Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-03-26
washrngton's Brother John.
Washington Letter in Cleveland Leader.

| w Icttcl III Olcftldllu LcduCl
John Washington, Georges elder broth
er, was the real father of his country
in having made George what he was.
John Washington was careful, method
ical business man, and he made me-
thOdical business man of George. He
taught him careful habits, to keep an
account of every penny received and ex-
pended, the result of which is seen in
numerous memoranda kept by that great
man for grateful country, which al
ways pays the highest price for auto
graphs. George was also put to learn sur
veying. not that he could become pro
feSsiOnal surveyor but in order to fit him
for the career which his brother intended
him to pursue that of operating in lands.
How we'll John succeeded in this may
be seen by reference to any biOgra-
ply of George, which will show that he
had great talant for selecting good
lands, and he exercised liv6ly faculty
i'm obtaining them. Say what you will,
George Washington had an eye to the
"main chance" and if some of the public
men of this day should be found apprO-
priating public lands as he did there
would doubtless be howl against the
"mOnopOlist." and demand from the
opposition press for an investigating
committee to send for persons and pa
pers," and, unless the members of the
committee were furnished with share
of the pork, they would be very apt to get
out a report of 5000 or 5000 pages at the
expense of the taxpayers. In later life
Washington had agents out in various
parts of the country surveying and Sc
curing valuable tractsIon his account, and
he managed to get the very best that was
to be had, for shilling an acre. In early
life George Washington went out with
his surveyors and pioneers himself, and
saw that they rendered honest service for
their compensation. 1t was John Wash
ingtOn's training of George that made
the latter thorough wOOdsman and of
particular value in all military opera
lions of personal---very. days, when
the Indians, as well as the French, were
crOwding the English cOlOnists.
John had been in the British navy, and
was for some time on the West India
station, but he preferred the life of
planter, for which reason he resigned his
commission and settled down at home in
Virginia, where he appears to have paid
special attention to his brothers develop
ment. 1t appears that a better instru-
ment could not have been found to fit
George for the great duties which await
ed him i'm the great future, but which John
did not live to see, though he may have
fancied great hOnOrS In store for the
name of Washington.
The war commenced between Virginia
and Canada was designed to draw into
its vortex the forces of Great Britain and
France, and one of its most important
results was the creation of such an
enmity between those two countries that
France was only too eager to become the
ally of the colonies when they reyOlted
against the British Government. In
nothing can the hand of providence be
more clearly seen than that war which
was brought on by John Washington.
The active mind of this wonderful man
appreciated the Importance of the lakes
i'm the interest of commerce. He cOnceiv-
ed and organized the Western Land
Company, and, it appears, adopted prac-
tice still in vogue in this country to in
sure the success Of his scheme. He made
Governor Dinwiddie stakeholder, and in
duced him to send out an expedition for
the establishment of post on the shores
of Lake Erie. This post was to be made
a base of supplies for the fur trade.
Vessels were to cruise upon the lakes.
visiting all the tribes of Indians to be
found on their shores for trade i'm furs.
The furs were to be brought down to
Pressure Isle, and from that point trans
ported overland, and by means of ca
noes on water courses to Virginia. George
Washington was first sent out to make
a report on the country and on the best
location fnr tho hoi in of 11Ootc
for carrying out the plan. The result of
these movements was to alarm the
French, who were at that time trading
unmOlested in the Western country, and
they not only resisted the advance of the
Virginians, but fortified their route from
Erie to VenangO. The Virginans' first
stand was at the junction of the Allie
ghany and MOnOngahela, from which
they were driven by the French. This led
to the BraddOck expedition, as Governor
Dinwiddie found Virginia unable to cope
alone with the French opposition to the
trading and colonization scheme, which
had been set on foot by John Washing
ton. The mother country was called on
for aid, and finally the French were
driven out from the northwest territory
to Canada. Thus it appears that the
origin of the colonial war was due to a
business enterprise of John Washington,
who had trained up his brother George
to carry out his schemes; and finally this
attempt of John Washington to take
possession of that territory, with view
to mOnOpOlizing the fur trade of the
lakes, created an enmity between France
and England which caused France to
give the colonies very important aid in
the war for independence.