But the qualities which belonged to Washington belonged to
him--prudence, modesty, sound judgement, simplicity, absolute
veracity, absolute integrity, disinterestedness, lofty patriotism.
If he is not to be compared with Washington, he was at least
worthy to be the countryman of Washington, and to hold a high
place among the statesmen of the Republic which Washington
founded.
Neither ambition nor hatred, nor the love of ease nor the
greed of gain, nor the desire of popularity, nor the love of
praise, nor the fear of unpopularity found a place in that
simple and brave heart.
Like as a ship that through the ocean wide
By conduct of some star doth make her way--
no local attraction diverted the magnet in his soul, which
ever pointed to the star of day.
As I just said, he was one of the men that Washington would
have loved and that Washington would have leaned upon. If
we do not speak of him as a man of genius, he had that absolute
probity and that sound common sense which are safer and better
guides than genius. These gifts are the highest ornaments
of a noble and beautiful character; they are surer guides
to success and loftier elements of true greatness than what
is commonly called genius.
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