Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-21

subvert these great pillars OF human hap3l-
ness, these firmest props OF the duties OF meu
and of citizens"
And thus on all those seemingly blank aud
empty sides will be seen, from time TO time,
in his own unequslled language, the grand
precep,s and principles OF Peace, Justice, Edu-
cation. Morality, and Religion, which he
strove TO iuculcate, while encircliug and IL |
Eliminating them all, and envelopiDg the
whole monument, from cornerstone TO cap !
stone, will be read with rapture by every |
patriotic eye, and be echoed by every patriotic !
heart, The Union, the Union III any event!
But what are all the noble words which
Washington wrote or uttered, what are all
the incidents of his birth aud death, wha
are all the details of his marvellous
career from its commencement TO H'
close, in comparison with his own
exalted character as a man! Rarely was
Webster more impressive than when, on the
completion of the monument al Bunker hlli,
in describing what our country had accom-
plished for the welfare OF mankind, he gave
utterance, wi his characteristic terseness,
and his inimItable tones, TO the simple assef-
ton america has furnished the character OF
Washington" And well did he add that,
Iii our American institutions had done no'h-
ing else, that aloe would have entitled them
to the respect OF mankind"
The character OF Washington Who can
delinea,e il worthily? Who can describe
that priceless gift Of America to the world, in
terms which may do it any sort of justice, or
afford any degree of satisfaction 10 his hearers
or to himself2
Modest disinterested, generous, just-oi
clean hands and pure hcart-self-denyin
and seli-sacrificing, seeking nothing for him
self, declining all remuneration beyond the
reimbursement Of his outiays, scrupulous to
| tarthing in keeping his accounts, OF spotless
integrity, scorning gifts, charitable to the
| needy, forgiving injuries and lnJusuces'
brave, fearless, heroic, With prudence ever
governing his impulses and a wisdom ever
| guiding his valor-true TO his friends, true to
his whole country, true to himselt-tearing
| God, believing in Christ, no stranger to pri-
vate devotion or public worship, or to the
holiest Offices OF the church 10 which he be-
| longed, but ever gratefully recognizing a
| Divine aid and direction in all that he at
| tempted and in all that be accomplished
| what epithet, what attribute, could be added
TO that consummate character to commend it
as an example above all other characters in
| merely human history
I From first to last he never solicited, or
sought, an office, military or civil. Every
Office stood candidate tor him, and was
ennobled by his acceptance OF il. Honors
clustered around him as if by the force OF
first intention" Responsibilities 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
To what is called personal magnetism be
could have had little pretenson. A vein o.
digni6ed reserve, which Houdon and Stuar,
! have rightly made his peculiar characteristic
in marble and on canvas, repressed al
familiarities with him. His magnetism wa
that Of merit-superior, surprising merit
the merit OF spotless integrity, of recognized
ability, and OF unwearied willingness to spent
and be spent in the service of his country
Tha, was sufficien, to attract irresis:iblIty Il
his support. not only the great mass OF th'
people, but the wlsest and best of has con;em
poraries in all quarters OF the Union, snt
! from them he selected, with signal discrim
ination, such advisers and counse.lors, in wa
and IL peace, as have never surrounded an!
other American leader. No jealousy of thei
abilities and accomplishments ever rutfied hi
breast, and with them be achieved our inde
pendeuce, organized our constitutional gov
ernment aud stamped his name indelIbly OIL
the age in which he lived as the age o
Washington!
Well uId Chief Justice Marshall, in tha
admirable preface TO the biography OF hi
| reyered and illustrious friend, sum up witt
| judicial precision, The services he was abou
10 describe in detail: well and truly did b
say, "As il the chosen instrument OF Heaven
selected for the purpose of eifecting the grea
designs OF Providence respecting this GU
western hemisphere, it was the peculiar lot o
this disting guished man, at every epoch whei
the destinies OF his country seemed dependen
III. .s.-s.--s adapted, 80 he o-liea sy .h
united voice OF his teliOw-citizens TO thos
uigh stations On which the success of thos
measures principally depended
do not forget that there have been othe
men, in otner days, in other lands, and 10 on
own land, who have been called to comman,
larger armies, to preside over more dstracte'
councils, to administer more extended gov
ernments, and TO grapple with as complicate
and critical affairs. Gratitude and honor wal
ever on their persons and their names Bu
!, we do moi estimate Mlltiades at Marathon
or Pausanias at Plaea, or Themistocle
at Salamis, or Epaminondas at Manrine O
Leuctra, or L-onidas at ThernopyIa, by TN
number of the forces which they led on Ian
!, or on sea- Nor do We gauge the glory q
Columbus by the size OF the little feet wit
which he ventured so heroieally upon tn
perils of a mighty, unknown deep. There ar
, some circumstances which cannot occur twice
some occasions Of which there can be no rep
!, etition; some names which will always ssser
their individual pre-eminence, aud will ad
nit of no rivalry or compari-oa. The glor
of Columbus can never be eclipsei, never sp
preached, TIL our New World shall require
fresh discovery; and the glory of Washing
ton will remain unique and peerless untl
American Independence shall require to b
: again achieved, or the foundations Of consti
tufional liberty 10 be laid anew.
Think not that am claiming au immacu
late perfection for any mortal man. On
Being only has ever walked this earth of our
without sin. Washington had his infrmitie
and his passions like the rest OF US; be woul
have been more, or less, than human had h
= never been overcome by them. There wer
Young officers around him, in camp and else
where, not unlikely 10 have thrown tempts
tious in his path, whether he ever yielded l.
them or not. There were treacherous men
| too. whose words 10 council, or conduct Ii
battle, or secret plottings behind his back
aroused his righteous Indignation, and CAV
occasion tor memorable bursts of anger. Nov
and then there was a a disaster, like that G
. 81. Clair's expedition against the Indians II
1871, the first tidings of which stirred th
very depths of his soul, and betrayed hin
into a momentsry outbreak of mingled grie
and rage, which proved how violent were th
emo,ious Re was so generally able TO control
He made no boast OF virtue or Of rslor, an
no amount of fiattery ever led him to be 9th
erwise than distrusttul OF his own ability an
merits. As early as 1857, when only twenty
. FIVE years OF age, be wrote TO Governor Din
widdie: That | have foibles, and perhap
many OF them, shall not deny; | should es
TEEN myselt, as the world also would, vai
aud empty were / to arrogute perfection" o.
accepting the command Of the Army of tn
| Revolution in l775 he said to Congress. =.