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Rev .George , ' . Doane •
Burlington, 1859

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THE ORATION,

CITY HALL, BURLINGTON, ON WASHINGTON'S BIRTH-DAY, 1859;

BY BEQUEST OF

THE LADY MANAGERS

MOUNT VERNON ASSOCIATION,

MANY CITIZENS OF BURLINGTON:

THE RT. REV. GEORGE WASHINGTON DOANE, D.D., LL.D.,
BISHOP OF NEW JERSEY.

1 JErgO, magisqtie magisque, viri, nunc, gloria claret."— Ennins.

BURLINGTON, N. J.:
FUBLISHED FOR THE LADIES' MOUNT VEKNON ASSOCIATION.
MDCCCLIX.

KINa & BAIRD, PRINTERS, PHILADELPHIA:

Burlington, February 7, 1859.
Bishop Doane,
Dear Sir :
The undersigned, ladies of Burlington, who are charged with the arrange
ments for aiding the Ladies' Mount Vernon Association of the Union, "in
the plan of purchasing, restoring and preserving the Mansion and Tomb of
Washington, ' ' respectfully request you to deliver an Address, on the Charac
ter and Services of the ' ' Father of his Country ; ' ' and, in explanation of
the present effort, to honor his memory, at as early a time as may suit your
convenience. Mrs. C. Van Rensselaer,
Mrs. E. B. Grubb,
Mrs. S. C. Robardet,
Mrs. Abercrombie,
S. K. Doane,
Mrs. Engle,
Ann L. Kinsey,
Frances T. Jones,
Mrs. G. W. South,
Mrs. Lewis,

Mrs. F. Woolman,
Mrs. M. Allen,
Mrs. S. W. Stockton,
Mrs. E. S. Rodgers,
Mrs. J. H. Pugh,
Miss S. M. Milnor,
Mrs. N. E. Wright,
Mary W. Buckman,
Eliza West.

Burlington, February 8, 1859.
Bishop Doane,
Dear Sir:
In behalf of the citizens of Burlington, the undersigned cordially unite
with the ladies, in requesting you to deliver an Address, on Washington, in
furtherance of the object of the "Ladies' Mount Vernon Association."

Wm. R. Allen, Mayor,
C. Van Rensselaer,
Geo. W. South,
Franklin Woolman,
John Rodgers,
J. Howard Pugh,
Sam. R. Gummere,
Budd Sterling,
James Sterling,
C. Baquet,

A. W. Burns,
Edw. B. Grubb,
S. W. Stockton,
Franklin Gauntt,
J. Willis Nevins,
Thos. Milnor,
J. B. Roberts,
Noah E. Wright,
Chas. G. Milnor,
F. Engle.

Riverside, lQth February, 1859.
To the Rev. Dr. Van Rensselaer,
My Dear Friend :
I have your note, of this date, with its two enclosures : from the Lady
Managers of the Mount Vernon Fund ; and from citizens of Burlington,
headed by the Mayor.
I cordially consent to a request, so cordially expressed. The name of
Washington ; the auspices of such honorable women ; the desire of so many
of my friends, of five and twenty years — permit me to add — your own most
generous agency : leave me with no alternative. It will afford me the very
greatest pleasure, to meet my fellow citizens, so constant to me in their
confidence and kindness, at the time and place proposed.
I am faithfully your friend,
G. W. Doane.

At the conclusion of Bishop Doane's Oration, the following resolutions
were offered by A. W. Burns, Esq.. ; and seoonded by John D. Moore, M. D. :
and adopted, by acclamation.
Resolved, That the thanks of the "Ladies' Mount Vernon Association,"
and the citizens of Burlington, be unanimously tendered to the Rt. Rev.
George Washington Doane, D. D. LL.D., Bishop of New Jersey, for the
able, classic, and eloquent Address, which he has just delivered upon the
Life and Character of Washington.
Resolved, That the Bishop be respectfully requested to furnish a copy of
the same for publication: and that the proceeds arising from the sale
thereof, be placed in the hands of the Lady Manager of the "Mount Ver
non Association," Mrs. Oorti.andt Van Rensselaer ; and applied to the pur
pose contemplated.

Plutarch could write his lives in parallels ; an
illustrious Greek, by the side of an illustrious Roman:
Theseus, with Romulus ; Pericles, with Fabius Maxi-
mus ; Aristides, with Cato Major ; Alexander, with
Julius Ceesar. Where shall the future Plutarch find
his parallel, whose birthday twins, with that of the
Republic'? Next to the Fourth day of July, scarcely
below it, in the calendar of patriotism, stands the
twenty-second day of February. The two, the Festivals
of thirty millions of free men, already; to be, through
all the ages, next to the sacred anniversaries, the holy
days of human nature. Who shall deny the legend,
which our Eagle bears, to-day : " One World ; one
Washington !"
Nations are Trustees, for the names of their great
men. It is a sacred, it is a solemn, trust.' Shall I do
wrong, to say, it is their most sacred, their most solemn,
trust] God lent them, to their country, for awhile.

ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON.

