The Portland daily press., 1899-02-23

Z hostile empire abroad, Of falterins
cannot hero recount this history, nor
venture more than barely to remind you
Of the torture Of soul this great patriot
was made 20 suffer whsp the only hope Of
the country We. HANGING on his fidelity
and his army left to care for themselves;
Congress ordering, sometimes, but with
out power or effort 20 carry into effect:
the country distracted with corruption
and sslf-seeking; jealousies rife every
where, colony against colony, section
| against section. general against general,
American against foreigner nobody
giving the support which honor as we'll az
patriotism and honesty demanded; In the
darkest hour Of our fortunes q darker
cshal formed to parsIyzs his ed orts, to
deprive him OF bis command and work
his ruin: caoal OF his ovn trusted sen .;
erals, secretly supported by members OF
Congress, sending rumors OF his resiena.
tion bitter attacks In newspapers ana
anonymous letters 10 officials OF the gov
eminent and OF the army, incitins dis
content and distrust among the troops.
whils Washington was their only real
friend and helper. Not only were his
officers trsaoherous; they were disobedient
OF these, two were plotting to supersede
him. one Of them (i}ates) who made the
most utter of all defeats; the other tlsse)
who made tho most shameful OF all re.
cried Washington ~ he rode, like Sheri.
dan ut Winchester, into the torrent Of
fuqitlves. "sir, sir, this battle was not
according TO my advice and opinion"
SAYS the izpuhle Lee. All 1 can blame
Washington for is that be did not cut
down the ipsolent coward at blow. rs
he had right and On use TO do.
But mark the man. He suffered these
base spirits TO go unpublished, and to
share the honors OF the glorious consum-
| nation.
| said his service was equally great In
carrying the adoption OF the constitution.
All know how narrowly this was saved.
| No reader of that history can doubt that
had not Washington exerted his utmost
| powers OF influence, admonition, argu-
me Mt and almost supplication, the con
s,itution we hold so dear would have
| fallen dead from the hands that framed
lt 1.-THE essential thing to our e1.
| istence," he writes to the governors of
the states, "is an indissolube union OF
| the states under one federal head. And
| upon the decisions Of this moment will
| depend the issue whether the revolution
shall be q blessing or n curse: and not
| for the present alone. for with our fate IL
| in sol,ed the destiny of millions yet un-
| born
His conduct as President OF the Consti-
| tutional Convention deserves also to he
gratefully held in mind. Note the testi
| mony Of Edmund Randolph; THE Con-
| stltution would never have been adopted
but from a knowledge that you had
| sane toned 1t, and an expectation that
you would execute It,"
Still more In his administration of the
new government, so reluctantly ana
| doubiingly, accepted by the people, 30
wholly stiff and rough as yet In its bear
| ings and workings, so little respected by
other nations. Here, now, come TO light
these other qualities, those of the states.
man, and executive. qnickness and reach
# vision; reading motives; penetrating
complications; hrmness; balance: that
line sense of the practicability Of the alb
traCt right which we call wisdom.
How much of ths heroic was here also
required, the history OF those most
troubled and perilous times reveals. Far
| d y per did mis- experience record them.
| Although put In that great place OF
| infinite trust, because he was known to
be worthy OF this confidence. yet from the
first moment. the object Of abuse at
| him, as to others, but In highest and
richest sense that those forced by the
situation to choose him, and exalt him.
vet began ut once to detract, to belittle, to
misrepresent, to betray, lest his very
virtues should gain ascendency over their
| rlNHl uil DltiDUs anu ttiusu utstkub.
| ksreci llv was fine uaturs like his sore
ty trie u by . dsmtni of France, which
hau ~ sunerousIy come to the aid of the
| struggling colonies, now, under other
leaders demanding dangerous. unreason-
able and Impossible things to be done II,
return. during their quarrel with Eng
llaud-things absolutely forbidden by the
comfy OF nations and the obligations OF
treaties England too, was carrying a
high band. We were almost, II not quite,
in n state of war with both nations; and
our own people fierce In their divisions b.
tween these parties. hostile each to the
other, and both to US.
We know the pressing practical reasons
Of his farewell admonition to avoid en-.
tsngiing alliances. 1t had reference To
these experiences; but might we'll In the
complications and temptations Of follow
ing times. he enraae1 to the application
they now have given them.
We cannot wonder that Washin gton
should exslaim: al would rather be In
my grave than where l am" So bitter
was the apuse of him at home that hi
said he could not even be permitted to
bend his body to lie down to rest. withou
those to wantonly disturb his peace.
think today we should cherish thii
great character more than ever. We
should bear in mind not only his great
achievements but keep green in oui
hearts the reverence for the great way In
which he carried the burdens of the great
republic. We should strive to emulate hi
example, live up to his teachings anC
strive to do unto others IS We desire
others to do unto us.
General Chamberlain's scholarly ant
eloquent address was received with in
terest and was frequently punotuated BY
applause.
COL H. II. BURBANK.
of Saco was next introduced and spoke al
follows:
This day in years past has been the oc
nnsion for eulogy Of one of the greatest Of