived? Sspato1s Blaine and
ConkIiog ana Edmunds, and Thurman and
Beyard aad VOORHEES, may know more
about steamships and their subsidies, rail-
roads aad their land grants. and teegraphs
and their nonopolies, but do they s:spd out as
prominently from the rest ct their colleagues as
Hamilton and Jay and franklin, and Henry
and Mason aadaladison did from those by whom
they wero surrounded? The negative answer
rises before the question is completed. PHO
oplss also havo dc:eriorated at the same pace
with tho men of the country. cad 10 place OF
religion. patriotism. good feeling, honesty and
respect for written statutes, we have atheism,
sec.iouaisna. naimosi!g, bribery and corruption,
and that ready excuse for all crimes against the
peace Of tho country, q "higberlaw." 1t IS un-
pbilosophic We kaow to cntcrtsin either regret
or hope, but in tho prescott unfortunate state
of the country wo can not help rsgrestiog tho
sbsetc, of suoh mca ard principles as were 10
the ascendant hundred years ago. and hoping
tina. their like may not be entirely excluded
ttom the future.