The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-06-27

ply. "you will permit me to put on my
spectacles, for have not only grown
gray. but almost blind, in the service
Of my country"
Again a Victor.
There were wet eyes upon the in
slant in the room; no man stirred
while he read-read words of admoni-
ton, of counsel, and of hope which
burned at the ear; and when he was
done, and had withdrawn. leaving
them to do what they would they did
nothing of which he could be ashamed.
They spoke manfully, as was right.
of what they deemed it just and i'm
perative the congress should do for
them. but they Resolved, unanimous
ly. that at the commencement Of the
present war the officers of the Amer
lean army engaged in the service OF
their country from the purest love
and attachment to the rights and lib
critics Of human nature. which motives
still exist in the highest degree; and
that no circumstances of distress or
danger shall induce a conduct that
may tend to sully the reputation and
glory which they have acquired at the
price Of their blood and eight years
faithful services"
Urges Congress to Act.
Washington knew. nevertheless
how black a danger lurked among
these distressed men; did not fail to
speak plainly of it to the congress;
and breathed freely again only when
the soldiers just demands had at last
in some measure been met. by at any
rate the proper legislation.
He grew weary with longing for
peace. when the work seemed done
and his thoughts and leisure to turn
towards his home again.
But once in all the heightened days
of fighting had he seen Mount Yer
non. He had turned aside to spend
a night or two there on his way to
Yorktown. and he had seen the loved
place again for a little after the vic
tory was won.
Now, amidst profitless days at New
burgh, or in counsel with the commit
JCC6 vi liz COiS Coo QpOn
that was never finished. while affairs
stood as it were in a sort of paralysis
waiting upon the interminable con
ferences Of the three powers who bag
gled over definitive terms of peace at
Paris, home seemed to him, in his
WEAKNESS. more to be desired than
ever before
Sorrow at Mount Vernon.
Private griefs had stricken him at
the very moment of his triumph
Scarcely had<the victory at Yorktown
been celebrated when he was called
lNovepaber, 17S1) to the death bed of
Jack<Custis. his wayward but dearly
loyed stepson, and had there to en-.
dpre the sight of his wife's grief and
yhe young widows hopeless sorrow
Yadded toehis own.
The two. youngest children he
claimed for himself, with that wistful
fatherly longing that had always mark
ed him: and Mount Vernon seemed to
him more like a. haven than ever
where to seek rest. and solace.
The two years he. had yet to wait
may we'll have seemed to him the
longest of his life. and may have add.
ed a touch of their own to what
strangers deemed his sternness.
Washington had seldom seemed so
stern as in one incident of those try
ing months.
An officer of the American army
had been taken in a skirmish, and the
English had permitted a brutal com
pany of loyalists. under one Captain
Lippincott, to take him from his pris-
on in New York and wantonly hang
him in broad daylight on the heights
near Middletown.
Washington at once notified the
British commander that unless the
murderers were delivered up to be
punished, a British officer would be
chosen by lot from among his pris-
oners to suffer in their stead; and.
when PREPARATION was withheld. pro
ceeded without hesitation to carry his
threat into execution.
The lot fell upon Captain Charles
Asgill, an engaging youth of only
nineteen, the heir of a great English
family.
Lady Asgill. the lads mother did
not stop short of moving the very
French court itself to intervene to
save her son. and at last the congress
counseled his release, the English
commander having disavowed the act
of the murderers in whose place ne
was to suffer and Washington him
self having asked to be directed what
he should do
Captain Asgill has been released"
Washington wrote to Vergennes, in
answer to the great ministers inter
cession. Il have no right TO assume
any particular merit from the lenient
manner in which this disagreeable af-
fair has terminated. But [ beg you
to believe, sir. that I most sincerely
rejoice, not only because your hui
name intentions are gratified. but be-
cause the event accords with the