Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-01-07
THE VHssEaNEAN.
LYNCHBURG, JAN. =. 1890.


George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.
We do not know that we have ever been So
much asionished, nj the perusaI of any article.
rs we were with one in the 9th No. of the
Yankee" monthly periodical, published in
Boston, aud edited by that erratlc knight of the
quill, Iohn Neal, pnrporiIng TO be Review of
The Life Of Arthur Lee, L. L. d.. Neal
appears 10 think that neither the contemDora.
ries of Arthur Lee nor posterity have rendered
him Jistice-that his deeds have been kent in
the back ground by the ostenaous obtrnsion
on the notice of the world OF the merits of me,
\ OF less worth than himself-and, morallzing on
! this hypothesis, he Comes TO the sage concluso,
| that the history sfthe Revolutionary War is
yet to be written II il be, Heaven forbid
! that il should be done by hin-ior. while il
cannot be denied that he is a man of genius, il
must, AT the same time, be admitted, that his
mind is OF wild and und.cipl,ned character
punging him elernally into absurdties alb
surdities which would cause any other mau TO
pause, but which seem TO possess charms for
him In proportion to their extravaganza. Thus,
he seizes upon the morbid aud splenetic susDi-
civn, of Arthur Lee to fasen on BENJAMIN
Franklin character completely the antipode
OF that which his llustrio associates in politics
and philosophy with one voice swarde 10 him
-an award which has been sanctioned by the
almost unanimous appreciation of their desccn.
dans.-Lee was joint commissioner OF the
Colonies, during the Revolution, 10 the court
of Versailles, with Silas Deane aud Beniamin
Franklin; aud 1t appears from his Journal, thai
| there was great want OF cordialHy and good
feeling existing between himself aud Dr. Frank
| in. These emners of distrps were afterwards
famed lnto open and undlsgulS a enmity ,
which continued until the death of Lee Du.
ring its continuance, Lee kept Diary, IL
which his feelings are freely and warmly poui
ed forth, and in which, as well AZ IN his letters
TO distinguished individuals about the same pc.
rioi, he is very harsh in his censures OF Dr..
tranklin-represemiing him as far from being
a decided friend TO the Colonies, aud as ready
private views of interest and ambition. Upon
such loose charge, preferred by an avowed
enemy, and supported only by unfounded sus-
picions and vague generalies, John Neal
declares that whatever were the merits of DIR.
Franklin as a philosopher, thinker. a writer
and a statesman, he was Meth er the patriot nor
philanthropist we have hitherto delighted to
believe bul much more neglected. of our
country's deepest and hnest welfare, and. in
plain language, much more uniaithful 10 her
than his worst enemies ever dared to inslnuais.
, For ourselves Continues NeaD We are not
afraid 10 declare that if tins book tells the truth
and we believe il does-oue of our greatest
and best men, after deserving and enjoying the
highest reputation for probity, patriotism and
came sort OF stock jobber on the necessities OF
MS country IN MS old age, &c. &c.
THIS man Neal is the author OF several histo-
lIcai Novels, written in the true extravaganza
style of prose run mad. The last oil the series
appeared several years as and none Of them at
traced noncP except to provoke harsh criticism
| negiect-& even worse-witH whicn his books
were received, he went TO Europe, and lived on
the precarious earnings OF hired scrIbhier Tor
that ultra Tory periodical, Blackwoods Maya
slanderers of this country. in depreciatlng our
manners and morals, and in aSsaIllng the repn-
'ation OF our patriots, philosophers, lIteraf' and
artists-wi,hout the poor excuse which his CO
laborers might have advanced-that they were
ignorant of the subject about which they vote,
and were not restIaIae d by the feeling, said TO
be instructive, of devotion to the land of their
birth. Returning 10 this country a few years
ago, with shame lessness peculiar TO himself,
Neal threw himself al once upon The public gaze,
in TIE capacity of Edilor-But little notice has
ter. But he seems de ermined 10 gain noiorety
his darling passion-though it be by the
miserable employ nent OF defaming the charac-
tors OF the great men of the Revolution who
guided us TO liberty and independence.
OF Gen. Washington, Neal says" II is but
the other day that our people began 10 uuder
stand the true char acter OF Washington him
self" He goes on 10 remark that Lee and
reen we're both better generals than Washing
ton-that VS. Every want of generalship and
his heroic apathy TO reproacn.' carried us suc-
cessfuIly through the crisis-ihat, :. In addition
to all this. George Washington was man of
almost angovernable passions. ard that he acted
on more than one occasion of importance like
a madman, &c. Be-" But now, (continues
this madcap disposer of reputations) the char
acier Of Washington has began to be rightly
| nndersIood by q portion Of our people