The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-23

Gu AAlN 4MAA GHAA4sAAA " -H~s
toast at this, the most notable meet
ing IN our society's. history. 1mmedi-
ately upon receiving General Caiawelt
polite Invitation, laid my limited
powers OF invention under tribute. ous
/ never knew them to pay any YAK ms
posed upon them with such reluctance
A subject which. IN my humble oPln-
ion, deserves yelr rather than rev.
hours and a volume rather than q i've
minutes response.
I might well have desired that 80 Inn
portant task should have fallen into
other and ADLER hands. could nave
wished that II should have been execu.
ted by come Son whose character and
experience give weight and influence 70
his opinions, such as cannot belong TO
humble follower Of Aesculapius.
But certainly, Mr.. Toastmoster, with
such a subject one might be expected
in his originality to change the wild
grasses OF revolutionary times into
world feeding grain Of to-day; but mas
this not been done, and well, TOO, 5y
Marshall, Sparks, perhaps best OF all
by Washington Irving?
II was way back In 1873. while meol-
tatinR In solitary winter quarters, that
Descartes made that famous resolu-
ton 10 take nothing for truth with.
out clear knowledge that 1t is such,
the great practical effect OF which IS
the Sanctiflcatlon Of doubt. II there
is one thing, ladies and gentlemen,
more than hnother IN American history,
which can be taken for truth and which
Is unimpeachable, 1t is. that this great
commonwealth Of Virginia produced a
George Washington, and that he was
born at Wakefield. on Pope's creek,
across the mountains in old Vest
moreland county. the 22nd day OF Feb
ruary, 1892. This is the Joyous ami
versary vertebrate, and like our In
dependence day, Il is to be remembered
as was the Jewish Passover day OF old,
to be regarded by every citizen of this
nation, as well as the ero-worshipers
OF all nations.
on this day, then, It becomes the
Sons and Daughters OF the Revolution.
with grateful enthusiasm, to honor the
memory OF one, who, more than any
other individual, and as much as to one
individual was possible, contributed to
found this, our wide-spreading empire.
and to give to the western world tnde-
pendence and freedom"
In a signal manner, an all-wlsa
Providence preserved the life OF this
man-at the time Of Braddocl's defeat
with LHO 'klVEGa6 Hglllk AlllEA man ,AAANA
four bullets through his coat, and u
special target for the enemy's rifles,
not single abrasion, told upon his
person.
: In 1770, here, in our Little Mountain
State, an aged Indian chief journcyed
from his distant lodge. to see. once
more, the faVorite OF the Great Spirit,
against whom his own gun and those
Of his warriors, were 80 orten turned In
vain.
So was Washington preserved Mt
Stony Brook, after the gallant Mer-
GERS body had been bayoneted, In the
midst Of the fight. endangered by the
random fire OF his own men. and the
artillery and musketry of the enemy. It
was here that Fitzgerald cried aloud to
Heaven, THANK God, your cxcellency
is SAFE as his idol emerged from the
cloud, commanding and encouraging
his fatiguad. discouraged and bare
footed regiment.
DO YOU wonder for one moment that
the Prussian, Frederick the Great. sent
Washington his picture and sGid:
From the oldest general in Europe to
the greatest general in the world"
In leading the colonial arms success
fully through a seven years war, he
displayed the most self-sacritictnE
EDITH LING NllttlA6Ss Us AeAAL
all his fortune out for the cause which
he loved better than his life. Hear his
words; II balleve. or ut least hope,
there Is public virtue enough left
among US, to deny ourselves everything
but tho bare necessities Of life to &C.
compllsh this end.
His genius was the genius Of charac-
ter, "Tho purest figure In history"
said Gladstone. Never did nature and !
fortune combine more perfectly to
make man great Ind to place him IN |
the same constellation with whatever
worthless have merited from man. an
everlasting remembrance" (Jetfcrsou). /
Then later as this great father |
marched to the balcony Of that old gov
eminent building which stu stands on /,
Manhattan Island, to be made the chief |
executive Of the united colonies. he be- |
came himself the event the penpl saw !
only Washington, Reside him visible |
were many OF the slgners Of that death |
knell to British tyranny, and the torn !
and weary heroes from Trenton, Mon |
mouth, Princeton, Valley Forge and !
But what OF that invisible /
host above him? They, too, were there.
at this transcendent moment OF the |
in permanent triumph OF |
the years OF struggle for self.guVern- |
ment, the spirits of the soldiers of thatl
great revolution, who had suffered the |
fiercest agony and had died that their |
countrynten might enjoy that blessed .
day. The Long live Washington"
sung by that heavenly choir, touched |
chords unknown to earth's grandest |
keeping perfect time to the I
great heart throbs OF humanity. while
the angels echoed. peace on earth,
good VIII toward men,"
Will poBterity ever be able to dis. !
charge the obligation 1t owes to this
first President, Is there a man SO bold
MS to measure the far.reHching results
Of his marvellous versatility and
genius?
Upon the plan marked out by the
this architect, with unfRll- |
ing faith and unfalterlng courage,
hullded the republic. He gave to the
government the principles Of action and
OF power which carried Il Sue
oesstully through the wars with Great
Britain in 1912, and Mexico In 1S4S,
which enabled Jackson to defeat the
recruited and equipped
millions OF men for Lincoln and tusti-
he'd and sustained the proclamation Of
Certainly the incense Of gratitude
pertumed with the praises Of saints,
'aA9 tuAk AlAEu lAVul AASitptus VI ueuVlS
md Will continue to rise because OF the
tellveTence brought about by Washing
ton and his followers.
But tell'me, Mr.. Toastmaster, has not
a glorious work been reserved for this
general ton, a work splendIdly innuEu
rated by our own honored guest and
his brave men IN Manila Bay, n worii
Of almost rs great moment? The
Of down-trodden peo-
pie from the rankest tyranny and from
the shaclleB OF superstition, from tho
thrnldom OF SpaIn's re-
eutleRs system, and the introduction Of