Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-15

Israel-recognizing In all humility. that
II Is His voice alone that can say TIE
turn ye children OF men"
And now that all set ceremonies are
over, we wait to hear the head Of the
nation pay his tribute TO the nations
first head. And from hence We shall go
back To the city's noise and tumult-We
shall leave these quiet fields. thus unpre-
tentious mansion, yonder silent and sa-
cred tenement OF the dead, TO hear the
sound OF joy and gladness. the notes OF
reVclry, OF music. and OF song. And what
shall we carry hence with us? what
lesson shall this cOmmemoratiOn teach
Us, 10 be borne back to our homes ana
communities? Vain and empty ana use
less Will this commcmOraton be-un-
worthy Of the man and of his memory
| If II be merely "A commsmOration, ana
stir not up our hearts and minds to some
| useful purpOse-some purer impulse. The
grandcr days OF the fathers should DC
recalled. and this occurrence should
awaken a recurrence of the spirit Of that
| time. Men were men, II Is true then as
now. Politicians were politicians then
as now. This great soul had enemies
| and slanderers and vlifiers then, as great
men have now, and will have as long as
| greatness exists and viieness can crawl
| and bite It's heel No penny-a-liner to-
| day can use fOUler language than was
used towards Washington. following him
| even into the retracy his soul had craved
| throughout long years OF pubic service.
| His motives were malignsd-his self
| sacrifices were belittled-hs character
was aspersed. And vet when he died,
wave Of grief and OF dismay, ana an
awakened sense Of gratitude swept over
| the entire land. and the voice OF SANDER
| died away. even as the twi,teting OF the
/ sparrow Is hushed when the shadow OF
the eagles wing is seen.
Party strife was forgotten. Federalist
| and Republican alike FASTENED 10 pay
tribute. and a grateful country heard
no voice save that Of lamentation for his
loss and admiration for his virtues. Men
! saw then. as we see more clearly now,
! that Washington was the cohesive force
that had welded the Jealous sovere!gnties
! Of the States into that perfect Union.
which to-day, sealed with the blood OF
J petual. AS the tremendous power OF his
| personality carried the Constitution
/ against serious and wellnigh successful
opposition, so his administration Of the
executive office, wise. patient, firm. dig
| nifed tactful, honest. impartial, and pa
/ tTiotic. dsarmed every enemy, strength
/ ened every friend. Gained all doubt and
/ fear, and from the chaotic and nebulous
| condition of affairs brought a creation
/ of system, and order. and strength, and
/ shapefulness, establishing for the first
| time upon earth the free government OF
! q free people, all power emanating ftOm
the people ali authority enforced by the
people. the people responsible Tor their
| rulers. and the rulers responsible to the
/ peQple-the greatest creation IN the way
of free government ever known to the
world.
WASHINGTON-THE WORKMAN.
We may not withhold the highest need
| of praise from the great minds who con-
/ ceived and framed the Constitution,
| Every wind that blows from the Nir-
ginia hills, every wave that laps her
| shores and the shores OF the great thlr-
! teen States. would rebuke the voice That
| dare 6elittle the work Of Madison ana
! Hamilton. Franklin and Morris. But these
men Were the sculptors, the designers,
who with infinite toll. and patience, ana
genius. and skill, made the clay model
/ Washington was the workman mat cast
I the figure in the enduring bronze 'hal
| now for over a century mas stood me
rain and the hail and the mist Oi DOUBT
! and dstrust the storm of war, the dead
| ~ canker OF corruption, ana the hurri-
7 cane of party strife.
as though the keystone OF the arch had
! fallen and the beautiful structure was
/ doomed, and from every heart there went
| up the mournful cry another tme ana
No wonder that party spirit died, ana
! factions ceased TO war for at least a
/ while. And to-day | would invoke that
! same cessation of party spirit, that same
! feeling Of "a common interest IL com
| mon country. and pray, that the hist
! lesson we shall carry back from TINS
] place shall be a lesson Of charity ana
| consideration. and kindness To an III
/ authority, whether our own SURFACES
| placed the men in authority above
Us or not. That public men
and public measures should De De
| iudfce or party passion. but that IN
! things political as well as in things pr-
vate. charity should govern all who wish
the welfare Of their country. Inc curse
of this age is the personality, the Dltler-
ness. the uncharitableness Of politics.
Nothing is sufficiently vile TO say OF
political opponent. no motive too mean
10 be ascribed to a political measure. No
mans patriotism Is believed sincere uh-
! f,f
and the nOOdgates of VituperduOn, abuse,
and misre presentation are opened often
when hardly the mlldest criticism IS de-
served. These things grow ahd VIII CON
tiuue 10 increase unless sternly repress-
ed All purity, and honesty ana desire
for good government is not ana has
never been anywhere in the world the
peculiar property of any set OF men, ana
the sooner we recognize TINS the Del'cl
Sad and bitter is the thought that often
fl t. only death that does justice, even
as the old superstition that eeuu
hands touch could remove DlOls from
the skin. Alasi and alas. Tor the men
who live amidst the gray mist OF popu-
lar distrust and disfayOr, misludged, ma
ligned. often cursed, above whose graves
flowers bloom i'm the moisture OF regret
full tears. and paeans of praise ring uh-
heard and uncared for by the cray 10
whom addressed. ,
The keynote of the music to which the
said the speaker:
NV brethren do we understand the
meaning of the word? Alasl how many
do not Too many cOnfine il TO the mere
relief of necessity-the giving Of the
dole or pittance that relieve mere phy7l-
cal want lie who would call himself
the brother of Washington cannot SOP
at this. the poorest weakest uchhl siou
of the word. We must carry ourselves
back again TO the man, who never allow
ed personal dislike TO swerNe MN from
duty who never allowed me cdpdl OF
faithless officers To see tpat their III
trigues made him forget faithful services;
fhe man who saw Valley Forge as the
result of political blunde1s, If not or pQ-
litical Vaccinations, and yet never al
lowed even its horrors TO lead nm 10
recr.iminatlon or angry vituperation; who
WAS charitable because just, Tor ne WHO
has the highest sense OF justice mas ever
the highest sense of charity, for justice
even as love is born of God. who u just
because He loves. and loves because He
is lust | beseech YOU therefore carry
the charity We profess into your Jdas-
ment of men and men : motives. "hetAcr
private or political. FroWn down upon
that spirit which seeks TO violate the
sanctity of manhood for the sake or
PARTY advantage. and scOrn 10 use me
unworthy arts Of the slanderers, the
backbiter. the. liar by insinuation, ana
when men would have you think eNil OF
men or measures or of dignitaries even
though YOU may not think we'll OF the
measures. or because the dignltdrles. are
not dignitaries Of your own cnOOsht'
LET the memory Of this hour bring back
the memory of the day of this great
mans death. when SANDER was hushed,
and unworthy party strife had ceased.
IL is not for me here TO speak or Tor
you To listen 10 aught that sayors or
politics. / do not speak To you as mem
berS of one great party or another
speak to you as Masons, processing 70
work for the benefit of man-0t whom