The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-02-23

was the nature of the man that he drew
to him the most efficient help of many
industrious and capable workers. They
gathered around him with extreme iidel-
ity and served him with affection and
confidence. Some of these were older
than himself In years. Not a few con-
sidered themselves more brilliant. Some
thought themselves more ardent patriots.
But such was the situation and such the
personality of the leader that he com
manded a great and faithful following
among the ablest of his c~ountrymen. In
such cases it appears that society seeks
and finds some average intellect capable
Of carrying out its mandates, and having
found it flies thereto with all complaints
and troubles and griefs, confident of OBJ
tanning the needed solution and rescue.
1t was not the Washingtonian mind
that is, the intellectual ability-of the
great first president that gave to him his
fame and Immortality. 1t was his char
acter. The character of Washington is,
without doubt, the most exemplary and
high that we have known in our Ameri-
can annals. Aye, more; it is the best
that is knownr in history. 1t is still easily
first, even after the age of Lincoln. There
is a certain Wilderness and unsullied
brightness about the public character of
the Father of His Country that surpasses
belief and realization. Here for more
than a century the gaze of biographers,
historians and critics has been fixed upon
him, butthey have found no blot or flaw
his character is absolutely iawless. His
truthfulness was as invariable as the law
Of gravitation. 1t is strongly probable
that as child and boy and man he never
told an untruth in his life. 1t is also
probable that this cannot be said of any
other American.
His honesty was equally unassailable.
Not the slightest touch of intrigue or
double dealing has ever been discovered
in the man from the first to the last. In
one case he makes q charge against the
government of Go, expended in sending
a spy into the enemy's lines for in
formation. For prudential reasons he
makes the entry without giving the name
of the person sent on the dangerous mis-
sion. After some time he forgot the
name and could not recall it. AT the
bottom he says, after an asterisk: This
expense was incurred in sending a mes
senger into the enemy's lines. The name
was not given lest he might be discov-
cred. l deem it just, therefore, since |
cannot recall the name, to charge the
sum to myself" To this day the gov
eminent of the United States is indebted
to the heirs of Washington for the sum
paid to his unknown spy.
Washington was as honest as he was
truthful. Perhaps the two things go to-
gether. Perfect sincerity was also an
ingredient in his character. In straight
forward dealing the record does not
show him ever to have deviated o hairs
breadth from the perfect line. He seems
never to have been once in his life en-
gagged in a dubious transaction. In fact,
by the time he reached his maturity his
reputation for integrity was so well es-
tablished and the severity of his manner
s well known that none burst approach
him with the suggestion of the doubtful
thing.
The marvellous fact about this great
character was, and is, that it surrounded
itself with a sort of sacred circle within
which no profane thing could enter.
Corruption came not near him. All in
trigue stood aloof and flew back from his
countenance. Insincerity was driven
away by the wind of his presence. There
was something august, really magnifi-
cent, in the serene majesty of Washing
tons face and expression. He was look
ed upon with awe, not only by his init
mate friends and the public men of the
epoch, but by all the people. In the lat
ter years of his life there was virtual
unanimity with respect to the elevation,
strength and perfection of his character.
This is said in particular of his public
life, the record of which shows a COM
pleteness as singular as it is glorious.
Another marked attribute of Wash
ington was his dignity. This was in
nate and was also developed by the vi
cissitudes and surroundings of his life.
No other man of American birth has
equaled him in dignity. His personal
bearing was superb. Though by no
means vain in anything, Washington was
personally proud TO a degree. So severe
and unrelenting were his aspect and
manner as TO make him the most unap-
proachable figure Of modern history. No
man had the hardihood to approach him.
with freedom and familiarity. In his
whole life he never had a friend who
ventured upon familiar manners with
him. He kept all aloof, not indeed of
purpose and intent, but by the Unborn
and unrelenting severity of his counte-
nance and pose.
As illustrative of the awe which Wash
ington inspired and of the restraint
which he enforced upon all in inter
course, the story may be repeated of the
wager which was made and won among
some high officials at one of the recep-
tons of the first chief magistrate. 1t
was in New York. The reception was
on, and the guests were coming in.
Washington stood after his dinner atone
end of the hall. His expression was lofty
and serene. Some members of the cabi-
net, military officers and others con-
versed in an animated way, referring to
the matchless dignity of the president.
A dispute arose, and a wager of e5