New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-23

any other quality. Here again his greatness ap-
pears for he was as Mr.. Lodge fully demoh'
strates, q man OF abnormally strong paseion''
and one in whom those passions "ouiu i,''
famed out habitually had he not ruled then WIN
an lion will. What such man must nave su,
fered from the small uncomprehenuihs 'n'"''
upon which he was dependent for oil tne ,h'',u
mentalties Of his genius, may De lmas'ho ~,
always looked far ahead and on both siues' 'n
Lodge has devoted some space 10 inc suo'o0'o
concerning which it moy be said that washington
was In advance OF his time. In rut' 'ii'Ie w
few questions which he did not view more Clearly
and sanely than his conten porares Inc rren, II
Revolution misled him at first, ana. H''ur"hy,
since all his svmpat lIies were with france-the
f,;ona ~ the colonies though partly from SELL
Interest But' he never fell into the mistakes
u.b,ob Jefferson and his followers illustrated so
extrayacantly and instructively, ana he soon
came TO see the drift Of the situation his
statpsmanlikc prcs"iencc, however, WAS never
more markedly exhibited than in the case OF the
Jaw Treaty. He did not approve that instrument
but he signed il in the teeth Of public excitement
and opposition so fierce that II seemed 10 menace
the ncw.made union and he did this because he
knew that the rejection OF the treaty meant war
with Great Britain, and the Cnlted STATES were
not in position to fight.
Mr.. Lodge Inns done good service in combating
the theory that Washington was only technlcaily
an American That such view should ever have
been seriously entertained is indeed sufhrlenty
remarkable, inasmuch as the facts OF history
prove him 10 have been one Of the first and pcr
hans the most energetic and persistent In advo-
eating and cultivating national spirit 1T
Americans" is his constant adjuration. and the
obstinate survival of the narrow colonial way OF
ll,, Ia
WAS in truth, far more American than most of
his contemporaries, and he almost alone pFo)cc'ea
his vision into the future and perceived the inn
reral destiny Of the young nation. HIS pohrN
regarding the development OF the West and the
opening Of the Mississippi proved this while
every step that he took after the
close of the War OF Independence
demonstrated the kccnncSs and accuracy
Of Judgment and the unSwcr' ing loyalty to the
national principle which aCtuated him. HIS IN
fuence in bringing about the Union WAS, no
doubt, far greater than can no~ be established
upon documentary evidence, for AT all times hrs
opinions had great weight with the people ana
the army In this fact too, may he found n
sufficient combination of the theory OF his frGdty.
All the records concur in testifylng TO the gen
cralit~ of the popular affection in which he was
held The constant illusions Of admiration ana
love which marked his passage from place 10
place and the warmth OF tho feeling entertained
for him by his soldiers, are alike incompatible with
the idea which seeks to represent him rs cold,
bloodless paragon He was not certainly what is
called a sociablc man. No man with his work
TO do could have been that. His Responsibilities,
anxieties aud difficulties were such as must have
crushed and overwhelmed n weaker character,
end the vc-y success with which he bore his bur
dens has doubtless caused posIcrity to undcrcsi.
mate their weight AID 10 miscalcuatc the forces
necessary 70 the attainment OF Washington's pur
poses.
When we realize all that he encountered, all
that he forcborc all that he endured. all that lr
accomplished, perhaps VIC ought rather 10 wonder
that in so many respects he made himself one
with his generation, than complain because in
others he stood so for aloof from it, For surely
never WAS man called on TO do more serious, more
eyacting more difficult work. or onr which mad
larger and more enduring demands upon his whole
organism mental, moral and physical II, ia the
performance OF his lifr-wOrk OF freeing and found
ing a nation, his energies were 50 absorbed as "a
leave little margin for the p"tty soclnl Interests
attention 20 which affords tho most interesting
biographical material 1t must he remembered
that his force expended in the highest KIND
of public labor: that his action and thought alike
moved upon public lines: thntshc was, IN short, rs
hardly any other man has truly been, the imprr-
sonatjon of the commonwealth. Nor must it be
overlooked that the apparent absence from his
career Of those minor incidents and traits which
bring other great men home 10 IL" average i1t"L
Igepce is accounted for largely by the un"X-
ampled unsclhshnrss OF his character Wh"r"
Others have been moved by ambition, vainglory,
seli-intcrest, he was inspired solely by conccrA
81
purity and spglencSs of purpose that IN" dangers
of faction seemed SO formidable 10 him, and tlh'
he refused to count"nancc party organization until
experience taught him that government could not
be carried on without IL under the democratic
| system.
| Mr. Lodge has an interesting chapter on Wash
ington AS Party Man In il he succ ssfulIy
and thoroughly exposes the inaccuracy of the
| notion that Washington wOud never hav" any
thing 10 do with party. The truth is that nc was
n stanch Fedcral!st and that, although he made
some experiments in non-partsanship their rc-
| splts were such as 70 convince him that the only
wov IN maintain n strong adm Illustration was 20
mt and keep its friends in all the responsible
| nublic Offices The fierce struggle between two
| members of his Cabinet, Jefferson and Hamilton
proved the fulity Of all attempts to adjust iuhda-
mental differences and unite them IN single
policy. The genesis of party is a conflict of opin-
| ion upon basic principles which is quite as often
t.mperamental as intellectual, and which is no
more am enable TO rcconcling influences than diff
ferences Of complexion or stature lie was man
who never ceased learning, and who proftcd by
every lesson and this one sank into his open mind
and removed illusions With the exception OF
Monroe land that ne soon discovered 10 have been
n mistslel he did not appoint TO important places
any men who were not in harmony with his
Administration; and he possessed the gtt OF read
ing men, as his appointments testify TO TINS day
Mr. Moncure Conway's recent book on bm'in''
Randolph Gan Omitted Chapter OF history
has failed 10 change Mr.. Lodges opinion OF Ran
hilitr, In tho rnnftnr a the TRnchct