Show the father of our country lias told y in personal letters what freavy burdens he had to carry during the war for independence tj george washington be cleved sincerely in the inborn in alienable right of men born on this soil or transferred to it spiritual ly aa well as physically to the fruits of freedom and 1 l efty ence because he believed that this 1 y nation was to be held by them free of all oppression whether in the form of unjust taxation or any other infringement of the interests welfare and principles of the inhabitants he receives today the homage of the millions who enjoy the heritage of the free america for which he fought and which he helped establish this according to an article in the new york herald which goes on to say in thisbe this be was at one with other great men bred in the new free spirit and atmosphere of the colonies he did not seek to set himself over them but to work with them contributing as his part in the struggle his military genius and experience and his carefully trained executive ability his ideal was the common good for that he gave his time and strength risked his all and withdrew only when government was so well established that it would not suffer from his retirement throughout his career the one reward he sought was that he might partake in the midst of my fellow citizens the benign influence of good laws under a free government the ever favorite object of my hear washington although possessing wealth and position although observant of forms and ceremonies was in the best sense a democrat a man who the same privileges and opportunities for everyone of his fellow citizens which he and who devoted his gifts and energies to that end that they might have them he not only expended freely his energies of mind and body but be constantly exhorted his fellow countrymen to prepare themselves for the high destiny that he foresaw for this country first by raising and equipping an adequate army a task that frequently hung leaden on his hands and second by properly safeguarding their rights after they had been won george washington received less education in school than most lads of poor parentage do today he left school before he was sixteen years old and except in mathematics in which he had advanced through geometry and trigonometry his education did not extend beyond that which boys usually get in the grammar grades of the public schools what he studied he knew however as bis carefully kept notebooks attest he manifested a special aptitude for surveying and for military affairs this taste led to his having a royal warrant obtained for him when he was fourteen years old and only because of his mothers reluctance to have him go to england he w as spared to fight for the colonies instead of becoming an officer in his majesty s service he had been out of school only a few months when he got his first job as a surveyor it was a good one too for lord fairfax having noted the lads mental equipment and bis intrepidity gave him a commission to survey his wild acres in the shenandoah valley so well did washington ae the arduous task that he was made a pub lie surveyor almost coincident with his entrance upon ff private career young washington identified himself with public interests fond of athletics and sports as well as of military affairs he joined the local militia and when nineteen years old was made a major when he was still in his twenties he won his first colonelcy in his gallant but disastrous first campaign against the french it was there that he first tasted the bitter fruits of when washington went to philadelphia as a member of the second continental congress he wore his provincial uniform an instructive expression of his feeling in regard to the crisis that was to come in its way a fulfillment of prophecy for during the session he was put at the head of the irregular army near boston he found that army not only without discipline and equipment but without powder men who had enlisted only for a few months ran away washington ardently appealed to the continental and provincial congresses to provide tor longer enlistments and an adequate system of recruitment conservative and aristocrat as he was classed washington now favored the radicals who sought to break with the home government and set up their own I 1 have never entertained the idea of an accommodation he said since I 1 heard of the measures which were adopted in consequence of the bunker hill fight 1 l his stanch attitude was maintained in the midst of disheartening experiences not only with the enemy in the field but with troublemakers in his own camp 1 I know the unhappy predicament in which I 1 stand he wrote 1 I know that much Is expected of me I 1 know that without men without arms without ammunition without anything fit for the accommodation of a soldier little Is to be done and what Is mortifying I 1 know that I 1 cannot stand justified to the world without exposing my own weakness and injuring the cause by declaring my wants my situation has been such that I 1 have had to use art to conceal it even from my officers hampered him so sorely that he sternly proclaimed the general most earnestly entreats the officers and soldiers to consider consequences quen ces that we can no way asplet our enemies more than by ill visions among ourselves that the honor and success of the and the safety of our country depend upon harmony and good agreement with baca other bat the provinces are all united to oppose the enemy and all distinctions la the name of 1 s f F W lw america to this name honorable and to preserve the liberty of our country ought to be our only emulation and he will be the best soldier and th best patriot who contribute most to this glorious work ever his station or from what ever part of the country he may come let all distinction of nations countries and provinces thereof be lost in the generoux gene contest who shall behave with the most courage toward the enemy and the most kindness and good humor to each other it any be so lost to virtue and love of country as to continue in such practice after this order they will be severely punished and discharged from the service in disgrace after the disastrous battle of long island washington once more took the liberty of mentioning to congress that no dependence could be put in or other troops than those enlisted and embodied for a longer period than our regulations have heretofore prescribed our liberties must of necessity be greatly hazarded if not entirely lost if their defense Is left to any but a permanent standing army I 1 mean one to exist during war men who have been tree and subjected to no control cannot be reduced to order in an instant there Is no situation on earth icso enviable or more distressing continues washington than that person who Is at the head of troops regardless of order and discipline and with almost every necessity the difficulties that have surrounded me since I 1 have been in the service have kept my mind constantly upon the stretch the wounds which my feelings as an officer have received by a thousand things that have happened contrary to my expectations and wishes the effect of my own conduct and present appearance of things so little pleasing to myself as to render it a matter of no surprise to me it I 1 stand