The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-02-16

serves. One hundred years ago, al
peace with all men, happy in the ad
minlstration of his property, busy in
correspondence on momentous subjects
and profoundly blessed in his home life
Washington though in full vigor oil
rugged age was ripening for the harvest
If death. His day was done December
IA. 1899, and because 1t was we'll done
we should see to it that in every com.
munity there is this year restudying
of the man who stands head and shoul-
ders above all others who participated
In laying the corner-stones OF the re-
public.
To be born is no unusual human ex-
perience, neither is it unusual to die.
The value of life is reckoned solely
by what the individual fills into the
gap between two comlnonplaces. There
is so short a cry, for some of us, be-
tween "the two silences," that life and
what we do with it become strangely
urgent matters. Washington says in
one of his letters "Idleness is disreput-
aole under any circumstauces-produc-
tive of no good even when unaccom-
panied by vicious habits" Like a sane
man, he partook of his own ADVICE ;
and the chief impression left by close
study of the man, his thoughts, his
acts, his writings, his influence is that
his life was a full one-filled with
healthy endeavor wherever it pleased
Proyldence-ln whom he believed most
devoutly-to place him.
Another charm of his character was
that his energy was always we'll direct
ed. To some of US who are over-en-
thusiastic and, perhaps, nervously con-
stituted, the awakening to sense of
individual responsibility to Almighty
God" as Daniel Webster expressed it,
tends to the attempt to do anything
and everything that needs doing.
Twenty things around us clamor for
attention There comes in the need
for poise of character, preventing US
from first an lmpetuous dash in this
direction and then an lgnominlous re-
treat in another. zone thing I DO"
not twenty things I dabble at" One
fire in a noble heart may we'll serve to
heat one iron-too many irons will put
the fire out. Surely along such line
of thought, Washington was marvel
of self possession. He was not hasty
in his acts and therefore not defeated
he was not swift as sea-hawk in his
decisions and therefore be was never
out OF sight of those who followed with
him he was not abnormal in his in
tellect and therefore not cratic; be
was not fierce partisan and therefore
not dragged into the unseemly SQUAD
bles OF his day. The grand old man OF
whose iuil life ended so glori-
ously and so recently-Gladstone-has
said this of Washington: II look up
on Washington among great and good
men, as one peculiarly good and great
years light upon the path of life "
It means that great hearts are greater
than national bounds-that be who
lives right, he who lives unselfshly, he
whose words speak out grand aspira
tons belongs not to nation but to
humanity, in which respect Washing
ton has no advantage over the hum
blest of US who have open hearts for
noble impulses.
It seems almost a coincidence that
our thoughts should have been directed
last week towards Lincoln and his &C
lions In relation to the slave conditions
Of the United States. If we call him
the emancipator, Washington should
be called the great pre-visionary. In
1889 he wrote: cit is among my first
wishes to see some plan adopted by
which slavery in this country may be
abolished. Again in 1897 he wrote
Il wish from my soul that the Legisla-
ture OF this State could see the policy
Of gradual abolition of slavery. 1t
might prevent much future mischief"
Alas, the mischief did come, the wine
press OF nations blood was trodden In
Fighting wrong, and the abolition
came when even those who benefited
BY it were agonized and dazed at the
light OF liberty around them. Wash
lngton's great dream and comparative
" modest bequest was for an anti-ses-
'lonal national university. This would
have brought better understanding
where there should have been no
misunderstanding. The dream is not
too late for fulfilment, and supreme eff
[orts for carrying out Washingtons
idea to the full should be made during
this centennial year of his death.
-.
Washingtonis sword was mighty
bis pen was mightler. His sword wore
out the enemy more often by leading
it on frultless chasings and bewildred
than by pitched battles
and decisive combats. But his pen
as have said on a previous occaslon-I
bis pen and those of the group of men
around him force us to marvel at the
Forelght which laid the foundations of
q western empire 80 admirably that
expansion has not rent
asunder work cemented with blood,
with lives and with sacred honor. You
youths whose brows al
ready glow with the dawn OF new
compare Washington as he
dnally sheathed his sword in March.
1854, with the lace-frilled fop, the En-
glish George, who In the same month
Of the same year attained his majority
and celebrated it with pomp. Clothes
and titles have their glamour but
glamour passes. The quiet, u,obtru-
live man whose sword was clean and |