Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-21

sent to drive the French away from
the junction Of the Ohio and Alleghen!
Rivers. lie tells 10 also thu. Wash
ington was elected to the virsinii
House Of Rursesses while he was still
very young, and that. Patrick Henr!
characterized him as the ablest man II
the. first Continental Congress. Hi
substantial qualities and his trustwor'
thiness were manifested early and thcy
were early recognised, 30 that when ,
general for the armies was needed after
the bnttlc Of Lexington and Concord HI
was selected for the post by unanimous
vote Of Congress. 1t IL worth whil'
reminding ourselves in these days, wher
men have no hesitation in pushing
| themselves forward and claiming high
distinctions, that Washington. in nc-
ceptins the command, expressed the fca,
that his abilities and experience were
not equal to the trust. Yet, he said,
II will enter upon the momentous duty
and exert every power I possess in the
service and for the support Of the
glorious cause"
he exhibited this modesty and this
Devotion With logical consistence to
the end Of his life.
LIE HAD no patience with the petty
IL vanitics and ambitions Of his OF.
flcers. When one Of them was about
to retire in pique he wrote in protest,
setting forth his own standard Of con-
duct:
In the usual contest Of empire and
ambition. the conscience Of a soldier
has so little share that he may very
properly insist upon his claims OF
rank. and extend his pretensions even
to. punctilio; but in such a cause ns
this, when the object 10 neither glory
nor extent Of territory. but q defense
Of all that Is dear and valuable in
private and public life. surely every
post ought to be deemed honorable in
which man can serve his country.
When the war was ended and be pre- e.
sided over the constitutional convention
he again set UP high standard and
induced his colleagues to accept it.
There had been some suggestions that
in view Of the certain opposition to the
Constitution some concessions should be
made in order to meet the objections.
But the suggestions involved embodyins
defects which could not be defended.
Washington then remarked from the
chair: 1T is too probable that no
plan We propose will be adopted. Per.
haps smother dreadful conflict Is to be
sustained. II, to please the people, we
offer what We ourselves disapprove. how
can we afterward defend our work? Let
us raise a standard to which the wise
and honest can repair: the event Is in
the. hand Of God"
There we have the whole secret OF
Washington, the secret which Mr..
Thayer has set himself to disclose once
more. In the process Of disclosure he
has let Washington exhibit himself by
quotations from his letters and speeches.
They speak more eloquently than any
paraphrass Of them. and they 60 long
way 70 justify the I eonclusion that
Washington is the greatest man this
country has produced, even though the
late Franklin X. Lane decided that
Lincoln was greater.
Mr.. Thaycr's book 10 justified not
because he has made any contribution
W. tS1f&ntWledSes t66t tbsSaxSe he has
told anew the great story in manner
which will induce the present genera
ton to read It again and baptize itself
anew in the regenerating waters Of its
high example.
/ GEORGE ". DOUGLAS.