The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-22
GEORGE WASHINGTON.

lTGOn0G WHOE1llN0 OlNs
First in war. first in peace. first in
the hearts of his countrymen.'
More than a hundred years ago these
words were spoken. and they are as
true today as they were when they
were uttered, though then the country's
bereavement was fresh in the minds of
the people. 1t would have been natural
to utter words of extravagant praise
for Washington, but the people who
knew him best loved him best. and in
their opinion no words of praise too
extravagant for him had been coined.
The anniversary of the birth of
George Washington, Feb. %, 1882, is OBJ
served as a holiday wherever Ameri-
cans are gathered together. No such
tribute is paid to the memory of any
other American. And no other Ameri-
can has ever held or ever will hold, in
the esteem of his fellow countrymen, a
place as high as that universally ac-
corded to Washington. 1t would per-
haps be saying too much to declare
that if Washington had not lived the
war of the revolution would not have
ended in victory for American arms.
God was on the side of the patriots, but
God gave us George Washington and
prepared and strengthened him for the
service of his country.
Washington's life from boyhood was
a preparation for the events of his later
life. The historians tell US that he ma
tured early. At Is. an age when most
boys are thinking only of their sports,
he was a full-fiedged surveyor. earning
splendid compensation. for those days,
for his services. At 10 he was an adj
jutant general for the colony of Vir-
ginia. At % he was a lieutenant col
Onel in command of an expedition
against the French, and before he had
quite attained the age of % the veteran
fighter. Braddock. made Washington a
colonel.
Upon his return to Virginia after the
Braddock campaign. a campaign in
which all the glory that was won was
his, he was placed in command of all
the Virginia troops. Before he was %
years old Washington was recognized
as the greatest soldier in the colonies,
a reputation he had earned no less by
his cool generalship than by his valor
in action. Followed now sixteen years
of peace in the, life of Washington
During these years he managed his
plantation, building up his fortune and
still finding time to devote to the inter
ests of, the colony Of Virginia.
He was a member of the Virginia
house of burgesses and one of the six
delegates from Virginia to the CONT
mental congress. Washington foresaw
the conflict with Great Britain long be-
fore it came As early as 1859 we find
him writing to a friend: THAT no man
should scruple or hesitate moment
to use arms in defense of so valuable a
referring to the injustice of
taxation without representation Is
clearly my opinion" And when the war
was declared and he was appointed
commander-in-chief of the Continental
army, he fulfilled the trust as few men
have fulfilled a trust.
Later. when he became the first chief
elected by a popular vote
to govern a nation that he might have
ruled as king, he showed the qualities
of craftsmanship and of wisdom that
have caused him to be referred to as
our greatest president. 1t is we'll to
DO honor to the memory of George
May the recollections of
his services to his country never grow
dim in the memory of any true Ameri-
can.