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Show WASHINGTON AS A CLEAN LEADER Editor Standard: Kindly permit a little space in your editorial department depart-ment in this issue of tho Standard, in a defense of General Washington. This defense of a notable man is called forth by reading in the Stand-J Hrd an article by nn unsigned writer ' an to tho general character of Wash-1 lngton. that he was a human dike the rest of mankind, that he was not a temperance man, and that he used profanity. Gen. Washington was known as a praying man, ns history records, and for'wltneBs of this, look at hlra In the act of praying to God in tho snow at Valley Forge. An authentic story Is told of a man being asked as to his opinion of the outcome of the wnr, and he, answering, said ;that there wn's no doubt m his mind but that Washington's army would win, for he lind seen Washington early in the morning kneeling in the snow out In the timber, in the act of prayer. Is it consistent, Mr. Editor, to hold Washington up to view as nn Insplra tion to the youth of our country, as a praying man and then in the same breath denounce him for using pro-ganlty? pro-ganlty? Jn other words, is It possible pos-sible for a man to swear and pray, and mean both? Is It possibles for oil and water to mix? Personally, the writer of this article has never known a praying man to be a swearing swear-ing man, aud vice versa. It is only In justice to a man who cannot answer for himself that this la written. Of all the articles read on the life of Gen. Washington, not ono suggestion or hint has the writer ever found to Intimate that he ever used profanity. On the contrary, Washington denounced the use of profanity pro-fanity In the army, in this wise: In a general order, Issued Aug. 3, 177C, ho said: "The general is sorry sor-ry to be informed that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing curs-ing and swearing a vice hitherto unknown in an American army is growing into fashion. Ho hopes ths officers will, by examplo as well as influence, endeavor to check It, and that both they and the men will re-llect re-llect that wc cun have little hope of the blessing of heaven on our arms, J I if we iusult It by our impiety and fol- u ly. Added to this, it is a vice so M mean and low, without any tempta- n ticn, thnl every man of sense and 1 character, detests and. despises it " N Tills, Mr. Editor, Is my defense of 1 1 Gen. Washington, "first In war," and jj finally, "first In pence.' Any man II If who could give expression to the 1 I above sentiment concerning profanity ff ff and swearing Is, In my Judgment, too It much , of a Christian gontloman to take God's name In vain. (Signed) I H D ZIMMERMAN |
