Gunnison news-champion., 1924-02-29
ROCKWELL SPEAKS Of
BOYS AND CITIZENSHIP
(coatinu.d frem Firs, Paeel

nA; snc nen Aukusn ~ VI
Lawrence. died. George succeeded a.
heir 10 the entire estate OF some ssoV
acres At Nj Vernon Being trained IN
sixteen. working At the profession Of
surveyor. At nineteen. he Was an ofr
ncer In the British army. where he
rinis troops in the French and In
dian wars. AZ twenty-seven he mar
ried Martha Custis. . charming widow
with two esildrsn 1n ,,, AZ forsy.,hrse; ;ss the
his campaign against the Cauls. and
the same age that Napoleon Bone
parte made his fatal mistake Of de-
commandcr-in-chief OF the American
Bancroft. IN his History of the
eoassay SS,ssq eosS ny, h.se .eh,.usa es
ndependence-but for him it could
not have formed the union-and now.
but for him. u could not set the gov
erument In successful motion
AZ nfty-seven he was elected the
nrst president OF the United States BY
the unanimous vote OF the electors and
animousiy for the same office.
ness Of his home and surrounded oy
his family DssemSss hsn isn tanorsS rss' him IN
death. aitho he had fought them both
in life. The American people buried
him with these words: "First N war,
Il i. a psradox to remember that
Washington's adopted son. GeorSo
w.h,IS.Gn rsrk ~ Ros.r. Sr:sii T. T I.. We We
built the beautiful home at Arlington.
afterwards the home of the Confeder-
ate general. Robert r. Lee. and upon
nscated by the government and dedic-
ated as the national cemetery for the
soldier and sailor dead
American history above all others. and
we celebrate the birthdays of both
this Observation-Disclosures and Lincoln
Both OF these American giants were
what we could call today. athletes.
Each was unusually strong. vigorous.
athletic and both loved the great out
doors. Many legends are told con-
claimed to be scholarly and yet before
he died. each was considered the
greatest man of his generation.
Both were sSii5made men Neither
only one year during his entire life
and Washington only enough to learn
the three RS. reading. writing and
frontiers of America and both knew
the hardships and the trials which
that meant Both men loved peace
on in his generation to lead his coun-
try into great war for fundamental
both men had the ability and tact
to surround themselves with the
abiest men OF the period. fearing not
that the contrast between the briilian-
cy of some OF these men and the less
er briliiancy OF themselves would In
juro them. They had an understand
Ing OF the fundamental problems OF
the time. n sympathy with the com
mon people and a patriotism and cour-
them as the leaders Of their periods.
Washington was the father and
founder OF our country: Lincoln was
Union. Without the War Of indspend-
ence we should never have known
Washington A. a national character;
Unless the slavery . question a,,a haa nn ,ss Dc.
been heard of outside the State Of MI
noir. Both men started out with n
simple and unpretcntious beginning
ing both were made great BY the
circumstances and the issues Of their
generation.
these men. Washington. at the time
he was elected president. was prob
ably the richest man in the colonies.
and yet he received the unanimous vote
elected to the presidency. 1T Is in
tcrcsting to note further that he re-
fused any salary for the eight years
he ,ssyea hi s ar ths Var
bursement for his actual expenses.
When the legislature of Virginia in.
shares OF stock in companies formed
for the Improvement OF the Potomac
and James rivers and he was unable
70 refuse without being misund.er-
the stock to educational institutions.
Lincoln came from poverty OF
which we can only imagine. ~ the
L. IL ALL AAex b m n
scarcely money to pay his raiirond
fare to Washington and when he died.
left little estate. Yet each was the IDOL
of his time. and while both were ridi-
times in which they lived. their gen
Grafton as well as ours knew that each
had the courage of his convictions:
and each was the cIearest thinker Of
his time.
And here we nnd the great lesson Of
Amesiss i, that the peopis, ;,o Of th. TIL great
high-minded. lcar-thinking man Of
character without regard to whether
he may be rich or poor. an aristocrat.
Lincoln. Both were typical Ameri-
cans and both personified the best
hHSEh: %oT ssa ew ae.on 1nes Of II. wns talk
on three subjects. Fellowship. boys and
citizenship. All of these. think; can
be discussed to advantage on wash
ington's Birthday because he wns in
terested in all three.
Contrary TO many ideas OF Wash.
ington. we learn that he was a good
fellow. and . good sportsman. He
liked athletics. loved horse racing and
horses; he kept hounds and. until his
burden OF cares became too great. was
an eager devotee OF hunting. He was
an unusual shot and spent much
Of his time in the woods. He loved
nature. the birds. the beasts. the fields.
At his home In Mt. Vernon during
the few years he was privileged to
live there As q planter and farmer. his
house was seldom without frlencs and
guests. He loved company and had
perhaps more friends and wider ac-
time. In other words. Washington
Washington loved children and
young men When Mrs. Washington's
son. Jackie. died. an he did during the
battle Of Yorktown. and just before
the close Of the Revolution, Washing
ton. for once. lost control OF himself.
and fell on his step-son's bed, scbbing
as though his heart would break. He
returned TO Mt Vernon. after the con-
nIr no fhA .. To- Oh To-