hero tales from american history-第2章

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st　country　to　the　protection　of　Almighty　God；　and　those　who　have　the　superintendence　of　them　to　His　holy　keeping。

Having　now　finished　the　work　assigned　me；　I　retire　from　the　great　theatre　of　action；　and；　bidding　an　affectionate　farewell　to　this　august　body；　under　whose　orders　I　have　so　long　acted；　I　here　offer　my　commission　and　take　my　leave　of　all　the　employments　of　public　life。〃

The　great　master　of　English　fiction；　writing　of　this　scene　at　Annapolis；　says：　'Which　was　the　most　splendid　spectacle　ever　witnessedthe　opening　feast　of　Prince　George　in　London；　or　the　resignation　of　Washington？　Which　is　the　noble　character　for　after　ages　to　admireyon　fribble　dancing　in　lace　and　spangles；　or　yonder　hero　who　sheathes　his　sword　after　a　life　of　spotless　honor；　a　purity　unreproached；　a　courage　indomitable　and　a　consummate　victory？〃

Washington　did　not　refuse　the　dictatorship；　or；　rather；　the　opportunity　to　take　control　of　the　country；　because　he　feared　heavy　responsibility；　but　solely　because；　as　a　high…minded　and　patriotic　man；　he　did　not　believe　in　meeting　the　situation　in　that　way。　He　was；　moreover；　entirely　devoid　of　personal　ambition；　and　had　no　vulgar　longing　for　personal　power。　After　resigning　his　commission　he　returned　quietly　to　Mount　Vernon；　but　he　did　not　hold　himself　aloof　from　public　affairs。　On　the　contrary；　he　watched　their　course　with　the　utmost　anxiety。　He　saw　the　feeble　Confederation　breaking　to　pieces；　and　he　soon　realized　that　that　form　of　government　was　an　utter　failure。　In　a　time　when　no　American　statesman　except　Hamilton　had　yet　freed　himself　from　the　local　feelings　of　the　colonial　days；　Washington　was　thoroughly　national　in　all　his　views。　Out　of　the　thirteen　jarring　colonies　he　meant　that　a　nation　should　come；　and　he　sawwhat　no　one　else　sawthe　destiny　of　the　country　to　the　westward。　He　wished　a　nation　founded　which　should　cross　the　Alleghanies；　and；　holding　the　mouths　of　the　Mississippi；　take　possession　of　all　that　vast　and　then　unknown　region。　For　these　reasons　he　stood　at　the　head　of　the　national　movement；　and　to　him　all　men　turned　who　desired　a　better　union　and　sought　to　bring　order　out　of　chaos。　With　him　Hamilton　and　Madison　consulted　in　the　preliminary　stages　which　were　to　lead　to　the　formation　of　a　new　system。　It　was　his　vast　personal　influence　which　made　that　movement　a　success；　and　when　the　convention　to　form　a　constitution　met　at　Philadelphia；　he　presided　over　its　deliberations；　and　it　was　his　commanding　will　which；　more　than　anything　else；　brought　a　constitution　through　difficulties　and　conflicting　interests　which　more　than　once　made　any　result　seem　well…nigh　hopeless。　When　the　Constitution　formed　at　Philadelphia　had　been　ratified　by　the　States；　all　men　turned　to　Washington　to　stand　at　the　head　of　the　new　government。　As　he　had　borne　the　burden　of　the　Revolution；　so　he　now　took　up　the　task　of　bringing　the　government　of　the　Constitution　into　existence。　For　eight　years　he　served　as　president。　He　came　into　office　with　a　paper　constitution；　the　heir　of　a　bankrupt；　broken…down　confederation。　He　left　the　United　States；　when　he　went　out　of　office；　an　effective　and　vigorous　government。　When　he　was　inaugurated；　we　had　nothing　but　the　clauses　of　the　Constitution　as　agreed　to　by　the　Convention。　When　he　laid　down　the　presidency；　we　had　an　organized　government；　an　established　revenue；　a　funded　debt；　a　high　credit；　an　efficient　system　of　banking；　a　strong　judiciary；　and　an　army。　We　had　a　vigorous　and　well…defined　foreign　policy；　we　had　recovered　the　western　posts；　which；　in　the　hands　of　the　British；　had　fettered　our　march　to　the　west；　and　we　had　proved　our　power　to　maintain　order　at　home；　to　repress　insurrection；　to　collect　the　national　taxes；　and　to　enforce　the　laws　made　by　Congress。　Thus　Washington　had　shown　that　rare　combination　of　the　leader　who　could　first　destroy　by　revolution；　and　who；　having　led　his　country　through　a　great　civil　war；　was　then　able　to　build　up　a　new　and　lasting　fabric　upon　the　ruins　of　a　system　which　had　been　overthrown。　At　the　close　of　his　official　service　he　returned　again　to　Mount　Vernon；　and；　after　a　few　years　of　quiet　retirement；　died　just　as　the　century　in　which　he　had　played　so　great　a　part　was　closing。