He endowed them, with intellectual powers. He im
bued them, with transcendent virtues. He made
them, noblemen of truth. He set, upon their brow,
the coronet of glory. He let them labor; let them
suffer ; let them be reviled : perhaps, He let them die,
upon the scaffold ; in the dungeon ; on the battle field.
Was it for one country"? Was it for their own genera
tion "? Was it for a single age "? No. They were mon
archs of mankind. They were darlings of humanity.
They were central stars, to light the world. And they
are blazing on, and they will blaze on, to be the
cynosure of unborn hearts; in nations, yet, undreamed
of. Was Aristides just, for the Athenians, alone"? Or,
Cincinnatus, but, the patriot of Rome"? Have I no
share in Socrates'? Are Alfred, Wallace, Tell, not
ours "? Were Shakspeare, Milton, Newton, not, for
us "? How beautiful it is, this Catholicity of great
ness ! The First Consul of France directed, that all
the standards of the Republic should be hung, with
crape : and issued the following order, to the Army :
" Washington is dead. This great man fought against
tyranny. He established the liberty of his country.
His memory will, always, be dear, to the French peo
ple: as it will be, to all free men of the two worlds."
Lord Bridport, who commanded the British fleet, off
Torbay, lowered his flag, half-mast ; on hearing the
intelligence. And the whole fleet, of sixty ships of
the line, followed his example. And, but the other

ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON.

day, some officers of our expedition, to Japan, under
the command of the lamented Perry, were surprised to
hear, from the official of a Loo Choo town, such words
as these; "gentlemen, Doo Choo man, very small.
American man, not very small. I have read of
America, in books, of Washington. Very good man ;
very good." So true, it is, that great men are not
their own. Are not their country's. Are not of their
own time. They are the world's. They are humanity's.
They are eternity's. They are God's. And, the
nations, who have had the use of them, from God, are
Trustees of their names ; for Him, and for mankind.
If it be so, what a trust is ours : to whom God lent
the foremost name, that inspiration has not consecrated ;
the name of Washington. "One Washington; one
World !" In making this unqualified, uncompromis
ing, challenge; Washington, against the world: I am
not held to institute, in detail, the comparison, between
his greatness and the greatness of the world's great
men. The time would fail me, to attempt it; and,
much more, your patience. And, then, it would be
asking me to prove a negative ; to show that this or
that great man was not as great as he. Let me,
rather, in such feeble measure, as I may, attempt to
show, how great he was. It will be for him, who can,
to find one greater; and, so, gainsay the legend of our
glorious eagle : " One World ; one Washington !"
And, here, the very difficulty, which meets us, at the

8 ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON.
threshold, as to where we shall begin, is most conclu
sive of his greatness. In a triangle, a square, a poly
gon, there are starting points, for the delineation.
The circle, the only perfect figure, has no beginning.
No human eye can bear the full-orbed splendor of the
solar light. Disintegrated, by the skill of Newton, the
rays of the prismatic spectrum are as soft and lam
bent, as an infant's smile. There are other great men,
of whom, the same is true. Shakspeare, pre-eminently.
Whom would any body undertake to compare with
Shakspeare"? The ingenious Germans meet the case, by
multiplication. They call him, "myriad-minded."
Washington was not that. He was one-minded. The
circle is the best • exponent of his character. The
simplest of all figures. Consisting of one line, only.
And, yet, complete, and perfect. The only figure,
which a single direction of the hand can form. The
one, which is, always, the same : which, always, pleases :
and, which, never, tires. It was finely said, of Shaks
peare, by Doctor Samuel Johnson,
" Each change of many-colored life, he drew :
" Exhausted worlds ; and, then, imagined new."
But, in all his dreamings, Shakspeare never dreamed
of Washington. And, all the great men, of all his
dramas, would not supply his greatness.
A very common measure of human greatness is the
want of opportunity. To make a gold ring, from the
ingot, is no great enterprise. To make it, without,

ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON. 9
requires the Philosopher's stone. Washington's means
of education were very limited. Till he was fourteen,
his Alma Mater was " an old field school-house." His
teacher, a tenant of his father, was the sexton of the
parish. And, though he then went to a better school,
it was only for two years. Before his sixteenth birth
day, he had done with schools. He was, what is
called, " self-made." But, he was well made.
Early attainments and rapid progress are commonly
considered marks of greatness. They are not, always.
Early ripe is, often, early rotten. It was not so with
Washington. During the three years, from his six
teenth, he was a commissioned Public Surveyor. At
nineteen, he was appointed Military Inspector, with
the rank of Major. At twenty, he was sent, by the
Governor of Virginia, six hundred miles, through the
Indian country, as a Commissioner, to confer with the
Commander of the French forces ; and inquire, by what
authority, he presumed to invade the King's dominions,
and what were his intentions : a service, difficult and
full of danger; but, most successfully performed. At
twenty-five, he was appointed to the chief command of
the troops, to be sent out, by Governor Dinwiddie,
against the French. When the number was increased
three-fold, he was made second in command, with the
rank of Lieutenant Colonel; and, appointed Colonel
of the Virginia regiment, when he was not yet twenty-
three. This was not what we speak of, now, as

