The Morris County chronicle., 1901-02-22
washington THE PATRIOT
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Continued from First Page.
back counties will do the same. "
Washington passed his hand over his
throat and replied, my neck does
not feel as though it was made
for halter, we must retire to Au-
gusta County in Virginia, numbers
will be obliged to repair to us for
safety and we must try what we can
do in carrying on predatory war,
aud if overpowered we must cross
the Allegheny Mountains. Mr.. Stry-
ker writes, lit was very apparent
that he had no intention of abandon
ing the sacred cause to which he had
devoted his life. y
Washington was business man
when he was president of the United
States. A writer says of the first year
of his first administration as Presi-
dent: "This mastery (of public bust
ness) was founded upon knowledge,
he understood the affairs of the new
government better than any other
man.
Irving says that he possessed "a
lawyers accuracy in drafting docu-
ments, merchants exactness in keep
ing accounts. His dealings with do
mestic stewards and foreign agents,
his accounts with the government,
all his financial transactions are to
this day even posted up in books in
his own hand writing, monuments of
his method and accuracy.
Now let us not forget that all this
was true of man as full blooded and
as hot hearted as any of his time, of a
man of reckless courage, of courtesy, a
| fine gentleman in the best sense of the
term. All writer's agree tnat Wash
| ington was of a passionate nature,
over which he had gained an almost
perfect mastery and command. Posi-
bly, we may find the secret of this
splendid power of self control in the
singular rule of etiquette written in
young Washington "Rules of Be-
havior and Conversation" Labor to
keep alive in your breast that little
spark of celestial fire-conscience. "
If conscience makes towards of some
people it makes heroes of others. 1t
did not make Washington a coward,
from boyhood he was the bravest of
the brave. In youth he was passion
ately fond of field sports and an easy
champion in athletic games. We may
not believe Parson Wums' story that
young Washington once broke a colt
till it broke blood vessel and then
I promptly confessed to his mother how
the animal was killed, but we need
not doubt that Washington broke
many blooded colts on Virginian mea-
dows land was almost from childhood
bold and skilful horseman and
huntsman.
Washington loved fighting for its
own sake. After his first slzirmish
with the French, when he gave the
order to fire which began the "Elever
Years War" and the War of the Rev,
olution at the same time, he wrote,
II heard the bullets whistle and be-
lieve me there is something charming
in the sound. " You have all heard that
Horace Walpole when this story was
told him called Washington brave
"braggart. - He was not a brave
braggart, he was simply brave boy
after his first battle.
King George II remarked, "He
would not say so if he had been used
to hear many" The old King was
mistaken. Washington never lost
his love of battle, we are told that
one of his officers said of him dur.
ing the Revolutionary War, "Oul
army loved their general very much,
but they have one thing against him,
which is the little care he takes ot
himself in any action,." Washing
ton loved to be upon the fighting line.
All this is said, of course, to show
the force and fire of the man, the
volume and vigor of the tides of life
that flowed through his veins ant
head. He showed the accuracy of {
lawyer, the method of merchant
the foresight of statesman, thu
chivalry of a knight-errant, the
courtesy of courtier, the conscience
of Christian, the courage and forti
tude of hero. That race or man il
great and equipped forsnoblest service
in which these qualities are com
bined.
1t is not we'll that we should wor
ship brilliancy too devoutly. OF al
the soldiers of the Civil War. Gen
Custer was, think, the ideal O.
the young and the thoughtless, tn,
dashing dragoon upon the prancins
steed, with the long locks flowing
over his shoulders, the American
Murat But it is not probable tha
if Gen. Custer had commanded tn,
Army of the Potomac in the spring
of 1864, Gen. Lee would have beer
in Washington before midsummer
I-Gen. Grant was as brave as Custer
We are told that when the soldiers
saw him sitting on stump, calmly
writing despatch, under fire they
said FTTIvSseS docs not soora xvOrtl