Washington　stands　among　the　greatest　men　of　human　history；　and　those　in　the　same　rank　with　him　are　very　few。　Whether　measured　by　what　he　did；　or　what　he　was；　or　by　the　effect　of　his　work　upon　the　history　of　mankind；　in　every　aspect　he　is　entitled　to　the　place　he　holds　among　the　greatest　of　his　race。　Few　men　in　all　time　have　such　a　record　of　achievement。　Still　fewer　can　show　at　the　end　of　a　career　so　crowded　with　high　deeds　and　memorable　victories　a　life　so　free　from　spot；　a　character　so　unselfish　and　so　pure；　a　fame　so　void　of　doubtful　points　demanding　either　defense　or　explanation。　Eulogy　of　such　a　life　is　needless；　but　it　is　always　important　to　recall　and　to　freshly　remember　just　what　manner　of　man　he　was。　In　the　first　place　he　was　physically　a　striking　figure。　He　was　very　tall；　powerfully　made；　with　a　strong；　handsome　face。　He　was　remarkably　muscular　and　powerful。　As　a　boy　he　was　a　leader　in　all　outdoor　sports。　No　one　could　fling　the　bar　further　than　he；　and　no　one　could　ride　more　difficult　horses。　As　a　young　man　he　became　a　woodsman　and　hunter。　Day　after　day　he　could　tramp　through　the　wilderness　with　his　gun　and　his　surveyor's　chain；　and　then　sleep　at　night　beneath　the　stars。　He　feared　no　exposure　or　fatigue；　and　outdid　the　hardiest　backwoodsman　in　following　a　winter　trail　and　swimming　icy　streams。　This　habit　of　vigorous　bodily　exercise　he　carried　through　life。　Whenever　he　was　at　Mount　Vernon　he　gave　a　large　part　of　his　time　to　fox…hunting；　riding　after　his　hounds　through　the　most　difficult　country。　His　physical　power　and　endurance　counted　for　much　in　his　success　when　he　commanded　his　army；　and　when　the　heavy　anxieties　of　general　and　president　weighed　upon　his　mind　and　heart。

He　was　an　educated；　but　not　a　learned　man。　He　read　well　and　remembered　what　he　read；　but　his　life　was；　from　the　beginning；　a　life　of　action；　and　the　world　of　men　was　his　school。　He　was　not　a　military　genius　like　Hannibal；　or　Caesar；　or　Napoleon；　of　which　the　world　has　had　only　three　or　four　examples。　But　he　was　a　great　soldier　of　the　type　which　the　English　race　has　produced；　like　Marlborough　and　Cromwell；　Wellington；　Grant；　and　Lee。　He　was　patient　under　defeat；　capable　of　large　combinations；　a　stubborn　and　often　reckless　fighter；　a　winner　of　battles；　but　much　more；　a　conclusive　winner　in　a　long　war　of　varying　fortunes。　He　was；　in　addition；　what　very　few　great　soldiers　or　commanders　have　ever　been；　a　great　constitutional　statesman；　able　to　lead　a　people　along　the　paths　of　free　government　without　undertaking　himself　to　play　the　part　of　the　strong　man；　the　usurper；　or　the　savior　of　society。

He　was　a　very　silent　man。　Of　no　man　of　equal　importance　in　the　world's　history　have　we　so　few　sayings　of　a　personal　kind。　He　was　ready　enough　to　talk　or　to　write　about　the　public　duties　which　he　had　in　hand；　but　he　hardly　ever　talked　of　himself。　Yet　there　can　be　no　greater　error　than　to　suppose　Washington　cold　and　unfeeling；　because　of　his　silence　and　reserve。　He　was　by　nature　a　man　of　strong　desires　and　stormy　passions。　Now　and　again　he　would　break　out；　even　as　late　as　the　presidency；　into　a　gust　of　anger　that　would　sweep　everything　before　it。　He　was　always　reckless　of　personal　danger；　and　had　a　fierce　fighting　spirit　which　nothing　could　check　when　it　was　once　unchained。

But　as　a　rule　these　fiery　impulses　and　strong　passions　were　under　the　absolute　control　of　an　iron　will；　and　they　never　clouded　his　judgment　or　warped　his　keen　sense　of　justice。

