Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-23

The was Of issl.es was . curtain that
almost shut ont the heroes Of earlier days.
LATHE d said IN these times about
the " patriot fathers" and the "sieners."
Even the great name OF WAmuoroH Y
often ovsrsbadowsd by later heroes, and
the suderings and endurance OF the
Revolutionary soldiers II crowded out OF
mind BY recollections Of what our own
troops went through during the latest and
greatest was that ever SHOOK this land.
The Revolutionary strugglewss dimmed
in the popular mind by the war OF 1917.
and that in turn By the war with Mexico.
No wonder. thcn. that the great tragedy
which we saw with our own eyes
enacted at our own homes should
have showed aside much that was only
known TO as through history or tradition.
Another war will come In time, no
doubt, and then these lsttsr-day scenes
that linger In our memories viii be edsced
TO q great degree by fresh actions. and he
roes now unknown-perhsps unborn-will
be given places and succeed to sdmira-
ton now bestowed upon Others.
But II appears impossible that the name
OF wAsH1SoroS can ever be forgotten
as long as our country holds q position
among the nations Of the earth. His was
the central figure in the held and in the
dangerous days of peace immediately sue
ceeding the acknowledgment Of our in
dependence. He was indeed hrst in war.
first in peace. But for him the victory
wrung from the British legions would have
been shattered by the victors themselves,
who hardly knew what manner OF govern
ment they wanted or needed. Under
WASHINGTON suitable form OF govern.
ment was devised and established, and
having served bis country well and unset
fishly he retired to his home at Mt. Vernon.
"There he lived in noble simplicity; there
he died in glory and peace"
In nearly every city in the land there is
WASHINGTON monument. In every State
nearly there is q county or town of WASH
NaToN. In every city nearly there Is
WASHINGTON street or avenue. and the Fed
eral city, the capital of the Union, bears
WAsHINaroS's name. as does one OF the
most beautiful and thriving of the States
of the far Northwest. All these are per-
petual reminders of the Father OF his
Country and ore among the fixed ASST
RANGES that his is one OF the immortal
names that were not born to die. And
yet few OF us have studied his life as 1t
deserves to be studied, aud few OF US APP
preciate his achievements as they should
be appreciated.
If oil the country.,all the enlightened
world, indeed. honorsl the name OF WASH
rsoroN, how much more should we Viz
ginians honor it Fame accords him place
as the greatest yirginian. Here he was
born, here he was reared, here he won his
earliest triumphs as surveyor and soldier.
here he married and lived. here he entered
the Patriot cause. here he won the conclu-
sive battle of the war, and here is his
tomb.
His birthday should never be allowed to
pass without appropriate observance. and
great credit is due to all Of those who on
yesterday signallized 1t by cannon-hring,
fag-raising, professions, and speech
making. vfrginisns, at least, would be
guilty of unpardonablei ngratitude if they
permitted the lapse Of time to lessen their
reverence for WASHINGTON. since time but
magnifies the value of his services to his
country.