10 ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON.
"Young America." The green wood, used for caned
work. There was nothing "fast," in Washington.
His was timber, seasoned, with sobriety, and self-de
nial; not without prayer. The Colonel of twenty-
two, in the camp, at the Great Meadows, in the ab
sence of a Chaplain, said prayers, before the regiment,
himself. A beautiful sight, it must have been, " The
youthful commander, presiding, with calm seriousness,
over a motly assemblage, of half-equipped soldiery,
leathern-clad hunters, and woodsmen, and painted sav
ages, with their wives and children ; and uniting them
all, in solemn devotion, by his own example and de
meanor."* A year has passed. It is a morning, in July. The
sun has not yet risen. The Monongahela gleams and
glitters, in the early light; as it rolls, onward, through
the open forest. Upon its Southern bank, an army is
just forming. Every man is in uniform. The officers
are in full dress. The sun gleams, from the burnished
arms. Bayonets fixed, colours flying, drums beating,
fifes playing : they descend the verdant slope ; they
ford the river ; they wind along its bank. The Grena
diers' March is in their ears ; and every heart keeps
time, with it. It is the British army, under General
Braddock, on their expedition against Fort Duquesne.
He was a brave man, and an accomplished officer.
* Irving's Life.

ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON. 11

But he was in a strange country. It was a new mode
of warfare. He was ignorant of the Indian character.
He would not listen to Washington, who perfectly un
derstood it. It was, now, two o'clock. The army had
marched, thus far, without interruption. But, hark,
there is a heavy firing, in the front. There, is the
fearful Indian yell. Every tree conceals a man. They
are mowed down, by unseen rifles. Braddock is
brave. His officers are brave. His men are brave.
But, of what use is bravery, at such odds ! They fall,
by platoons. In the confusion, friend kills friend.
The rear rank fires, upon the front. The Indian
scalps the officer, whom his own men have shot.
Braddock, himself, receives a fatal wound. It is a
perfect rout. Baggage, stores, artillery, are left. Of
eighty-six officers, twenty-six are killed ; thirty-six are
wounded. Of twelve hundred men, the killed and
wounded are seven hundred. The young Virginia
Colonel, in the meantime, was every where. Two
horses were shot, under him. Four bullets passed
through his coat. He seemed to bear a charmed life.
Fifteen years, after that, an aged Indian Chief went,
a long way, to see him. He told him, that, on Brad
dock's fatal field, he fired his rifle, at him, many times ;
and had directed his young braves to do the same.
To their astonishment, without effect. He was con
vinced, that he must be under the special care of the
Good Spirit ; and they ceased to fire at him. He had

12 ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON.
come to see the man, who could not die, in battle.
Was he not shielded, by the panoply of prayer"? Had
not the angels charge over him, that no weapon should
do him harm "? In all the war, he never had a wound.
In words, almost prophetic, the eloquent Samuel
Davies, in a sermon, occasioned by Braddock's defeat,
after praising the Virginia troops, for zeal and courage,
went on to say, "As a remarkable instance of this, I
may point out, to the public, that heroic youth, Colonel
Washington; whom, I cannot but hope, Providence
has, hitherto, preserved, in so signal a manner, for
some important service, to his country."
It is now, 1774. The nineteen years from the
battle of the Monongahela, have been passed, in
domestic bliss, in his favorite pursuit of agriculture,
and in public duty, military and civil. At his first
appearance, in a civil capacity, as a member of the
House of Burgesses, a beautiful scene occurred. " By
a vote of the House, it had been determined to greet
his instalment, by a signal testimonial of respect.
Accordingly, as soon as he took his seat, Mr. Robison,
the Speaker, in eloquent language, dictated by the
warmth of private friendship, returned thanks, on behalf
of the Colony, for the distinguished military services,
he had rendered to his country. Washington rose to
reply; blushed, stammered, trembled, and could not
utter a word. ' Sit down, Mr. Washington,' said the
Speaker, with a smile ; ' your modesty equals your

ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON. 13

valor ; and that surpasses the power of any language, I
possess.'" The nineteen years, from 1755, had been
most successfully employed, by the mother country,
in alienating the affections of her American daughter.
The people of the Colonies, goaded by the increasing
pressure of injustice and oppression, were meditating
independence. The first Continental Congress met, in
Philadelphia, on the oth of September, 1774. Of this,
Washington was a member. His position, there, is
well stated, by Patrick Flenry, the celebrated orator of
freedom. Being asked, after his return, whom he
thought the greatest man, in Congress, he replied, " If
you speak of eloquence, Mr. Rutledge, of South Caro
lina, is by far the greatest orator. But, if you speak
of solid information and sound judgment, Colonel
Washington is, unquestionably, the greatest man, on
that floor." By the second Congress, which met in
Philadelphia, on the 10th of May, 1775, the sword of
liberty was drawn. Hostilities, indeed, had begun.
Blood had been shed, at Lexington and Concord.
The Continental army was organized, by Congress: and
George Washington, of Virginia, on the suggestion of
John Adams, of Massachusetts, was, unanimously,
elected, Commander-in-chief. The manner of his ac
ceptance was worthy of himself. Never, were modesty
and generosity more beautifully illustrated. His
modesty. " Lest some unlucky event should happen,
unfavorable to my reputation, I beg it may be remein-

14 one world: one Washington.

