The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-06-02

necessary FOR the success of the great
movement which subsequently became
an Important event In the history of
mankind. Almost as soon as he land
ed on these shores from Scotland, he
made the interesting discovery that
he was an American. Like all Scotch
men. he was not averse to advertis-
ing. and at heart his real purpose was
to make Princeton an institution
where he could fit young men for SER
vice to their country. Flushed with
that indomitable spirit of the Scot, he
began from the start to take an active
interest In politics; and he was like
his countrymen. who do not identify
themselves with the country commun-
ity in which they live-they take pos
session OF 1t.
ITO describe a man like this Is as
difficult as describing Washington. He
possessed a quality Of greatness that
is undehnable. He was imbued
with those qualities that marked Lin
coin. and he massed those powers
with a solidity that made their i'm
press lasting. It may be said he pos
sessed symmetry of power that
slumbered. and only when the large
scale Of his career was unfolded was
he appreciated. Every part of his
being. when touched with fire, bcame
kindled. He was combustible through
out; and do you wonder that this man
burst into flame when he was touch.
ed with the electrified air of Ameri-
ca?
"Witherspoon Immediately recogni.
zed the significance Of the situation
into which he had stepped almost un-
warily just before the war of the Rev
oiution. He not only based his asser-
tions on facts. but on that sometimes
disturbing element--common sense.
His watchwords in the Continental
Congress was the attainment OF effec-
tive legislation insuring actual taxa
tivn. hard cash and a solid union of
the colonies. 1t would belittle him to
call him the greatest president of
Princeton University or a leader of
the American colonists. 1t was he who
was mainly instrumental imparting
thaose principles which will lift this
nation to the realization Of its sober
and yet manifest supremacy.
'Dr. Witherspoon was one of those
Scots who are both troublesome and
ir Indispensable. With that keen logical
mind he directed his measures In the
Continental Congress. and In many
instances he must have been minor
ity Of one. We think that men who
create revolutions must be emotional
orators. This u not the case; much less
.s = true that emotional orators lead
revolutions. Witherspoon was far
from emotional; he spoke with quiet
dsliberation which carried more
weight because he dealt only with,
and by facts. He was TO the Conti-
mental Congress what Washington
was TO the army and they worked to-
gether for q common cause.
1T u q matter of humorous history
at Princeton that John witherspoon.
ever eager to'impress the idea Of lib
erty upon the colonists and especially
the Presbytery Of New Jersey. wrote
the speeches of the undergraduates. 1t
may be said that under his tptelage
the students In their themes spoke
only on the philosophy of politics to
be discussed In the pulpit. No better
example could be given Of this mans
versatility In education than that two
Of his students. James Madison and
Light Horse" Harry Lee. demon
strated to the nation the doctrines In
stilled at Princeton by Witherspoon. ="
Several times In the introduction of
Ambassador Bryce's address. his wit
caused ripples Of laughter in the au-
dience. "John witherspoon was q
strong. self-reliant courageous man,
filled with the spirit Of the Covenanters
OF Drumclog and OF Boutwell, Bridge
man who would have at all times
declared his independence Of every
thing. and who both by his learning
and his force Of character Is worthily
remembered by one Of our greatest
universities as the most striking fig
ure In It's earlier annals. He came Of
o strong race. one Of the strongest
that has gone to the making Of this
now composite nation. In which 1t is
beginning to be hard to trace the sew
eral threads that have been woven on
the loom Of time into the fabric.
students Of history and ethnology