St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-22
wAsHINGToN,s BIRTHDAY.

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY.
This is not only holiday but it is the ma
TONS holy day. The birthday of him who
has served his country and his race in an
eminent degree has always been worthy of
faithful commemoration. In all ages and
among all people. from those who dwell
within the gates of the rising sun to those
who behold its mightier light give place to
1.-THE dreamy dominions of the evening
STAR" it has been customary to pay honor
to the memory of the patriotic dead. But
it is no ordinary tribute that we pay to-day.
The very ground wherein we tread this day
is holy. for surrounded as we are by the asso-
Citations which this day calls up we
see blazing in full view of us the burn
ing bush from which was spoken the indie
pendence of the American people. We
celebrate the birthday Of the most Illus
trious hero in the cause of human freedom
since the song of MIRIAM arose as a song
of deliverance on the banks Of the Red Sea.
Humanity itself possesses new dignity be-
cause the name of WASHINGTON has been
written in her records. He was the MOSES
who led the feeble colonies to independence,
whose great heart resisted the appalling
adversities of the revolution, and who at
last was more favored than the great
captain Of Israel. and was per-
United from the plains of Yorktown
10 enter into tine possession of liberty. 1t
is at the shrine Of his mighty name that all
lovers of human freedom worship to-day.
No other name of earth's great ones exacts
such homage. In Westminster abbey are
the tombs of kings princes, cOnquerers,
statesmen and philosophers. But the
modest tomb at Mount Vernon contains
more precious dust than was ever treasu red
away in the ''storied urn of human great
ness or the royal sepulcher Of kings.
WASHINGTON stands now and will stand
forever as a sublime and unapproachable
example of virtue and love of country.
With the memories Of the day we cele-
brate should come its lessons also. As we
call halt to-day and turn aside from the
wearisome highway Of business life and
give ourselves to exultation and honest
pride over the political, physical, moral and
mental greatness of the land we inhabit, it
is proper that we should give a severe and
candid scrutiny into the solemn duties as
well as the privileges we enjoy-to consider
the imposing responsibilities as well as the
pleasures of being an American citizen. If
we are born to a great political inheritance
we are likewise born to great political
responsibilities. Into our hands a
great trust has been reposed-that
of perpetuating the liberty which WASH
NGToN and his compatriots achieved.
Shall we be equal to the high mission
whereunto we have been called? Do we
possess that pure and lofty love of country
are the questions for our consideration to-
day.
1t is not the past alone which shall alb
sorb our contemplations to-day. The times
we live in, the scenes by which we are sur
rounded deserve our attention. The past.
with its wonderful and gigantic proportions.
will arise to-day like the shadowy though
splendid creation of some tabled enchanter.
But it is the present-the living, breathing
present-with its arteries of action inter
lacing the globe which demands the
recognition of practical minds We
cannot ignore the importance of the
present epoch in the history of the world.
which is here with its pulses of life beating
high and bounding with an irresistible en-
ergy, and its great heart throbbing beneath
the weight of the destiny of the human
race. The great demand of the present is
that we as American citizens shall faithfully
adhere to the doctrines enforced and agreed
upon by the architects of the American
Union. Let us not boast so much of what
has already been done, but let us address
ourselves to the more important duties of
citizenship, on the full performance of
which depends the welfare and existence
of the republic which WAsHIN GToS
founded.