bered, by every gentleman in the room, that I, this
day, declare, with the utmost sincerity, I do not think
myself equal to the command, I am honored with."
His generosity. "I beg leave to assure the Congress,
that, as no pecuniary consideration would have tempted
me to accept this arduous employment, at the expense
of my domestic ease and happiness, I do not wish to
make any profit from it. I will keep an exact account
of my expenses. Those, I doubt not, they will dis
charge ; and that is all I desire." He did keep his
account strictly ; and that was all he received.
From the day, that he took command of the Ameri
can army, at Cambridge, July 3, 1775, through the
whole of that eight years' war, what was he not, to the
great cause 1 It was a boastful saying of a Monarch of
the French, "The State; it is myself!" But, everyone
must say, the War ; it was Washington : the Country ;
it was Washington: Victory; it was Washington:
Independence ; it was Washington ! It would have
been a task, for more than any mortal, to wage suc
cessful war, between a Colonial government, in every
way, distressed and destitute : and a vast empire ; rich
in resources, of all kinds ; " a man of war, from" its
" youth ;" the mistress of the seas. How was the diffi
culty increased, when there were thirteen governments,
to be reconciled ; the central authority, with no power,
but to recommend; and every form of local jealousy,
added to all the hindrances, which fallen human nature

one world: one Washington. 15
always offers, to every honorable cause. Vet, these
discordant elements, he harmonized. These antagon
istic forces, he reconciled. These prejudices, these
jealousies, these hostilities, he removed, appeased, and
pacified. He was the Sun of the whole System : about
which, all revolved; and, by which, all were kept
together. Is it not true, one Universe ; one Sun1? It
is as true, " one World ; one Washington !"
It was the winter of 1776. The very gloomiest
period of the war. The British had possession of
Rhode Island, Long Island, Staten Island, the city of
New York, almost all the Jerseys ; and were threaten
ing Philadelphia. The army was weakened, by the
discontent of the soldiery ; by the foolish policy, per
sisted in, by Congress, of short enlistments ; and by
sickness. The Continent was discontented. The
Congress was aroused. It met the case, as it only
could be met. It made George Washington, Dictator.
More than all armies, in that confidence : and, met, so
modestly ; so manfully. It is Christmas night. The
Hessians are encamped, at Trenton. The. American
troops are at Taylorsville, at Bristol, and in Philadel
phia. The weather is intensely cold. The Delaware,
filled with floating ice, rolls, angrily, between them.
But, something must be done. A night attack, by
crossing the river, in three columns, is planned. The
Northernmost is Washington's. The current is strong.
The wind is high. The night is dark. It storms.

16 one world: one Washington.
What anxious hours, he watched, upon the Jersey side,
while the artillery was transported ! The attack was
meant to be, at midnight. Four precious hours are
lost. The line of march is formed, in driving sleet.
Two men are frozen to death. They have nine miles,
to Trenton. They are there, at eight. The Hessians
are surprised. They rally. But, in vain. Their Gen
eral falls. One thousand prisoners are taken. The
two lower columns of the army had failed to cross.
It was the victory of Washington, alone. On the
second of January, the British were, at Trenton, in
great force. The Assanpink divided the two armies.
A general fight, the next day, was inevitable. The
American force was not sufficient, to sustain it. At
midnight, while the camp-fires burn, to lull the enemy,
they are off, to Princeton. Three regiments are there ;
to join Cornwallis, the next day, at Trenton. They
are attacked, a little before sunrise ; and defeated.
One hundred killed. Three hundred prisoners. In
every hottest portion of the fight, Washington is
present. But, no bullet had, for him, a billet. The
bravest are the safest, always. God, specially, takes
care of them. These actions turned the scale. In
three weeks, New Jersey was recovered. The country
rallied. And liberty took heart. " Achievements, so
astonishing," says Botta, an Italian writer, "gained,
for the American Commander, a very great reputation :
and were regarded, with wonder, by all nations ; as well

one world: one Washington. 17

as by the Americans. Every one applauded the pru
dence, the firmness, and the daring, of General Wash
ington. All declared him the saviour of his country.
All proclaimed him, equal to the most renowned com
manders of antiquity; and especially distinguished
him, by the name of the American Fabius. His name
was in the mouths of all men ; and celebrated by the
pens of the most eminent writers. The greatest per
sonages in Europe bestowed upon him praise and con
gratulations !" In 1781, the British forces were
concentrated, in Virginia. Cornwallis establishes
himself, at Yorktown. General Washington, with the
Count de Rochambeau, hastens to the scene. In that
journey, for the first time, in six years and a half, he
visits his dear Mount Vernon. Yorktown is invested.
The siege is pressed. Cornwallis surrenders. Wash
ington is victorious. The war is ended. With what
delight, he takes leave of the army ; tenders his com
mission ; and retires to private life ! " At length,"
he writes, to La Fayette, "I am become a private
citizen, on the banks of the Potomac ; and, under the
shadow of my own vine and my own fig tree, free
from the bustle of a camp and the busy scenes of
public life, I am solacing myself with those tranquil
enjoyments." " I have not only retired from all
public employments, but I am retiring within myself;
and shall be able to view the solitary walk, and tread
the paths of private life, with a heartfelt satisfaction.
3

