Show The month of February though the shortest of the year is one in which were born two of the truest patriots and noblest statesmen America has ever produced On the 22 of February 1732 George Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington was born and on the 13 of February in 1809 Abraham Lincoln Read the life of Washington by Washington Irving In this excellent work Mr Irving makes us acquainted with the character of the Father of our Country which though it may want some of those poetical elements which dazzle and delight the multitude it possessed fewer inequalities and a rare rae union of virtues than perhaps ever fell to the lot of one man prudence firmness sagacity moderation an overruling jud judgment ment an immovable justice courage that never faltered patience that never never never nev nev- er wearied truth that disdained all artifice magnanimity without alloy It seems as i if f Providence had endowed him in a pre-eminent pre degree with the qualities requisite to fit him for the high destiny he was called upon to fulfil to conduct a momentous revolution which was to form an era in the history of f the world and to inaugurate a new and untried h j government which to use his own words was was' 11 to lay the foundation for the enjoyment of much purer civil liberty and greater public happiness that have hitherto been the portion 1 I 1 of mankind The fame of Washington stands apart from every other in history j shining with a truer J i ilustre lustre and a more benignant glory With us us- his memory remains a national property where all sympathies throughout our widely extended and diversified empire meet in unison Under all dissensions and amid all the storms storms- of party his precepts and example speaks tous to to- tous tous us from the grave grave with a paternal appeal j and i his name by all revered forms a universal tie of brotherhood brotherhood-a a watch word Avord of our Union i 1 |