The Irish standard., 1909-02-27

name of a man in whose prowess and
prudence universal confidence was re-
posed would be presented to congress.
Washington, who had foreseen what
he desired to- avoid, rose from his
place and retired from the house, to
leave their proceedings unembarras.
sed by his presence. A day was fixed
for entering into the selection, and
on opening the ballot box, into which
the band of devoted patriots had cast
their suffrages, not another name was
found but that of George Washington.
You know the history Of the war
that followed. You have appreciated
as you ought, his prudence, his valor,
his courage, his privations and his en-
durance. You know what materials
he had to mould into an army-men
who, in general, bore devoted hearts,
but who were unused to discipline
and not always patient of restraint;
men whose unshod feet often marked
their track with their blood upon the
frozen road, and whose tattered gar
ments in the cold of winter showed
that they needed all the fervor of
their zeal for freedom to keep them
warm in it's defense.
Brightly do they shine, that galaxy
of sons of the soil from every state
of the old thirteen. that clustered in
so mighty multitude around that calm,
steady and glowing light that outshone
them all, and yet seemed to add to
their effulgence. Well did they re.
deem that noble pledge that was made
by men of every religious denomina-
ton! 1t was released, indeed, with
the loss of many life and with the
ruin of many a noble fortune, but by
the preservation of their sacred hon
or. With that honor they also pre-
served and improved their liberties
and unshackled industry from the
bonds of colonial restriction.
Washington's was not an ambition
of glory. He sacrificed no masses Of
human beings in brilliant charges that
he might. gather laurels from the spot
enriched /, by their tore,, or that he
might indite dispatches Af1ileds with
periods rounded by the swollen phras-
es of destruction. He weighed the
value of every life .intrusted to his
discretion, and would shudder at the
useless exposure Of even one. This
course was dictated by prudence, 'as
we'll as, by humanity and justice. His
affection: for, his. men caused him to
feel keenly for those whom the enemy
held as prisoners. ::
At first the British officers under.
took to treat them as rebels; indignity,
harshness and severe: confinement
were inflicted. and it was said that
these endurances would be. followed
by an ignominious death: In one in
stance the British prisoners. were
marked out by him as victims Of re-
taliation. They were on their march.
under an escort, to the place Of con-
finement, when they were overtaken
by an express, who announced that
General Washington could not permit
himself to do what even the usages Of
war sanctioned; that he. could not
punish the innocent for the guilty. He
appealed to the nobler principles of
the British commander but rare.
, ly succeeded; but his anxiety and his
exertion on this score were unceasing
and laborious..
The exquisite tact which he pos
.sessed were. exhibited, together with
his spirit of moderation and respect
for the feelings of his brothers in
; arms, at the surrender of Yorktown.
He dearly loved and greatly esteemed
the valuable men who shared in his
tolls and dangers. His big heart dis.
tended with unusual emotions when,
on December 4, 1888, he entered the
room in New York to bid a final adieu
to the principal officers, his compan.
ions in arms. The tears flowed on
each manly cheek. He grasped in sue.
cession those hands that had sus-
tanned their country's cause. The en-
brace was that Of generous soldiers
and firm friends-not a word was
spoken.
And now, covered with the benedic-
tions of his country and the admira-
tion of tN world, he retires again to
private fife; and there, after COM
paratiyely brief respite from the tolls
of office, he bowed his head in resig-
nation. to the summons which called
him fromsthis~ transitory state and
passed to another world, leaving after
him not the empty sound of what is
called an immortal name, but the
mighty monument of that freedom
which we enjoy, and the glorious bull