ent, and these were purer and more
lofty than those given to any other man. There is no character of
ancient or modern times so consistent as that of Washington. He was
always cool, always slow, always sincere. There is no act of his life
evincing the influence of prejudice. He decided all matters upon
evidence, and the unbiased character of his mind enabled him
impartially to weigh this evidence, and the great strength of his
judgment to analyze and apply it. He seemed to understand men
instinctively, and if he was ever deceived in any of those in close
association with him, it was Tom Jefferson. Burr had not been on his
staff ten days before he understood him perfectly, and he very soon got
rid of him. Of all the officers of the Continental army, General Greene
was his favorite; and he was right, for Greene was a great military
man--far superior to Washington himself, and none knew it better than
he. I remember to have heard him say that Greene was the only man in
the army who could retrieve the mistakes of Gates and save the Southern
country. The result verified the statement.

"Washington's lenity never extended to the excusing of any palpable
neglect of duty. The strict regularity of his own private character was
carried into everything connected with his public duties. However much
he esteemed any man, it was for his worth in his especial position, and
not because of any peculiarity of bearing or properties of heart. That
he appreciated the higher qualities of the heart, is certainly
true--but for what they were worth always--and neither quality of head
or heart created a prejudice which would lead him to excuse any neglect
of duty or laxity of morals. He was not without heart, but it was slow
to be moved, and never so moved as to warp or obscure his judgment, or
influence the discharge of his duty.

"Mrs. Washington was less amiable than her husband, and at times would
sadly tax his patience--she never forgot that she was wealthy when she
married him, and would sometimes allude to it in no very pleasant
manner to her husband; who, notwithstanding, bore with her with
remarkable patience. I do not remember ever to have seen General
Washington laugh; sometimes a faint smile would tinge his features; but
very soon they returned to the sedateness and gravity of expression
common to them; and though they rarely brightened with a smile, they
were never deformed with a frown. There was in their expression a
fixity indi