The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-22
BIRTHDAY OF WASHINGTON.

George Washington was born February
II, 1882, o. s. That accords with Feb.
ruary %, N. S., which is 1.-The day we
celebrate''-when it does not fall on a
Sunday. Thore are many people in the
world. some of whom reside, in Virginia,
who do not understand what the change
in the calendar from the @.'oId style
to the new style, means but we can
not stop now TO Inform them. suf-
flee 1t to : say that If thesNs' Father
Of his Country were living to-day,
he would have reached his one
hundred and seventy-tirst birthday. But
hardy and vigorous man that he seemed
to be, he was cut of by qunsy December
IA, 1893. -
"Quinsy'' isga. disease that mas not dis
appeared; only changed Its name Laryn-
gifts it is mostly called now. Happily
the treatmept,of 1t has been changed, too,
+ In Washington's day the practice was to
reduce the fever by copious blood-letting.
Now safer methods are resorted to- The
modern, physician probably would be
able to save the life OF a patient having
the constitution Of. Washington and slml-
lary attacked. However, that Is an old
question A hundred years ago the doc
tors debated it.safd We do. not wish to
kinde anew7ths 4 embers5 1t that almost
forgotten's strife Osteopathyn and Chris
tian Science afford enough subjects for
discussion at present.
That Washingtons name is entrenched
in history for all time none can doubt.
"America' and Washington are welded
together. What the Patriot Fathers
would have done without him, we do not
know, but certain 1t was they were lucky
to have him as their master spirit. He
was an experienced woodsmnn and war
rior. a man OF infleXible resolution and
high rurpose--a leader Of men. So far
! as we know, there was no other colonlst
| who could have taken his place In the
| council or field: none hut he could have
held our hungry and rugged regiments
together for seven bloody years; none.
who could have crowned the conflict With
the magic victory at Yorktown. And
then. but for his potent Influence. It Is
more than possible that what was won
by war, would have been lost In the po-
litcal squabbles Of the early post bel
lum period. All! that was time Of dan-
| ger, too.
Eulogy has almost exhausted itself on
Washington. Tributes to his genius and
unselhshness have come from every land,
and all the world acknowledges it's obli-
cation to him, but most OF all should we
Americans revere his memory and respect
his teachings. Ours Is a great country.
TO be sure, but let us consider how much
of It's greatness We owe to him and be
| thankful that Virginia gave him birth.
The name and fame OF Washington must
be regarded rs national property, but
this Commonwealth claims a special
share In this heritage. One OF the most
eminent OF statesmen and philosophers
OF another land Lord Brougham declared.
III will be the duty OF the historian and
sage of all nations ia let no occasion pass
OF concentrating this illustrlous man.
and until time shall be no more, viii q
test OF the progress which our race has
n,sde in wisdom and virtue be derived
from the yeneratlon paid to the !mmor-
tai name OF Washington"
Washington was Q feet 2 inches In
height very muscular, calm and soldlerly
looking. His hands and feet Were Of ample
siae, but lac WAS not ungracefu He had
taken lessons in dancing and fencing and