Show Ir Francis Bailey and Henry Lee Were Authors of Historic Phrases About Washington Known to All Americans By ELMO SCOTT WATSON Released by bJ Western Newspaper Union OMES the of FebI February Feb Feb- I COMES and well we'll be 4 hearing a n great deal about the Father of His Country and First in war first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen For those words are almost as familiar to Americans as asare asare asare are the words George Washington Wash Wash- ington How did it happen that George Washington came to tobe tobe tobe be known as the Father of His Country The obvious answer to that question is of course that a new nation grateful to the man who had led it safely through the dangers dangers dangers dan dan- gers of a revolution against its former rulers naturally looked upon him as its parent and naturally naturally nat nat- also elected him as its first President But nut the fact remains that Washington was known by that title at least two years before before belore be be- fore lore the struggle for liberty had been won and at least 10 years before he was called to the highest highest highest high high- est executive office in the land But nut who first gave him that title Historians are virtually unanimous in giving the honor to toa toa toa a certain Francis Bailey Dailey publisher publish publish- er of a Pennsylvania German almanac almanac al 01 al- al manac in Lancaster Pa In 1779 Bailey Dailey issued his annual booklet with a frontispiece that was a crude woodcut of a scene in which appeared several symbolic fig fig- ures In the upper left hand corner corner cor cor- ner of the drawing was shown Fame as nn angel bearing in one hand a medallion of Washing Washington ton with a laurel wreath upon his head and in the other a trumpet trumpet trum pet from which comes the words Des Landes Vater The Vater The Father Father Fa Fa- ther of the Country Just how widespread became the use of that title as the result of the publication of this almanac is unknown But Dut in 1781 it was used again this again this time by Count Dumas an officer in Rochambeau's Rochambeau's beaus beau's army of French allies In that year Washington had gone to Newport R. R I I. I to confer with General Rochambeau Called Him They Father When Washington finished his conference with Rochambeau and prepared to return to his headquarters headquarters head hend quarters near West Point the French general appointed Count Dumas to escort the American leader from Newport to Provi Provi- dence In his memoirs Count Dumas tells of the incident and records the use of the title Father Father Father Fa ther of His Ills Country as follows We arrived there at night on March 13 it The whole of the population had assembled ambled from Irom the suburbs we were surrounded by a crowd of children carrying car car- torches reiterating the acclamations llone of ot the all aU were wre eager to approach the person of him whom they thy called their fattier father and pressed so ao closely closely close close- ly around us u. that tha I they hindered us U. from proceeding General Washington was much netted affected stopped a few Iw moments moment and nd pressing my hand said uld We may maybe maybe maybe be beaten by the English It It is the chance of war but behold an army which they can never conquer Thus Washington during his lifetime lifetime lifetime life life- time probably heard himself referred referred referred re re- to as the Father of Isis Ills Country many times But Dut it is probable e that he never heard that immortal phrase First in war first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen for it was not uttered until after his death which occurred on December Decem ber bel 14 1799 1709 Nearly two weeks later congress assembled to hold holda a memorial service for the country's country's coun coun- try's lost leader and to Henry HenryLee henryLee Lee of Virginia was given the honor of pronouncing the funeral oration Lees Lee's Eulogy On December 20 26 1799 Lee delivered delivered de de- livered the oration in congress which in part follows First In to war first In peace and Ind firstin first In la the hearts heart of 01 his countrymen he was second to none In N the Iha humble and Ind endearing endearing en dearing scenes of private tile life Pious Plou Just jut humane human temperate and sincere Incer uniform dignified and commanding his hi example was w. w as a. edifying to all around aroundhim aroundhim aroundhim him as a. were the effects ot of that example lasting To his hi equals equal he was w. condescending to his hi Inferior Interiors kind and to the object of ot his hs affections tender Correct throughout vice shuddered In to his bla presence prence and virtue always alway felt his hi fostering hand band The Th purity ot of his hi private character gave effulgence to his hi public virtues Ills Ilia last scene cne comported with the whole tenor of ot his bl life Although In extreme pain not a sigh not a groan escaped him and with undisturbed serenity he h. closed bU hs well well-spent well spent life We Such w. w was the man America has hu lost loan Such was the tha man mm for lor whom our nation I mourns mouro 1 I I. I see his hs august tinge Image and hear falling front from his venerable Ups Up th these sinking deep words word Cease Sons