Year: 1859

with which ne administered his humble
means, material and human, and at the
grand results be brought TO pass.


He was not brilliant commander. He
never fought brilliant campaign, and on
ly one brilliant battle9bat of Trenton
But do not think that Alexander or Ca-
sar that Napoleon, or even Hannibal. bad
more administrative skill, save only in this
he lacked the power of making rapid con
centrations upon the field of battle. He
must think it all over, draw it on paper,
and plan his movements. and fix the place
for his troops. Hence he was successful
only in attacks, and not equally able when
the assault was made on him. He had a
far-sighted judgment; in much time he pre-
pared and wrought for much time. He had
military talent, not genius for war.


AS President, he administered the polit-
ical affairs of the nation with the same skill,
the same patience in details, the same com
prehensive diligence. He was man of
Judgment. not genius. In all important
matters, he required every Cabinet officer
which was presented to him, and to tell





adopted then, studying all these carefully,
he made up his mind, after thorough
knowledge of the facts, and getting the opin-
ions of three or four able men.


But the superiority of Washington was
not in intellect. He was always surround
ed by men who were greatly his superior
in mental force. His excellence was moral.
He bad that admirable balance of the moral
powers which is to virtue what good sense
is to intellect. One of the most cautious of
men, he was not morally enthusiastic or
transeendental. There was no ''moonshine"
in his moral, more than in his military char
acter. His virtue was not


TOO fair and good


For human natures daily food"


His natural temptations, I think, did not
incline him much to the vices of passion in
his youth, for he was of that stern and aus
tere make that leads to asceticism rather
than to indulgence. He wrote in his copy
book at the age of thirteen, ''Labor to keep
alive in your hearts that spark of celestial
fire called conscience" In few hearts did
it ever burn with steadier or more constant
flame. Yet he was man. not ascetic. He
had nice love of order, quick instinct
for deeorum. This. appears in his note
books, in the accuracy of his diagrams as a
a surveyor, in the clear, round hand, and
hard, lucid style of his writings. in the regu-
larity of his habits, in the stately department
that marked him ip the camp, in the crowd,
and in the Senate of the nation. Yet, if
you look carefully, you find more order in
things and less order in thought. He was
accurate in his accounts, punctual in regard
+;r,ae, 0rdvriy IN all


He had great power of wrath. Inher-
iting the high, quick temper of his mother,
in youth he was Sudden and quick in quar-
rel;'' in middle life his wrath was tremen-
dous, sometimes getting vent in words,
sometimes in blows. He never overcome
this. Jefferson tells US of one occasion on
which the President was much inhamed,
and got into one of those fits of passion,
and called certain man .'rascal," I do
not think he mais-called him, and said, '.By


- had rather be in my grave than in
nv present situation Hamilton, who
worshipped him in public, and led him be-
hind the scenes, complains that In the later
years of the Revolutionary war, his temper
greatly offended the officers.


There are some men who find great fault
with Washington for this. I do not love a
man for losing his temper; but have lived
too long, and seen too many men, TO sup
pose that when men fire cannon, they dip
their Pope's head in holy water to swab
them out, and utter benedictions before
touching off their piece! Laughter. It
is with great passions that men fight great
wars and when I find great man, I ex
pect him 10 be great all round, in his mate
II fal
structure. But it is rather refreshing fact
to find that this cool, cautious, diplomatic
man, could once in while swear. fLaugh-
ter and loud applause.


By nature and education he had strong
love of appreciation he was greedy of ap-
plause Proof of that you find in all his
life but yet, in ali his manly public life,
as legislator, general, President, you can
not find a single instance in which he court
ed popularity An Office always sought
him-he never it. In no instance did he
ever stoop his proud head to shun abuse,
or to pick mp favor out of the mire where
the mob and politicians tread with unclean
feet. Admirers were about him-he could
not help that; but there was no place for a
fiatterer and in all his public addresses, in
his official letters. in his private letters, in
his journals, in his writings, In his familiar
talk, there is no evidence that he ever re-
ferred 10 himself, or alluded to any great or
good deed he ever did. After 1890, the
eyes of the nation, yes, the eyes of the world
were on the ncblest man in it. His eye was
on the nation and on Gods eternal right /;
it was not on. George Washington, or his
great deeds. Popularity-it is the boys
bonfire in the street: Merritt is the heav-
emily light of SUM- moon, and stars, which
never sets. and asks no favor of any man.
Washington was courageous. He had
that animal courage which laughs at dan
ger and despises fear. This VAS tempered
with caution it was discreet valor. that
did not waste its strength. But he had that
high moral courage which dares confront