The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-23

Rev. j. A. Milburn spoke of the happy
combination of the academic and patriotic
spirit evident in the enthusiastic audience
before him. Every great university and
college" said he, has had its birth in the
mind OF a man who was patriot He
urged the great need of culture and said
that America has to prove TO the world
that democracy Is not compatible with
numbers, but stands for what Is highest
and best in craftsmanship. There are two
dangers threatening the country, he said.
go into the world simply TO earn its bread.
but must earn millions for debauch De-
mCcracy must show that ii is compatible
with culture. Culture has been the out
growth of monarches in the old world
They have nourished it, fostered it, loved
IL. Democracy must do likewise Culture
does not mean examining the head wish
Greek roots and Latin declensions. Some
of the most supreme asses / have known, -
said Mr.. Mlburn, have been men of large
learning: Culture is vision. Vision is the
power of seeing things as they are" Much
is heard about the plain people," said he
The plain man, as that term is generally
understood TO mean, is poor man to rule
but plain men after the order of Wash
ington, Lincoln and John Bright, of Eng
land, he said, We're plain men that he de-
lighted to follow. The students could do
no better, he said, than to take Washing
ton for their example The Nation is call
ing for brains in the council, in the legiS-
lature, above all in the Senate of the United
States, he said.
Il Notice, you have chosen the purple for
your color" said he, glancing at the deco
rations about the hall Democrats though
you be, it is a royal color May 1T he the
emblem of your lives. God bless you all. "
MR.. HARRIS'S ADDRESS.
GO on, go on" cried the students as Dr.
Milburn resumed his seat amidst great APP
plause. But he dissented with a smile. Aft
er band number Addison c. Harris, the
speaker of the day, was introduced His
topic was Washington" Mr. Harris
touched on traits of character of the revo-
lutionary hero in an unusual way, bringing
out all the lovable. companionable, human
sides of the man that is so often
pictured and so often regarded as
having walked among gods-in a mantle
of austerity unconcerned in and remote
from the pleasures and affairs of this num-
dane sphere. Mr.. Harris said that Wash
ington was himself wont 20 make merry
give a feast and a dance on his birthday.
$50 long as he lived said Mr.. Harris he
turned from toll and labor to remember
with pride and joy that God had given
him life" After his fame as a soldier was
established by the victory of yorktown, q
party of his friends met on the night of
his birthday in New York, sang odes, drank
toastS and made speeches, not going nome
until morning, Just as the young men OF
to-day are accustomed to doing" While
dealing with the love of General Washing
ton for the rational pleasures of life, Mr..
Harris also touched upon some of the deep
er traits of his character In part he SAID;
Washington was born a farmers boy,
and for time attended the ordinary
schools of that day. He was fond of rude
and athletic sports. He led the boys In
sham battles and in other sports. At SIX
teen he became a surveyor, and was proud
to write home to his friends that he was
earning a doubloon a day. He began al
once to exercise business faculties, 5 ana
acres of land At nineteen years OLD ne
was major in the militia. ne was fond OF
military life. Perhaps this was because ms
6ad
Writing from his first battlefield, he said
that the whizz of the bullets was music IN
his ears and it is said that he never felt or
expressed fear. At Braddock's defeat, when
disaster was overwhelming, although sick;
he in a meas ire saved the day at the nead
Of his Virginia volunteers. Although Sixty
four officers were killed and wounded, he
escaped. and wrote home that his clothes
were pierced with four balls and that two
horses fell under him.
by the country an indication OF his aoli-
ity and courage, and he was looKeu upon
as a young man of extraordinary military
skill and knowledge. He was accordingly
promoted in the service of Virginia ana
was colonel at twenty-five
HIS ENTRANCE INTO POLITICS.
1.-THE French and Indian wars being over
he turned his attention to politics, and won
a place in the Virginia House of Burgesses
which corresponds to the lower house of
our Legislature, by the methods of the
time ingratiating himself with the voters
at the polls. At twentysix years old he
won the hand of the richest bride in Amer
lea and settled at Mt Vernon as a landed
Virginia gentleman. For thirteen years he
represented his county in the Legislature
He had little esteem for the so-caled ora
tor and yet no man was more influential
in matters of legislation. Jefferson says he
sat with him in the Virginia Legislature
and afterward in the Continental Congress,
and that he never heard him make a
speech of ten minutes duration. AT the end
of the first session of the Continental Con-
gress Patrick Henry being asked whom
he considered the greatest man in that
body, answered Washington
HE was averse to war with the King
of England until he saw that it could not
be aVerted. When Congress- III 1175, after
Lexington and Concord began to make ar
rangements for war, Washington was
unanimously chosen by that body as COM
mander-in-chief. This, perhaps, was a
stroke of good politics on the part of the
Adamses and other New England patriots.
Washington was a man of fortune and
represented the Southern colonies. With
him it was naturally expected TO brlnE
them to the support of the cause. His real
career thus began at the age OF forty
three. He accepted the command with dill
fidence and with the express stipulation
that he should receive no pay as a soldier
other than a reimbursement of actual ex-
penses. He eXacted from his enemies the
highest military recognition of his position
as commander~n-chief. When Gen. Howe
sent him a letter addressed TO MI. WASH
ington,' he received it with courtesy and
begged the messenger to inform the general
that he would send the letter to Mount
Vernon and would read it with pleasure
when he returned there as a private citi-
zen.
after the surrender of CORVALLIS at
Yorktown he gave the officers of both
armies dinner, where toaStS were drunk
to the King of France. CORVALLIS re-
sponded with toast to the King of Eng
land Washington joined in saying he would
drink the toast if George would remain at
home
1T was at the suggestion of Washington
that the convention of 1857 was called to
of his sagacity and extraordinary common
sense he was unanimously chosen chair
man of that body. Although he made no
speech during the convention, it is said
that no man exercised as much influence
as he in giving form and direction to the
Constitution as it now is. Franklin
having returned from Paris, was in favor
of a single house, and as near as might be
a pure democracy Hamilton wanted
President for life and a form of govern
ment similar to the English Constitution.
WAS hngtOn used his influence to modify
the views of these extremists and sue
ceeded perhaps more than any one in es-
tablishing the three entS-legiSla-
tive. executive and judicial. When
Washington became President he selected
jefferson, as representing the Democratic
party, to be secretary Of state, and Hamil-
ton holding opposing views, to be secretary
build up, but to restrain partylsm. lie nad
no secretary of the navy because he had no
navy He did not withdraw himself from
public view. but gave weekly leNeeS. am
ners theatrical parties, and sought in his
own polite way to divert the attention of
the people toward peace and prosperity
He declined a third term PreSi-
dent, feeling that any other course would
4a.alfa ef4I