The Irish standard., 1909-02-27

Of his self-denial, and turned upon the
vanquished only the retribution of his
mercy. Happy. proud America! The
lightnings of Heaven could not resist
your sage-the temptations of earth
could not corrupt your soldier! give
you, sir, the memory Of George WASH
ington.
In addition to the foregoing eloquent
tribute to Washington from Protest
ant Irishman, we herewith give an
other from Catholic Irishman, Rt.
Rev. John England, first Bishop of
Charleston, S. c., who delivered it on
the birthday of the Father of His
Country" more than half q century
ago:
George washington was at an early
moment placed in the most favorable
position that TIE circumstances of the
/. iony would illipw for the test st,lu
cation that 9 u,l bs: obtained. from An
ixcsrcourse With st4,oye =7WH'sr minds
were cultivt;.d.e Al an tamy period
he had obta's.d over the minds Of his
companions that moral ascendancy
which through life he was enabled by
the very same principles, more fully
developed and more extensively ap-
piled, to gain over his fellow-citizens
and to preserve to the termination of
his life. His love of discipline caused
him to be placed at the head of their
little military organizations; his pro-
bity and judgment secured to his
awards, as arbiter in their differences,
a ready and willing execution.
>. His exercises we're such as fitted
him for activity and vigilance, and his
love for mathematics and attention to
forms of business showed fondness
for order, patience Of toll, a desire
of Improvement, and a steadiness Of
purpose rot often found in youth
of only fourteen years Of age. We
have already seen in the boy many
traces If what became the character
Of the man. Washington may, under
Gody be considered as having been
fashioned by a. special providence. 1t
this. early period he had already la:d
down or adopted wise code for tie
regulation Of his conduct.
Washington's first public mission
was not only of highly confidential
but. of an extremely perilous nature
The French had crossed the northern
lakes, which had been assumed by
Great n"itain as the natural boundary
between their respective colonies. The
governor and council Of Virginia re-
solved that it would be. proper, as both
nations were at peace, to send an Off
Ger to the French commander with a
request to know by what authority he
had advanced. Major Washington was
selected. With party Of seven COM
panions he set forward, and by climb.
ing, scrambling,' fording and swim
ming, he reached the. Monongahela
and Allegheny at the point where their
juncture forms the Ohio. Upon his
return he delivered the answer of the
French commander and placed his own
journal in the hands Of the governor.
The agency Of this man as he ad-
vanced in life upon more extended
field, in more elevated stations, and
amongst persons of more Importance,
necessarily attracts more attention,
and surrounds him with a brighter
halo of glory; but the individual is
himself unchanged. From the first to
the last it is George Washington.
1t was when he was a member Of
the second congress, which assembled
on May 10, 1775, that Washington
was appointed commander-in-chief Of
the army. An expression Of John Ad-
ans indicated in a way. too plain to
be misunderstood, that though her
own sons we're in the. field, and had
confidence in their commander, still
she would sacrifice their sectional
pride to general advantage, and the