The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-25
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
An English Historians Estimate Of His
Mind and Character.

An English Historians Estimate Of His
Mind and Character.
When only twenty-three, Washington
had been appointed commander of the
Virginian forces against the French;
and in the late war. though he had met
with one serious disaster, and had no
opportunity of obtaining any very bril-
liant military reputation. he had always
shown himself an eminently brave and
skillful soldier. His great modesty and
taciturnity kept him in the background,
both in the provincial Legislature and
i'll the Continental Congress: but though
his voice was scarcely ever heard in de-
bate, his superiority was soon felt in
the practical work of the committees.
IF you speak of solid information or
sound Judgment" said Patrick Henry
about this time. Colonel Washington
is unQuestionably the greatest man in
Congress" He appeared in assembly in
uniform, and in military matters his
voice had an almost decisive weight.
Several circumstances distinguished
him from other officers who in military
StINl Cc lIllS III HAVE Deeu HIS T1NdlS. Ilc
was of an old American family. He was
a planter of wealth and social position,
and being Virginian his appointment
was great step toward enlisting that
important colony cordially in the cause.
The capital question now pending in
America was how far the other colonies
would support New England in the
struggle.
In the preceding March, Patrick Hen
ry had carried resolution for embody-
ing and reorganizing the Virginia mill
tia, and had openly proclaimed that an
appeal to arms was inevitable; but as
yet New England had borne almost the
whole burden. The army at Cambridge
was a New England army, and General
Ward, who commanded it had been APP
pointed by Massachusetts. Even if
Ward was superseded, there were
many New England competitors for the
post of commander the army naturally
desired d chief of their own province,
and there were divisions and hostilities
among the New England deputies. The
great personal merit of Washington,
and the great political Importance of
securing Virginia determined the issue,
and the New England deputies ultimate
ly took Il leading part in the appoint
ment. The second place was given to
General Ward and the third to Charles
Lee, an English soldier of fortune who
had lately purchased land in Virginia
and embraced the American cause with
great passion. Lee had probably wider
military experience than any other Off
Ger in America, but he was a man of no
settled principles, and his great talents
were married by very irritable and ca
PRECIOUS temper.
To the appointment of Washington
far more than any other single circum-
stance is due the ultimate success of the
American revolution, though in purely
intellectual powers Washington was
certainly inferior to Franklin, and, per-
haps, to two or three other of his col
leagues. There is theory which once
received the cOuntenance of some con-
siderable psychologists, though it is
now, believe, completely discarded,
that one of the great lines of division
among men may be traced to the COM
parative development of the cerebrum
and cerebellum. To the first organ, it
was supposed, belonged those special
gifts or powers which make men poets,
ora tors. thinkers, artists. conouerors or
wits. TO the second belong the super
intending. restraining. discerning and
directing faculties. which enable men to
employ their several talents with sanity
and wisdom, which maintain the bal
ance and proportion of intellect and
character. and make sound judgments
and well-regulated lives.
The theory, however. untrue in its
physiological aspect, corresponds to
real distinction in human minds and
characters, and it was especially in the
second order of faculties that Washing
ton eXcelled. His conversation had no
brilliancy or wit. He was entirely
without the gift of eloquence. and he
had very few accomplishments. He
knew no language but his own, and, ex-
cept for a rather strong turn for mathe-
MATES, he had no taste which can be
called purely intellectual. There was
nothing in him of the meteor or the
cataract, nothing that either dazzled or
overpOwered. A courteous and hospit-
able country gentleman, skillful farm
er. very keen sportsman, he probably
differed little in tastes and habits from
The better members of the class to
which he Belonged and it was in great
degree in the administration of a large
estate and in assiduous attention to
country and provincial business that he
acquired his rare skill in reading and
managing men.-Lecky's History of
ENGLAND