18 one world: one Washington.
Envious of none, I am determined to be pleased with
all. And, this, my dear friend, being the order of my
march, I will move gently down the stream of life,
until I sleep with my fathers." But, he was reckoning,
without his host. The country, although free, was
without a government. The Confederation was a
rope of sand. Now, that the pressure of war was re
moved from it, it was crumbling. Something must be
done : or the independence, so dearly bought, was lost.
A Convention of delegates, from the several States,
assembled, in Philadelphia, on the fourteenth of May,
1787. General Washington was, unanimously, elected
President. It continued, in session, four months.
The result of its labours was the Constitution of the
United States. The foremost hand, to win the inde
pendence of the nation, was the foremost hand, to
frame the means, for its perpetuity. But, one more
honour, now, remained. The Constitution provided
for a President. And George Washington was, unani
mously, elected, President of the United States. He
had refused to be a candidate, for that high office, as
long as duty would permit. And, when he started, to
encounter its responsibilities, it was with a sad and a
heavy heart. " About ten o'clock," he says, in his
diary, for April 16, 1789, "I bade adieu to Mount
Vernon, to private life and to domestic felicity; and,
with a mind, oppressed with more anxious and painful
sensations, than I have words to express, set out for

one world: one Washington. 19
New York: with the best disposition to render service
to my country, in obedience to its call; but, with less
hope of answering its expectations." By a beautiful
act of piety, he premised his entrance, on the highest
office in the world, by a visit to his venerable mother :
then, eighty-two ; and in the last year of her life.
The Conqueror, the Statesman, the President, were
melted, in the son: in the pressure of those loving
hands; and under the warmth of that fond kiss.*
It was the 30th day of April, 1789. In all the
churches in New York, there had been prayers, at nine
o'clock. The blessing of God, on the new government,
was solemnly invoked. It was, now, noon. The streets
were all alive. The stream of life was rushing, towards
the Federal Hall. All eyes are fixed, upon the balcony.
At the moment, he appears. Tall, serene, majestic.
His plain brown suit was of the manufacture of his
country. The sword, of so much glory, was by his side :
shall I not say, The sword of the Lord, and of Wash
ington 1 The welkin rings, with one wide shout. He
lays his hand upon his heart ; bows to the people ; and,
then, sinks, exhausted, into a chair. The fearless
* Writino- to his sister, on the occasion of their mother's death, in
August, of the same year, he said : "Awful and affecting as the death of
a parent is, there is consolation, in knowing that Heaven has spared ours
to an age, beyond which few attain ; and favoured her with the full enjoy
ment ofher mental faculties, and as much bodily strength as usually falls
to the lot of fourscore. Under these considerations, and a hope that she
is translated to a happier place : it is the duty of her relatives to yield
due submission, to the decrees of the Creator."

20 one world: one Washington.

soldier of the Monongahela,is a woman, in that presence.
Then, only, is our nature perfected, when the strong
man is blended, in it, with the loving woman. He
rises. He advances, to the front. He is surrounded,
by the chief officers of State. The Chancellor ad
ministers the oath. The hand of Washington is on
the Bible; which the Secretary holds. He would
have raised the sacred volume, to his lips. The
President bows, lowly and reverently ; and kisses it
Then, for the avalanche of voices. Then, for the roar of
cannon. Then, for the clanging of the bells. He bows,
again. He retires to the Senate Chamber ; and delivers
his inaugural address. And, then, he goes, on foot ;
with the whole assembly, to St. Paul's Chapel : where,
prayers are said, by the Bishop of New York. The
Virginia Colonel, who knelt, in that wild camp, at the
Great Meadows, at twenty-two, among the soldiers and
the Indians, kneels, now, at fifty-seven, the President of
the United States. How sure, how beautiful, how
blessed, are the returns of prayer ! Of the services,
which he rendered, in his double administration — con
strained to the second, even more reluctantly than to
the first* — how his wisdom, justice, patriotism, as

* " The confidence of the whole Union," wrote Jefferson, then, Secretary
of State, " is centered in you. Your being at the helm is more than an
answer to every argument, which can be used, to alarm and lead the
people, on any question, into violence or surprise. North and South
will hang together, if they have you to hang on." " I am perfectly aware
of the oppression, under which your present office lays your mind ; and of

one world: one Washington. 21

Governor, distilled, in blessings, on the land, which, as
warrior, he had saved; I need not tell you now. Are they
not legible, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in the
prosperity and progress of the country. Do they not
smile, in fields ] Are they not vocal, in shops % Do they
not tower, in spires 1 Do they not exult, in dancing
ships ; wherever ocean sends its waves % Are they not
felt, in the hearts ; shall they not be heard, from the
tongues, of thirty millions of free men'? Out of that
chaos, " without form, and void," he was enabled, by
God's grace, to bring this new and beautiful creation.
For the logs of that old raft, the Confederation, scarcely
kept together, by green withes, he launched, and set
the ardor with which you pant for domestic life. But, there is some
times an eminence of character, on which society have such peculiar claims
as to control the predilection of the individual for a peculiar walk of
happiness ; and to restrain him to that alone, arising from the present
and future benedictions of mankind. This seems to be your condition,
and the law imposed on you by Providence, in forming your character,
and fashioning the events in which it was to operate ; and it is to motives
like these and not to personal anxieties of mine or others, who have no
right to call on you for sacrifices, that I appeal from your former determi
nation, and urge a revisal of it, on the ground of changes in the aspect of
things !" Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, was equally decided. " It
is clear, that if you continue in office, nothing materially mischievous is
to be apprehended ; if you yield, much is to be dreaded : that the same
motives which induced you to accept originally, ought to decide you to
continue till matters have assumed a more determinate aspect." " I trust,
and pray God, that you will determine to make a further sacrifice of your
tranquilitv and happiness, to the public good." Randolph, the Attorney
General, "wrote, with the same urgency. " The Constitution would never
have been adopted, but from a knowledge that you had once sanctioned
it, and an expectation that you would execute' it. It is in a state of pro
bation. The most unauspicious struggles are past. But the public de
liberations need stability. You alone can give them stability."

