The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-24
HE REFUSED A GROWN.
AN EXAMPLE OF WASHINGTONS
NOBLE NATURE.
How This Action Impressed Gladstone
and Carlyle-lt Seemed Incom-
prehensible to Bonaparte.

Mr.. Gladstone, IN one OF his CHATS
with Chauncey M. Depew, said that he
was inclined to the belief that all in all
perhaps the greatest man since Martin
Luther was George Washington, and
the great English statesman went on to
explain what he meant by this charac-
terization. He did not regard Wash
ington as intellectually possessed Of
such genius as any one of half dozen
men whom he could name His mil
litary genius is undisputed, although of
course it is hardly fair to compare it
with that displayed by John Churchill
or Napoleon or Wellington. Judged
simply by results, it was as great as the
victories of any of these men, since it
led to the establishment of a nation
destined to be pre-eminent in the ma
tons of the world.
Every one who has studied the mill
tary movements of the revolution on
both sides, is aware that Washington
was very greatly helped by the distrac-
tions which existed in Great Britain
and which made it impossible to con.
centrate its efforts in the American
colonies. What the result would have
been had Great Britain sent a Yelling
ton commanding a great British army
in case he and Washington joined in
battle, no man can say.
Yet Mr. Gladstone thought, that in
some respects Washington stood the
greatest tests. His so called Fabian
policy, which consisted in extraordina-
rily skillful avoidance Of battle, when
defeat would have been almost certain,
and when it required strategy of the
highest order to avoid it, was carried
out with the patience and the ConviC.
ton of genius. His retreat after the
battle of Long Island was of itself, in
Gladstone's opinion, sufficient evidence
Of great military ability to justify his
appointment as commander-iu-Chief O
the American armies.
But it was not in respect of military
quality that Mr.. Gladstone regarded
Washington as so pre-eminently great
1t was in the perfect balance of all hi!
greater moral and intellectual qualitie:
that this pre-eminence lay. His patience
according to Mr. Gladstone, was some
thing exceeding that of any other mar
who achieved greatness, for it was pa
tience under extraordinary irritations
and patience exercised for no personal
ambition, but simply for the cause.
His conception of what the govern
ment which he was seeking to establish
should be was quite as distinct and com
prehensive as that of Hamilton, Jay
Madison or Jefferson, although he prob
ably could not have set forth in legal ar
gument as they did the reasons for tina
conception. They were admirably Sc
forth in his messages, and especially il
his farewell address, although there arr
indications that some of the message
were written by Hamilton, while tn,
farewell address was unquestionably
written by Livingstone, although som,
writers believe that Madison wrote it
But if the phraseology was that of tn,
secretary the ideas were those of Wash
ington, and he undoubtedly set then
forth to his secretaries, asking them, WHIT
were more familiar with the literary ust
of the pen than he, to put them in fit
ting language.
Mr.. Gladstone regards the finest tri
umph of noble, unselfsh, patriotic ant
majestic impulse to be illustrated b.
one brief incident in Washington
career. When Washington refused tn
crown, then the world had the fines
exemplication of noble, majestic ma
ture.
The incident is not as familiar as
should be. American youth know tina
Washington captured CORVALLIS, mad
a brilliant retreat after the battle c
Long Island, and worried and frette
the British armies into exhaustion dul
ing a seven years war. They ais
know that he was president twice, an
declined to become president thir
time. There are not many who kno'
that the only time tears were seen
his eyes and the manifestation of gres
personal sorrow was made to thos
about him, was upon that occasion {
the close of the war, when his arm
encamped upon the banks of the Hue
son, was about to be disbanded. Their
were men who were fearful that tn
ambitions and jealousies of some {
those who had been of influence du
ing the revolution, would lead them
attempt to gain great personal powe
There were others who believed tn;
as a result of the victory, there woul
be established in America constitl
tional monarchy modelled after that {
Great Britain. The nation as we no
know, it was a government yet to /
created.
So company of officers-men ha
ing influence, having talked this matte
over, agreed to 60 to Washington, as
him to accept the crown Of empire an
to promise him the support of the arm
in establishing thus personal thron
When they approached him, Washin
ton believed that these officers an
friends of his had come upon some sue
Grand as led them often to seek him f
co,,oeaI He yuoc IL, a hanDU frama 4