The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-23

1
| From the hour when Washington de-
clared in his Virginia home that he
would raise / 900 men and equip them
/ at his own expense to march TO the de-
| Tense OF Boston, he became the master
/ full spirit of the continental army ana
| the mightiest single factor in the con-
/ tinents struggle for liberty and indie
pendence Apparently without person
| al ambition, spurning royal honors
| when suggested to him. he fulfilled a
/ still more glorious destiny as the guid-
| ing force of a civilization freer and
| mightier than the history or man had
| ever known. Though Washington eN-
allied character and the most strfK nE
| of his brilliant record are TOO familiar
/ to be reeounted here, where so many
/ times they have received eloquent ana
/ deserved eulogy, yet often as the story
| is retold, it engages our love and ad-
mirative interest. We love to recall his
/ noble unselflshness, his heroic pur-
poses. the power of his magnificent
/ personality. his glorious achievements
! and his stalwart devotion to independ-
i ence. liberty and union. These cannot
/ be too often told or be too Familiarity
/ known,
His Moral Nature.
1 A slave holder himself. yet he hated
/ slavery and provided in his will for the
emancipation of his slaves. Not col
| lege graduate. he was always enthusl-
astically the friend of liberal education.
| He used on every suitable occasion 10
! impress upon congress ana the coun-
] try the importance OF STANDARD OF
general education, and characterized
the diffusion of knowledge as the most
| essential element of strength in the
system Of free government. lhal
learning should go with liberty ana
that liberty is never endangered so
long as ii is in the keeping of intelli-
gent citizens was the ideal civic code
which his frequent utterances never
failed to enforce.
And how reVerent always was TINS
great man, how prompt and generous
his recognition Of the guiding hand 81
Divine Providence In establishing ana
controlling the destinies of the colonies
and the republic. Again and again, IN
his talks and in his letters, in his papers
/ and formal addresses he reveals TINS
side of his character, the force OF Whlch
we still feel and ] trust we always VIII.
AT the very height of his success and
/ reward. as he emerged from the revolu-
/ ton receiving by unanimous acclaim
! the plaudits of the people and command
/ ing the respect and admiration OF the
! civilized world, he did not forget that
/ his first official act as president should
4 be fervent supplication to the Almighty
4 Being who rules the universe. 1t is lie
/ who presdes in the councils or nations
I and whose providential aid can supply
every human defect. It is His benedfc-
4 tlOn Wnlcn We most Ndlll anu AiiiS+i
4 can and will eonsecrate the liberties and
! happiness of the people of the United
States. With His help the instruments
/ of the citizens employed to carry out
their purposes will succeed in the func-
i tiens allotted TO public life.
But Washington on this occasion went
| further and spoke for the people, assnm-
ing that he but voiced the sentiment Of
the young nation in thus making faith
in Almighty God and reliance upon His
favor and care the strong foundations
of the government then tnaugurated.
Washington states the reason Tor SO pc
/ iieving in language SO exalted that 1t
| should be craven deep upon the mind of
/ every patriot.
His Recognition OF Providence.
mo people can be bound to acknowl-
edge and adopt the invisible hand which
conducts the affairs of man more than
the people Of the United States. Every
step by which they have advanced to
the character of an independent nation
! seems 10 have been distinguished by
some token of proVidential agency; and
In the important revolution just accom-
plished in the system of the united gov
eminent the tranquil deliberations and
/ voluntary consents of so many distinct
communities from which the events re-
suited cannot be compared with the
means 10y which most OF the govern
ments had not been established without
some sort of pious gratitude along with
an humble anticipation Of the future
blessings which the same seems to pres
age The reflections arising out Of the
present crisis have forced themselves
strongly upon my mind. You will Joiu
with me, / trust, in thinking that these
are done under the influence of which
the proceedings of a new and free gov.
eminent are most auspiciously com
menced"
The senate of the United States mad,
fitting response of its appreciation q
! this portion Of the president Inaugural
address,, when its members declared e
review of the many signal instances o
Divine Intervention in favor of tn,
country claims our most pious gratitude
and that they Were inevitably led to &C
knowledge and adore the Great Arbite
! of the universe by whom empires ris'
I and fall"
: Congress added its sanction by pro
viding that after the oath shall haV'
been administered 10 the president, he
attended by the vice president and TIL
members of the senate and house o
, representatives. proceed to ST. Paul
! chapel to hear divine services performed
by the chaplain Of congress already ap
pointed
Not alone upon days of Thanksgiving
: or in the times of trial should we as
! people remember and follow the eXampl
mus sci On the iainelS, out never II
our future as a nation should we forge
the great moral and religious principle
which they enunciated and defended a
! their most precious heritage.
In an age of great activity, of indus
. trial and commercial strife and of per
! / picking problems, we should neve
: abandon the simple faith in Almight,
s | God as recognized In the name of tn
American people by Washington am
, the first congress.
But If timely lesson is to be draw
. from the opinions of Washington on hi
assuming the office Of president, 50 ais
is much practical benefit 10 be derives
from the present application of portion
1 Of his farewell address. "A document /
! which Washington laid down principle
I | which appeared To him s'all importan
10 the permanence of your felicity as
people" In that address Washingto
contends in part I'D for the promotion G
|. itl.tl tallinns If lAaEninEr Lol I'm nhGEis d