The San Francisco call., 1899-12-14
THE FOREMOST AMERICAN.

constitutional period, which he inaugurated as the
first President the signs OF party division appeared
and before the close of his lie the rival views OF con-
stitutional Interpretation held by Jefferson and Ham
ton had already founded the two great schools in
American politics Washington understood with
great clearness the dividing line between principle and
expediency. Because of his contemporaries did
not clearly make that distinction he was misrepre
sented This issue with the necessity OF abro-
eating treaty with France which practically
closed our ports TO any but French commerce. That
convention was made in the stress and crisis OF the
Revolution. But after that struggle was and we
in the calm OF peace it became evident that
lance solely upon French commercial contacts was
grave mistake, which would seriously impair the for
tunes and clog the progress OF the young republic.
II being apparent that our natural and greatest
commerce must be with England, and that upon eX-
terna trade be first dependence for national
advancement the highest consideration OF expedency
required a commercial treaty with Great Britain. By
the treaty with France in 1873 it was agreed that
should not conclude any treaty with another power
without the consent of France. When the necessity
OF commercial intercourse with Great Britain became
apparent to be irresistible entered into the
commercial convention of 1914 against the wish and
without the consent OF France. This caused violent
outbreak of party feeling But the lapse Of time has
demonstrated Washingtons wisdom for the treaty OF
1904 the effective commercial emancipation OF this
country and the final assertion OF our independence OF
the suzerainty OF France and all other powers The
partisans OF Jefferson furnished OF the critics,
but the commercial independence secured by Wash
ington eagerly taken advantage of by effersons
disciples in the embargo incident TO the war OF 1872
But notwithstanding this beginning OF partisan
clamor which somewhat clouded the close OF Wash
ington life his DEATH five years after the cause OF
attacks upon him. the whole nation stood awe-strcken
and impressed with the belief that the foremost man
in all the world had fallen.
The vivid changes and rapid movement OF progress
in the century gone since that day have not effaced
nor changed that impression. The history of man
kind the experience OF the world in the change OF
governments the rise and fall OF dynasties and even
in the emergence OF peoples into larger liberty has
not shifted his place in the esteem OF men, In his
farewell address his statement OF principle in
exposition of his view OF expediency In that address
his countrymen given the best definition of their
government, OF the principles upon which it is
founded and the practices upon which its perpetuity
must depend. Laid beside the Declaration OF Inde-
pendence that address furnishes complete interpre-
tation OF our constitution, and the two will survive
forever as our reason for seeking independence and
sei-eovernment and a statement OF the national
policy by which alone they be made perpetual
In his patience wisdom, unse6shness and far for
ward look Washington stands supreme at the head OF
the worlds worthless In his mind originated the
clear fundamental principles of the constitution which
were concreted into expression by Madison That
brief document, which now rests our colossal
national structure, could not be made o-day Com
mandng the profound admiration of the worlds best
thinkers for century, if it were swept into oblivion
to- morrow, and the best wisdom of these times
r,e, all .t,a
the complexities OF our modern life would induce
lar less simple statement OF the unchangng principles
upon which rest the rights OF man 1t reflected the
simplicity and painness OF Washingtons life. and
stands testimony the confidence OF his country
men in his stainless integrity and his mighty capacity
TO foresee the institutions OF which it was to be the
matrix
Considered as his great virtue was his per-
feet selfpoise and self-control Naturally OF quick
and emotional temper. he held this quality in hand
az useful energy and never submitted to it as
master He had 10 arrest and change history to up-
root traditions TO found habits OF thought among
his countrymen There is evidence that 10 the mas,
OF them, even at the close OF the Revolution self
government, the rule OF reasonable majority were
terms merely, and not comprehended as the rule OF
action for government II his had been the ordinary
ambition OF great men this country would merely
ildNS SoNdpCu OF foreign monarchy
the state and circumstance OF an American ROYALTY
But he had wrought and endured suffered in patience
and borne defeat without depression and victory with
out exultation, for quite another purpose than the
raising OF another among the scepters which repre-
sented the rule OF one over the many He had in
deed borne all and done all to crown new king. but
that was not to be king among the kings-merely
one more man crowned and enthroned and invested
with authority-but a nation that was to be king
among nations. with every man in it a ruler Around
us is the iuhlment OF his perfect work Let rs
not boast ourselves unduly Men say sometimes that
Washington was behind the times; that he and the
men OF his generation saw railway nor tele-
graph, nor any OF the magic OF power and mechanism
which has transformed modern life That is true
But II is true also that no American OF this genera
ton took a naked sword from the Continental Con
gress to flash it through the night of seven years
war for human liberty and the right OF man to govern
himself and at the end gave back to the Continental
Congress duled and ncked and rused in the task Of
carving out new nation in which all men are rulers