Son of America lamenting our separation Go Co on on and Ind confirm by your our wisdom the fruits and common of our joint dant councils joint joint efforts and common dan gers ier Reverence religion diffuse knowledge knowl land patronize edge edge throughout your our land patronize the arts art and sciences let It liberty and order be Inseparable companions control con trot party spirit the bane of 01 Ir free government gov ov observe good faith to and peace with aU all nations nation shut up every avenue to foreign Influence loRunce contract rather than extend national connection rely on yourselves only be b. American In thought and deed ded Thus Thua will you ou give Iv Immortality to that union which was Wa the constant contant object ob of ot my terrestrial lab thus It win will W f. f fret rancid alley Der OM 1 s 11 h t an 1 j. j I 4 r Frontispiece of Francis Baileys Bailey's Pennsylvania German almanac printed In 1779 which made the first known reference to Washington as The Father of Ills His Country you preserve undisturbed to the latest posterity the felicity of 01 a people to me ml most mot dear and thus will you supply If my happiness Is ts now aught to you the only vacancy In the round of pure bUn bliss high heaven bestows betow Two Claims to Distinction Even if Henry Lee h had d not been the first to utter those historic words First in war first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen his name would be deserving of remembrance for two other reasons He was the brilliant and dashing cavalryman of the Revolution whose fame is perpetuated in the title of Light horse Harry and he was the father father fa fa- fa ther of one of the greatest soldiers in history history Gen Gen Robert E E. E Lee military leader of the Lost Cause from 1861 to 1865 Born in Westmoreland county Virginia January 29 1756 Light horse Harry was the son of another another an an- other Henry Lee who had married married mar mar- ried Miss Lucy Grymes the Lowland Beauty for whom young George Washington had entertained an unrequited passion pas pas- sion Young Henry Lee was sent to Princeton college in New Jersey for his education and after I i 1 fir fir- I pi I I tu t i his graduation there in 1774 he returned to Virginia to take charge of the private affairs of his father who as a member of the I house of burgesses was engaged engaged en en- at the time in negotiating a treaty with the Indian tribes Soon after the outbreak of the Revolution young Henry Lee received received re re- an appointment as captain I of Virginia cavalry under Col Theodoric Bland but it was not until September 1777 that he joined the main Continental army lie He soon attracted the notice of his Virginian fellow-Virginian Gen George Washington by his skill as a leader of cavalry and he was promoted to the rank of major and placed in command of ofa a separate cavalry corps which when it was completed included three companies of horsemen and was known as Lees Legion As head of the legion Lee more I Ithan than justified Washington's faith i in him One of his most daring enterprises was a successful attempt at tempt to surprise the British garrison garrison gar gar- rison at Paulus Hook where with the loss of only five men he captured captured captured cap cap- more than prisoners Congress promptly voted him a agold agold gold old me medal al for this exploit He lie meal was was wa promoted to lieutenant- lieutenant colonel and in the autumn of 1780 sent to South Carolina with his legion to join the army there Which was being reorganized by Gen Nathanael Greene after the disastrous battle of Camden During Greenes Greene's famous retreat through North Carolina in February February February ary 1781 it was Lees Lee's legion which wh covered the rear of the American army and engaged in some lively skirmishing with the dragoons of the hated and feared Col Cot Tarleton When Greene crossed the Dan into Virginia he left Lee south of the river to harass the enemy Although he failed in his attempts to surprise Tarleton he did defeat a body of Loyalists under Colonel Pyle and at the desperate battle of Guilford Court House he routed Tarleton Next he accompanied accompanied Greene to South Carolina to drive out the British commander command command- er Lord Rawdon and during this campaign Harry proved his skill as a besieger of cities as well as a dashing cavalryman cavalryman in the field He captured captured captured cap cap- Fort Watson Fort Motte Matte and Fort Granby and after a siege of 16 days forced the surrender of Augusta Lee then rejoined Greene aided in the thet siege of and important important im im- im six Ninety-six played a very part in the victory at Eutaw Eutaw Eu Eu- taw Springs Marries Ills His Cousin At the close of the campaign Harry returned to Virginia where he married a cousin cousin cou cou- sin Matilda Lee who owned Stratford House where he lived thereafter In 1786 he was appointed appointed appointed ap ap- ap- ap pointed a delegate to congress from Virginia and he remained in that body until the Constitution Constitution tion was adopted He lie was a member of the Virginia legislature legislature legislature legisla legisla- ture from 1789 to 1791 when he succeeded Beverly Deverly Randolph as governor of Virginia an office which he held for three years In aln In 1794 