Evening star., 1928-02-19
ngt0n Man of Clear Vision Met Problems With Iron Will

, his speech. Men crowded about
| him. sobbing, Begging forgiveness az
| from a beloved father. and Gates and
hts crew were drtmmed from camp.
Nor did peace bring him rest. For
eight years his shoulders had borne the
full burden Of a peoples revolution: for
eight years politicians had made a run
way of his proud heart; and now the
one passion left alive was TO gain the
quiet Of Mount Vernon that his horses
and hounds might let him forget the
meannesses Of men.
Yet when he saw the country piung-
ing TO ruin-States fighting, commerce
dead. open talk OF foreign ALLIANCES
conscience forced him TO give months
to the formation Of Constitution that
would provide a central Government
with strength. power and recognized
authorities.
Branded as a fool and traitor for
his part in this Infamous conspiracy
against the liberties OF free people"
he hurried back TO Mount Vernon With
the sole desire OF hiding in its shade
for the rest OF his life. but when 1t
came to choosing President, the coun-
try knew him as the one possible selec-
! ton.
The four years that followed we're
no less packed with drudgery and
heartbreak than the Revolution Itself.
tor it was a brand-new government
that Washington had to fashion, a ma
tion that ne had to create, an mani
mate Constitution that had to be given
life
/ Indomitable. majestic, he moved ir-
reSistlbly to his detectives, every one
! concerned with the confirmation Of in
/ dependence. the permanence Of free
/ institutions, laying foundations that en-
| dure today, yet beset at every step by
/ hate.
Because OF his reverence for his high
! Office and his simplicity and dignity.
| he was assailed as "monarchical" and
! accused of wanting TO make himself
! king. Yet when he announced his in
! tention not 10 accept Reelection even
/ his enemies joined In begging him to
serve & second term: and. though his
forced TO realize that hts work vas not
! yet dcne.
! The continued opposition TO every
. domestic policy seemed 10 plumb all
/ possible depths of hate and bitterness.
/ but ii was as nothing compared 10 the
! wave of insane anger that swept the
| country when Washington refused 10
| join the French Revolutionists In their
/ war on England Spain and Holland.
! Gripped by a species Of urgovern-
| able hysteria. people cried out against
, him as one who ought 10 be hanged.
/ and cursed the President who would
/ not let America plunge into the bath
| of blood.
/ Even so. he could have had a third
! term for the taking-beneath surface
/ troth there was still sanity and under
/ standing in the country-but Washing
/ ton felt that his release had come AZ
/ last. He knew he had builded well. the
state stood bedrocked in honor and In
/ :egrity, and now that duty no longer
called. now that his conscience freed
| him. he turned 70 Mount Vernon with a
.-eat gladness- piti.ully eager for its
peace.
/ Abuse followed him. opposition pa
/ pers announcing day Of jubilee that
! the man had gone who IS the source
/ of all the r,isfortunes Of our country;
tha. the name Of Washington would no
more give. currency to political inic-
! uity. and legaliZe corruption; and that
the Nation was finally I'D Of traitor
, who had "caakered the principle Of
republicaniSm and jeopardized the very
existence Of public liberty" He had
"dsbauched the Nation" and shown that
'-ths mask OF patriotism may be worn
to conceal the fouiest designs agains.
the liberties Of the people"
II did not matter, for what were q
few more insults to one who had never
known anything but public sezvice2 The
woods soon shut out the taunts and
| screams Of an ungrateful people. and
while the JOY Of living Was killed IN him
| and the old artors dead. crushed under
/ wears of trial and heArtache. the quiet
/, Of the fields was heavenly. and Il con-
I tent. at least, the Father of HIS Cca1-
| uy waited fox the end
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