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Show "vA::n::uTc:n:oT the ; cr2ATEST AiiznicAir PROVIDENCE, R., t. Feb. ' 23. Gov. James H. HifrRlns addressed a Joint session of the Legislature on "Washington and Hl Times," and wag severely criticised by Roswell B. , Burchard. Speaker of the House. v . Gov. Hissing referred to Washington's freat ability aa a leader, and said that e .was born at an opportune time, - and that he seised opportunities at the right time. "It has been pointed out," ha said, "that In no walks of Ufa did be ever rise to . the Immense proportions of a t renius. It would be unfair to compare I him aa & statesman with either Benton. Clay or Bumner. As a soldier he is surpassed sur-passed by Napoleon, Caesar and Alexander. Alexan-der. Even In our own country his ability on the field of battle perhaps did not approach ap-proach the masterly strategic powers of Robert E. Lee or Phil Sheridan or Grant." Speaker Burchard in reply said: "Even In his excellent address the Governor Gov-ernor could not refrain from picking motes out of the sunbeam of George Washington's Washing-ton's memory. I must respectfully say to his Excellency that on the trifling points which he has seen fit to produce I must differ. It is no evidence of George Washington's Wash-ington's lack of education that he did not spell in the manner of today. In military affairs It is a great mistake to think that Washington was not pre-eminent as a strategist. To this effect we have the evidence of the greatest , general of Europe, Eu-rope, Fredrick the Great of Prussia, who i wrote to Washington as the greatest sol-! sol-! dler of his generation. I will not admit that any of the generals of the Civil war were his superiors In military art." |