Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-05-17
,rHE VsRGlNFAN.
IysCHBURG. MAY IT, 1890.


,.,e,v unfinished " Life Of Arthur Lee" by
Richard Henry Lee, the April NJ. of the North
tn,r;cnn Reritn takes occasion TO sindicate
,be character of DIR. Franklin, from the as
,.rs;ons TO which that work had given rise.
.,,bur Lee. it will be recoilected, WAS joint
oaane. during our Revolutionary war, at the
,ourt of France and, during their service to-
,.,her. l.founded eaIopsles arose in the mind
afA,tbur Lee, who seems to have been cursed
with temper at once arrogant and suspicious,
aoains, his colleagues the effect OF which, was,
Of first. secret denuncation, aud afterwards
onen rupture aud hostility. Under the in1u-
once of feelings generated by these unfotu-
nate circumstances, Lee committed 10 paper
his suspicious with regard both 10 the capacity
aud integrity of Dr. Franklin. He died, in
,bis state Of mind, and left behind him the writ
tsn record Of his opinions; which has been
,at,ly land in our opinion very injudcously)
given TO the public, by his nephew. More
care. il seems 10 US, should be exercised in
.naners OF men who have acted conspicuous
,ari in times Of great political excitement, than
we have reason 10 believe has been recently dis
played by more than one Editor Of these inter
astng relics. lf Mr.. Lee had lived long e
noue 10 see the errors into which he had been
led, resnecting DIR. Franklin. who can doubt
shat he would gladly have committed TO the
flames the records which have since Teen bla-
zened TO the word, as evidence of the sardid
,reachery Of that unrvalled philosopher and
,nnsued patriot So, likewise. with regard
N the journal OF Mr.. Jefferson, in which the
Characters OF many Of the brightest names Of the
Republic are branded with rcprosch. onihe
authority OF the bare assertions of their politi-
cal enemies, who doubtless thought they were
doing Mr.. Jefferson, snd the State, aud possibly
themselves, some service, by retailing to him
sAe;r own slauderous surnises. as naked truth
of men who followed their footsteps, and play
ed the ves.dropper and spy, that they might
catch up detached parts Of conversations. and
disiort them into grave charges and accusations.
In order to esiilnate the slight foundation up
on which suah imputations rest, and 10 show
what slight consideration they are entitled toilet
us look few years ahead, and take an mag
mary peep into journal, kept now by Con
Jackson, in which tina, imitotoy Of NJ. Jefer-
son records the daily falsehood that ara poured
,ato his ear, by The unprincipied pack by whom
he is surrounded. What dainty morsei tor
posteriy Upon what slender threads, indeed,
would the characters Of all the honest opposition
party hang, who are prominent enough to at
trac, his notice and excite his anger, if hH D'a-
ry is to be hereafter published aud regarded as
evidence which. as he has been lately manu- !
featured into Philosopher and Statesman, ,
we do not despair Of seeing MIS-. Royaifs |
Black Boob would dwiudie into compare alive
insignihcancc ifplaced by its side : Upon such |
evidence as this, pray, uho ought 10 be comic |
led? II would be proper to hesitate long, be-
fore we should consent to condeinn, upon such !
evidence men even Of infamous regulations : |
much less should We give credence to ii when |
II 10 utsightu W Uihst Tue CHdThCttis " SUCH |
men as Benz. Franklin, George Washington
Games A. Bayard aud John Marshall. And yet. |
persons have been found hold enough depending |
on the vague L. unsupported assertions ofthe en- |
emies of those exalted patriots, which ireque"t-
y looked beyond their actions TO their motives,
70 brand them with the most hateful names. But
Sucb fauv ooJ G,r hot
solitary and hateful blood suckers in the midst
of millions Of hearts which beat with more
and warmer impulse--with a more
glowing feeling of gratitude to those who have
20 the principles Of justice, in defiance of the
clamors of those demagogues, who act in re-
ference to every measure, with and for party.
without regard TO the utility or inutlity, the
Justice or injustice Of the measure itself
The North American Repiew has taken up,
and satisfactorily refuted, one by one, the char
Ses adduced agains, DR.. FRANKLIN by Arthur
Lee showing that they originated ,hrous hout
IN m'sconception, either arising from purbIind
leaous, which could not see matters in their
'ue aud proper eolors, or else from wilful
PefVefsiiy which was not disposed to mete out
10 or +. equal and exact justice. Either
source OF error is reprehensible aud the ne
f'ew OF Mr.. Lee, in giving his papers TO the
"or'n' ought TO have had more respect for the
anne OF his uncle, if he chose TO forget what
was duet 10 the memory of Dr. Franklin and
70 mat public opinion which cherIshes it as a
sacred despost, than to make public such por-
uohs oil them as are calculated to isHici still
'eeper stab upon the character Of the assaiIant
nd" upon that of the assaileh Mr.. Lee
"as mol entitled 10 take the high stand ola
'"oSe and censor ofthe actions Of DR.. Franklin,
.llher hv Iii. !. 49,. - t.-.. - !