Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-01-05
WASHINGTON'S CHARACTER
REMARKS MADE AT THE NEWBtKt;
CENTENNIAL.
what 10 Thought of II After q Iapse 81
One Hundred Years.

The address OF Wn. NJ. Eva-ts at the |
Newburg Centennial concluded with the |
following impressive words
1.-The interest, the reverence, that we |
feel as We recall these great transac-
tions, as We stand upon the spot where
they were enacted, centre upon Wash
ington. Great everywhere and at all
times, the part played upon this field i'll
these closing months of the Revolution
was not less conspicuous nor complete in
rs greatness tl!ass nfy El.,u.fcs tatiuu ot
his lie. Had tL,>c eseuts c.ooe,i his
public service, had lie then forever re-
tired from the great theatre Of action
and renown, had he never filled out our
admiration and gratitude 10y the eight
years OF private life and the eight years
0, the Chief Magistrv which followed the
surrender of his military command-it
hs great presence i'll the framing of the
Constitution and in the guidance of the
nation 10y high craftsmanship and pure
administration all this had been
wanting to the full splendor of his fame
if he stood to his countrsmen in their
memory rs he stood npon this very sro.
one hundred years ago, his face would
have shone to all this people as did the
face of Moses to the children of Israel
when he delivered the tables Of the law.
"And now, after a hundred years Of
marvellous fortunes and crowded expert
ences, we confront the days and the
works and the men of tie first age Of the
Republic. Three wars have broken the
peace here proclaimed The war for
neutrality to complete our independence,
by establishing our right to be at peace,
though other Powers sought to draw lis
into their wars The war for boundary.
which pushed our limits to the Pacific
and rounded our territory The war Of
the constitution, which established for
this people that, for them and forever,
Liberty and Union are one and insepar
able These rolling years have shown
growth. forever growth, and strength,
increasing strength, and wealth and
numbers, ever expanding, while intclli
gence, freedom, art, culture and religion
have pervaded and ennobled all this
material greatness. Wide, however, as
is our land and vast our population to-
day, these are not the limits to the
name, the fame, the power, Of the life
and character Of Washington. If it could
be imagined that this nation, rent by
disastrous feuds, broken in Its unity.
should ever present the miserable spec
tacle OF the undetiled garments OF his
fame parted among his sountrymen,
while for the seamless vestures OF his
virtue they cast lots this unqtfera-
BILE shame, if this immeasurable lcrime
should overtake this land and this peo-
pie, lie sure that no. spot in the wide
world is inhospitable to his glory. and
no people in it but rejoices in the il
fuence Of his power and his virtue.
eff the great statesman and orator
Mr. Fox could, in the British Parlia,
ment, exalt the character OF Washington
as that illustrious man deriving homo,
less from the splendor Of his situation
than from the dignity Of his mind. be
fore whom oil borrowed greatness sink.
into insignificance, and all the poten
tates Of Europe become little and con
temtible;' If the famous eloquence d
Erskine would speak Of him as the on,
hnman being for whom he felt al awiu
reverence if the political philosophy O
Brougham prescribed it as the duty 0
the historian and sage Of all nations Il
let no occasion pass of commemorative
this iilustrious man; If he asserted tia
until time shall be no more Will ties
Of the progress which our race has mad
} in wisdom and virtue be derived from
, the veneratlon paid TO the immor.a
. name OF Washington II onr own grea
, statesmen and orators join in this &C
| claim,
MI ortturum Alias, MI ortuu tale fatenies.
. let his countrymen with one voice aocep
and cherish the splendid possession. an,
= e1als and perpetuate i. now aud forever.