Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-01-15

he has hung his flngs for moment in the
character of Washington. We greatly mis-
take if they DO not both charmed against his
malice Tho shaft is envonomed, but the bow
is weak
Tho review is introduced by short notice Of
tho public services of Arthur Lee. On the LIST
page wo have the following remark: for
tho greater part of the time" that no served
tho country in diplomatic agency " he
was fo,tcrod by associated with men" Che was
chiefly associated with Fianklin) .who while
they laborcd less, effected less, aud suffered less
have carried off all the honors, and left him to
neglect, and his memory to comparative re-
'proach'" Then follow some remarks on the
way in which our histories have been written,
in the main just, some incidents of the war of
1745, and of that Of the Revolution, and we
come to the following passage
1T is in fact bn. the other DAY that our pco-
pie bsgan To understand the true character OF:
Washington himself; and the time is not yet
arrived for them to be acquainted with that of
Benjamin Franklin. Well do we remember the
reproaoh and obloquy that pursued him, who first
undertook to say that George Washington was
not a great gencral--that more than once, and
particularly by fighting on Long Island, WHOM
no had no ships, and the euemy could sail round
1T, his want of gcnera!shp had well nigh des-
troyed all our hopes at blow--thut Greene
and Leo were far better gencras--though nei-
Their could have brought us through such n war
as Washington did by his very want of general
ship, his heroic apathy to reproaeh-his utter
disdain ofmilitary glory with all its brilliant en-
terprises and glorious achievements at the charge
3t others; that in addition to all this @ Gorge
Washington was man of almost ungpve rnabe
passions, and that he acted on more than one &C.
casion ofimportance like mailman, &c.
" But now, as we have said before, the char
'acter of Washington has begun To be rightly un-
,dorstood By portion ofour people one of the
greatest and best of men, if not absolutely the
greatest and best that ever lived, he was-but
.stilln man. The day it not far distant when as
much may be said for DR.. Franklin.
For ourselves, we are not afraid to say that if
this book tells the truth-and we believe it does
one OF our greatest and bast men, after deserv-
ing and enjoying the highest reputation for pro-
bty, patriotism, and severe inilexible virtue, for
full fifty years, became sort of stock ioben on
the necessities ofhis country in his old age: &c"
We have then some notice the Birth & educa-
ton of a. Lee, with some specimens OF his style
and remarks on the his literary character, when
we are startled by the following passage.
''Havng now disposed OF ;helauthor, and
of the subordinate matters Of style, let us
We are not afraid, though he is, to try the
character OF Benjamin Franklin upon the
charges preferred IN the private Journal Of
his co-adjutor and were we furnished
with similar proof we should not scruple
to pass Judgment upon all our worthless in
the same way buried though they are,
with everlasting pyramids growing up sto-
ny by story, over their ashes-a part ofour
history and our glory though they are,
with all their magnificent deeds and sub
lime courage interviewer with all that is
believed, whether true or false, of our
country; so incorporated into the very
bone and muscle of our national charac-
ter, that they cannot be searched into nor
Intercepted now, but as the hazard of
provoking one universal burst of indigna-
ton. AS ifihough their country is charg-
ed with the keeping Of their ashes and
the guardianship oftheir epulchres-she
were afraid to let them be visited by the
accusing spirit of the age; as if though
their reputation does belong to her, she
has any other interest there, than such as
all have in the truth, whatever it may be,
rather than falsehood whatever that may
be. If our greatest and best men were
traitors or blockEeads, let it appear and
the sooner it appears the better, &c"
We have the following sentences frem the pen
of Lee himself, in letter to SAMUEL ADAMS
in l771. We know the reluctance with which
many minds in this country were brought to the
point OF decided resistance to the prctensions
OF the British Government, and the fond, lnger-
ing, slowly yielding hope with which thew ching
TO the expectation OF reunited ties and restored
good feelings between the two countries We
have ample proof from his published corresDon-
dence that this hope, gradually fading however,
and giving place to a conviction of n determine
ton the part ofthe Mother country to enslave us,
~ to decided resolution of resistance for a lone
time held its sway over the pacific and benevo
lent temper Of DIR. Franklin. We know, how
ever that when the necessity of resistance be-
come apparent no one presented more deci-
ded front or a more infexiblo determination
than he About the period Of the date Of this
letter, relaxation took place in the oppressive
measures of the British Government, which
IA some degree revived the hopes to which we
have alluded, 81 which was hail'd by those whose
affections in some measure yet clung about the
ties which united us to the parent country, as an
indication of returning sense Of justice and
humanity. In connection with these measures,
Lee thus speaks of Franklin in the letter be-
fore alluded to.
q" have lately read in your papers an assur-
ance from DR.. Franklin that all designs against
the charter of the colony laid aside. This is
just what expected from him; and if it be true,
the Doctor is not the dupe but the instr umcnt Of
Lord Hllsboroughs treachcry."
@ The minister's aim in these assurances is
manifest, not only to remove the odium which
tie discovery must bring upon him, without his
plans being executed, but 90 lul to sleep that
vigilance aud procauton which the detection
womb DTOluce Ynnr side. md which