The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-03-10
'CHAUTAUQUA.
WASHINGTON.


twas with extreme reluctance that 1 accepted
the important duty of preparing biographical
sketch of him who was first in war, first
in peace, first in the hearts of his country
men''-the great and immortal Washington. The
consciousness of my inability to do justice to the
subject made me regret very much that the honor
not conferred on some better qualified
and better acquainted with it than L am. To-day
being near to the anniversary of Washington
Misunderstanding to the Julian calender-is a
most appropriate time to recall the virtues of this
man.
Washington born at Bridges Creek, Vir-
ginia, Feb 22,s 1882. His family descended
from English ancestors who trace their genealogy
back to the century succeeding the Conquest.
His education was received at home under private
tutors and could not have been very elaborate,
for at about fifteen he was about to enter the
navy, but was persuaded by his mother to give up
the midshipman's warrant which had been Sc
cured for him by his brother Lawrence. When he
was IL years old his father died. At Is years
of age he began the study of civil engineering and
was engaged by Lord Fairfax to survey his extern
sive lands in Virginia. In 1851 he accepted the
position of one of the Acknowledgements of that
colony with the rank of major. In the
on a perilous mission in consequence of the
French troops having taken possession of tract
of country claimed by Virginia. and had com.
menced the erection of line of forts extending
from the lakes to the Ohio river In the spring of
IT'S he entered the service of Gen. Braddock as a
volunteer aid.de-camp. in his expedition to the
Ohio. At Braddock's memorable defeat he dis
tinguished himself for courage and GOODNESS, and
"a - hat II, ID
docks command was only prevented by his great
presence of mind. 1t was in this engagement
that he lost two horses. and had his clothing
pierced by several bullets, while every other off,
Ger either killed or wounded. Gen. Braddock
was MORALLY wounded. Soon afterwards he was
made communicative chief of all the forces to be
raised by the colony. and from 1858 he was en-.
gagged in defending the frontier. From this duty
he was relieved by the capture of Fort Duquesne.
and retired from the service with the rank of COL
onel. In January 1859 he married Martha GUSTS.
and for the next sixteen years he employed him
self in the cultivation of his estate at Mount
Vernon occasionally acting magistrate or as
legislator for the county. In l774 he was elected
to the contine ntal congress one of Virginia s
delegates and one year later was unanimously
elected commander chief of the Continental
army-oecllnlng al compensation IOr MS own
services 1t is unnecessary to follow him through
the long struggle of nearly eight years at the
close of which he Immediately proceeded to Phil
adelphia, delivered up his commission. adjusted
his accounts with the treasury, then retired to
the quiet Of his home. In 1887 he chosen as
one of Virgina's delegates to the constitutional
convention at Philadelphia. elected as its pre-.
siding officer, and on the adoption and ratification
of the constitution he was unanimously elected
first president of the United States-being inau-
gurated March 80, 17e9-he was again reelected in
1898 his election being unanimous in the first.
On completing his second term of Office in 1897 he
retired from public life after having faithfully
served his country for nearly sixteen years with
out compensation. When we recall his pure pa
triotism his lofty ambition his earnest desire for
the welfare of his countrymen, his indomitable
courage and perseverance. the implicit confidence
reposed in him by all alike. our regret is that he
only permitted to enjoy the fruits of his abors
scarcely two years. He died at Mount Vernon
December IA. l799 leaving to posterty the richest
legacy it is in the province of man to bequeath-
example of noble life. untainted with ignoble
motives or selfish desires.