Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-02-20

dom, independence prosperity, prog
ress and happiness, his was neverthe-
less moderation which kept in view
that which was attainable practically,
and he never reached for the wil-o-the-
Wisps which dazzle the imagination of
well-meaning, but Impractical enthu-
siasts. lie seldom failed in what he un-
dertooll because he tool. care not to at
tempt thatwhich was beyond his means
and never to proceed until his clear
reason saw at every step of the enter
prise the manner of carrying it out.
That this moderation did not lead to
timidity, that the native hue of resolu-
ton" was not "sicklied DER with the
pale cast of thought" so as to lose it's
strength is shown by such bold enter
prises as his incursion into New Jer-
sey across the ice-swollen Delaware and
the successful assault on the British in
vaders.
1t was this dignifed moderation
which caused him to estimate Justly
both the resources at his disposal and
the difficulties to be overcome, that
gave him not pride, but confidence, and
thus not only invited, but compelled the
confidence of others. No man differ
emily constituted could have held the
continental army together in the terri
bic winter of Valley Forge and under
the trials and distress caused by jeal-
ousieS in congress and insulliciency of
means. Nor could any other type Of
man, on the other hand, have restrained
the impetuosity of his officers and men
who would have used their power for
their own benefit against their coun-
trymcn if only to the extent of eXacting
their just dues.
But more remarkable, because en-
forced by no civil or military author
ity, but only by the weight of his per-
s0nality, was his influence during the
time preceding the adoption of the con-
stitution. During the most critical
period of American history, when an
urchy threatened to overwhelm the
people, when the various interests of
producer and CARRIER of south and
north, of Shareholder and anti-slavery
zealot, local differences of tradition and
descent, and the individual pride of the
states were all pulling in different di-
rections and the body which had been
held together, apparently with re-
luctance, under the pressure of
foreign invasion, bid fair to be
dissolved into its original units,
IL was the personal influence of
Washington that contributed more
than any one cause to happy solution
of the serious difficulties. When the
state of Virginia, after her heroic con-
duct in the beginning of the revolution
and throughout the war and her noble
sacrifice in yielding to the confedera-
tion her vast northwest territory, was
ON the point of frustrating all that had
gone before by refusing to accede to the
constitution submitted to the states
for ratification, it was the influence of
Washington that saved that great state
for the cause of the union and thus
saved the union itself. Not taking part
in the debates of the legislature or the
subsequent convention, he was active,
nevertheless, by writing to his friends
and answering inquiries from numer-
Gus citizens until the ratification was
carried against the violent exertions
of some of the ablest of Virgina's re-
Iuarkable galaxy of statesmen.
Most powerful Of all, however, was
the quiet influence of Washington's
personality at that time, not only in his
native state, but al through the statef;
and it is in this silent force which was