Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-15

pose. To make Il military commander or
Il civil ruler of the first order. This
means Il great man.
Revolutions in modern civil govern
mentS are generally marked by three sue
ceSsivc stages or conditions. First comes
the conflict of ideas. the protests AMI
remonstranceS against grievances and OPP
precision; then the actual contest of arms:
and last. the healing of the wounds of
war. the rebuilding and reorganization
after its havoc and confusion. 1t is in
this last stage that the statesman
to the front. after the agitator. the ora
tor and the soldier mas each played his
part.
At such 4 critical hoar-really darker
and more p~crilouS than any hour during
the war-it was George Washington vino
again saved the country and the cause
Of liberty in Amcrica-savcd them now In
this deadly peace rs he had once before
saved them on the battlefield. As | read
the history of that time, | am more and
more impressed with the conviction and
! wOndcr that the fact has not been made
more p~romincnt-that had it not been for
NaShinston's great influence and activity
IN calling that constitutional convention.
II might probably have never been held.
and after it was held had he not been its
president and most influential member
1t might never have agreed upon Il draft
10 submit To the people: and then. even
after that. bat for his great name and
influence and his active and ~tireless efforts
in its behalf. it might never have been
ratified by the requisite number of States
History shows that it is by fortuitous cir
cumstances. or providences. that nations
and great cauSes are Saved-a man ut the
right c~onJuncturc. an influence ut the
right time. Il word at the right moment.
When the first President of the new
republic was To be elected. all eyes were
turned to Washington. and he was unan-
imously chosen. Not Il vote was east
against him. No other name was even
suggested or thought Of. What Il tribute
and proof of his p~re-eminence, when il
is remembered that the country was full
OF able men-OratOrs and statesmen like
Patrick Henry. Adams and jefferson. and
Lee and Itutledgc and Hancock. and a
score of others. This great honor, like
all his honors, came to Washington un-
sought. and he accepted it. as he had 9th
ers, with distrustful modesty and from Il
sense OF puDllc duty. Alter the impress
sive inaugural ceremony in New York he
announced his cabinet. and the new gov
was fairly launched. He called
Hamilton to the treasury and jefferson
TO the State Department. What president
and patriotic wisdom ut the outset, These
were the two places of pressing moment
and responsibility. The new government
was starting without money or credit or
commerce. and heavily in debt; with in
dependence. but without weight or stand
ing among the nations. Washington knew
the genius of Hamilton. who had been his
military secretary in nlc revolution; ne
knew the resources of that wonderful
mind. and 50 he callec him To this place
of first responsibility. where he soon
brought order out of confusion, put tn,
national credit upon its feet. and. a.
Webster said. "sm0te the rock of our M.
tional resources until streams of revenue
gushcd FORTH Who so fit to give char
acter to the other place Of state as the
learned, the philosophic. the patriotic JEFF