Many tongues and many pens have attempted to describe the character of the great American whose birthday is celebrated on the 22nd February (1732). In each generation there is a new appraisal but the burden of the story is always the same. As Thomas Jefferson wrote, "his integrity was the most pure, his justice the most inflexible I have ever known. No motives of interest, of friendship or hatred being able to bias his decision. He was in deed in every sense of the word, a wise, a good and a great man."  Yet no American, save possibly Lincoln was more hated in his time nor more vilely slandered.