Washington's Birthday Part 28

Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivals.h.i.+p, interest, humor, or caprice?

It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world; so far, I mean, as we are now at liberty to do it; for let me not be understood as capable of patronizing infidelity to existing engagements. I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is always the best policy. I repeat it, therefore, let those engagements be observed in their genuine sense. But, in my opinion, it is unnecessary and would be unwise to extend them.

Taking care always to keep ourselves, by suitable establishments, in a respectable defensive posture, we may safely trust to temporary alliances for extraordinary emergencies.

Harmony, liberal intercourse with all nations, are recommended by policy, humanity, and interest. But even our commercial policy should hold an equal and impartial hand; neither seeking nor granting exclusive favors or preferences; consulting the natural course of things; diffusing and diversifying by gentle means the streams of commerce, but forcing nothing; establis.h.i.+ng, with powers so disposed, in order to give trade a stable course, to define the rights of our merchants, and to enable the Government to support them, conventional rules of intercourse, the best that present circ.u.mstances and mutual opinion will permit, but temporary, and liable to be from time to time abandoned or varied, as experience and circ.u.mstances shall dictate; constantly keeping in view that it is folly in one nation to look for disinterested favors from another; that it must pay with a portion of its independence for whatever it may accept under that character; that, by such acceptance, it may place itself in the condition of having given equivalents for nominal favors, and yet of being reproached with ingrat.i.tude for not giving more. There can be no greater error than to expect or calculate upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard.

In offering to you, my countrymen, these counsels of an old and affectionate friend, I dare not hope they will make the strong and lasting impression I could wish; that they will control the usual current of the pa.s.sions or prevent our Nation from running the course which has. .h.i.therto marked the destiny of Nations. But, if I may even flatter myself, that they may be productive of some partial benefit, some occasional good; that they may now and then recur to moderate the fury of party spirit, to warn against the mischiefs of foreign intrigue, to guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism; this hope will be a full recompense for the solicitude for your welfare, by which they have been dictated.

How far in the discharge of my official duties I have been guided by the principles which have been delineated, the public records and other evidences of my conduct must witness to you and to the world. To myself, the a.s.surance of my own conscience is, that I have at least believed myself to be guided by them.

In relation to the still subsisting war in Europe, my Proclamation of the 22d of April, 1793, is the index of my Plan. Sanctioned by your approving voice, and by that of your Representatives of both Houses of Congress, the spirit of that measure has continually governed me uninfluenced by any attempts to deter or divert me from it.

After deliberate examination, with the aid of the best lights I could obtain, I was well satisfied that our country, under all the circ.u.mstances of the case, had a right to take, and was bound in duty and interest to take, a neutral position. Having taken it, I determined, as far as should depend upon me, to maintain it, with moderation, perseverance, and firmness.

The considerations, which respect the right to hold this conduct, it is not necessary on this occasion to detail. I will only observe, that, according to my understanding of the matter, that right, so far from being denied by any of the Belligerent Powers, has been virtually admitted by all.

The duty of holding a neutral conduct may be inferred, without anything more, from the obligation which justice and humanity impose on every Nation, in cases in which it is free to act, to maintain inviolate the relations of peace and amity towards other Nations.

The inducements of interest for observing that conduct will best be referred to your own reflections and experience. With me, a predominant motive has been to endeavor to gain time to our country to settle and mature its yet recent inst.i.tutions, and to progress without interruption to that degree of strength and consistency, which is necessary to give it, humanly speaking, the command of its own fortunes.

Though, in reviewing the incidents of my administration, I am unconscious of intentional error, I am nevertheless too sensible of my defects not to think it probable that I may have committed many errors.

Whatever they may be, I fervently beseech the Almighty to avert or mitigate the evils to which they may tend. I shall also carry with me the hope, that my Country will never cease to view them with indulgence; and that, after forty-five years of my life dedicated to its service with an upright zeal, the faults of incompetent abilities will be consigned to oblivion, as myself must soon be to the mansions of rest.

Relying on its kindness in this as in other things, and actuated by that fervent love towards it, which is so natural to a man, who views in it the native soil of himself and his progenitors for several generations, I antic.i.p.ate with pleasing expectation that retreat, in which I promise myself to realize, without alloy, the sweet enjoyment of partaking, in the midst of my fellow-citizens, the benign influence of good laws under a free Government, the ever favorite object of my heart, and the happy reward, as I trust, of our mutual cares, labors, and dangers.

XI

EXERCISES

DECORATIONS FOR WAs.h.i.+NGTON'S BIRTHDAY EXERCISES

The hall in which the exercises in celebration of Was.h.i.+ngton's Birthday are held should be decorated with all the patriotic emblems obtainable,--flags, banners, flowers, etc.; including a portrait of Was.h.i.+ngton centrally and prominently exhibited, with the motto, "First in war, etc.," and the figures 1732 and 1799, the dates of his birth and death; the former trimmed with flowers, the latter with crepe. Nothing available should be omitted to render the hall as bright and attractive as possible.

The orations should be delivered by boys, but the other portions of the exercises may be rendered by girls, or by both girls and boys, as may be found most suitable to the text and the occasion.

SOME YEARS IN WAs.h.i.+NGTON'S LIFE

BY M. LIZZIE STANLEY

An Exercise for Boys From "_The Popular Educator_"

_Let the scholars who represent the ghosts of the vanished years stand in the background and come forth as they are called. Each should bear in his hand a standard with the date of his year in large letters upon it, or wear a badge with the same. Hang a large picture of Was.h.i.+ngton on the wall; above it place the motto, "First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen," and beneath it the dates of his birth and death_.

SCHOLAR.

This wintry month of storm and cold Doth in its rough old heart enfold A memory bright as burnished gold, Which still lives on while years grow old.

It pales not with the lapse of time, But burns with steady glow sublime-- Through all the years from age to age, A light upon our history's page-- The name and memory of one, Our country's hero--Was.h.i.+ngton.

SCHOOL.

Go, ring the bells and fire each gun In honor of George Was.h.i.+ngton.

SCHOLAR.

Come, boys, let's have some historic fun, Its theme to be grand Was.h.i.+ngton, 'Tis better far than simple play, So range yourselves in close array, While each in turn his deeds do cite, And thus we'll keep his memory bright.

SCHOLAR.

Call up the ghosts of the vanished years, And question each as he appears.

SCHOOL.

Aha! ye years that thought ye were gone, We'll call you back with your faces wan.

(SIX OR MORE VOICES IN CONCERT.)

Arise, thou ghost of seventeen thirty-two, And to our questions give us answers true.

What knowest thou of Was.h.i.+ngton, the grave?

What canst thou tell of Was.h.i.+ngton, the brave?

(_Arise 1732_.)

In February of my year, Unto my mind 'tis very clear, Upon the twenty-second day, In old Virginia far away, Was born a sweet and gentle child, On whom the heavens looked down and smiled.

VOICES.

Is that all thou canst tell?

(_1732 speaks again_.)

Ah! there's another thing, just one: They called the child George Was.h.i.+ngton.

On all things else I am but dumb; Ask of the years that after come.

[_Retire._

VOICES.

Arise, ye ghosts of his youthful days, And tell us of his acts and ways.

(_Arise 1733, 1735, 1738, 1741, 1743, and 1752. Each speaks in turn_.)

1733. In seventeen hundred thirty-three He was a baby, full of glee.