The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1908-03-02
aEoRaE WARRINGTON.
from the Salt Lake Herald.

From the Salt Lake Herald.
The passing Of a century and a half
since the birth of Washington and of
more than a century since he passed
into the great beyond, has only
strengthened and confirmed the opin-
ion that prevailed among the majority
Of his contemporaries. He was
the greatest of Americans. 1t was
within the power of George Washing
ton to establish q monarchy in this
country, with himself as its head. He
could have been president as long as he
lived, but at the end of his second term
he thankfully retired from public life,
beloved by his c%ountrymen and as
sured of a place in their affections for
all time to come.
Washington, indeed, assumed the
presidency in the first place with a
great reluctance. and it was with the
greatest difficulty that he was persuad.
ed to accept a second term. That second
term was full of trouble for him. His
theory was that the new country could
not afford alliances with foreign ma
lions and strict neutrality which he
advocated when the war between En-
gland and France broke out caused
him to be bitterly assailed by the
partisans of the French. 1t was only
natural that there should be a vast
amount of sympathy for France in this
country for France had only o few year
earlier rendered valuable assistance to
this country in her fight for liberty.
Washington must have known that
his attitude for the time being would
make him unpopular, but he knew it
was the best for the country and his
steadfast courage made him cling to
it. Some idea of the feeling against
him may be obtained from the state
ment Of Chief Justice Marshall, in
his Life of Washington. - that ''the
military and political character of the
president was attacked and he was
averred to be totally destitute of mer.
it, either as a soldier or as a states
esman. The calumnies with which he
was assailed were not confined to his
public conduct. Even his qualities as
a man was the subject of detraction.'
The charge was made that he had
violated the constitution by "nego-
tiating a treaty with Great Britain
without the previous advice of the SEN
ate, and in embracing within the
treaty subjects belonging exclusively
to the legislature, was openly made
plain and the subject of impeachment
was public suggested, and that he had
drawn upon the public treasury for his
private uses .or more than his sal
airy az annexed to the office was un-
blushingly asserted
All the calumnies, and all the pres
sure did not cause Washington to de
viate from his original course, and his.
tory has ~abundantly justified all that
he had done.
Washington is more popularity known
as a soldier than as a statesman, but
this many-sided man possessed the
most admirable qualities of both in q
degree that was never eaualed in the
history of this nation. His first impor-
tant mission, undertaken when he was
only Il years of age, war more one of
diplomacy than of arms. He was scrt
IN 1888 by Governor Dinwiddie to as
certain the strength of the French
on the Ohio river and to deliver a let.
ter to the commander of the French.
The mission was successfully accom-.
piished. 1t il related that Washington
spoke very seldom to the Virginia
Legislature, but Patrick Henry once
said that "he was for solid informa.
tion and sound Judgment unauestiona
Oily the greatest mar of the assembly. ,,
washington was unanimously elected