Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-02-22
WASHINGTON
AS A
CONSTRUCTIVE
PATRIOT
BY KATIE RlNE POPE


Some men support the interests of
their country by defending the land
they love. Washington was both de-
fender and builder, soldier and states
man. Let US dwell on his work as
builder.
Naturally conservative, Washington
was not in favor of counting trouble
with old England; but as acts OF Eng
lish aggression followed one after an
other, realized submission had ceased
to be a virtue. When the first CONT
mental congress met, in 1774, he &C.
cepted election as delegate, and in
company with Patrick Henry set out
for Philadelphia. THAT congress sat
in Carpenters hall with closed doors,
but the great papers that it prepared
and issued form a proud part OF
American history. Those were the pa
pers and that the congress OF which
Chatham in the house of lords, in his
memorable speech on the removal oil
troops from Boston, January 20, IT'S
said: When your lordships look a
the papers transmitted to us from
America, when you consider their de
cency, firmness and wisdom, you can
not but respect their cause, and wisf
to make it your own. For myself
must declare and avow that in all my
reading and observation-and 1t hal
been my favorite study have re0t
Thucydides, and have studied and ad
mired the master statesmen of thu
world-that for solidity of reasoning
force of sagacity, and wisdom of con
clusion, under such a complication o
difficult circumstances, no nation o
body Of men can stand in preference
to the general congress at Philadel
phia.' The precise part taken b,
Washington within the closed door
OF Carpenters hall is nowhere record
ed. but the testimony of n of 1t
most distinguished members cannot b
forgotten. When Patrick Henry r.
turned home from the meeting an
was asked whom he considered tn
greatest man at that congress, he n
piled: If you speak of eloquenct
Mr.. Rutledge, of South Carolina, is b
far the greatest orator; but If 20
speak of solid information and SCUM
Judgment, Col. Washington is unque'
tionably the greatest man on tina
floor"
Washington was also delegate [
the second continental congress, tn
one which unanimously elected hill
commander in chief of the continents
forces, and the one where he declare
the position a trust too great for m
capacity" To us it is pleasing I
compare the modesty that characte
ICED Washington throughout his lii
with the egotism looked upon g
f~orgivable, essential part of a fore
full personality of the present da,
And Washington, was the man to whol
Frederick the Great wrote, the wore
accompanying the gift of a portrait
himself: "From the Oldest general l
Europe to the greatest general in tt
world"
The two years lapsing between Cor
wallis surrender and the treaty
peace was a period marked by MOI
distinguished patriotism on the pa,
of Washington and by his polite;
wisdom and foresight. The countr
was in a most troubled state, Office
and men suspicious that the army We
- - Jseho.Ial uitbnyt nnrai
making provision for meeting the jul
: claims of the troops. Both Office
and men began to distrust a repu
lican form Of government. Matter
o went so far, an army colonel ws
sent to communicate with Wasfin
I ton and make suggestion that he a
sumo the title of king and give Il
4 country a firm government. The agel
8 met with a severe rebuke; this Was
ington's answer to the suggestion
II am at a loss to conceive what pa
Of my conduct could have given e
. enlargement to an address which
! me seems big with the greatest mi
chief that can befall my country.
: I am not deceived in the knowledl
q Of myself, you could not have four
a person to whom your schemes al
more disagreeable. .. Let me conjut
you. then, If you have any regard +
your country, concern for youself
8 posterity, or respect for me. to banis
\ these thoughts from your mind, al
9 never communicate, from yourself
9 anyone else, a sentiment Of like n
ture,"