Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-02-19
TRIBUTES TO WASHINGTON.
Esteem a nd Affection Shown the Father
of His Country.

of His Country.
Born upon our soil-of parents also
born upon it-never for a moment hay-
ing had sight of the old world-instruct-
ed according to the modes of his time,
only in the spare, plain, but wholesome
elementary knowledge which our insti-
tutions provide for the children of the
people-growing up beneath and pene-
trated by the genuine influences of
American society-living from infancy
to manhood and age amidst our expand
ing, but not luxurious civilizatiOn-par-
taking in our great destiny of labor, our
long contest with unreclaimed nature and
uncivilized man-our agony of glory, the
war of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. great victory
Of peace, the formation of the Union,
and the esta blishment of the constitu-
tion--he is all, all our own. Washington
is ours"
The foregoing was written by Daniel
Webster in regard to the Father of His
Country, the anniversary of whose birth
IS an occasion that is ever freshly remem-
bered by American hearts. He was the
irst man of the time in which he grew"
wrote Rufus Choate. His memory is
first and most sacred in our love; and
ever, hereafter, till the last drop of
blood shall freeze in the last American
heart, his name shall be a spell of power
and might. There is one personal, one
vast felicity which no man can share
with him. 1t was the daily beauty and
towering and matchless glory of his life
which enabled him to create his country,
md ut the same time secure an undying
I've and regard from the whole Ameri-
can people. Undoubtedly there we're
brave and wise and good men before his
day in every colony. But the American
ation, as Il nation, | do not reckon to
d; We begun before IVA, and the first love
I that young America was Washington.
rhe first word she lisped was his name.
Her earliest breath spoke 1t. 1t is still
her proud ejaculation. 1t will be the
last gasp of her expiring life. About
md around him we call up no diSsentient,
l.scordant and dissatisfied elements, no
sectional prejudice or bias, no party, no
creed, no dogma of politics. None of
,hese shall assail him. Yes when the
storm of battle grows darkest and RACES
highest, the memory of Washington shall
nerve every American arm and cheer
every American heart. 1t shall rcil-
hume that Promcthean fire, that sublime
lame of patriotism, that devoted love of
country which his words have COM
mended, which his example has conse-
| Grated"
The story of George Washington S
life is an old one, but the salient facts
will bear repeating. He was born at
| Wakefield, Wcstmoreland County, Vir,
,iuia, Feb %, 1882, lived from 1888 to
I'D AT what is now Mount Vernon, and
when he was I years old he was taken
To- an estate on the Rappahannock, al
| most opposite Fredericksburg. The faith
or was one of the prosperous planters of
| Virginia, able to give his children what
| education the times could afford. The
| .rst teacher of George is reputed to have
pecn a convict, whom his father bought
| Tor the purpose. All of Washington
srhoolng ended before he was 16. His
.uS and brilliant career as a soldier and
| ,ltrsman has given to history some OF
- most interesting pages.
| 1T was strange" wrote Thackeray
that in savage forest of Pennsylva
Tia a young Virginia officer should fire O