St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-23
A Discourse on the Character and
Greatness of the First President
by Robert West.
Sixth Ward Citizens Still Stirring up the
Levee Caldron-To-night' Mass
Meeting Postponed.
A Western Citizens Views on the Chinese
Observation-Disclosures of the PrOhibitory
Emigrant Law.
The Trade ofSt Paul Still Improving-A Lot
of New Books in the
Library.
THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY.
Rev. Robert West Pays an Eloquent Tribute
to the Character of the Immor-
tai George.


tai George.
Plymouth church was thoroughly filed last
! evening as to every available sitting to COM
memorate the birthday of Washington
Preparatory to his opening prayer DR.. Dana
read Washington's letter on disbanding the
Continental army, and his farewell To the
people of the United States when he retired
from Office.
Dr. Dana's prayer closed with an appeal
to God to SO guide the Legislators of Mime
sofa in matters of public welfare and iu-
terest the coming week, that like Washing
ton they might serve the highest wei
fare of the people of this state
in the decision of the great moral question
to come before them, as did this greatest
aud best of men whose birth this assembly
had gathered together to com memoratc.
REV. ROBERT WEST.
The distinguished editor of the Chicago
Advance was introduced by DIR. Dana as a
gentleman whom all in this city were ever
glad to welcome. Mr.. West opened his in-
teDsely interesting and instructive remarks
by quoting an author in the Encyclo-
ington was of all good men the greatest. and
the utterance of Lord Brougham ''ihat Wash
ington was above all the great men that his
tory ever produced" Why was this! Wash
ington was a soldier, Il stakeholder and
politician, and in the first and last particulars
professional. He was stakeholder when
all held slaves, a soldier because the
times required it, aud a politician
in its noble sense; not as that
business is so often nowadays degraded
into tic meanest trickery, or in the sense
that every politician is considered a rogue
until he is proved TO the contrary. Washing
ton as d politician was abused when he ran
for the SECOND term OF the presidency as much
as any man has been abused in running for
any Office since, and said of it, ''that he had
rather be deal than be candidate for that
Office again.
The speaker reviewed the times of Wash
ington and labOred to dispel popular pessi-
mistic illusion that the good old days were
so much better than the present." 10y intro
ducing illustrations of the oarbarity of the
laws aud the wickedness and lack of culture
Of the people.
AT this period, he continued, Providence
picked out lis man, George Washington, aud
as an embodiment Of principle thrust him
into the world from the ackgOods and the
Indian fright as the incarnation of the idea
of the New England common school, on
which to build both church aud state.
First-Moral and physical courage as Il pol
itician aud man, was one of the attributes
in the makeup OF Washington. He was not
alone ready to fight against, but TO stand up
against wrong In any shape. He never
swerved hair from the line Of duty, and
would not change his convictions OF right for
a throne. Richard Golden said he could
never forgive the man who had no backbone.
Washington had courage and moral back
bone and high ideal Of duty.
Second-Washngton had modestv. He
never sought an office, directly or indirectly,
and 1t had to seek him. The speaker here
administered a sarcastic rebuke to those
men who bid for office with money and all
manner of chicanery and falsehood, and
hoped the young men present would remem-
Der this man, standing out alone above all
other men In the worlds history, who never
turned feather for either civil or military
Office
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. hands were clean.
No letters were ever found of his connected
with steam boat railway or any other schemes
10 use public money for bis private use, and
he was the author of the advice to bis people
that no servant Of the government should
ever accept present while IN office. 1t
would be better for some Of our promi-
nent public men If the spirit Of
Washington had been ever present with
them when tempted by outside jobbery and
shares in stocks. 1t was good thing for US
to say that the hands Of our greatest man
were clean OF brides.
Washington was sincere, there
fore he had nothing to conceal or explain.
There were three things which man
needed, viz: Morality, culture and religion.
Culture given by colleges and schools is not
enough and ethics for moral training IS not
sufficient. What made Westinghouse life as
pure as the marble Of the monument COM
pleted in his honor and memory yes
tcrday was not culture and
ethics, but a proper relation to God.
Others we're greater in culture and ethics
than Washington, but his moral greatness
lowered above all men. The secret of his
power was that he walked with God in prayer
for guidance.
Yesterday from all parts Of a united coun-
try came its citizenship 10 celebrate the COM
plrtion Of the monument 10 Washington,
and II showed that Washington still lives,
ahN bAdb bON . lufd vi Is still pop
ular.
Politicians and parties did not abolish
slavey-the people did It. and they, too,
will abolish the rum traffic in this
land. Parties dodge these questions as
well as men, but the people under Gods
leadership will work them out finally. There |
was no fear Of any race trying 10 rule Amer |
lea for itself. The German came here be- |
cause be had got enough Of Germany; the |
Irishman because ne didn't want any more Of |
Ireland. and all came here to get rid Of their
own aud become absorbed In a free and |
glorious republic. Because man ate beef It |
didn't make him an OK, aud therefore the /
more Of these liberty-loying people our coun-
try gets over here, the stronger and healthier /
Il becomes.
The speaker secuted the ideas advanced bv /
pessimists, for the country was hourishiug 1
and was growing In strength as republic /
from day ~ day. God never scooped out the /
great Mississippi valley for mausoleum for a 4
free people. or piled Up the Rockies as a rnonu-
meut ~ mark the remains cf . defunet re- |
public: and the Christian church and the 4
state were Berer 30 full as today Of Christians
and patriots and our land - full OF uuselish /.
meb and women.
THE CHINESE QUESTION.