The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-02-22
Many Sides Nan as Revealed By
His Writings, But Not as
Pictured BY His BIZ
cgraphers.

CSi OrilCa Ss
To the weakness of human nature,
perhaps, may be attributed the fact
that people are more likely to admire
u brilliant failure than a solid. sub
stantial success.
And to this, also. may be attributed
the additional act that, Of all heroes
Of the revolutionary period, posterity
has been Inclined to dwarf the stature
Of Washington.
Doubtful it is, nevertheless. If another
Of the great figures Of, anything like
recent history stands out with such a
record Of unvarying success as that
which was attained by the father of
the exceedingly small minority OF men
who never failed. All tha he did bore
evidence to his sound judgment and
virility Of mind.
For a time his ~biographers tried to
transform him into a saint. Obviously
impossible, this, because, above all
things elese, he was q man among men,
a figure in his time which,. so far as
obtained to his personality, was not
unlike that of the late King Edward
OF England-prone to m weak
ness, but at the same time a gentle
man of rare tact and dignity. The
comparison may not be entirely inapt.
Soo IN a ANVIL SAASN 49, "SN
Washington.
After 1t became apparent that Wash
ington was not q saint, the trend OF
opinion was to consider him q respect
able numbskull, q creature OF circum-
stances, who managed by luck never
to do the wrong thing. At the same
time, men who. in his day, took minor
first rank, largely because Of their
%fondness for epigram n that further
weakness Of the general public, which
would rather scent out q hero Of its
own than acknowledge to tho greatness
Of the obvious, outstanding figure.
All OF which would indicate thai the
time a about arrived when Wash
ington should be rescued from his BIZ
ographcrs.
Moderation and determination are
the two dominant characteristics o,
which time a not robbed Washing
ton. OF them, the nrst Is the one which
has deprived him Of a great deal OF
the appreciation which has been Law
ished on less deserving characters.
Whatever the vices Of the man, they
were always held within respectable
restraint. Whatever his virtues, hi
never gave them undue prominence.
So 1t is that, after more thar a cen.
fury, there has come q tendency t
d~epreciate h ability Of the one mar
who, more than any other, woult
naturally be exalted. For a long tins
It was held that his fame vas tar
nished because he swore real oaths a
the battle Of Monmouth. That wa.
succeeded by the present epoch, which
has chosen to regard him as a lovabl'
gentleman, with enough horse sens
not to make a fool Of himself and, b.
a series Of events over which he ha'
no control, to become the father o
his country.
And yet it is doubtful II anothe
character OF the age is more to b
admired for it's many-sided excellen
cies. AS man. warrior and statesman
Washington yields TO nc figure Of hi
time.
What place Washington held, in hi
W day. must now become a matte
Of interest. Shortly after his deatf
Felix Faulcon voiced the opinion o
the French parliamentarians when h
addressed the legislative assembly a
follows:
THE tomb has claimed him who wa
III model OF republican perfection. Th1
IS not the time to trace all this trul
great man has accomplished for tn
liberties of America, the generous in
spirations which he impaired to tn
French who were attracted to hi
school of arms; the sublime act whlc
will ever add luster to his memoir,
when. after having exerted his talent
III BlNlhG llDCIly ~ ms SOuAAt'y ~
voluntarily relinquished suprem
power to conceal his glory in the oh
security of private life"
NapoIeon's Tribute.
Naturally, Napoleon was attracted {
the great general who led an army
ragamufhns to victory, after a lon
campaign Of almost unparalleled vicis
STUDIES, and whose power was atteste
by the fact that none of his generals
nxcart NVaunn annnn1nlicha1 n1nch aft
Ell they left him.. When the news {
his death reached France, the frs
consul issued the following order:
washington Is no more! That gres
man fought against tyranny. He firm
ly established the liberty Of his cour
try. His memory will ever be e I
the French people, as it must be I
3 every friend OF freedom in two word
and especially to the. French soldier
: who. ike him and the American
. hravely fight for liberty and eaualit.
. The first consul, in. consequence, OF
ders that. for 10 days, black crepe sha
. be suspended to all the standards an
t flags OF the republic -.
= At almost the same time the ca
zette de France said
= washington is dead! This news
the time OF the directory 1t would hay
been imprudent to Now, Il
e heart may with confidence aband
itself to all the generous emotions
n the soul. n We may dare to weep
@ the tomb of a great a A gener
. funeral service has been ordered
America, and this will be observed
the citizens Of every nation. No peric
= has sustained q loss so ~irreparable
the end Of the Eighteenth century"
This concluding sentence may be tai
y en- as generally expressing the estim,
= ton In which the father of his coul
y try" was then held. Since then. Wi
that fash tendency to appreciate higl
- sounding phrases rather than sour
Il craftsmanship, 1t has become the fasl
ion rather to exalt the orators n Il
p writer's, who had secondary roles. the
to accept the verdict Of colonial time
It Is doubly strange, too, that a %
ing. because OF the large and contin'
GUS additions from foreign land
= should have no n great work., n
= even an essay. which vitality and vi
l. orously presents the character Of 1
4. hEst great general, statesman and eli
zen.
l. At this late date 1t is impossible
y Judge the man at first hand, save
d the written records he has left benin
1t But, before any Of them are quote
l. It might not be amiss to repeat t
tribute from his widow to Preside
, Adams. who had communicated to h
a resolution of coincidence from t
~ congress. In part 1t follows:
IN while I feel with keenest angui
"a the late dispensation OF Divine Pro,
a. mournful tributes Of respect and vene
K. alton which are paid to my dear d
" ceased husband; and, as his best ser
Ices and most anxious wishes were