Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-31
WAsHINGTON's BROTHER JOHN.


THE "FATuRR or MS COUNTRY.
Washington Letter in tho Cleveland Leader.
John Washington, Georges elder
brother, was the real "iather of his
country" in having made George what
he was. John Washington was care
ful, methodical business man, and he
made methodical business man OF
George. lie taught him careful habits,
to keep an account of every penny
expended. the result of which is
seen in numerous memoranda kept by
that great man for grateful country,
which always pay the highest price for
autographs. George was also put to
learn surveying, not that he should
become professional 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 II reference to any biography of
George, which will show that he had
great talent for selecting good lands,
and he exercised lively faculty in
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 sho1ld be
found appropriatiug public lands as
he did there would doubtless be
howl against the "monopolist' and a
demand from the opposition press for
IN investigating committee to send for
persons and papers" and, unless the
memb ss of the committee were fur
nshed with share of the pork, they
would be very apt to get out a report
of S,O00or 5000 pages at the expense
of the taxpayers. In later life Wash
ington had agents out in various parts
of the country surveying and securing
valuable tracts on 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 him
self and saw that they rendered honest
service for their compensation. 1t was
John Washington's training of George
that made the latter thorough woods
man and of particular value in all
military operations OF pre-revolutioua-
ry days, when the Indians, as we'll as
the French, we're crowdiug 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 re-
signed his commission aud settled
down at home in Virginia, where he
appears to have paid special attention
10 his brothers development 1t ap-
pears that n better instrument could
not have been found to fit George for
the great duties which awaited him far
in the future, but which John did not
live to see, though he may have fan.
cied great honors in store fer the name
of Washington.
The war commenced between Nir.
Ginia and Canada was destined 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 revolted 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 ap-
preciated the importance of lakes in
the interest of commerce. He con.
ceived and organized the western land
company, and, it appears, adopted
practice still in vogue in this country
TO insure the success of his scheme.
He made Gov. Dinwiddie a stockhold-
er, and induced him To send out an
expedition for the establishment of a
post on the shores of Lake Erie. This
post was to be made a base of sup.
plies for the fur trade. Vessels were
10 cruise upon the lakes visiting all
the tribes of Indians to be found on
their shores for trade in furs. The
furs we're to be brought down to
PresIue Isle and from that point
transported overland, and by means
of canoes on water courses to Virginia.
George Washington was first sent out
to make a report on the country and
on the best location for the chain OF
posts necessary 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 re-
sisted the advance of the Virginians,
but fortified their route from Erie to
Venango. The Virginians' first stand
was at the junction of the Allegheny
and Monongahela, from which they
we're driven by the French. This led
Z to the Braddock expedition, as Gov.
Dinwiddie found Virginia unable to
.,o,,a afooa vvifh the French onDosition