The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-14
POLITICAL.
Depew on Washington.

OuUJOlueu are bODne eALTdCto lIulu
paper by Chauncey M. Depew, read
before a society of the Colonial Danes
of America, in the city of New York.
We have been accustomed TO look
upon Washington as so great by nature,
so pure, so far above all weaknesses of
humanity, that it has been impossible
for us to have that regard and affection
for him which can only be posse d
for those who are of like nature with
ourselves. Happily for Washington's
humanity, recent researches have given
us delightful insight into the private
life and early years of our hero. All
the books which have been written and
the orations that have been made about
him have demonstrated that it was
through no merit of his that he was so
great and good, because he was born
and endowed with such supernatural
virtue that he was never subject to the
temptations which assail ordinary NOR
tails. We wonder as we read these
stories and histories whether the colon
ial dame was always on her knees be-
fore him and the colonial girl always
praying for his smile. He loved women,
he was fond of sport, he was great
hunter, he was the best horseman of
his age, he delighted in balls and par
ties and was gallant dancer. He
travelled hundreds of miles to witness
trial of speed between famous horses.
He seems to have been unhappy in his
earlier love scrapes. He was six feet
two inches high, straight as an arrow,
perfectly formed, except that he had
phenomenally large hands and feet,
and his face was pockmarked with the
smallpox which he caught at the Bar
BADGES. The colonial girl firted reck-
lessly with him, but never seemed to
fall in love with him. He writes TO
one of his correspondents letter from
Lord Fairfax's, in which he says:
"My place of residence is at present
at his Lordship's, where l might, were
my heart disengaged, pass my time
very pleasantly, as there is very agree
able young lady lives in the same
house, but as that is only adding fuel
to the fire, it makes me the more un-
easy, for by often and unavoidably be-
ing in company with her revives my
former passion for your lowland beauty,
whereas were l to live more retired
from young women might in some
measure alleviate my sorrows by bury
ing that which is troublesome passion
in the grave of oblivion or eternal for
getfulness, for, as l am very well as
sured, that is the only antidote or rem
edy that shall be relieved by or only
recess that can administer any cure or
help to me-"
Who was this "lowland beauty?" is
mooted question which probably can
never be decided. 1t has been discov-
cred that he paid earnest attention to
and his heart was deeply touched by
Lucy Grymes, Mary Bland, Betsy
Fauntleroy and Alice Fairfax. OF all
these he was most absorbed in and de-
voted to Betsy Fauntleroy. He wor-
SHIPPED at her shrine for several years
until rival carried her off.
Washington was the most industrious
of correspondents and in his letters re-
vealed his most secret passions and de-
sires. But, though we know how ten
derby he loved and how long he grieved
over the loss of Betsy Fautleroy, we are
still in the dark as to who was the low
land beauty who seemed to take pos
session of his heart as soon as the
charmer of the hour was driven or re-
tired from its portals.
In order to settle the question of the
regularity of his commission as Colonel,
Washington made journey to Boston.
Beverly Robinson, Virginian, had
married susanna Philips, a daughter of
Frederick Philips, the patron of the
great manor by the CrotOn. Robinson
entertained his friend, now famous be-
cause of his gallantry at Fort Duquesne,
at his house, and induced his wife to
have her sister, Mary Philips, as guest
at the same time. Here Washington's
susceptible heart was subject to an en-
tirely different charm from the English
ladies in the Barbados, or the lovely
Virginians of his native state. 1t was
the metropolitan girl-the New Yorker
as typical then as now-self-possessed,
travelled, with the experience Of sever
al seasons in the society OF the largest
city in the country, familiar with the
attentions of British officers and titled
fortune hunters, beauty and an
heiress. The type was new to Wash
ington, and he fell madly in love. But
the proud and finical New York belle
saw too many of the ways of the woods
man and the Indian fighter to allure
her from the refinements OF the metro
polls to the seclusion of plantation life,
and 80 she gave her hand and heart to
Lieut. Col. Roger Morris, to become,
with her Tory husband during the Rev
dictionary war, a fugitive in England,
while Washington, in the fortunes of
revolution, made their house his head
quarters during the campaign in New
York. And again in 1890, which was
the second year of his presidency, he
records in his diary that he was guest
at a picnic-and, by the way, he was
very fond of picnics--and that "the
dinner was provided by Mr.. Mariner
at the house lately of Col. Roger Nor
ris, but confscated and in the occupa.
ton of common farmer"
When sorely pressed by friend some
time ago l undertook to give what prac-
ticsl talent l possessed to untangle her
complicated estate. She was being
bankrupted by interest and legal ex-
penses. l found that she had ideas
that were directly the reverse of those
prevalent in the market as to the value
aF no. lxin