22 one world: one Washington.
before the wind, manned with brave men, the star-flag
floating from the mast-head, that glorious ship of the
line, the Constitutional Republic: in which, we and
ours, to the remotest generation, are embarked — God
help us! — for our weal, or for our wo.
"Thou, too, sail on, 0 ship of state !
Sail on, 0 Union, strong and great !
Humanity, with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging, breathless, on thy fate.
We know what Master laid thy keel ;
What workman wrought thy ribs of steel ;
Who made each mast and sail and rope ;
What anvils rang, what hammers bent :
In what a forge, and what a heat,
Were shaped, the anchors of thy hope.
Fear not each sudden sound and shock ;
'Tis of the wave, and not the rock :
'Tis but the flapping of the sail ;
And not a rent made by the gale !
In spite of rock and tempest's roar,
In spite of false lights, on the shore ;
Sail on : nor fear to breast the sea.
Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee.
Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears,
Our faith, triumphant o'er our fears,
Are all with thee ; are all with thee."
Washington was sixty-five years old, when he re
turned, from his eight years' administration, to the
shades of Mount Vernon. Not without leaving, to
the nation, the most precious legacy, short of inspired

ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON. 23

wisdom, in his inimitable " Farewell Address." And
it is delightful to see, how he came back, with the
keenest relish, to the tastes and occupations of his
earlier manhood. To a friend, he writes, a few weeks
after his arrival, that his daily course began with the
rising of the sun ; when he, first, made preparations,
for the business of the day. " By the time, I have
accomplished these matters, breakfast is ready. This
being over, I mount my horse, and ride round my
farms : which employs me till it is time to dress, for
dinner. At which, I rarely miss to see strange faces ;
come, as they say, out of respect to me." " The usual
time of sitting at table, a walk, and tea, bring me
within the dawn of candle-light." " I, then, retire to
my writing-table ; and acknowledge the letters, which
I have received. Having given you this history of a
day, it will do for a year." In this sweet, natural way,
it was his happiness to live. He was the friend and
adviser of the neighborhood. He was the Vestryman
of two Churches. He was the zealous promoter of
every form of internal improvement* He was devoted,
heart and hand, to education."]" He was the most
* In July, 1783, in head-quarters, at New York, while waiting for the
definitive treaty, he beguiled the time, and gratified a long cherished de
sire, by making a tour into Northern and Western New York. In a
letter to the Chevalier de Chastellux, written from Princeton, after his
return, he clearly advocated that great plan of internal improvements,
by canal navigation, which has immortalized the name of De Witt Clin
ton ¦ and given such wealth and power to the State, which he adorned.
+ He had earnestly recommended plans for internal navigation, in

24 one world: one Washington.
intelligent and enterprising agriculturalist. But, his
chief delight was in his orchards and his gardens;
with his trees and shrubbery. Laying out the walks,
on his lawn; intermingling forest trees, evergreens
and flowers ; stocking his conservatories and green
houses : with pruning hook, in hand, all day. Even,
here, he was pursued, by greatness. A war with
France was threatened. Ten thousand men were
ordered, as a provisional army. He, alone, was thought
of, as Commander-in-chief. The language of President
Adams, to him, in a letter, is: "We must have your
name, if you will permit us to use it. There will be
more efficacy in it, than in many an army." And
there was. The French government abated their
insolence. Overtures of peace were made, by them.
The army never took the field. But, there is a Con
queror of all Conquerors. On Thursday, 12th Decem
ber, 1799, he was exposed, in a storm of rain and sleet ;
whilst returning, on horseback, from his farms. A sore
throat and hoarseness ensued. He neglected it. The
next night, he had an ague. The severest form of

Virginia; which had proved very successful. The Potomac Company,
and the James River Company complimented him with a gift of fifty
shares, by the former, and one hundred, by the latter. He positively
refused to receive them. Afterwards, he consented to receive them, as a
trust, for beneficial objects ; and gave them for the purposes of educa
tion : one hundred shares, to Washington College ; and one hundred
shares, for an University in the District of Columbia. The plan of a,
National University was very near his heart, In short, he was a zealous
advocate for schools, aud literary undertakings, of every kind.

one world: one Washington. 25

quinsy set in. On the night of Saturday, December
14th, he breathed his last. Calm, composed, resigned.
As beautiful, in the fortitude and resignation of his
death; as he had been, in tlie fortitude and resignation
of his life.
I need not specify the virtues of George Washing
ton. His life was radiant with them. As a lady said,
to me, the other day, "his greatness was in his good
ness." Unselfishness, integrity, simplicity, sincerity, in
corruptible faith, indomitable courage, unbounded gene
rosity : these are a handful, only, of the full and golden
sheaf. Hear, how he writes, from his head-quarters, at
Cambridge, to his agent ; managing his vast estates,
throughout his absence of six years, by correspondence.
" Let the hospitality of the house, with respect to the
poor, be kept up. Let no one go hungry, away." Nor
was he one of those, who think themselves quite good
enough, without religion. A piece of verses, on Christ
mas Day, written at the age of thirteen, begins :
" Assist me, muse divine, to sing the morn,
On which, the Saviour of mankind was born."
In the absence of another, he was, from his first
service, the Chaplain of his troops; and gathered them,
for daily prayers. Vicious habits and profane swearing
among the troops, were strictly forbidden, and severely
punished. When the House of Burgesses, of which he
¦was a member, set apart the first day of June, 1774,

