The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-07-25

But Washington knew that the
praise deserved for such mastery and
eelf-possession would be short-lived
enough y the new government should
fail or be- discredited
n was the overpowering thought
that he himself would be chiefly re-
sponsible for its success or failure
that shook his nerves as he stood
there al the beginning of his task;
and no man of RICH, sensibility in
that audience failed to like him the
better and trust him the more i'm
phcitly for his emotion
n was "a very touching scene"
wrote Fisher Ames of Massachu-
sets 1T seemed To me an allegOry
On which virtue was persOnifed as adj
dressing those whom she would make
her yotaries Her power over the
heart was never greater. and the H.
lustration Of her doctrine by her own
example was never more perfect"
Words Of Appeal.
Il feel how much l shall stand in
need Of the countenance and aid of
friend to the Revolution. and of every
lover OF good government" were
Washingtons words Of appeal to Ed
ward Rutledge. of South Carolina;
and he never seemed to his friends
more attractive or more noble than
now.
Turns to New Duties.
The Inauguration over, the streets
fallen quiet again. the legislative
business OF the houses resumed, Wash
ington regained his old self-possession,
and turned to master his new duties
with calm thOroughness of purpose
which seemed at once to pass into the
action of the government itself.
Perhaps IL was true. as he thought,
that he had been no statesman hith-
erto; though those who had known
him would have declared themselves
OF another mind He had carried the
affairs of the Confederation upon his
own shoulders, while the war lasted,
after a fashion the men of that time
were not likely to forget, so full of
energy had he been. so provident and
capable upon every point of policy.
His letters, too, since the war ended,
had shown his correspondents the
country over such an appreciation Of
the present so sure forecast of the
future, so masculine an understanding
Of what waited to be done and of the
means at hand to do it. that they, at
least. accounted him their leader in
peace no less than in war.
But craftsmanship hitherto had been
only incidental to his duties as a SOL
der and a citizen. 1t had been only
an accident OF the Revolution that he
had had himself. oftentimes, to supply
the foresight and the capacity in ac-
ton which the hating congress
lacked. He had had no experience at
all in actual civil administration. He
did not know his own abilities, or real
lie how rich his experience in affairs
had, in fact, been. He went about his
new tasks with diffidence, therefore,
but with the full-pulsed heartiness, too.
Of the man who thoroughly trusts him
self, for the capacity at any rate Of
his duty-his whole duty-and it was
his purpose to understand and execute
the Office of president as he had under
stood and administered the Office of
general.
Need for Caution.
He knew what need there was for
caution. This was to be, lin the first
instance, in a considerable degree, a
government of accommodation as we'll
as a government of laws. Much was
to be done by prudence. much by con-
Citation, much by frmness." 81 walk"
he said, ION untrodden ground. There
Is scarcely an action the motive of
which may not be subjected to a
double Interpretation. There is scarce
ly any part of my conduct which may
not hereafter be drawn into prece-
dent"
But, though he sought a prudent
course, he bad no mind to be timid:
though he asked advice, he meant to
be his own master.
Washington had, no doubt, a more
precise understanding of what the new
government must be made to mean
than any other man living, except.
perhaps, Hamilton and Madison, the
men whom he most consulted. The
Confederation had died in contempt.
despised for its want of dignity and
power. The new government must
deserve and get pre-eminent standing
from the first. Its policy must make
the states a nation. must stir the
people out of their pettiness as col
onists and provincials, and give them
national character and spirit 1t
was not a government only that was
to be created. but the definite body
OF opinion also which should sustain
and perfect it. 1t must be made worth
believing in. and the best spirits of
the country must be rallied to it's sup
port.
IL was not the question simply of
how strong the government should be.
It's action must "a WASHINGTON cold