But　if　he　was　not　of　a　cold　nature；　still　less　was　he　hard　or　unfeeling。　His　pity　always　went　out　to　the　poor；　the　oppressed；　or　the　unhappy；　and　he　was　all　that　was　kind　and　gentle　to　those　immediately　about　him。

We　have　to　look　carefully　into　his　life　to　learn　all　these　things；　for　the　world　saw　only　a　silent；　reserved　man；　of　courteous　and　serious　manner；　who　seemed　to　stand　alone　and　apart；　and　who　impressed　every　one　who　came　near　him　with　a　sense　of　awe　and　reverence。

One　quality　he　had　which　was；　perhaps；　more　characteristic　of　the　man　and　his　greatness　than　any　other。　This　was　his　perfect　veracity　of　mind。　He　was；　of　course；　the　soul　of　truth　and　honor；　but　he　was　even　more　than　that。　He　never　deceived　himself　He　always　looked　facts　squarely　in　the　face　and　dealt　with　them　as　such；　dreaming　no　dreams；　cherishing　no　delusions；　asking　no　impossibilities；just　to　others　as　to　himself；　and　thus　winning　alike　in　war　and　in　peace。

He　gave　dignity　as　well　as　victory　to　his　country　and　his　cause。　He　was；　in　truth；　a　〃character　for　after　ages　to　admire。〃



DANIEL　BOONE　AND　THE　FOUNDING　OF　KENTUCKY

。　。　。　Boone　lived　hunting　up　to　ninety；　And；　what's　still　stranger；　left　behind　a　name　　For　which　men　vainly　decimate　the　throng；　Not　only　famous；　but　of　that　GOOD　fame；　　Without　which　glory's　but　a　tavern　song；　Simple；　serene；　the　antipodes　of　shame；　　Which　hate　nor　envy　e'er　could　tinge　with　wrong；

'T　is　true　he　shrank　from　men；　even　of　his　nation；　　When　they　built　up　unto　his　darling　trees；　He　moved　some　hundred　miles　off；　for　a　station　　Where　there　were　fewer　houses　and　more　ease；

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But　where　he　met　the　individual　man；　He　showed　himself　as　kind　as　mortal　can。

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The　freeborn　forest　found　and　kept　them　free；　And　fresh　as　is　a　torrent　or　a　tree。

And　tall；　and　strong；　and　swift　of　foot　were　they；　　Beyond　the　dwarfing　city's　pale　abortions；　Because　their　thoughts　had　never　been　the　prey　　Of　care　or　gain；　the　green　woods　were　their　portions

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Simple　they　were；　not　savage；　and　their　rifles；　Though　very　true；　were　yet　not　used　for　trifles。

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Serene；　not　sullen；　were　the　solitudes　Of　this　unsighing　people　of　the　woods。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Byron。



DANIEL　BOONE　AND　THE　FOUNDING　OF　KENTUCKY

Daniel　Boone　will　always　occupy　a　unique　place　in　our　history　as　the　archetype　of　the　hunter　and　wilderness　wanderer。　He　was　a　true　pioneer；　and　stood　at　the　head　of　that　class　of　Indian…fighters；　game…hunters；　forest…fellers；　and　backwoods　farmers　who；　generation　after　generation；　pushed　westward　the　border　of　civilization　from　the　Alleghanies　to　the　Pacific。　As　he　himself　said；　he　was　〃an　instrument　ordained　of　God　to　settle　the　wilderness。〃　Born　in　Pennsylvania；　he　drifted　south　into　western　North　Carolina；　and　settled　on　what　was　then　the　extreme　frontier。　There　he　married；　built　a　log　cabin；　and　hunted；　chopped　trees；　and　tilled　the　ground　like　any　other　frontiersman。　The　Alleghany　Mountains　still　marked　a　boundary　beyond　which　the　settlers　dared　not　go；　for　west　of　them　lay　immense　reaches　of　frowning　forest；　uninhabited　save　by　bands　of　warlike　Indians。　Occasionally　some　venturesome　hunter　or　trapper　penetrated　this　immense　wilderness；　and　returned　with　strange　stories　of　what　he　had　seen　and　done。

In　1769　Boone；　excited　by　these　vague　and　wondrous　tales；　determined　himself　to　cross　the　mountains　and　find　out　what　manner　of　land　it　was　that　lay　beyond。　With　a　few　chosen　companions　he　set　out；　making　his　own　trail　through　the　gloomy　forest。　After　weeks　of　wandering；