Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1835-02-07

es,---Beessae - Shan - nsaess for -
'IAaLA- sATUk DAY FEBRuAR.
Miflin 4 member ct the hozed of War,
with powers to direct the operations Of the
Chief Neither can it he
ascena;ned by whose votes Conway was
elevated over all the Brigadier Generals in
the service, his seniors in rsnk-cEe.ted
i Major Genesal and Inspector General, &
rendered almost Independent Of the con
troll and osdess ofsbe Chief.
This high and privileged Office Was given to
him whea il was publicly ksowa that, while
he was under the immediate coGnapsnd If
Washington, he was plotting his removal,
and was asssiliDg his character in language
like this-"Heaven has been determined
70 favor the country, or weak G.-0esal &
bad couesellors had ruined it," This
foreigner, who had been but a few months
in the country Whose evidences Of ability
existed only u dsiamasory lessers--wh0m
Wasbingtoa lad denounced 81 dangerous
was promoted by Congress
over ell the native Brigadicr Generals, his
superiors in rank. 1t seemed az if they
were determined TO place the 6rebsand in
the hands oftbe incendiary.
PerilOus indeed was the situation of
Washington. One Of less firmness, or less
ability and. less virtue would have been
prostrated. The Beard Of War, Organized
With the power ola department, was in the
hands Of his enemies. His friends, Greene
Knox, and Hamilton were marked out for
persecution, ard Greene had been neglec-
ted, insulted. and superseded. Conway,
by virtue Of his Office, could report ON the
conduct Of all the officers with his own
CLOSES, and by reporting directly to Co.l-
gress. their military reputation was at his
mercy. Washington could appeal to no
other tribunaflor the redress of his wrongs
and the justification of his character, except
the Congress. Congress which had given
decisive proofs of their animosity and of
their inclination to displace him BY the
disastrous fortune of war, he had been COM
PEELED to abandon the two great cities Of
the middle States to the enemy. He had
been defeated in three important battles.
The splendid success of Gates had thrown
his military fame into the deepest shade
A powerful State, then the seat of war.
had demonstrated against him. A vete-
ran army of about eighteen thousand men
we'll supplied, and well armed, were with
in two days march Of his encampment, at
Valley Forge. His own army, not third
in number, were bare-footed, half naked,
often without days provisions, and &C
cording to his own statement, reduced to a
condition which could terminate in nothing
but starsstitn, dissertation or Dispersion.
A greatman, struggling with the storms
Of fate, is the most sublime of moral spec
tacles. Precious indeed is that friendship
which can stand the test Of adversely. The
prosperous and the powerful are surround
ed by fatt<rer and sycophcnts. 1t is the
fiat Of divisfy that reptiles should eat dust,
and dust always gathers round the foot
stool Of power Adversely is the touch
stone Of fidelity. The fortunes of Wasl-
ingtcn, to all appearsnce-in al human
probability, were on the wane. Ills fame
was whitening under the bIsghts Of auda-
cious SANDERS and secret detraction. Open
enemies hurting their denuciations in his
face. Envy was seeking to prey upon q
character which for purity and public vir-
tue had been unriyalsd since the days Of
Epaminondas. His glory WIS eclipsed and
darkess covered his prospects,.
At this critical period an attempt was
made to deface Lafayette from his interests
Lafayette in his Ms. memoirs says, that
he has not included in the general attacks
which were made upon the confidential
friends Of Washington, such as Greene,
Knox and H,ml.on, because it was suppo-
sed better use mi ht be made Of his
growing popularity 's,h his country, and
Of his correspondence with his friends in
Europe" The Board of War, withou:
deigning to ask the opinion Of Washington
or even to consult him, reported to con-
gross favor Of an expedition TO Canada
They proposed TO invest themselves with
the power Of carrying this scheme into ei
feet, with the general officers, TO be appoin
ted BY Congress. The report was accep.
ed, and Lafayette, Conway and S,asl
were elected. Of this expedition Lafay
cite was to have taken the command. anc
was to have acted entirely independent d
the Commander-in--Chief This was q
Temptation which few could have resisted
An independent command, with the pros
pecf Of glory and conquest on field al
ready illustrated by the glorious deeds q
Frenchmen, Eoglshmen and Americans
Of Monscaim, Wolf and Montgomery
was offered to youth Of twenty years, am
bilious, enterpsising, aspiring. and enthu
astic. No ordinary mind could have re-
sisted such temptation. Lafayette re
strained himself. His love Of America
and bis veneration Of Washington, over
come even the aspirations Of youthful am
bition. Without consulting bis command