The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-02-22
WASHINGTON
THE PATRIOT

Professor Terrett'S Eloquent
Tribute at Headquarters.
Bravery, Patience, Accuracy and
Obedience to Conscience, Char
acteristies of Inc Nations
Founder.
Washington's Birthday was observed
in Morristown by appropriate exercises
under the auspices of the Washington
Association of New Jersey, at Head
quarters" on Morris avenue. The usual
salute was fired at noon. Following
an elaborate luncheon served in Lafay-
ette Hall by Day adjournment was made
to the meeting room. President Roberts
presided, with H. G. Pitney, Jr., officiat-
ing as secretary A cordial greeting was
extended by Mr.. Roberts, prayer was
offered by the Rev. DR.. Hughes. Fol
lowing the singing of America lead by
Angelo j. A. Bennell, Professor. William
R. Terrett, of Hamilton College, Clinton,
New York. the orator of the day was
introduced. He spoke as follows:
have sometimes thought that
George, Washington might be regarded
as the incarnation of the spirit of the
Anglo Saxon race. He possessed
qualities of character that are some
times considered inconsistent or ir-
reconcilable with each other, such as
sobriety, caution. self-control, moral
earnestness on the one hand and dar-
ing, love of sport, love of fight and
love of adventure on the other.
These are the qualities which hav g
enabled the Anglo-Saxon race to con-
quer and to colonize half the world
This is race that can figure as we'll
as fight, that can calculate as we'll
as conquer, that builds factories as
well as forts upon every land it
reaches, whose merchants are as en-
terprising and daring as it's soldiers,
whose soldiers are as sagacious, far
seeing and business-like as it's nler-
chants.
This race was in the blood Of Wash
ington. One half of George Washing
ton would have made an eminently
trustworthy and respectable land sur
veyor, Virginian planter, president
of bank, secretary of the treasury.
The other half of George Washington
would have made dashing cavalry
officer like Light Horse Harry Lee, a
daring adventurer and explorer like
Fremont. But we recall Browning's s
line, "God said whole, planned. !"
America needed whole George Wash
ington to save her.
The boy Washington was the father
of the man. We have all heard of
the copy books preserved from his
thirteenth year, kept with perfect
heatness and accuracy, full of facts
and figures, and copies of mercantile
papers, leases and bonds and deeds
and mortgages. Some of these forms
are supposed to have been copied from
a book found in the South during the
late Civil War, upon whose fy-leaf
was written in faded ink the name
"George Washington" and the date
's1742. = This book is entitled "The
Yong Mans Companion" it was
not bad companion for lad of ten
who was preparing for the realities
and responsibilities of life.
/ need not tell you that these quail
ties of painstaking care and accuracy
characterized Washington throughout
his career. When lad found in my
fathers library a thin fiat volume,
which I discovered was fac simile
reproduction of the book in which
Washington kept his accounts with
the Nation during the Revolutionary
War. 1t would be called, think, as
fine bit of bookkeeping as the Tren-
ton campaign was of fighting.
Washington business abilities were
of the greatest value to the nation in
time of war. If during three years of
infinite complexity and confusion,
Washington had done nothing but plan
campaigns, and direct the movements
of armies the Revolution would have
collapsed almost before independence
had been declared. He was the war
rior- statesman from the beginning.
Read the multitudinous letters which
he wrote to members of Congress, to
Governors of States, to men of in
fuence in all parts of the country. 1t
was he who foresaw dangers, who
assuaged jealousies, who reconciled
factions, he overcame difficulties, who
inspired hope in darkest hours.
Washington possessed no quality
that was of greater use to his coun-
try at this time than the somewhat
humble and commonplace quality of
patience. He bore everything and he
bore with every folly. No defeats or
disasters could shake his invincible
determination not to yield. y
You will all recall the story told by
Mr.. VIM. S. Stryker in his book entitled