Gilpin observer., 1914-02-12


due to fellow-ctizens and brethren. but even
those execrable parricides, whose counsels anu
aid have deluged their country with plooo. nave
been protected from the fury of justly enraeeo
people. Far from compelling or permitting their
assistance l am embarrassed with the NUMBERS
who crowd to camp, animated with the puress
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 uncorrupted choice OF brave ana
free people, the purest source and original toun-
tain of all power. Far from making 1t plea TOT
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
ngton, Concord and Charlestown can best declare.
May that God. to whom you. too. appeal judge be-
tween America and you Under his providence.
those who influence the councils Of America. anq
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 washingtons high personal character. and
all bears testimony.
AS a statesman. Washington was as sure. as
broadminded and determined as he was as
general All his letters to his friends and to those
who served him show that his efforts were d.
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 saw the growth Of manufactures with
jealousy and distrust. But Washington yielded to
no economic falacies. Scarcely had the Revolu-
tion been brought to 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. Will only
observe that cannot conceive the extension OF
the latter $50 far as it may AFFORD employment to
a great number Of hands which would be other
wise in a manner idle) can be detrimental to the
former. On the contrary. the concurrence OF
virtuous individuals, and the combination OF eco
nomc societies. to rely as much as possible on
the resources of our own country, may be product
i've OF great national advantages by establishing
the habits of industry and economy. The OBJ
jects of your institution are therefore, in my
opinion, highly commendable; and you will permit
to add. gentlemen, that propose to demon
strate the sincerity of my opinion on this subject
by the uniformity Of my practice in giving de-
cided preference to the products and fabrics of
America whatsoever 1t may be done without In.
volving an unreasonable expense or very great In
q convenience
Along educational lines Washingtons ideas
were equally sure and far-seeing When the fed.
eral commissioners In 1875 considering the
erection Of a univerity. he wrote to them fol
lows:
1T has always been a source Of serious renec
tion 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
are doubtless many, under these circumstances,
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
early prepossessed In favor of other political
systems before they capable Of appreciatinR
their own
For this reason have greatly wished to see
plan adopted by which the arts. sciences and
bellies s-letters could be taught In their fullest
tent thereby embracing all the advantages oi
European tuition. with the means Of 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 magnitude) 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-
judices. which might perhaps sometimes arise
from local circumstance
These few extracts have been selected at
dom from Washingtons correspondence. extend
ing a period Of 26 years. II they stimulate
Just q few persons to make hrsthand study Of
the life and writings Of the fathertof this coun
try they will have fulfilled their mission.