The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-05-01

always the leader OF the people.
MIN nS Ss said Of 4Ss wa %aas
OF Washington's character and genius were
more conspicuous in the formation Of our
government and In putting it on indestructi'
BILE foundations than In leading armies to
victory and conquerlng the independence OF
his country. 1.-THE Union In any event. is
the central thought Of his farewell address,
and all the years OF his grand life were de-
voted to its formation and preservation. lie
fought as youth with Braddoek ana IN
the capture Of Fort Du Quesne Tor the pro-
lection of the whole country. As COmman-
der-in- Chief OF the Continental Army. his
commission was from the Congress OF the
United Colonies. He Inspired the move
ment for the Republic, was the PreSld gent
framed its constitution and its President Tor
eight years, and guided its course until sat
isfed that moving safely along the broad
highway OF time. It would be surely ascend
ing toward the first place among the nations
Of the world, the asylum Of the opposed,
the home OF the free.
do his countrymen exaggerate his YirtueSP
Listen to Guizot, the historian of civiliza-
zion: washington did the two greatest
things which In politics Il is permitted to
man to attempt. He maintained by peace
the Independence of his country which he
conquered by war. He founded free gov
der and by re-establishing their sway"
.slIsh advocates: "You are the only being
Tor whom L have an awful reverence" Re-
member the tribute Of Charles James Fox,
abe greatest parliamentary orator who ever
swaysd the British House of Commons: I'll
lustrious man. before whom all borrowed
greatness sinks into insignifcance." Con-
template the character of Lord Brough-
sm, .pre-eminent for two generations in
every department OF human activity and
Thought, and then impress upon the memo
ries OIL your children his deliberate judy
ment: Until time shall be no more will a
test Of the progress which our race has made
In wisdom and virtue be derived from the
veneFation 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
not prevent. Pitt saw the vast creations of
his diplomacy shattered at Austerlitz, and
fell murmuring: my country! how |
leave my country" Napoleon caused
noble tribute to Washington to be read at
the head Of his armies, but unable to rise
10 Washingt0n'S greatness, witnessed the
vast structure erected by conquest and &C.
mented by blood, to minister to his own am
billion and pride. crumble into fragments,and
an exile and prisoner he breathed his last
babbiing Of tattle-felds and carnage. Wash
ingtoR. with his finger upon his pulse, felt
the presence Of death, and calmly review
ing the past and forecasting the future,
senger, 1T Is we'll" and as his mighty soul
sscepded to God the land was deluged with
tears, and the world united in his eulogy.
Blotout from the page Of history the names
OF all the great actors of his time in the dra-
Was Of nations, and preserve the name of
Washington, and the century would be re-
nowned.
we stand today upon the dividing line be-
tween the first and second century Of consti-
tutionai government. There are no clouds
overhead, and no commissions under our feet.
= Wereyerently return thanks to Almighty
God for the past. and with confident and
hopeful promise march upon sure ground
towards the future. The simple facts of
thesB hundred years paralyze the magma
ton, and we contemplate the vast accumula..
lions OF the century with awe and
pride. Our population has grown from
four to sixty-fve millions. Its centre moving
westward five hundred miles since
1853. Is eloquent with the founding of cities
clearing the forests and subduing the prai-
ries, and adding four millions to the few
thousands 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 National wealth.
The infant industries, which the first act
Of our first administration sought to encour-
age, now give renumerative employment to
more people than inhabited the republic at
the beginning of Washington's presidency.
The grand total of their annual output of
seventh0usand OF millions of dollars in value
places the United States first among the man.
ufacturing countries of the earth. One-half
the total mileage of all the railroads, and
one-quarter of all the telegraph lines Of the
world within our borders, testify to the vol
ume, variety and value of an inter
nal commerce which makes these States.
Il need be. independent and self-supporting.
These hundred years Of development under
tavoring political conditions have brought
the sum OF national wealth to figure which
has passed the results of a thousand years
for the Mother-land, herself, otherwise the
richest Of modern empires.
During this generation, civil war of I'M
equaled magnitude caused the expenditure
and loss OF eight thousand millions of dol
lars. and killed six hundred thousand and
permanently disabled over a million young
men, and yet the impetuous process of the
North and the marvellous industrial develop
ment OF the new and free South have Oblit-
Grated the evidences of destruction, and
made the war memory, and have stimulat-
ed production until our annual surplus near
ly equals that of England, France and Ger
many combined. The teeming millions of
Asia till the patient soil and work the shuttle
and loom as their fathers have done for ages !;
modern Europe has felt the influence and
received the benefit Of the incalculable null
tiplication OF force by inventive genius since
the Napoleonic wars; and yet, only two
hundred and sixty-nine years after the little
band of Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock,
Vut pOOPlO nuhADCtiik ACSo tldll Uut-ullbtUlu
Of the inhabitants Of the globe, do one-third
OF Its mining, one fourth of its manufacture
Ing. one-ffth Of its agriculture. and own one
sixth Of its wealth.
The realism Of material prosperity, sur
passing the widest creations of the roman
oers who have astonished and delighted man
kind, would be full of danger for the present
and menace for the future, If the virtue, in
telligence. and independence of the people
were not equal to the wise regulation of it's
and the efQrn vQpftnu nf re oh
But following the growth and power
Of the great factors. whose aggrega-
tion OF capital made possible the
tremendous pace Of the settlement of our
national domain, the building of our great
cities and the opening of the lines of COM
munication which have unified our country
and created our resources, have come Ma
tional and State legislation and supervision.
Twenty millions, a vast majority of our peO-
pie Of Intelligent age, acknowledging the au-
thority Of their several churches, twelve
millions Of children in the common schools,
three hundred and forty-five universities
and colleges for the higher education of men
and two hundred for women, four hundred
and fifty institutions of learning for science,
law, medicine and theology, are the despair
Of the scoffer and the demagogue, and the
firm support Of civilization and liberty.
Steam and electricity have changed the
commerce not only, they have revolution
lied also the governments of the world.
They have given to the press its power, and
brought all races and natlonalties into
touch and sympathy. They have
tested and are trying the strength
Of all systems to stand the
strain and conform to the conditions which
follow the terminating influences of Ameri-
can Democracy. Al the time of the inaugu-
tion I0f Washington, seven royal families
ruled as many kingdoms in Italy, but six of
them have seen their thrones overturned and
their countries disappear from the map of
Europe. Most Of the kings, princes, dukes
and margraves of Germany who reigned de-
specifically and sold their soldiers for foreign
service, have passed into history and their
heirs have neither prerogatives nor domain.
Spain has gona through many violent
changes and the permanency of her present
government seems to depend upon the feeble
life Of an infant prince. France, Jour ancient
friend, with repeated and bloody revolutions
has tried the government of Bourbon and
Convention, Of directory and consulate, of
empire and citizen king, of hereditary sover-
eign and republic, Of empire and again re-
public. The Hapsburgh and the Hohenzol-
lern, after commissions which have rocked
the foundations of their thrones.
have been compelled to concede
constitutions to their people and
to divide with them the arbitrary pow
er welded so automatically and brilliantly
by Maria Theresa and Frederick the Great.
The royal will of George the Third could
crowd the American colonies into rebellion,
and wage war upon them until they were
lost to his kingdom, but the authority of the
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