occurred the famous Whisky rebellion in western Pennsylvania Penn sylvania and when President Washington sent Federal troops to suppress the uprising they were under the command of Light horse Harry who did such a good job of it that the rebels were dispersed without bloodshed Five years later he was a member of congress and upon him fell the sad duty of pronouncing the funeral funeral fu fu- oration of his old commander command command- er and friend Meanwhile his first wife by whom he had a son and a daughter daugh ter tel had died and he had married Anne Carter She bore him two daughters and three sons one of oi whom was destined for future fame as the beloved Marse Robert Robert Robert Rob Rob- ert of the men in Gray In 1801 Colonel Lee retired to private life but his declining years were shadowed by financial difficulties which led eventually to his being imprisoned for debt in 1809 During During Dur Dur- ing the time he was in prison he wrote his famous Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department of the United States In 1814 he happened to be in Baltimore when a mob attacked the office of the Federalist Republican Republican Republican Re Re- publican which had been opposing opposing opposing ing the second war with England In his effort to defend the property property prop prop- erty of his friend the editor Lee received injuries from which he never recovered lie He went to the West Indies hoping to find relief relict in the change of climate but when that failed he started for Virginia He lie reached the home of Mrs Shaw the daughter of his old friend General Greene near St St. Marys Mary's Ga and there he died dice on March 25 1818 One October day in 1775 1779 His Ills Excellency Gen George Wash- Wash Washington Washington ington commander commander in chief in-chief of the Continental army encamped at Cambridge Mass received a letter letter let let- ter written at Providence R. R I. I which said Sir t I have taken the freedom to address your Jour excellency In to the poem and entreat your our acceptance though I am amnot amnot amnot not Insensible to Its It Inaccuracies Your being appointed by the tha Grand Continental Congress together with the I. I fame me of your virtue excite sensations not easy to sup sup- press iress pr Your generosity therefore I presume pre pre- sume aume will pardon the attempt Wishing your excellence all 11 possible success In Inthe inthe the he great grat cause you OU are so 0 generously engaged In ln In I am your excellency your mo most I obedient humble servant PHYLLIS WHEATLEY The poem which was contained these lines Shall ShaD I r to Washington their praise pral recite Enough thou knowlI them In the field Geld Geldof of 01 fight Thee The first In place and honors we honors we demand demand de de- mand The grace and glory of 01 Ihy thy martial land for lor thy valor for lor thy virtues more Hear every tongue thy guardian aid Implore Im Im- Presumably the general was too busy Dusy with his task of driving the British out of Boston Doston for her letter letter letter let let- ter remained unanswered for four months Then on February 28 1776 he wrote her as follows Miss Mis I f thank you most sincerely for lor your polite notice of 01 me In the elegant lines you and however undeserving I t may maJ be of or such luch panegyric the style Ityl and Ind manner exhibit striking proof of your poetical talents In honor of 01 which and andas andas as II a tribute justly due you ou 1 I would have published the poem had I r not been apprehensive apprehensive ap ap- ap- ap that while I only meant to tolve give lve the world this new Instance of 01 your genius I 1 might have Incurred the Imputation Imputation Im Im- of 01 vanity This and nothing else ele determined me not Dot to give It place In public prints If 11 you ever come to Cambridge or near headquarters I r shall be happy to see ee a person so 10 favored by the muses and to whom nature has hu been ben so 0 liberal and beneficent in her hr dispensations I r Iam Iam ram am with great respect your our obedient humble servant GEORGE WASHINGTON Who was Phyllis Wheatley She was one of the most remarkable remarkable remarkable re re- characters in the early history of the United States The date or place of her birth is unknown un un- unknown known but when she was seven or eight years old she was dragged more dead than alive from a slave ship in Boston Doston one day in 1761 A Mrs Susannah Wheatley took pity upon the girl bought her gave her the name of Phyllis and made her the special servant of her twins Nathaniel and Mary One day Mary saw the little African girl trying to form letters letterson on the wall with a piece of chalk So she began teaching leaching her the alphabet and how to form font words The girls girl's progress was amazing Sixteen months from that time the k l f 1 1 r rt ra l a t r P PHYLLIS slave girl was reading the most difficult passages in the Bible and within six years this his prodigy had become so proficient with the English language that she had written a poem Her lIeI health failed when she was 20 years old due to the long hours which she had spent in study study- So when Nathaniel Wheatley went to England on business in 1773 he took Phyllis with him London society took her up A London publisher brought out a book of Poems |