The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-07-27

I France-come in spite OF all attempts @
king and relatives to prevent him. Poland
| will send her mmortalS-KoSciusko an
| Pulaski. hearts Of gold. Dehalo Will
| come, Stueben will come
Ireland will send men who know how u
| die. and France will, at a later day, rang
| her lilies beside our stars.
Generous enthusiasm for liberty. 70
| democracy-it burned brightly in those oil
| days! Those were days In which soldier
believed they fought to establish new
| system of government on this caste-curses
| earth.
| The great war moves on. Washington
| dashes through a snow storm and cap
| lures the one thousand Hessians at Tren-
ton-encouraging but not decisive.
Burgoyne surrenders at Saratoga-ag gain
encouraging but not by any means de-
cisive, Professor Greasy to the contrary
notwithstanding.
With varying fortunes battles are
fought. Now and then Washington wins;
the rule is that he does not win. Fac
tons divide congressional councils. There
is a plot to throw Washington out. The
AGamses are said to be deep In It, Sa-
vannah falls, Charleston falls; Boston Is
tho only considerable port in our hands.
Mad Anthony Wayne makes q brilliant
dash at stony Point, but the place is
not held a week. Gates is annihilated al
Camden. The heavens are black, the pa
triotic pulse beats low the faint-hearted
are ready to give up.
Benedict Arnold believes that congress
has been unjust to him and the splendid
soldier became q traitor Almost the
American cause Is ruined: almost, but
not quite. Great Britain can buy Arnold,
the officer 1t has not gold enough to
buy the humble farmers who nab Andre.
His fine watch. his gold, his frantic
offers OF wealth. avail nothing against
these stern patriots of the north He has
taken his risk; he has lost; he must pay.
High on the gibbet he swings. like any
other spy; and Arnold fees to his traitors
reward. glad to escape with his life
West Point is safe.
Thomas Paine can be heard through
the gloom. the burden of his song being
Never say die!' AS far as inspired pen
can go in sustaining a cause, his goes.
Indeed, II Is time that tries mems souls.
Looming above all We see the grand
figure OF Washington, steady as stone
mountain. No danger daunts him; no
disaster shakes him. The times call for
patience; he has It, For resources: he
his never fail For splendid self-sacrihce:
he makes 1t. Beaten today, he will fight
again tomorrow. Undermined by treason
discouraged by apathy. fretted by con-
sress and by state governors, he locks It
all in his own breast. and to the enemy
presents the unruffled front. He will not
hear of compromise. lie will stoop 10 no
concessions. When his nephew writes him
hat some British officers have been en-
-ertained q Mount Vernon as a matter
u policy. he writes a rebuke Let them
1urn the house If they Will; Mount Yer
'Nf' fsA''N's fsvt give -iivNtvr to tho BRIT
shl
Heroic? Yes su5limely heroic. The
world has presented no finer spectacle.
And that which is the most inspiring
n the glorious example IS the fact that
greatness was not due so
much to intellect as to character. He
was great because he was brave. reso-
lutte pure devoted, rlght-minded and
lght-hearted. From the straight line OF
Iuty he was not TO be tempted. frighten-
sd' discouraged or misled. And from the
rracle OF fate he would not take no for
answer. He would fight tn he won or I'M
Ie died
nus he rose above gil rtvals-not think
ng OF rivalry. lie became not our great
80 intellect not our greatest statesman.
'ot our greatest soldier. but our greatest !
nan