The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-07
The ADVERTISERS
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 turn. And such an opportunity he was not long in finding. The enemy. con- fdent that they had conquered New Jersey. settled down in some of the towns along the river. apparently as- suming that they could take their ease for the winter. Then. while they were thus reposing in conscious security, the American general, with supreme auda- city, made that remarkable passage of the Delaware on Christmas night, amid
 floating ice, led his army by a forced march of nine miles and surprised and captured the Hessians there establish ed. Then, evading the British army aroused to attack him, he marched to
 Princeton. made a fierce assault upon the enemy there posted and utterly routed them. Pushing on, he threaten ed the British stores, compelling Corn
 wallis to retreat to New Brunswick. By this brilliant raid Washington had won
 two sharp fights. captured more than | 2,0o0 prisoners, delivered nearly the
 whole of New Jersey from British oc- cupancy, put heart into his soldiers and the country and strengthened his army until 1t was in as good condition
 as before the loss of New York. And all this within three weeksa si1In this short time he had transformed the American spirit from that of gloomy foreboding and almost of despair to feeling of buoyant confidence and hope. Napoleon said 1t was the mark of a great general to divide the forces of the enemy and then conquer them In detail. According to the Napoleonic standard. Washington showed himself in this brilliant movement a great
 general. Tn Europe the expulsion of the British from New Jersey by an in
 ferior force was lauded as a great achievement and 1t was the news of
 this achievement that enabled Frank
 lin to attain a secret loan rom France' Meeting an Emergency. We cannot follow Washington through all his military career. Another phase of his ability. however,
 was revealed by his actions at the bat tie of Monmouth. Through the treachery of Charles Lee the army was
 defeated. and was in full retreat almost of panic-when Washington
 came on to the field. Lee had refused
 to fight when in touch with the enemy. and this to Washington was an un- pardonable sin. The commander-in- chief was in a towering rage, and 1t IS said that. like Sheridan under similar circumstances, he "swore terrible oath" Sending the faithless officer | to the rear. he himself took command. He stopped the retreat, reformed the troops, brought up the rest of the army | checked the exultant fse and drove them in headlong retreat to New York. Washington's genius for strategy was never more brilliantly exemplifed than | In the last great movement Of the war; resulting in the surrender of Cornwallis | at Yorktown. He was with the American army encamoed near New | York. Cornwallis was harassed by | the Americans until he felt obliged to | take refuge at Yorktown and throw up | intrenchments. Washington was not
 slow to perceive his opportunity by one | final master stoke to end the war | Cornwallis expected to be relieved by | a British fleet with endorsements | from New York. But Washington
 was there making preparations for an | actiNc movement. He contriVed to let | it be understood that he was about to | attack the city. Clinton, the British | commander. dared not detach many of | his forces for fear of losing New York l When his preparations were complete and when he knew that the French | fleet. his allies, were on the way to ] Chesapeake. Washington withdrew from his intrenchments. and before his adversar!es knew that he had gone he
 had marched his followers across New
 Jersey and had passed Philadelphia on his way to Virginia. It was too late for the enemy to follow tor to in terfere with his purpose. Cornwallis. closed in by sea and land, was forced
 to surrender his army of 1000 men. This victory virtually closed the war, and it was made possible by the keen
 perception. the diplomatic tact in securing the cooperation of the French fleet, the skillful management so as to keep the British forces from uniting. the promptness of action, the splendid energy displayed in the swift concentration of forces at Yorktown of Washington His march from New York to the head of the Chesapeake was not surpassed by any march of the famous foot cavalry" of Stouewall Jackson during the civil war. This exploit alone if he had performed no other. would stamp him as a great general.
 President Without Precedent.
 When this great man became Presl- dent he showed himself to be as broad minded and far-seeing as a statesman as he had previously shown himself to
 
 member that he was the first Presi- dent. He had no precedents to guide him. He must blaze his way through an unknown wilderness, denser and more dangerous than that which, as a boy surveyor, he had to penetrate when he mapped the wilds of Western Vir- ginia and the Ohio Valley. And the discretion, the firmness, the wisdom. the lofty patriotism, the high and noble conception of his countrys destiny which he manifested during those eight difficult years place him deservedly in the very first rank of administrative statesmen
 The capital had to be agreed upon. the executive department had to be organized. l,tlte policy must be formu- lated. d system of national nnance needed to be developed. the felations or inc national governmentFo- -the States, s1 far as those relations were not de- termined by the constitution, must be considered. the relations 5f the United States to foreign governments-these and other questions of vast importance to tba subeequent welfare of the young renuh1ic had to be ultimately deter mined by Washington himself That he always decided most wisely would ba to ascribe to him superhuman wis dom. But probably no man could have acted with greater prudence on so many questions that were fundamental.
 In one or two particulars Washing ton when President, rendered the re- nublic service of inestimable value. He n