Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-21


Rome. and never forgotten when those children
grow up 10 the privileges and responsibilities of
Ii was custom Of the ancient Egyptians,
from whom the idea of our monument has been
borrowed,-I should rather say, evolved,-to
cover their obelisks with hieroglyphical inscrip-
uons, some Of which have TO this day perple xed
and baffied all efforts 10 decipher them. Neither
Champollion, nor the later Lepsius, nor any of
in giving an altogether satisfactory reading Of
the legends on Pompey's Pillar and Cleopa-
best, engraved as they were, on the granite or
porphyry, with the letters enamelled with gold,
and boasted of as illuminating the world with
their rays, tell us little except the dates and
doings of some despotic Pharoah, whom we
would willingly have seen drowned in the
was in the depths OF the Red Sea- one row of
the inscriptions on Cleopatras Needle, as ii so
strangely greets us in the fashionable prone
made of our commercial capital, informs us in
unemployment terms, of Thothmes Ill. who
lived in the age in which Moses was born, the
is set down a as a Child Of the Sun, endowed
with power, life and stability" Other inscrip-
lions style him, or some other Pharoah 10 whom
they relate, the "Chastiser OF Foreign Nations, I"
1.-The Conqueror," 1.-The Strong Buli!'
Our Washington Needle, while il has all OF
the severe simplicity. and far more than all OF
the massive grandeur, which were the charac-
teristics OF Egyptian architecture, bears no in-
scriptions whatever, and none are likely ever
TO be carved on IL. Around its base bas-reiefs
in bronze may possibly one day be placed, IL
Illustrative of some of the great events OF Wash
ington s life; while on the terrace beneath may,
perhaps, be arranged emblematic figures of
Justice and Patriotism, OF Peace, Liberty and
Union. All this, however, may well be left for
Intnre years, or even for future generation
Zach succeeding generation indeed, will take
It's own pride in doing whatever may be wisely
done in adjoining the surroundings of this ma
jestic pile, and in thus testifying its own hon.
age TO the memory OF the Father OF his Country.
Yet to the minds eye of an American Patriot
those marble faces will never seem vacant
never seem void or voiceless. No mystic figures
or hieroglyphica1 signs will, indeed, be deserted
on them. No such vainglorious words as Com
queror," or "Chastiser OF Foreign Nations" nor
any such naughty assumption or heather
ascription as Child of the SUM-" will be de-
ciphered on them. But ever and anon, as he
gaZes, there will come flashing forth in letters
of living light some of the great words, and
grand precepts, and noble lessons Of principle
and duty, which are the matchiess bequest OF
washington to his country and TO mankind.
Can we not all read there already, as il craven
by some invisible finger, or inscribed with some
sympathetic ink,-which II requires no learn
ing of scholars, no lore of Egypt, nothing but
love of our own land, to draw out and make
legible-those mastery words of his Letter 10
the Governors OF the States, in 1883
There are four things which, l humbly con-
ceive, are essential TO the well-being-I may
even venture TO say, to the eNistence-of the
United states as an independent Power First,
an indissoluble Union of the States under one
Federal head; Second a sacred regard to Public
Justice: Third, the adoption of a proper Peace
Establishment; and Fourth, the rrevalence OF
that pacific and friendly disposition among the
People of the United States which will induce
cies, to make those mutual concessions which
are requisite to the general prosperity, and, in
some instances to sacrifice their Individual ad-
NantageS TO the interest OF the Community.
These are the Pillars on which the glorious
fabric OF our independently and National Char
acter must be supported
Can we not read again. on another of those
seemingly vacant sides, that familiar passage in
his Farewell Address, jewel OF thought and
THE name of American, which belongs To
you in your National capacity, must always
exalt the just pride of patriotism more than
any appellation derived from local discrimina-
lions y? and, not far below il. his memorable
warning against Party Spirit,-"A fire not To be
quenched. it demands a uniform vigilance Ia
prevent its bursting into a flame, lest instead
of warming, 1T should consume "?
