The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-02-12

due to fellow-citizens and brethren, but even
those execrable parricides, whose counsels ana
aid have deluged their country with blood, nave
been protected from the fury Of justly enraged
people. Far from compelling or permitting their
assistance I am embarrassed with the numbers
who crowd to our camp animated with the purest
principles of virtue and love to their country
You affect sir, to despise all rank not derived
from the same source with your own. | cannot
conceive one more honorable, than that which
flows from the interrupted choice of brave and
free people, the purest source and original foun-
tain of all power Far from making it plea for
purity a mind of true magnanimity and enlarged
ideas would comprehend and respect it
What may have been the ministerial views
which have precipitated the present crisis, Lex
ington, Concord and Charlestown can best declare.
May that Cod to whom you too, appeal judge be
tween America and you. Under his providence,
those who influence the councils of America, and
all the other inhabitants of the United Colonies,
at the hazard OF their lives, determined to
hand down to posterity those just and invaluable
privileges which they received from their an
cestors"
To Washington's high personal character, and
his lack Of small weaknesses, his correspondence
all bears testimony.
AS a statesman, Washington was as sure, as
broadminded and as determined he was as
general All his letters his friends and to those
who served him show that his efforts were dt
rected toward the prevention, not only Of entan
Cling alliances abroad, but to calming internal dis.
sensions and directing the business of the nation
into healthy channels.
For time the agricultural interests and the
merchants the growth of manufactures with
jealousy and distrust. But Washington yielded to
no economic fallacies Scarcely had the Revolu
ton been brought to a successful termination
when he wrote to the Delaware Society for Pro
noting Domestic Manufactures in 1898, as fol
lows:
The promoting of domestic manufactures will
in my conception, be among the first consequences
which may naturally be expected to flow from an
energetic government For myself, having an
equal regard for the prosperity OF the farming
trading and manufacturing interests, l will only
observe that | cannot conceive the extension OF
the latter $50 far it may afford employment tc
a great number Of hands which would be other
wise in a manner de) be detrimental to the
former On the contrary, the concurrence OF
virtuous individuals. and the combination of eco
nomic societies. to rely much as possible Cd
the resources of our own country, may be product
i've of great national advantages ~ establishing
the habits of industry and economy. The OBJ
jects of your institution are, therefore, in my
opinion, highly commendable; and you will permit
me to add gentlemen, that l propose to demon
strate the sincerity Of my opinion this subject
by the uniformity of my practice in giving de
cided preference to the products and fabrics OF
America, whatsoever it may be done without in
volving an unreasonable expense very great in
convenience"
Along educational lines Waslrngtons ideas
were equally sure and far-seeng. When the fed
eral commissioners in 1895 were considering the
erection of a unworthy, he wrote to them fol
lows:
1T has always been source Of serious rehec
ton and sincere regret with me that the youth OF
the United States should be sent to foreign coun
tries for the purpose of education Although there
who escape the danger of contracting principles
unfavorable to republican government, yet we
ought to deprecate the hazard attending ardent
and susceptible minds from being too strongly and
too early prepossessed in favor OF oeher political
systems before they are capable OF approaching
their own.
For this reason | have greatly wished to see
a plan adopted by which the arts, sciences and
belles-letters could be taught in their fullest eX
tent thereby embracing all the advantages OF
European tuition, with the means or acquiring the
liberal knowledge which is necessary to qualify
our citizens for the eXigencies Of public as well
as private life; and (Which with me is a consider
alton of great magntude) by assembling the youth
from the different parts of this rising republic
contributing from their intercourse and inter
change Of information to the removal of pre-
JUDGES, which might perhaps sometimes arise
from local circumstances"
These few extracts have been selected at ran
dom from Washngton's correspondence, extend
ing over a period of 25 years. If they stimulate
Just a few persons to make f1rsthand study OF
the life and writings of the father of this
try they will have fulfilled their mission.