capitally censured by congress induce a thorough conviction in my mind that it will be impossible unless there Is a thorough change in our military system for me to conduct matters to give satisfaction to the public which Is all the recompense I 1 aim at or ever wish for this unhappy state of things was almost wholly due to the feeling manifested in several sections of the country persisted in to the hampering of campaign and to the detriment of the cause congress was finally prevailed upon by representations and the tardily dawning consciousness that war was and that being so meant calamity on december he wrote to the president of congress short enlistments and a mistaken dependence pen dence upon our have been the origin of all our misfortune and the great accumulation of our debt I 1 beg leave to give it as my humble opinion that eighty eight battalions are by no means equal to the opposition you are to make and that not a moments time Is to be lost in raising a greater number not less in my opinion and that of my officers than one hundred and ten in my judgment this Is not a alroe to stand upon expense are not the only object of consideration it may be thought that I 1 am going a good deal out of my line of duty to advise thus freely A character to lose an estate to the inestimable blessings of liberty at stake and a life devoted must be my excuse far from holding himself aloof and wanting to keep all pow er in his own hands washington welcomed operation cooperation co after he had been invested with the dictatorial powers necessitated by the emergency of public affairs alie council of safety of new york apologized for certain measures they had token in regard to new york troop which were later discovered to have been on infringement of his authority washington replied 1 I should be unhappy in the belief that any part of my letter to you could be construed into the slightest hint that you wish to interfere in the military line heaven knows that I 1 greatly want the aid of every good man and that there are not such enviable pleasures attending my situation as to make me too jealous of its prerogatives rather than complain of your efforts in the military way you deserve the thanks of us all and I 1 fed myself happy in this opportunity of returning you mine in the greatest truth anal sincerity at valley forgo troops were almost naked had few blankets and scanty food be was moved to resentment against the gentlemen without knowing whether the army was really going into winter quarters or not reprobating the measure asi much as if they the soldiers were mode of stocks and stones and equally insensible of frost and snow and moreover as if they conceived it easily practicable for an inferior army under the disadvantages I 1 have described ours to be to confine a superior one in all respects well appointed within the atty of philadelphia and to cover from depredation and waste the of pennsylvania and new jersey I 1 can asi i ok w sure these gentlemen that it Is a much ensler and less distressing thing to draw up in a comfortable room by a good fireside than to occupy a cold bleak hill and sleep under frost and snow without clothes or blankets however although they seem to have little feeling for the naked and distressed soldiers I 1 feel superabundantly bun dantly for them and from my soul I 1 pity those miseries which it Is neither in my power to relieve nor prevent washington made persistent efforts to get a guaranty of halt pay for his officers after the war himself having no personal interest in the measure he had declared from the first that he would never profit by it to the amount of a single penny lie deprecated constantly the jealousy of the military part of the government by the civil department it we would pursue a right system of policy he wrote to a member of congress in my opinion there would be none of these distinctions we f hould all congress and army be considered as one people embarked in one cause in one interest acting on the same principle and to the same end that I 1 have not been able to make bows to the taste of poor colonel B who by the way I 1 believe never saw one of ahm ts to be regretted he wrote in a letter to david stuart especially as upon these occasions they w ere indiscriminately be stowed and the best I 1 was master of woula it not have been better to throw the veil of charity over them ascribing their stiffness to the effects of age or to the 0 my teacher rather than to pride and dignity of office which god knows has no charms for roe for I 1 certainly say I 1 had rather be at mount vernon with a friend or two about me than to be attended at the seat of government by the officers of state and the representatives of every power in europe washington explained that he had reception hours every tuesday from three to four when gentlemen came and went chatted with each other and acted as they pleased at their first entrance they salute me and I 1 them and tak with as many as I 1 can what pomp there Is in 11 this I 1 am unable to discover per haps it consists in not sitting to this two reasons are offered t Is unusual a more substantial one I 1 have no room large enough to contain a third of the chairs which would be sufficient to admit it it it Is supposed that ostentation or the fashion of courts could give rise to this custom I 1 will boldly affirm that no supposition was ever more erroneous for if I 1 were to give indulgence to my inclinations every moment thit I 1 could withdraw from the fa algue of my station would be spent in retirement that it Is not proceeds from the sense I 1 entertain of the propriety of giving to everyone as free access as consists with that respect which Is due to the chair of government and that respect I 1 conceive Is neither to be acquired nor preserved but by observing a just medium between much state and too great familiarity in 1793 washington in his second term as dent wrote to congress that while he sought peace and urged a faithful discharge of aery duty to hard others he recommended prompt measures not only for defense but for just claims there Is a rank due the united states among other nations which will be withheld it not absolutely josf by the reputation of weakness if we desire to avoid insult we must be able to repel it it we desire to secure peace one of the most powerful instruments of our prosperity it must be known that we are at all times ready tor war he wrote As he wished to n fold war so he also wishes to avoid alliances which might jeopardize the peace of the nation against the insidious wiles of foreign influence the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake he said the great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations Is in extending our commercial relations to have as little political connection as possible if we remain one people under an efficient gov rement rn ment the period Is not far off when wo may deny material injury from external annoyance when we may fake such an attitude as will cause the neutrality we may at ani time be resolved upon to be scrupulously respected when belligerents un der the impossibility of making acquisitions upon us will not lightly hazard the giving us provocation w lien w e may choose peace or war as our in teresta te rests by justice shall counsel |