Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-23

I NnlS cGuAlltANILf nb4 NhGN AZ cAS
national advance and development, IL
/ will be less important. As the love Oh
/ family and kindred remains 10 bless ana
/ strengthen man in all the vlclssltuueS
/ of his mature and busy life, so must our
American sentiment remain with us as
a peOple--a sure hope and reliance IN
/ every phase OF our cOuptry'S growth.
/ Nor will il suffice that the factors
which compose this sentiment have
| sluggish existence ia our minds, as artl-
/ cles OF an idle faith which We are Will
| ing perfunctorily 10 profess. Ihey
must bc cultivated as motive principles,
I stimulating US 10 effort in the case OF
I good government and constantly warn
| ing Us against the danger and dishonor
I OF faithleSsnesS to the sacred cause we
| have ia charge and heedlessnesS Of the
| blessings vOuchsafed TO US and future
generations, under our free institutions.
These considerations emphasize the
I value which should be placed upon
I every opportunity afforded US for the
contemplation of the pure lives and
patriotic services Of those who have
I been connected with the controlling In
cidents Of our country'S history. SUCH
contemplation cannot fail to reinforce
and revive the sentiment absolutely es-
Sential 10 useful American citizenship,
nor fail TO arouse within as determln-
alton that during our Stewardship, no
harm shall come i the political gifts we
hold in trust from the Fathers OF the
Republic.
Ii is because George Washington COM
pletely represented all the elements OF
I American sentiment, that every incl
dent OF his life from his childhood TO
| his death, is worth recalling-whether
. IL impresses the young with the beauty
aud value Of moral traits, or whether IL
! exhibits to the wiSest and Oldest, an eX-
I ample Of sublime accomplishment ana
I the highest possible public service.
I Even the anecdotes told OF his boy
/ hood have their value. / have no
| sympathy with those who In
. these latter days attempt to shake
/ our faith in the authenticity OF these
/ stories, because they are not satisfied
with the evidence in their support, or
/ because they do not seem 10 accord with
/ the conduct OF boys in this generation.
/ IL may well be, that the stories should
| stand and the boys of the present day
/ be pitied. At any rate these anecdotes
I have answered an important purpose;
/ and in the present state OF the proofs,
| they should, in my opinion, be believed.
/ The cherry tree AMI Ratchet incident
! and its companion declatlon that the
/ Father Of his Country never told lie,
/. have indelibly fixed upon the mind OF
many a boy the importance OF truthful
ness. OF all the legends containing
/ words Of advice and encouragement
\ which hung upon the walls Of the little
| district school house where large share
/ of my education was gained, / remem-
/ Der but one, which was in these words:
I George Washington had only com
mon school education"
/ | will not plead guilty OF the charge
/ of dwelling upon the little features OF q
great subject. / hope the day will
never come when American boys cannot
| know of some trait or some condition in
which they may feel that they ought to
/ be or are like Washington. am not
afraid TO assert that a multitude OF men
can be found in every part OF our land,
respected for their probity and worth,
aud most useful 10 the country and TO
/ their fellow men, who will confess their
/ Indebtedness TO the story OF Washington
| and his hatchet; and many man has
won his way 10 honor and fame nOtwith-
standing limited school advantages, be-
cause he found hope and incentive in
/ the high mission Washington accom-
/ pliShed with only common school edu-
/ cation. These are not little and trivial
things. They guide and influence the
1 forces which make the. character and
sentiment OF a great people.
l should be ashamed OF my country,
/ il in further speaking of what Washing
/ ton has done for the sentiment of his
countrymen, il was necessary TO make
any excuse for a reference TO his con-
slant love and fond reverence, as boy
aud man, for his mother. This hliai
| love is an attribute Of American man
/ hood, badge which invites our trust
and confidence aud an Indispensable
element OF American gISESHcSS. Aman
/ may compass mDOrtaGs s.itaTpIneS, be
may become famouG Ne ~ "a the
applause OF his fellows, lac" evan DO
public service and deserves measure "a
popular approval, but he is not r -ht al
heart aud can never be tr@E great K he
| lOrgets his mother
In the latest biography al Washing
ton we find the following statement con-
corning his mother: That she was
affectionate and loving cannot be
doubted, for she retained to the last d
profound hold upon the reverential de-
votion Of her son; sand yet as he rose
steadily to the pinnacle of human great
ness, she could only say that George
had been a good boy and she was sure
he would do his duty"
cannot believe that the American
people will consider themselves called
upon to share the deprecatory feeling
OF the biographer, when he writes that
the mother Of Washington could only
say 10 her son, that she believed he