New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-02-22
GEORGE WARRINGTON.

When Copperhead is at his wits end for
something to say, he can always, and especially
when the 22d of February is apprcximating,
emit "glittering generalities T" about George
Washington, and declare that il ne were now
living he would be Copperhead chieftain. As
these babblers profess TO hold the memory Of
Washington in the ighestrespect, and to regard
him as model patriot and an immaculate
statesman, we hope to be pardoned for suggest
ing to them that slight study of the life and
character OF their idol might add novelty and
possibly biographical accuracy to their lucubra
tons. II The Father of his Country had beer
two hundred years in his tomb, something might
be gained to q desperate cause by ascribing 10
him opinions which he never held, and senti-
ments which his letters show that he abhorred.
Morally, it makes no difference whether Wash
ington approved or condemned Slavery. lie was
human, and had his share Of human iniir1nities.
OF the influence Of Slavery upon our political
institutions he had but limited opportunities of
judging; but his keen vision saw enough to con-
vince him OF the dangerous impolicy Of the
institution, nor was he at any time chary in the
expression Of his painful apprehensions. We
do not propose at this time 10 adduce our
authority for these statements; but whenever
their accuracy is questioned. we shall be all
ready to prove, by chapter and verse, that those
who controyert them are either ignorant or dis
honest. For doing this We have ample mate
rial and we shall be glad to use it, because we
do consider it to be dreadfllly disgraceful that
one whose good name and fame should be SO
afectonately and reverently cherished should
be dragged from his grave to be used as the
mere tool Of prejudice, cruelty, error, and
tyranny.
We assert, without fear OF honest contradc-
ton:
!. That Gen. Washington regarded
Slavery as morally unjust to the Black, and
that he recognized Emancipation as religious
duty.
9. That be not seldom expressed himself sat
isfed that the Slave system Of labor in Viz
GINA was a. bad for the Master as for the Slave.
8. That in his last will and testament he
placed upon record his apology to the world for
having been so long Stakeholder, and expressed
his regret tina. it was not legally in his power to
free all the Slaves upon the Nc. Vernon estate.
These ere facts which ere, or should be,
within the knowledge of every public writer;
and yet we find certain journalists who meet all
attacks upon the institution by citing Washing
ton as STAKEHOLDER. They fofget-these
champions Of incarnate public virtue forget TO
tell us that he was an unwilling Shareholder
that he was ropentant Stakeholder, and that
when his pure spirit assembled to the place pre-
pared for it, 1t had, by the last act Of his beau
tifnl life, been purged Of that film which had
little obscuted its earthly brightness. We
claim Washington as an Abolitionist. We rank
him with those who very carly in our history
discerned the antagonism between our princi-
pies and our practice, and so far as was within
his power, sought to reconcile the ludicrous
contradictions of our political system. There
is the record. No man can alter it honestly.
No man can, without the unworthiest falsehood
of which an American can DO guilty, adduce
the authority of Washington in behalf of
Slavery. His views are matters neither for do.
bate nor for conjecture. They are as clear as
his fame, as imperishable as his name, and part
and parcel of the antique purity Of his character
We are among those enemies Of Slavery who
feel thai we cannot afford to give up the sane