The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-23

greatest mischiefs that can befall my
country. Danish these thoughts from
your mind,an never communicate, from
yourself or anyone else, a sentiment of
like nature" He could not be dismay
ed. When an inexperienced congress
failed to furnish supplies and there
We're only nine rounds of ammunition in
the army, he sent couriers from viii
lage to village and dispatched a ship
to the Bermudas to purchase powder;
when he was defeated he drew his rag
ged regiments more closely about him
and planned a new campaign; when the
cold and hunger of Valley Forge sent
his barefoot soldiers shivering to the
grave when friends forsook him and
enemies plotted his disgrace, he wrap
| ped his cloak about him, and kneeling
in the snow, laid hold upon the Eternal
and appealed his cause to the infinite
Justice Then was repeated the miracle
of Carmel, that snowy altar touched
the throne, and God made His answer
| in the persons of Baron Steuben and
Lafayette.
| And when his task was finished the
| great soldier laid down the symbols Of
| power and fastened to the simple duties
| of private life True American again!
| What words ever presented a loftier
| ideal of American citizenship than
| those of his letter to the governors of
| the states at the close of the war? THE
| great object for which l had the honor
/ to hold an appointment in the service
| Of ,1i
| am now preparing to return to that do
nestle retirement which, it is we'll
known, / left with reluctance" There
| speaks the patriot; the honor and duty
| of public service recognized it's tasks
performed with minute fidelity it's in
sigma eagerly stripped off when those
tasks are ended But in his retirement
! the condition of the country is never
| far from ghs thoughts, his interest in
| it's welfare is not for a moment abated.
He distrusted the confederation which
seemed to him ''little more than a
| shadow without substance, and con-
gress migratory body" He was a
sincere and intelligent nationalist; he
contended for close and indissoluble
union of the states, for a congress with
adequate powers, for central govern
ment whose power should pervade the
| whole union as the authority of the
state governments extended over the
several states. And so by his letters to
men in public life, by his influence and
active efforts he sought to conserve the
results of the long and costly struggle.
1t was not strange that, when at last
the government was settled on per,na-
nent lines he should be chosen as the
| first president of the new republic. He
was what the modern politician would
call the logical candidate, only in a
higher sense. 1t was entirely fit for he
townered above them all in devotion,
in services, in fitness as he did in stat
ure Fellow citizens! I have not sought
to-day to find some new Interpretation
of the well known facts of history; I
have not attempted, with my poor pig
ments, to throw a new portrait upon
the canvas. I have tried to group it
few of the great facts around the old,
familiar figure, that we might again
persuade ourselves that, in the charac-
ter of Washington, God laid for us the
lines of an ideal Americanism, and
taught us the immortal truths he would
have US teach the nations by making
them regnant in the life of our people.
We do well to speak his name with
reverent tongue, for we and he are
| called to high renown. No nation
ever had a grander figure set against
its morning sky; no other pioneer of
| freedom ever nursed a tree whose
leaves so healed the nations.
| aT ot ,-Iaro with, potianf Toll h., ,,,,,so i
And trained new set plant at first,
The widening branches of a stately
| tree
Stretch from the sunrise to the sunset
| sea.
And in it's broad and sheltering shade,
| Sitting with none to make afraid,
| Were we now silent through each
mighty limb
The winds of heaven would sing the
praise of him."
The name of Washington! 1t cannot
die. The deeds of Washington? They
| cannot be forgotten. Wherever floats
the flag his story will be rehearsed with
| reverence; wherever lives an American
| his image will have a heart shrine.
That wounded French soldier who said
to the surgeon, "cut a little deeper, sir,
and you will find the emperor" uttered
| the final word for us. Under all our
other patriotic sentiments lies a vener-
alton for Washington which no other
affection can displace; you have only
to go deep enough into the heart of a
! true American to find the calm face of
"the Father of his Country
o. thou greatest American of them
ALL thou art living yet, serene in undis-
puted primacy, secure in historical ap-
| praise, strong in beneficent influence.
supreme in our affections.