The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-02-27
Washington.
two weeks

Here is an extract from the grafton of
the venerable Robert c. Winthrop at the
dedication of the Washington monument
on Saturday last:
But what are all the noble words which
Washington wrote or uttered what are
all the incidents of his birth and death
what are all the details of his marvellous
career from its commencement to its
close, in comparison with his own exalted
character as IA man Rarely was Web
ster more impressive than when. on the
completion of the monument at Bunker
Hill, in describing what our country had
accomplished for the welfare of mankind.
he gave utterance with his characteristic
terseness, and in his inimitable tones, to
the simple assertion, " America has fur
nished to TIE world the character of
Washington?' And well did he add that
- if our American institutions had done
nothing else. that alone would haze enti-
tied them to the respect of mankind"
The character of Washington, Who can
delineatc it worthilv? Who can describe
that priceless gift of America to the
of Justice. or afford any degree of salts
faction to his hearers or to himself? {
Modest. disinterested. generous. Just,
of clean hands and pure heart self
denying and sclf-sacritcing seeking moth
ing for himself, declining all remunera-
ton beyond the reimbursement of his out
lays, scrupulous to a farthing in keeping
his accounts, of spOtless integrity, scorn-
ing gifts. charitable to the needy forgiv-
ing injuries and iniuStices brave fearless.
heroic. with a prudence ever governing
his impulses and a wisdom ever guiding
his valOr-true to his friends, true to his
whole country, true to imsef.-fearing
God, believing in Christ. no stranger to
private devotion or public worship, or to
the hottest offices of the church to which
he belonged. but ever gratefully recog-
nizing Divine aid and direction in all
that he attempted and in all that he ac-
complished. what epthet, what attr-
butte. could be added to that consummate
character to commend it as an example
above all other characters in merely hui
man history,
From first to last he never solicited,
or sought an office, military or civil. Ev-
cry office stood candidate for him, and
was ennobled by his acceptance of it.
1onors clustered around him as if by the
force of first Intention Responsible
ties heaped themselves on his shoulders
as If by the law of gravitatiOn. They
could rest safely nowhere else, and they
found him ever ready to bear them all,
ever equal to discharge them all. 10
what is called personal magnetism he
could have had little pretension. A vein
of dignified reserve, which Houdon and
Stuart have rightly made his peculiar
characteristics in marble and on canvas.
repressed all famiiarites with him. His
magnetism was that of merit-superor,
surprising mert-the merit of spotless
integrity, of recognized ability. and I'M
wearied willingness to spend and be
spent in the service of his country. That
was sufficient to attract irresistibly to his
support, not only the great mass of peo-
pie, but the wisest and best of his con-
temporaries in all quarters of the
Union, and from them he selected. with
signal discrimination, such advisers and
counselors, in war and in peace, as have
never surrounded any other American
leader. No jealousy of their abilities
and accomplishments ever ruflled his
breast, and with them he achieved our
independence, organized our constitution
al government and stamped his name
indelibly on the age in which he lived as
the Age of Washington