Year: 1870

JEFFERsoSs SKETCH OF WASHINGTON. - His
mind WAS great and powerful. without being Of
the very first order; his penetration strong
though not so acute as that of Newton, Bacon
or Locke; and as far as be saw no Judgment was
ever sounder. 1t was slow in operation, being
little aided by invention or imagination, but sure
in conclusion. Hence the common remark Of
his officers, Of the advantages he derived from
councils Of war, where, hearing all suggestions,
be selected whatever was best, and certainly 10
general ever planned his battles more judicousy.
But if deranged during the course of the action,
If any member Of his plan was dislocated by sud-
den circumstances, he was slow in readjustment.
The consequence was that he often failed in the
field, and rarely against an enemy in station, as
at Boston and York He was incapable of fear,
meeting personal dangers with the calmest un-
concern. Perhaps the strongest feature in his
character was prudence. never acting until every
circumstance, every consideration was maturely
weighed refrainug if he saw a doubt, but
when once decided, going through with his pur-
pose, whatever obstacles opposed.


His integrity was most pure bis justice the
most infexible have ever known no motives of
consanguini:y, Of irendhip or hatred being able
to bias bis decision. He was, indeed, IN every
sense Of the word, wise, a good, aud great
man. His temper was naturally irritable and
e hgh-toned but reflection and resolution had OBJ
tanned firm and habitual ascendancy over it, If
ever. however, it broke its bonds, he was most
tremendous in his wrath In his expenses be
was honorable, but exact liberal in contributions
to whatever promised utility, frowning and un-
yielding on all visionary projects, and all un-
worthy calls on bis charity. HIS heart was not
warm in its affections but he exactly calculated
every mans value, and gave him solid esteem
proportioned to it, His person, you know, was
fine, his stature exactly what every one would
wish; his department easy, erect and noble, the
best horseman OF his age, and the most graceful
figure that could be seen on horseback. AL
though in the circle of his friends, where he
might be unreserved with safety, be took free
share in conversation bis coloquial talents were
not above mediocrity, possessing neither copious-
ness of ideas ncr huency Of words. In public
when called on for a sudden opinion, he was up-
ready, short, and embarrassed. Yet he wrote
steadily, rather diffusely, in easy and correct
style. This he had acquired by conversation
with the world, for his education was merely
Teadings writing and common arithmetic, to which
he added surveying at a later day His time was
employed in action chiefly, reading little, and
that only in agriculture and English history.


His correspondence became necessarily extern
sve, and, with journalizing his agricultural pro-
ceediugs, occupied most of his leisure hours within
doors On the whole, his character was, in its
mass perfect, in nothing bad, in a few points in
different and it may truly be said, that never
did nature and fortune combine more perfectly to
make man great, and place him in the same
constellation with whatever worthless have merit
ed from man an everlasting remembrance. For
his was the singular destiny and merit of leading
tue armies of his country successfully through an
arduous war. for the establishment of its indie
dendence of conducting its councils through
the birth of government, new in its forms
aud principles, until it has settled down into
quiet and orderly train and of scrHpuousy
obeying the laws through the whole of his career
civil and military, of which the history of the
world furnishes no other example.-JeferSon
Letter 10 W. B. Giles