The Washington herald., 1908-02-16
Washington Not Known to
Have Observed Date
DIARY SHOWS OTHER DUTY
Was Busy Moving on One of the
Anniversary Events During His
Term as President-WRr and Other
Affairs Distracted Thoughts from
SeIf-Praised by All Men.
r, RTnoLpH DIE zAPP.

est to know that George Washington HIM
self paid little attention TO his natal day.
Although conscientious churchgoer.
and particular so far as the proper OBJ
servance Of Old customs was concerned,
Washington seems to have recognized
few holidays aside from Sunday, Christ
mas, and New Years There is ample
proof in his diaries and letters that the
greatest generaT'-using the words OF
Frederick the Great-often forgot even
his own birthday or, at least, neglected
celebration Of the event
Soon after his election to the Office OF
President of the United states he Y mt
to Philadelphia to liye where he eX-
perienced considerable trouble in obtain
ing "a suitable house. Accustomed to the
roomy and expansive way Of living OF
the Virginia planters Of that day. he and
Mrs Washington could not readily adapt
themselves to the more confined quarters
Of what was then the largest city on the
North American continent, barring the
City of Mexico and Quebec. Although
Philadelphia al that time was as much
spread out as a country village, they
compared with Mount Vernon.
Moved ON His Birthday.
It also appears that Washington de
tested moving about as strongly as the
modern husband. So that between IN
suitable houses. moving. and TIE cares
of office his first several months in the
capital Of the nation were spent in any
thing but comfort
His ponderOus furniture was not adapt
ed to the Philadelphia houses This gave
him a great deal of annoyance.
Flrally after much trouble, he leased a
large. Toomv dwelling house from a Mr.
McComb which had previously served as
the residence of the French minister.
Although Washington decided 10 move in
at once. he occupied the greater part
Of one month Ia transporting his NOV
ables and getting fixed up in his new
quarters.
The portion Of his diary which he kept
from October. I7S9, to 40. covering the
month of February 17o-is taken up with
such entries as:
Moved the large mahogany sideboard
into our now domiciie to-day \ very
tedious undertaking"
The entry for Monday. February p
1880 reads as follows.
Set seriously about removing my fur
niture 10 my new house Two of the gem
tlemen OF the family had theiT beds taken
there, and would sleep there tonight.
From the foregoing. one is left 90 infer
that he was not iu the habit of celebrat-
ing his birthday with undue hilarity %
display. The hum0r Of the sitIa'ion be-
comes all the more apparent when one
learns from mis- diary that his was
about the fourth time ne had set sell
ouslv about removing 10 his new quar-
ters.
Busy Making War.
He appears TO have been equally indif-
ferent during the Revolutionary war as
to the day which all modern Americans
celebrate. Doubtless tho matter never
once entered his head. And there were
times during the struggle for liberty
when the anniversary Of his birth proved
day OF trouble and anxiety and yexa-
tion.
Just before the b0mbardmeut Of Boston
and the evacuation of that port by the
l British. he wrote q letter 10 his friend
/ James Reed. which would seem To indi-
| cate that February .. 1776. found him in
[ hUmor anything but Joyous and pleas
ant. The council referred TO in the let
/ ter was held on that date.
! The letter reads.
! Cambridge February the 2fth. 1775.
Dear Sir. A line or two from you tC
/ Col Bull. which came 90 hand last even.
ing, is the only letter I have received
/ from you since the 2lst Of January. This
added To my getting none from any Other
! correspondent southwark, leads me to ap
/ preheud some miscarriage. I am to OBJ
/ serve. though, that the Saturdays pos
/ is not yet arrived-by that I may pos
sibly get letters. we have, under as
many difficulties, perhaps lon account
| Of hard, frozen ground. as ever. work
/ ing parties engaged. completed our worl
/ on Litchmores Point; we have gotteT
some heavy pieces Of ordnance place,
/ there, two platforms fixed for mortars
and everything but the thing Teadl
/ for any offensive operation. Stroni
4 guards are now mounted there and a
! Cobble Hill About ten days ago tn
| severe freezing weather formed som'
pretty strong ice from Dorchester TO Bos
ton Neck, and from Roxbury TO the Com
mon This I thought knowing the ic
could not lasD a favorable opportunity Z
make an assault on the troops (the Brit
ish) in town. I proposed 1t in council
but. behold. though we had been waiting
all the year for this favorable event, th
| enterprise was thought too dangerous
! Perhaps II was-perhaps the irksOmenes
Of my situation led me to undertake mor
than could be warranted by prudence
7 did not think so. and I am sure ye
that the enterprise, If II had been under
taken with resolution, must have sue
ceedeG; without It, any would fail: bu
it is now at an end, and ] am preparing
TO take post 20 Dorchester to try II tn
enemy viii be so kind as 20 come out {
us. Ten regiments OF militia, you mus
know. had come in To strengthen N,
hands for offensive measures. bus what
have here said respecting the determine
tions and possessing Dorchester Point
spoken under the rose.
From this letter It would appear tha
the Father Of His Country was too mucl
occupied trying to iufuse a little back
bone into staff Of timid generals on hi
birthday TO celebrate this event.
Too Troubled to Celebrate.
During the latter days of his admins
tration his life was embittered and ren
dered miserable by the Vaccinations c
those who were genuine, If not avowed
Tories One Of the gloomiest letters f
the entire length and breadth of his 70
luminous correspondence he wrote on til
occasion of his sixty-ffth birthday t
Henry Knox
In the course Of this letter, Washing
ton said:
ITO the wearled traveller who sees
resting place and is bending his body {
lean thereon. I now compare myself; bu
10 be suffered 10 do this in peace is to
much TO be endured by some. To misreT
resent my motives. to reprobate my pol
tics, and to weaken the confidence whic
has been reposed in my administratiO
are objects which cannot be relinquishe
by those who Will be satisfied with moth
r.allA..al