26 one world: one Washington.
as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, to implore
the Divine interposition, against the calamities, threat
ened by the act of Parliament, in shutting up the port of
Boston, the entry, in his Diary, is; "Went to Church:
and fasted all day." He was most liberal, in his main
tenance of the Church. Whether in private, or in
public life, he was a constant worshipper. His Secre
tary, had seen him, more than once, kneeling, in private
devotions, at morning and evening, in his library, with
his Bible open, before him. He was a devout commu
nicant. But had he no faults ] Did he not die \
Would he have died, if he had had no sin1? Let them,
that have none, cast a stone, at him ! Was there no
discord in these notes of universal praise] Yes: even
Washington had revilers.* Infidels, Pharisees, Jacobins,
Misanthropes. Thomas Paine, Callender, Citizen Genet.
The men, whose blame is praise: whose censure is
applause; whose condemnation is immortal glory.
Mr. Jefferson, not partial, in his favor, wrote, of him,
" His integrity was most pure; his justice, the most
inflexible, I have ever known: no motives of interest
or consanguinity, of friendship or of hatred, being able

* How little he regarded them ! " I have long since resolved," said
he, writing to the Governor of Maryland, '¦ for the present time, at least,
to let my calumniators proceed, without any notice being taken of their
invectives, by myself, or by any others, with my participation or know
ledge. Their views, I dare say, are readily perceived, by the enlightened
and well disposed part of the community ; and by the records of my ad
ministration, and not by the voice of faction, I expect to be acquitted or
condemned, hereafter."

one world: one Washington. 27

to bias his decision."* He was, indeed, in every sense
of the word, a wise,t a good, and a great man. Mr.
* " No part of the President's duties," says Sparks, in his admirable
life, " gave him more anxiety than that of distributing the offices, in his
gift." " He early prescribed to himself, however, a rule, from which he
never swerved ; which was, to give no pledges or encouragement, to any
applicant. He answered them all, civilly. But, avowed his determina
tion to suspend a decision, till the time of making the appointment
should arrive ; and then, without favor, or bias, to select such individu
als, as, in his judgment, were best qualified to execute, with faithfulness
and ability, the trust reposed, in them. 'From the moment,' he writes,
to a friend, ' when the necessity had become apparent, and, as it were,
inevitable, I anticipated, with a heart filled with distress, the ten thou
sand embarrassments, perplexities, troubles, to which I must again be
exposed, in the evening of a life, already nearly consumed in public
cares. Among all these anxieties, I will not conceal from you, I antici
pated none greater than those that were likely to be produced by appli
cations for appointments to the different offices, which would be created,
under the new government. Nor will I conceal that my apprehensions
have already been but too well justified. Should it be my lot, again, to
go into office, I would go without being under any possible engagements,
of any nature whatsoever.' ' So far as I know my own heart, I wou'd
not be in the remotest degree, influenced in making nominations, by mo
tives arising from the ties of family or blood. And, on the other hand,
three things, in my opinion, ought principally to be regarded : namely,
the fitness of character to all offices ; the comparative claims, Irom the
former merits and sufferings in service of the different candidates ; aud
the distribution of appointments, iu as equal a proportion as might be, to
persons belonging to the different States in the Uuiou.' "
t A single sample of his heart-wisdom must not be withheld. His
kinsman and agent, Lund Washington, had intimated the probability,
that Mrs. Custis was about to enter into a second marriage. She had
given him no hint of her intention. '¦ For my own part," he writes, from
Rocky Hill, near Princeton, 20th September, 1783. "I never did, nor do
I believe I ever shall, give advice to a woman, who is setting out on a
matrimonial voyage. First, because I never could advise one to marry,
without her own consent ; and, secondly, because I know it is to no pur
pose to advise her to refrain, when she has obtained it. A woman very
rarely asks an opinion, or requires advice, on such an occasion, till her
resolution is formed. And, then, it is with the hope of obtaining a sanc
tion not that she means to be governed by your disapprobation, that she

28 one world: one Washington.

Fox said of him, in the British Parliament, "Illus
trious man, deriving honor less from the splendor of
his situation, than the dignity of his mind. For him,
it has been reserved, to run the race of glory, without
experiencing the smallest interruption, to the brilliancy
of his course." Lord Erskine wrote to him, in 1795,
" Sir, I have taken the liberty to introduce your august
and venerated name, in a short sentence ; which will be
found in the book, I send you. I have a large acquaint
ance, among the most valuable and exalted classes of
men. But you are the only human being, for whom, I
ever felt an awful reverence. I sincerely pray God, to
grant a long and serene evening, to a life, so glorious
ly devoted, to the universal happiness of the world."
Chief Justice Marshall, in announcing his death, in
the House of Representatives, said, " Our Washington
is no more. The hero, the patriot and the sage, of
America; the man, on whom, in times of danger, every
eye was turned, and all hopes were placed, lives, now,
only in his great actions ; and in the hearts of an affec
tionate and an afflicted people." "More than any
other individual, and as much as, to one individual, was
possible, has he contributed to found this, our wide-
spreading, empire ; and to give to the Western world

applies. In a word, the plain English of the application may be summed
up, in these words : ' I wish you to think as I do ; but if, unhappily, you
differ from me in opinion, my mind, I must confess, is fixed, and I have
gone too far, now to retreat.' "

