Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-02-27
his HUMANITY.

OF Washington's military career, Mr.
Daniel said: Drawing his sword from
/ patriotic impulse, without ambition aud
/ without malice, he welded Il without vim
dictiyeness, and sheathed it without re-
proach. All that humanity could conceive,
he did to suppress the cruelt.es Of war, and
soothe its Sorrows lie never stgick q
towards hlow. To him, age, infancy and
helplessness were ever sacred lie toler-
ated no extremity unless TO curb the ex-
cesses Of his enemy, and lac never poison
ed the sting of defeat by the exultatOn of
the conqueror. Peace he welcomed rs the
heayen-sent herald of Friendship; aud
no country has given him greater honor
than that which he defeated, for England
has been glad to claim him a. the scion of
her blood proud, like our sister American
statos, to divide with Virginia tho honor
Of producing him. Fascinated by the per-
fiction OF the man, we are 10th 10 break
the mirror of admiration into the frag-
ments Of analysis. But, lol as we attempt
il. every fragment becomes the miniature
of such sublimity and beauty, that the
destructive hand can only multiply the
forms Of Immortality Grand and mani
fold as were its phases, there is yet no
difficulty in understanding the character
of Washington lie was no yelled proph-
ct. He never acted part. Simple, nat
ural aud unaffected, his life lies before us
"A fair and open manuscript. lie dis
dained the arts which wrap power in
mystery in order to magnify It, lie prac-
ticed the profound diplomacy of truthful
speech-the cOnsummate tact of direct
attention. Looking ever TO the All-Wise
Dsposer of Events, he relied on that
Providence which helps men, by giving
them high hearts and hopes, 10 help them
selves with the means which their Creator
has put at their service. There was no
inirmity in this conduct over which Char
ity must ding its veil no tant Of selfish
ness from which Purity averts her gaze
no dark recess Of intrigue that must be lit
mp with colored panegyrio; no subtera-
mean passage 10 DO trod in trembling, lest
there be stirred the ghost Of "a buried crime
wAsHINdT0N's GENIUS.
Continuing, the speaker claimed that
there could be no right conception of
Washington that did not accord him a
great and extraordinary genius brilliant
will not call him, If tho brightness Of
the ripping river exceed the solemn glory
of old ocean. Brilliant I will not call him,
if darkness must DO visible in order 10 dis
play the light; for no had none of that
rocket-like brilliancy which flames in
instant co-ruscation across the black brow
of night, and then is not. But if q steady,
unhickcring flame, slow rising to It's lofty
sphere, high hung In the heavens Of con-
temptation, dispensing far and wide its
rays, revealing all things on which IL
shines in due proportions and in large
relations, making right, duty aud destiny
~ plain that In the vision we are scarce
conscious of the hght--if this be brilliancy
then the genius of Washington was as full
orbed and luminous as the god OF day in
his zenith. This is genius in rarest mani
festation, aud as life is greater than any
theory Of living, in 50 much does he who
points the path of destiny, and brings
great things to pass, exceed the mere
dreamer Of great dreams. Tho work OF