Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-22

bile 10 which Marlborough was never
subicctes--adversity. defeat, dcpres-
sion Of fortune bordering on despair.
The first battle OF his youth ended in
capitulation. The first general engage
mept OF the revolution al Long Island
opened succession Of disasters and re-
treats. But with the energy that re-
moulds broken opportunities into grea'er
ones, with "the iirmness OF mind that
cannot be unlocked by tribes, bat which
when unlocked displays a cabinet OF
fortitude,' he wrenched victory from
stubborn fortune, compelling the re-
luctant oracle to exclaim ~ to Alexan-
der "My son. thou art invinclbie."
30 did he weave the net OF war
by land aud sea that at the
very moment when an elated |
adversary was about to strike
the final blow for his country's fall he |
surrounded him by swirl and isr-reach- |
ing combinations. and Irvine the lille, !
of France with the stars and stripes OF !
America over the rampsrts Of York |
town. And If success be made the test !
of merit, let il be remembered that he
conducted the greatest military and
civil enterprises Of his age, and LEFT no
room for fancy to divine greater per-
fiction Of accomplishment.
KNIGHTIY FIGURE.
Great in action AZ by the council
board. the finest horseman and knight
lest figure of his time, he seemed de
signed by nature to lead in those bold
strokes which needs must come when
the battle lies with a single man--thosc
critical moments of the campaign or the
strife when if the mind hesitates or
nerve hinches all is lost. We can
never forget the passage of the Della
ware that black December night,
amidst shrieking winds and great
upheaying blocks of ice, which would
have terrified leader OF less
hardy mould, and then the fell swoop
at Trenton. We behold him as when
at Monmouth he turns back the retreat
ing lines, and galloping his white
charger along the ranks until he falls.
leaps on his Arabian bay and shouts TO
his men: " Stand fast. my boys. the
southern troops are coming TO support
you," And we hear Lafayette ex-
claim. Never did behold so superb
man" We see him again at Prince
ton. dashng through storm OF shot
TO rally the waycrlng troops; he relnS
his horse between the contending lines
and cries Will you leave your gen
eral TO the foe :" then bolts IN
to the thickest fray. Colonel Fitz-
gerald, his aid, drops his reins and pulls
his hat down over his eyes that he may
net see his chicltain fall, when through
the smoke he reappears waving his hat,
cheering on his men, and shouting 4:
" Away. dear Colonel, and bring up the
troops: the day is ours" "CTr de
Lion " might have doiled his plume to
such a chiec-ior a great knight was he,
who met his foes full tilt in the shock
of battle and hurled them down with
an arm whose sword famed with right
couS Indignation.
As children pore over the pictures III
their books ere they can read the word
annexed to them, so We iingcr with
tlngling blood by such inspiring scenes
while little 10 We reck of those dark
hours when the aching head pondcreC
= the problems Of country'S fate. An'
vet there is a greater theatre in which
Washington appears. although not Sc
often has its curtain been upllitcd.
5 For il was As n statesman that Wash
ington was greatest. Not in the senS'
that Hamilton and Jefferson, Adam
. and Madison were statesmen but II
larger sense. Men may marsha
, armies who cannot drill divisions
l Men may marshal nations in storm an
IA travail who have not the accomplish
/ mentS of their Cabinet Ministers. No
= 80 yersed as they was he IN the detail
= of political science. And yet a, h
{ studied tactics when he anticipate
t. war. 80 he studied polite, when h
j., lorc>aw his civil rate approaching
u reading the history and examining th
principles of ancient and modern con
; icdcracies, and making notes of thel
u virtues. defects, and methods Of opera
Il ton. His pen did not posses
the hcilc play and classic grac
of their pens. but his slgoron
: eloaucncc had the clear ring of Oh
). mother tongue. Twill not say that h
e wa, 50 astutc, so quick, so inventive a
+ the one or another of them that hi
n mind was characterized by the yiyacit
It of wit. the rich coloringS of fancy. q
e daring flights Of Imagination. Bnt wit
= him thought and action. like well-tra'ne
= courScrs, kept abreast in the chario
= race. guided by an eye that ncy'
Is quailed, refined by hand that ncyC
d tremblcd. He had more II
d falhble discrimination Of circun
1t stances and men than any
le his contemporaries. lie weighed facts
p a ulster scale, with larger equity al
N frmer cquanlmity. He best applied
I'd them the lessons of experience. WI
a greater asccndancy of character he he
at men to their appointed tasks; with mo
ut inspiring virtue hc commanded mo
~ implicit confidence. He bore tru
id diyining rod, and through wildcrne
IL of contention he alone was the uncrril
Mt Pathfinder of the People.
OF There can indeed be 10 right co
ception of Washington that does II
a. accord him great and eXtraordlna
no genius. | will not say he could ha
" produced a play Of Shakespeare. or
rd poem Of Milton, handled with Kant t
1t tangled skein Of metaphysics. prob
lie the Secrccies of mind and matter vi
ng Bacon, constructed railroad or an {
ld CINE like Stephenson. wooed the eli
st trio spark from heaven to cal
ot with Franklin. OF walked W
a Newton the pathways Of the Spher
'r. But if his genius were OF diiler'
ey order it was Of a. rare and high
"a order. Il dealt with man in the GO
pI- crete-with his vast concerns OF bu
ny ness. stretching over a continent a
re projected into the agcS-with his see
oil Ing passions. with his marvellous ex
ne tions of mind. body, and spirit to