Still again, terser legends from the same pro-
Public Credit ;"-"ObserVe good faith and JUS
tice towards all nations cultivate peace and
harmony with a1"-"Promote, as an object OF
primary Importance, institutions for the gene.
raj diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as
the structure of Government gives force to
public opinion, it is essential that public opin.
ion should oe enlightened"
And, above ALA thousand-fold more preci
Gus than al the rest,-there wei come stream
ing down from time to time, to many an eager
and longing eye, from the very point where its
tiny aluminium apex reaches nearest to the
skies,-and shining forth with radiance which
no vision of Constantine. no Labarum for his
legions could ever have eclipsed,-some of those
sOlemnly reiterated declarations and counsels
which might almost be called the Confession
and Creed of Washington, and which can neve,
be forgotten by any Christian Patriot
when 1 contemplate the interposition O
ing us through the Revolution, in preparing us
for the reception OF the General Government
and in conciliating the goodwill OF the people
OF America toward one another after its adop
ton, feel myself oppressed and almost over
whelmed with a sense of Divine munificence
feel that nothing is due to my personal agency
in all those wonderful and complicated events
except what can be attributed to an honest yea
for the good OF my country. mo people car
beah -lad,, u
BILE Hand which conducts the affairs of men
more than the gaople OF the United States
Livery step by which they have advanced II
the character OF An independent Nation seem.
to have been distinguished by some token o
Providential Agency."-"of all the disposition.
and habits which lead TO political prosperity
Religion and Morality are Indispensable sup
ports. In vain would that man claim the tri
butte OF patriotism, who should labor TO subver
these great pillars OF human happiness, these
firmest props OF the duties of men and of citi
xens."
And thus on all those seemingly blank and
empty sides will be seen, from time to time, il
his own uneQualled language, the grand pre-
eepts and principles of Peace, Justice, Educat
inculcate, While, encirciing and illuminating
them all, and enveloping the whole monument
nom cornerstone to cap-stone, will be read with
by every patriotic heart, 1.-The Union, the Unior
in any event!'
Washington wrote or uttered, what are all the
| incidents of his birth and death, what are al
the details OF bis marvellous career from its
commencement to its close, in comparison witt
his own exalted character as Man! Rarely
was Webster more impressive than when, on
the completion Of the monument a,
Country had acco sailisn N for thu
welfare of ma nkind, he gave utterance with Ms
tones. to the simple assertion, America has
| furnished to the World the Character of Wash
ington!' And well did he add that, eff oul
American Institutions had done nothing else
that alone would have entitled them the
+ The character of Washington! Who can de
| lineate it worthily? Who can describe thai
| priceless gift Of America to the world, in term.
which may do It any sort of justice, or afford
| any degree of satisfaction to his hearers or te
| himself?
Modest, disinterested, generous, just of clear
hands and q pure MISUNDERSTANDING and self
sacrificing, seeking nothing for himself, decln
ment Of his OUTLAWS, scrupulous to a farthing In
keeping his accounts, of spotless integrity
ScOrning gifts, charitable to the needy, fOrgiv
ing injuries and injustices, brave, fearless, he
roic, with a prudence ever governing his i'm
pulses and a wisdom ever guiding his valor,-
| true to his friends, true to his whole country
| true to 'himself-fearing God, believing IN
Christ, no stranger to private devotion or pub
| lie worship or to the hottest offices of the
| Church to which he belonged, but ever CRATE
all that he attempted and in all that he accom-
plished,-what epithet, what attribute, could
be added to that consummate character u
| commend 1t as an example above all othe
| From first to last, he never solicited, o.
sought an office, military or civil. Every Office
| stood candidate for him, and was ennobled by
| his acceptance Of it. HOnors clustered around
sponsibilities heap themselves on his shoulder
i as If by the law of graVitatiOn. They cOuld res