The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-02

whom he first assumed the RESPONSE
bllities of that august position, poorer
in pocket, for he had accepted no
Pecuniary compensation whatsoever
but more deeply rooted in the conf
denco, the admiration, and respect OF
his fellow citizens. These knew
not through any protestations of sol.
emn phrases but in the clear light
OF his unstndied acts and consistent.
self abnegatfon, that he was patriotic
as he was wise, that he respected and
believed in them; that he was not
afraid to leave in their hands the
destinies of the splendid nation he
had done SO much to establish and
maintain. They knew that in deliv-
ering his farewell address, he spoke
with information according to his
conscience ana his judgment; and
that what he said could safely be &C
copied as the deliberate and matured
utterance of an en- lightened mind and
n devoted and unselfish heart.
Thus the splendid thoughts with
which the address is crowded alway,
appeal with powerful effect to patri-
otto Americans. We listen to those
memorable words with reverence.
We find each year that they are
words of prophecy and inspiration;
that they apply to our interests, our
national happiness and safety as di-
rectly today as they did century
ago. And this year, especially, GER
tain of George Washington's injunc-
tlons and admonitions must have ap-
pealed with peculiar force to Senator
Daniels listeners. Indeed, one
might have thought that they were
uttered with the present situation
clearly before the retiring presidents
eyes:
."The great rule of conduct for us,
in regard to foreign nations, is, in
extending our commercial relations,
to have with them as little political
connection as possible. So far as we
havo already formed engagements,
let them be fulfilled with perfect
good faith. Here, let us stop. Eu-
rope has set of primary interests,
which to us have none, or very re-
mote relation. Hence, she must be
engaged in frequent controversies,
the causes of which arc essentially
! foreign to our concerns. Hence,
therefore, it must be unwise in us to
implicate ourselves, by artificial ties,
in the ordinary vicissitudes of her
politics, or the ordinary combinations
and collisions for her friendships or
enmities.
"Our detached and distant situa-
tion invites and enables us to pursue
a different course. If we remain one
people, under an efficient govern
ment, the period is not far off when
we may defy material injury from
external annoyance; when we may
take such an attitude as will cause
the neutrality we may at any time re-
solve upon to be scrupulously re-
!spected; when belligerent nations,
under the impossibillty Of making
acquisitions upon us,will not lightly
hazard the giving us rrovocation;
when we may choose peace or war,
as our interests, guided by justice,
shall counsel"
Hero wo find no maudlin inanities
about universal brotherhood and per.
petual poace. These arc the words
OF n brave, honorable, patriotic man;
a soldier, a statesman, country low
or, wise, just, honest, and far seeing.
George Washington was no dreamer
no doctrinaire, no victim of self do
coption. He know tha5 war was not
! the direst Of all evils. He knew that
peoples were made great by war
that human liberty was achieved by
war; that national honor and nation,
al safety depended upon the po"ol
to. make war, and that there was and
could be no surer guarantee Of peace
than freedom from entangling ALLAN,
ces and compacts, and the calm an6
resolute determination to mantair
our national freedom of action un
der any and all circumstances He
stood for dignity and justice, TO,
kindness and good faith to all the
] II a IIn