The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1894-02-22
Washington's Birthday.

still the only birthday to be celebrat-
ed by all Americans. The ninety-four
years which have elapsed since the
great patriot died have given birth
to many great and good men. The
Birthdays of some of these are cele-
brated by patriotic and political So
eieties, but to the great mass of the
people these anniversaries pass I'M
needed. The birthday of Washing
ton, on the other hand, is remember
ed by the people from ocean to ocean.
He is still the Father of his Country
and still first in the hearts of his
eountrymen. This reverence for the
name and memory of Washington is
deeply significant, and proves that
exalted public virtue and disinterest-
ed patriotism are still held in esteem
among men. To the people of this
country it is George Washington, not
some Napoleon of finance or of
politics, who is regarded as the pat
tern for American youth.
In taking command of the CONT
mental army Washington was assum-
ing a work of which few besides him
self understood the magnitude and
the difficulties. It was not merely
the command of an army as the mod
ern general takes the field. That
army was scarcely deserving The
name. Behind the commander-in-
chief and supporting him there was
no strong government. There was
not even united people. The pro-
portion of the people who had no
sympathy with the war and had no
grievance against Great Britain was
enormous. The Continental Congress
was scarcely more than debating
society, while the State governments
were often engaged in an effort to
shirk their responsibility, and all
were without sufficient resources to
clothe and feed the troops. Wash
ington in his own person had to sup
ply their deficiencies and to suggest
and urge measures upon the differ
4 emit governments. His position was
one which few men could have filled
so thoroughly. At the close of the
war, when he was possessed of glory
and honor and had the whole mill
tary power of the new States in his
keeping, the grand simplicity with
which he laid all this aside to return
to the quiet life of the country gen,
tleman has few parallels.
The effect of the life of Washing
ton upon history is hard to estimate
He seems to have been special in
strument raised up to accomplish &
grand purpose, for it was more than
doubtful whether any other man Of
the time could have successfully &C
complished the task imposed upon
the commander of the Continental
Army. It is doubtful whether, i
there had been others, one could have
been found to completely resign the
power he had acquired. It was
Washington who saw more clearly
than others the necessity for closer
union among the States than the ar
ticles of confederation afforded, ant
1t is certain that without the weight
of his great name the Constitution
would have been rejected when it was
submitted. What the result of tina
rejection would have been we Cal
only speculate. His refusal to accept
third term of Office established {
precedent which has possibly saved
the country from disaster. There
have been in America greater soldiers
greater statesmen and greater fnan
ciers than Washington, but in thu
possession of combination of thos,
qualities which go to make up The
thoroughly balanced and perfected
character Washington stands almos
alone in history. He filed positions