Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-02-25


R>&t%NSA an eminent place in history and dis
NyA VNnfNk. tinguish him from the common run
HB41S4N of men, his disnterested and unset
kaEAhN&ypS4E fish patriotism shines with the
scEErR brightest luster, says the Kansas
~SSsSBAsF City Journal. No one, however
familiar with his career can pick up single act Of
bis public Life and say That was inspired solely by
selfish motives" Washington was a wealthy land
ed proprietor the friend and associate OF Fairfaxes
and other aristocratic families Of Virginia. and it
might have seemed to his interest to side with the
cEAwn in its quarrel with the c0Onists, as so many
OF lis aristOcratic friends did But instead Of doing
90 he amOugthe first Of the prOminet men Of the
country who advised that the tyranny OF the British
crowd should be resisted BE refused to accept any
pay as c0mmander.in-chiei Of the Continental army
although 1t would have argued no lack Of loyalty If
he had done So since every other officer OF the army
received pay. Throughout the greater part OF the
war he beset not only by superior British forces
but by the suplneness Of the Colonial congress, by
the Vaccinations and hbes OF jealous rivals who
wished to supplant him, by chronic shortage Of
funds and supplies, and the plants OF the people,
who were great deal more prone to criticise him
for what he failed to accomplish than to supply him
the means with which TO accomplish the things they
demanded. RHt. although often strongly tempted
to quit the struggle, his inhexible patriotism sus
tanned him to the last. The extent to which he
placed his cOuntry's interest above his own was
we'll illustrated by letter he wrote to the superin
tendent OF his farm at Mount Vernon on one Occa-
sion. The British had sailed up the Potomac and
devastated the country along its banks. They
would have burned Mount Vernon had not the
superintendent supplied them with fuel and pro-
visions For yielding to their demands, the super.
intendent was sharply reprimanded by Washington,
who declared that he WOnld rath have all his
property destroyed than that the smallest part Of it
should be used to give cid aud comfort to his cOun-
try's enemies.
when, after the war, Washington retired to
Mount Vernon, be hoped his public services were
ended and that he would be allowed to spend the
rest Of his life il the rural pursuits he loved WE'LL
he consented to leave his retreat only when he
that the condition Of his country was daily becOm-
Ing more deplOrable and desperate, aud that it
needed his patience ability and disinterested devO
tion as much as in the darkest days OF the war.
When president, as when cOmmander-in chief OF the
the colonial armies, he refused to accept any pay
for his services. No subsequent president except
Lincoln has been beset with so many difficulties as
be had to contend against at that time BE had
practically an entire government TO create. The
success or failure Of the whole gigantic scheme
largely depended on his steadfastness Of purpose
and unselfsh devotion to country. His situation
was even more trying than when the success Of the
war seemed most doubtful. He was the center Of
every political storm. He had to hold half the
cOutry in check TO keeping Il from going to with
France and to restrain the other half to keep it from
going to war with England Hamilton and Jeffer-
son. the principal members Of bis cabinet constant
did partisan feeling run so high In this country.
Wellington was attacked by those who did not ap.
b his policies with q virulence that has never
been surpassed. BE declared IN one letter that he
had been assailed in such indecent terms as could
scarcely be applied to Nero, notorious deiaulter
or even q common piCkpocket." But at this time,
as when his fortunes were at the lowest ebb they
reached in the war, he stayed ct the helm, patient,
strong, unwaveTing In his devotion to his country,
although that country was then far from appre-
oating the enormous importance Of the service he
was rendering It.
At the end OF bis last presidential term be deliv-
cred bis immortal farewell message and again re-
tired to his beloved farm, thinking that surely
nothing would happen 10 call him from it again.
But when war with France threatened, he again re-
spOnded to his cOuntry's call, assumed the CON-
mand Of it's armes and despite bis age and in6rmi-
ties would have taken the field il circumstances had
demanded it.
It would do no harm at this time, when they are
celebrating the anniversary OF Washington's birth,
for the American people to think upon and resolve
to emulate the noble quality which the father Of his
country possessed in 80 pre-eminent degree.
Americans have never shown lack Of disinterested
patriotism when its exercise was demanded by
great crises. There are but few Of them, on the
other hand, eminent or obscure, who display 1t on
every possible occasion, as Washington did The
most domestic Of men, he willingly sacrificed the
peace and comfort Of an entire life that his country
might be free and might have strong, stable, pro-
gressive government. Thanks to the services rem
dered by him and other great statesmen and soldiers
who aided and followed him, such sacrifices ere nc
longer required Of individual citizens. But larger
sacrifices are still demanded than most citizens are
willing to make. Too many prefer their ease o.