The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-02-23
OUR C0UNTRY'S FATHER.
A Brief History of His Career
From Birth-Early In
dustrieS.

One hundred and thirty-tw
years ago yesterday in Westmore
land county, Va, was born to tn
wife of Augustine Washington
son, who became the first presi
| dent of the United States, and the
! most illustrious American tina
ever lived. At the age of /;
years his father died leaving the
| management of a large estate t.
his widow. who continued her res
idence on the estate with her five
minor children. She was a woman
of intelligence and energy anC
ruled her family and household
with a firm hand. At that time
the means of education were lin
tied in all the colonies, particularly
in the south. Harvard. Yale, and
William and Mary were the only
colleges. Considering that The
father of Washington was man
of wealth it is somewhat remarka-
BILE that George was not sent to
the latter. For some reason OF
other his opportunities of educa-
ton were confined to those of the
local schools of the neighborhood
and the instruction he received
therein did not g. beyond the
primitive branches. His character,
like that of many other eminent
men, was largely moulded by his
mothers influence At the age of
19 he had spent three years sur
veying. They were undoubtedly
three most valuable years of prep
aration. Passed by most young
men of fortune at college, they
were passed by him in che wilder
ness. His body was strengthened
by exercise and hardships; his
senses and corporeal faculties de-
veloped and trained and the habit
of self reliance formed. In the
course of his surveying tours he
frequently encountered parties of
friendly Indians, and became ia
miliar with their manners, and the
scene of his labo S, the northwest
ern frontier of Virginia, alterward
became the theater OF those move
ments and operations which formed
the memorable commencement OF
his military career. At the be-
ginning of the seven years. War,
when but 19 years of age, Wash
ington received the appointment
of adjutant with the rank of major.
At the age of %, with no expert
ence in the field, he was placed at
the head Of Virginia regiment.
Notwithstanding the disastrous
termination of the campaign, not
the slightest reproach was cast on
the youthful commander. That
he was able to make honorable
terms of capitulation and bring off
his little force in safety, notwith-
standing the strength of the enemy
and the lawless character of their
Indian allies, was regarded as
proof of energy and fortitude, as
we'll as skill and prudence equal to
the severest trial. In 1855 force
Of 1000 men was raised, of which
the chief command was conferred
on Washington, and the duty OF
protecting the sfrontier devolved
upon him until the end of the war
The difficulties with which he had
to contend proved an excellent
school of preparation for the revo-
lutionary war. Washington was
married January II, 1859, to Mrs.
Martha Custis. He took advan-
tage of the fall of Fort Duquesne
and the expulsion of the French
from the valley of the Ohio, to re
sign his commission in the colonial
service, and retired the youthful
idol of his countrymen. After
seventeen years of retirement heI
next appeared Ill the fleld as the
chief of the army
of the United Colonies, and all the
forces now raised or to be raised
by them."
Such was the colonial policy by
which the horse guards occasion
ally saved a commission for the
third son of a duke, by which the
crown lost a continent, and the
United States gained a place in the
family of nations. He at no pc
riod of his life was an active par
tisan leader, but at all tunes and
in all assemblies he exercised a
paramount influence by soundness
of judgment and weight of char
acter. The couns which he gave
to a nephew just chosen to the as
sembly no doubt conformed to his
own practice: eff you have a