The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-09-23
From NE UncInnati KnQdiTOTA
Early Historical American Remi-
niscences.

ntScenceS.
! There is no history more interesting to an
American, or that can be read with more
pleasure and profit, than that which records
the early administration of the Government
by our first Presidents. 1t was then that the
general and cardinal principles Of its admin
istration were settled upon a basis which
they have substantiated ever since-settled
after fierce and bitter struggles, which cul-
minated in the Presidential contest of 1900.
Not only was the machinery Of the Govern
ment new and untried, but the latter itself
was an experiment which was very gravely
doubted would be successful. The world
was then undergoing the tremendous throes
aud Convulsions of the French Revolution,
which so agitated the political waters that
its waves rolled heavily even upon our dis
tant shores, and colored our party strifes
with it's tinge. The most eminent of our
Revolutionary characters were still at the
helm of our Government, then experiencing
marked changes and transitions. Party
violence was more bitter than it has ever
been since, proceeded to greater lengths,
and was more strongly manifested in the
columns Of its leading journals and in the
course and opinions of its public men. 1t
was an age of revolution, of energetic ac-
tion, and Of earnest and intense thought
Everything conspired to make its history in.
teresting end valuable; yet, strange to say, a
large majority Of our youth ore better read
in the chronicles of Greece and Rome, than
they are with this portion OF our national an
mails.
There is an immense amount Of error in
the public mind respecting it, which has
been created to subserve partisan and per.
sonal ends. For instance, the impression
has been studously conveyed that Thomas
Jefferson, while member of the Cabinet of
General Washington, was generally over
ruled in the Cabinet consultations, and that
the President usually sided with Hamilton in
his political speculations. So far from this
being the case, the public records prove that
while Mr.. Jefferson remained in the Cabi-
net, General Washington far oftener ogreed
with him on all contested points than he did
with Hamilton. In the foreign policy, he
uniformly adopted his views. 1t was only
on the question Of the re-charter Of the Bank
of the United States, and some other Treas
ury schemes connected with it, that Gener-
al Washington, after long and painful hesi-
tation, concided with Hamilton in their ia.
vor. The Father Of his Country most earn
estly endeavored to hold the balance be.
tween the contending Democratic and Fed
era parties. His first Cabinet was equally
divided, Jefferson and Randolph being on
the one side, and Hamilton and Knox on
the other. After Mr. Jefferson retired from
the Cabinet, in 1894, against the earnest en-
treaties of General Washington for him to
remain, and after the ratification Of John
jays obnoxious treaty with England by the
United States Senate, which the Democrat.
ic party bitterly opposed, General Washing
ton was thrown, by the progress of events
and the almost necessity of his position, in
to the ranks OF the Federal party. Virginia
the home of General Washington, gave {
solid vote, in both houses Of Congress
against the treaty. The Legislature sustain
ed the Virginia Senators in voting agains
its ratification by decided majority. Wher
, an amendment was offered, that the adop
ton of the resolution should not be consd
} cred as reflection upon the personal integ
rity of General Washington in favoring the
treaty, it was only carried BY small ma
jority. What an illustration does this mem
orable assault upon the private character ol
General Washington afford Of the violence
of party feeling at that memorable time
The Jay Treaty was most Objectionable
and humiliating one, even in the opinion o
its most prominent advocates, and was only
ratified because it was deemed preferable to {
war in the then state of the country. One
provision was struck out by the Senate. i
was agreed by Mfr. Jay and the British Gov
ernment, that the United States should no
import any raw cotton to Europe! What
remarkable ignorance of the future induced
this stipulation. Whitney's cotton-gin hat
hardly come in to effect, and MIR. Jay honest
ly believed that it was point of but little
Importance, as what cotton we raised wal
needed for home consumption. He little
thought, that within single life time, oul
exports of that article would reach one hun
drcd and thirty millions Of dollars year
and be one third OF our total exports. Tht
statesmen of Great Britain did not foreset
the day was close CT hand, when it was
matter of necessity for them to import thei
cotton from the United States, not bein.
able to obtain it anywhere else. Had th
stipulation stood, they would have been tn
first to ask for its abrogation, it being quit
as preiudicial TO their interests us it was t
ours.
So cold and hostile was Great Britain t
the United States, that it was ten years af
ter she acknowledge ed Our independence be
fore she would condescend to send minis
ter or diplomatic representative to the Uni
ted States, or enter into any commercial ar
rangements with US. She refused to carr
out her agreement of 1888, to surrender ou
! northern posts, such as Oswego, Detroit an
others; but held on to them for eleven Ion
years, in defiance of solemn treaty stipula
g ton. Our Minister in England was treate
with contempt! Yet, strange to say, tn
ultra Federal faction had more affection an
partiality for Great Britain than they ha
for our ally, France, which had assisted u
e TO gain our independence, and immediatel
II after, concluded commercial treaty wit
e US upon the most favorable footing. Neve
u was political ingratitude more heurtlessl
and disgustingly displayed
When General Washington retired frol
y the Presidency, in 1897, occurred the clio
l. est Presidential contest in our annals, b.
q tween John Adams, the candidate of Il
;. Federol lists, and Thomas Jefferson, the cal
didate of the Democracy. The elector
vote stood seventy-one for the former
: sixty eight for the latter. The complexit
j. of the vote was very similar to that whit
t. was given, sixty years later, for Preside
Buchanan and John G. Fremont. Eve
70 Northern State voted against the Democr
>. cy, with the exception Of glorious old Pc
ol sylvania-she went for Thomas Jefferson