The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-02-22
"WEDNESDAY F1sBR7u ". q, 1905 1906. Y,
Washington.

8SSss.8 Washington. 4.
all the great men IN his rS'. says tL'
SLecly, in his "Eng land II, tho ~ hteensn
Century, " 'yynshiigto on was the most IN n
W. bly, judiclou and there Is scarcely
\ ash word, action or Judgment r EGG '
I. him. Thoso who knew him Wei noticed Gee
Nh IN he had keen scnsibllities and strong
ms; but his power OF self command '1
lever failed him, and no act ofShls pun NC
ife can lie traced to personal carrie g, a |;
" 3it lon ar + esen tment,8 In tho despondency
Sf3 long# continued failure, In the elation
XII sudden success, at5tinlcs when his soi-
81 Hers were DESERVING by hundreds ana q no
yhen4 81 5maligna plots were formed 'l1'' =
7 igainst his reputation amid the constant I'M
NJ l,,nrrels jealousies and rlvarl le Of ms
iiibordinates in the dark hour Of national tl
VI innIEratitude and in the midst or the most
a Universal and Intoxicating tlattery,. ne
i Yas always the same calm just, wise 1
i Tia slngle-minded man, pursuing the ft'
III jo,uIrrse which he believed to be right,
n sIthout fear favor or; fanaticism, equally
/ tree from the passions that spring from
s$ ltercst and tho passions that spring from from
~ nd glnation. He was In the highest sense
ii Il gent cman and a man Of honor, ana lie
Y, aaarried into public life the severest stand
I'D 81 private morals. s5{
IN hatever nny DO said Of Wa sfiington
fs5 M nj an, IS a, soldier, as Il statesman,
Unjust be conceded that he was pre- pre-
s;S,rrllnently the greatest all-round Amerl-
VI MI. III IIe was born In Virginia; he was
aducated III Fredericksburg; he$loved his
n III u :tS he loved his own people. and IN
ids Il rich maturity when the greatest
sSlonors OF his country dsbeen hcaped5
q lpon him, he returned to his old homo
a ;osyiat his mother and the associates OF
Hits early days and upon that occasion sion
aid. in response to an address from the
own council, that "the reflections Of
AZ iaaying met the congratulntorys smiles and
appropriation OF my fcllow-citi for
IN He part i have acted in the cause s'' Of Of
liberty and independence, cannot fail Of
S,dding pleasure to the other sweets of.
n domestic life. and my senslbllty OF them
n, j heightened, by their coming from the
8es;,p,ectable inhabitants Of the place Of
Nv growing infancy and the honorable
ss} aention which Is made Of my mother, by
BY whose hand I was led to manhood. !" But
Il; |, spite OF his love for his native State,
Il h nd especially for the people OF his own
+ ectIon OF the state, his great heart took
K stle whole country and the whole peor-,
liz tor whose independence and liberty he
gad fought. He was moro than a Vir-
4 Inian: he was distinctly an American,
nd his patriotism was as broad as the
Eepublic, nntainted by sectional pretu-
Ices. If lie had lived al another time It
+ fight have been different with him. for
! no greatest of men are Influenced by
onditlons and environment. Had lie
n zen reared as Iincoln was reared, he
have been the North's President
SS lad he been reared as Robert Il. Lee
sS'S Jas reared, he would In all human probu-
{ES ility have done as Lee did, and cast his
i,t with the Southern Confederacy. Bal
ayIng fought for the independence Of
$50 III the colonies; having been called tc
an reside over the affairs OF the young re-
sublic, which his own valor had created
a 5efore any Fort or sectional difference
sad developed. he became almost OF neces
lily a national character, and his con
srn was for the nation rather than TO
my section of the nation or for an.
5s articu.ar State.
I We ofthe Old I4minon are proud tina
Washington was born In Virginia, blu
ye cannot claim him distnctlveiy as OH
wn. He WAS the Father of his Country
Sg85 nd he belongs 10 the nation. II is, there
gg85fi ,re. most appropriate that the anniver
S AIRY Of his birth should be n natlona
oliday,8and should be observed In eae
nd every Stale in q spirit Of affecto
nd reverence, Washington IL the ma
IN on's Grand old Man, without u peel
ss ithout a rival in the hearts OF his coun
554s ,ymen, Washington is "irst" In ri
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