Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-22


niveIssry Of bis birth day. Let us do so
reveIendllly, and from his wisdom draw in-
spilation to guide us in the present crisis.
Fortunately, for this purpose Washington
experienced the disorder, humiliation, threat
eped anarchy and civil war into which the
country sunk in only four years after the
conclusion Of The war, for the want ofpower
under the Confederation to enforce its laws,
and frem the setting up of State rights in
contIavention thereof
His description of the condition of the
country at that time is so applicable to the
present that no introduction is necessary to
make the application. We quote from his
letter to James Warren, Oc'o5sr, 1886:
"The war, as you have very justly observed,
has Terminated most advantageously for
America, ard fair field is presented TO our
view but | confess TO you, my dear SIR that
! 90 not think we pogstss wisdom or Justice
enough 10 cultivate it properly. liliberality,
jealousy and local policy mix too much in
al our public couusels for the government
of the Union. In word, the Confederation
sppeais TO me to be little more than a
shadow without the substance, and Congress
a nugstory body, their ordinances being
politics; indeed il is one of the most extra
ordinary things in nature, that we should
confederate as a nation, and yet be afraid to
give the rulers of that nation sufficient power
to order and direct the affairs of the same.
BY such policy as this, the wheels of Gov
ernment are clogped, and our brightest pros
poets and that high expectation which was
entertained of US by the wondering world,
are turned into astonishment; and from the
oh n1N vuh iah 1xrnp Of W. a
SceUdipg into the vale of confusion aud
darkntsS
This was the condition of a Government
subject to the opposition of different State
sovereignties; just such as it is now sought
to reconstruct this Union into. To rescue
the country from this anarchy, he urged the
formation of Union based on the original
sovereignty of the people, with ample power
to enforce its laws.
The Father of his Country had no conf
dence in that weakness which would sur
render the Government to rebellion, and
would resort to moral suasion to put down
resistance to the laws. On the occasion of
the great rebellion in Massachusetts,, which
occurred about this time, brought about by
the general inefliciency of law under the
Confederation, he thus wrote to Henry Lee,
in Congress:
'You talk, my good sir, of employing in
fluence to appease the present tumults in
Massachusetts,. know not where influence
is to be found, Or, if attainable, that it would
be proper remedy for the disorders. In
RueRee is not government. Let us have q
Government by which our lives, liberties
and properties will be secured, OF let US
know the worst at once"
He felt that, as it is sometimes expressed
now, a Government which could not enforce
its laws, was unfit to exist. He wished to
try the strength of the Government; and if
it could not put down rebellion, he wanted
it demonstrated at once, so that the people
would see the necessity of forming one that
could put it down.
His views of the Just means of enforcing
the laws are given still more explicitly in a
letter to Mr.. Jay, in the spring of 1885, in
which it will be noticed that he seemed to
regard coercion as the natural resort against
all who resisted the laws:
"Your sentiments, that affairs are draw
ing rapidly 70 crisis, accord with my own.
What the event will be, is also beyond the
reach of my foresight. We have errors TO
correct; We have, probably, too good an
opinion of human nature in forming our
Confederation. Experience has taught us
that men will not adopt and carry into exc
cution measures the best calculated for theI
own good, without the Intervention of CO.
eIcive power"
~ do not conceive that we can exist long
as a nation, without lodging somewhere a
power which will pervade the whole Union
in as energetic manner as the authority of
the State Governments extends over the sew
efal States. To be fearful of investing Con-
gTess, constituted as that body is, with ample
authority for national purposes, appears TO
me the very climax Unpopular absurdity and
madness
Again, writing TO Colonel Humphrey in
regard to the tumults in various States, grow
ing out of the great burdens left by the war
ard the deprecated currency, which in many
instances restrained the judges from dis
charging their duty, General Washington
said
" For Gods sake, tell me, what is the GAUGE
OF all these commotious2 Do they proceed
from licentiousness, British influence dissem-
mated by the tories, or from real injuries,
which admit of redress Ii the latter, why
was redress delayed until the public mind
became so much agitated? If the former
why are not the powers of Government tried
at once2 II is as well to be without as not
10 exercise them. Commotions of this sort,
like snow.balls, gather strength as they roll,
If there is no opposition in the way to divide
and eIumble them"
In second letter to the same officer, part
of which is quoted above, he said
"Inhuenee is not government. Let us
have government by which our lives lib.
critics and properties will be secured. Under
these impressions, my humble opinion is that
there is call for decision. Know precisely
what the insurgents aim at. If they have
Ttat grievances, redress them if possible, or
acknowledge the justice of them and your
inability to do it in the present moment.
If they have not, employ the force of the
Government against them at once. If this
is inadequate, al will be convinced that the
supeIstIacture is bad, or wants support :
These are my sentiments. Preeedents are
dangerous things. Let the reins Of Govern
7ment then be braced, and held with steady
Land and every violation of the COnstitu
ton be IepIehended If defective, let ii bC
amended, bat not suffered TO be trampLed upon
- NMls IL has an existence"
This was the policy recommended by the
Father Of his Country, for dealing with re.
belliOn. These principles now come to US
with almost the power of inspiration. To
redeem the nation from the disgrace and
danger Of rebellion, he urged the formation
Of more perfect Union, and presided over
p fha Conveufion which G,rnrad the Dreaani