Wichita eagle., 1889-05-01


less reyengeS- AS parties rose TO power
and passed to the guillotine. the frenzy of
the revolt against all authority reached
every country and captured the imaeina-
tons and enthusiasm OF millions in every
land, who believed they saw that the
madness of anarchy, the overturning of
all institutions, the eontlscation and dis
tribution of property would end in mil
lennium for the masses and the universal
brotherhood of man. Enthusiasm for
France our ally, and the terri bic CONNER
cial and industrial distress occasioned by
the failure of the government under the
articles OF confederation. aroused an al
most unanimous cry for the young rspub-
lie. not yet sure of its own existence, to
plunge into the vortex The ablest and
purest statesmen or the time bent 10 the
storm, but Washington WAS uumoved-
He stood like the rock-ribbed coast OF u
continent between the surging pillows or
fanatlcism and the child Of his love. Order
is heavens first law, and the mind OF
Washington was order. The revolution
defied God AID derided the law. Wash
ington devoutly revereneed the deity and
believed liberty impossible without law.
tie spoke 70 the sober Judgment OF the
nation and made clear the DAGGER. He
saved the infant government from ruin,
and expelled the French minister who had
appealed from him TO the people The
continuance in office, joined jefferson in
urging him to accept second term.
North and south" pleaded the secretary,
will hang together while they have you
TO hang to-"
No man ever stood for so much TO his
country and TO mankind as George Wash
ington. Hamilton, jefferson and Adams
Madison and Jay, each represented some
OF the elements which formed the union.
Washington embodied them all. They
fell at times under popular diSapproyal,
were burned IN eftigy, We're stoned but he
with unerring Judgment was always the
leader of the people. Milton said of Crom-
well, that war made him great, peace
greater" The superiority of Washing
tons character and genius were more con
spicuous in the formation of our govern
ment and in putting it on indestructible
foundations than in leading armies to vic
tory and conquering the independence of
his country. The union in any
event." is the central thought Of
his farewell address, and all
the years of his grand life were devoted to
its formation and preservation. He fought
as a youth with Braddock and in the cap
ture of Fort Du Quesne for the protection
of the wohle country. As commander in
chief OF the continental army, his COM
mission was from the congress of the
United States. He inspired the movement
lCf JIt republic, was the president ana
dominant spirit of the convention which
framed its constitution and its president
for eight years, and guided its course un-
til satisfied that moving safely along the
broad highway of time, il would be surely
ascending toward the first place among
the nations of the world, the asylum of the
oppressed. the home of the free
DO his countrymen exaggerste his vir-
tues? Listen to GuiZot, the historian of
ri "a M n cTfn Ill ha f1t.
greatest things which in politics it is per-
mitted TO man TO attempt. lie maintained
by peace the independence OF his country
which he conquered by war He founded
a free government in the name of the prin-
clpleS of order and by re-esta bllShlng their
sway" Hear Lord Erskiue, the most
famous of English advocates: You are
reverence" Remember the tribute of
Charles James Fox, the greatest parlia-
ntary orator who ever swayed the Brit
ish house of commons: "Iliustrlous man,
before whom all borrowed greatness sinks
into lnslgniticaDce Contemplate the
character of Lord Brougham, pre-
eminent for two generations in
every department of human activity and
thought, and then impress upon the mem
Dries OF your children his deli berats Judg-
ment: Until time shall be no more will Il
test OF the progress which our race has
made in wisdom and virtue be derived
from the veneration paid TO the immortal
name of Washington.
Chatham, who, with Give, conquered
an empire in the east, died broken hearted
at the loss of the empire in the west by
follies which even his power and eloquence
could not prevent. Pitt saw the vast
creations of his diplomacy shat
tered at Austerlitz. aud fell muir
muring: only country! how ! leave
my country" Napolean caused ii
noble tribute of Washington to be read at
the head of his armies, but, unable to rise
to Washington's greatness, witnessed the
vast structure erected by conquest and ce-
mented by blood, to minister to his own
ambition and pride, crumble into frag
ments, and an exile and a prisoner he
breathed his last babbling of battle fields
aud carnage. Washington, with his finger
upon his pulse felt the presence of death.
and calmly reviewing the past and fore
casting the future, answered to the sum-
mons of the grim messenger, 1T Is well,
and as his mighty soul assembled to God
the land was deluged with tears and the
world united in his eulogy. Blot out from
the page of history the names Of all the
great actors of his time in the drama of
nations, and preserve the name of Wash
ington, and the century would be re-
nowned.
between the first and second century of
constitutional government. There are no
clouds overhead and no commissions under
our feet. We reYerently return thanks to
Almighty God for the past, and with con-
fident and hopeful promise march upon
sure ground towards the future The
simple facts of these hundred years
parable the imagination, and we con-
template the vast Accommodations Of the
century with awe ana pride. Our popu-
lation has grown from four TO siIty-iive
millions It's center moving westward
five hundred miles since 1879, is eloquent
with the founding of cities and the birth
of states. New settlements clearing the
forests and subduing the prairies, and
adding four millions TO the few thou
sands Of farms which were the support Of
Washington's republic, create one Of the
great granaries of the world and open ex-
haustless reservoirs Of nation al wealth.
The infant industries which the first act
of our first administration sought to en-
courage, now give remunerarlve employ
ment TO more people than inhabited the
at the beginning Of " ashinzton
presidency. The grand total CT their an
Dual output Of seven thousand millions Of
dollars in value places the United States
first among the manufacturing countries
Of the earth. One-half the total mileage
Of all the railroads, and one-9uarter Of all
the telegraph lines Of the world within cur
borders, testify TO the volume, variety and
value Of an internal commerce which
makes these states If need be. indspend-
ent and self-supyorting. These hundred
years Of development under fAEoring poll
tlcal conditions have brought the sum of
our national wealth 70 = figure which has
passed the results q thousand years for
the Motber-lapd, herself, Otherwise the
richest If modern empires.
During this generation = civil war Of m
equaI!ed magnitude caused the sxpendi-
turs and loss Of eight thousand dollars. /