ONE WORLD: ONE WASHINGTON. 29
independence and freedom." But, the noblest eulogy,
that was ever uttered, and in the very fewest words,
was the third of the resolutions, offered by Chief Justice
Marshall, and drawn up by General Henry Lee: "Re
solved, that a Committee be appointed to consider, on
the most suitable manner, of paying honor to the
memory of the man ; first, in war, first, in peace, and
first in the hearts of his countrymen."
And, now, is not my case made ouf? Can any
Plutarch find a parallel, for him 1 Will any bird, of
any kind, take up the challenge of our eagle, " One
World, one Washington V If it be so, and if nations
be trustees for the names of their great men, what a
trust my fellow-citizens, is ours ! How should his name
be embalmed, in all our hearts ! How should his name
be a household word, on the lips of all our children !
How should his name be inscribed on every poll ; to fix
the eye, and fill the heart, of every voter ! How, should
his name pervade our halls of Legislature ; pervade our
public offices; pervade the Presidential mansion; per
vade the august and glorious Capitol! How it should
rebuke selfishness! How it should rebuke unfaith
fulness ! How it should rebuke corruption ! How it
should vindicate the truth; and elevate the law; and
justify the government; and glorify the nation! Beau
tiful it is, that the Metropolis of the great American
confederacy, of which he was founder, bears his immor
tal name. Tender and touching, it is, that that serene,

30 one world: one Washington.
majestic, face, goes every where, from every hand, to
every heart ; the passport of affection, in every house,
through every land.* Let there be one more testimo
nial, the most affecting, the most impressive, of them
all. When Nelson, on the eve of triumph, flung, from
the mast-head, that immortal signal, " Westminster
Abbey, or Victory !" he appealed to the deep sanctities
of every heart. Let our Westminster be Mount Ver
non ! Let the home of Washington be their home
stead, who are his only children. Let the tomb of
Washington be the shrine of patriotism, forever ; and,
let his sacred ashes forever rest, by the sweet gliding
of his own Potomac ; cherished by the hearts, and
guarded by the hands, of increasing millions of free
men.
" Should the tempest of war overshadow our land,
Its bolts could ne'er rend Freedom's temple asunder : /
For, unmoved, at its portal, would Washington stand;
And repulse with his breast, the assaults of the thunder.
His sword, from the sleep
Of its scabbard, would leap ;
And conduct, with its point, every flash, to the deep.
For, ne'er shall the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves."

*How I felt this, with every letter, that came to me, abroad!

one world: one Washington. 31

Mrs. Van Rensselaer ;
Lady Managers of the Mount Vernon Associa
tion, in Burling ton ;
Mr. Mayor;
My Fellow Citizens ;
You have listened to me, patiently, too long. A few
words, more. The ashes of Washington should not be
long to any individual. They are the jewelry of the
Republic. En mea ornamental The tomb of Wash
ington should not be in possession of the government.
He was not the father of the Senate, nor of the House
of Representatives. He was Pater Patrice. He is our
father. The home of Washington should not be held
by any special corporation. It is the homestead of the
nation. It is the hearthstone of America. It should
belong to us, and to our heirs, forever. But, how shall
this be brought about % Who will redeem that sacred
dust! Who will garnish that beloved sepulchre"?
Who will keep up that hospitable home"? These
women and their associates : the mothers of our chil
dren; the sisters of our love; the daughters of our
hearts. Beautiful thought, that the sex, to which we
owe our mothers, should be the guardians of the ashes
of our father. That the women of America, should
more than reproduce the Roman daughter, in her filial
piety and love. And, they will do it. Nay, have done
it ; by the very will, to do it. When did a woman ever

32 one world: one Washington.

fail, in what her love resolved on % Who were behind
her, at the Cross "? Who were before her, at the grave"?
Noble and generous women ! Into your hands, we
commit those venerable shades. Into your hands, we
commit that honorable sepulchre. Into your hands,
we commit that blessed dust. To you, and to your
daughters, and to your daughters' daughters, in a line,
forever. Thither, the mothers of America, in all the
ages of the world, shall bring their infant sons. They
shall tell them, " our mothers left us this dear home ; a
heritage, for ever!" They shall repeat his story.
They shall relate his services. They shall recount his
virtues. They shall syllable his glorious and immortal
name. The eye shall kindle, at the sound. The lip
shall quiver, at the thought. The heart shall leap, at
the remembrance. And, from that sepulchre, there
shall go out, a line of patriot-heroes; that shall perpe
tuate the virtues, while they immortalize the name, of
Washington. Shades of our fathers, mothers of our
children, shall it not be so1? By those, at Trenton,
Princeton, Monmouth, it shall be ! May He, who gave
us Washington, make us all worthy of the gift ; pre
serve his sepulchre, a light-house, for the oppressed, in
every land ; and make his name the lode-star of the
patriot, till time shall cease to be !