Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-01-18

French cause chiefly By Jefferson and
his adherents. he proceeded to commits
sion pEivateers against British com
Eeree. These incendiary proceedings
were loudly applauded By Jefferson 5
party, who desired nothing more than
to involve Washington's administra-
tion IN an "entaBgling alliance with
France against Great Britain. At his
leisure Genet set out for Philadelphia
to present his credentials. JefFerson's S
friends everywhere crowdiug to greet
him and making his journey a perfect
ovation. Meanwhile Washington had
issued a proclamation of neutrality
warning all persons to desist from tax
ing any part in the French difficulties.
The active sympathy shown Genet,
which was at least -eonnived at by JEFF
fersOn was a demonstration In contra
vention Of WashiDgtoB's policy and
had direct tendency to ring his ad-
ministration into disrepute. It was a
sore trial to his patience, the least part
OF which was its damage to his personal
popularity. But Jefferson and his fol
lowers went still farther. Under the
auspices of the French Minister they
organized a society IN imitation of the
Jaeobin clubs Of Paris. It was called
the Democratic Society. and soon gave
rise to others throughout the Union
all taking the French side in the dis
puted questions. The term democrat
theBceforward began to designate the
followers Of Jefferson, and this may be
considered the date of the first organ
ization Of the party. It began in op-
position to Washington S administra-
ton and In denunciation of his meas
ures- Iteast upon his pure and spot
less character the only imputations
which ever for a moment darkened his
fame or diminished his popularity, and
which the free millions who inherit the
glorious fruits of his noble life and
patient struggles pronounce utterly un-
justifable. Those calumnies are
buried, but their ghosts still haunt the
miserable existence Of the party which
gave them birth
A party so vilely sprung could not
help but bring mischief upon the coun-
try. Its course from the beginning to
the present has been marked by fac
ton, notification, aDd secession. Its
first attempts at insubordinatiOn very
naturally sprung from a thirst for whis-
key, and appeared in an attempt to
nullify the excise law in Pennsylvania
in 1894 Concerning this famous whis-
key rebellion Light Horse Harry Lee,
the intimate friend Of Washington.
says in letter to the Governor of Vir-
gina I consider this insurrection as
the first formidable fruit Of the Dem
ocratic Societies. That these
societies were Instituted by the artful
and designing members primarily to
SOW among the people the seeds Of dis
t-ust of the general government, by
destroying all confidence in the admin
istration Of it. and that these doctrines
have been budding and blowing ever
since, is not new to any one who is ac-
quainted with the character Of their
leaders, and has been attentive to their
maneuveTs. [ IearIy gave it as my opin-
ion that if these societies were
not oounteracted or did not
fall into disesteem from the knowledge
Of their origin, aud the views with
which they had been instituted by
their father, Genet, for purposes well
known to the government, they would
shake the government to its founda-
tion." Washington himself was com
PEELED to take the field to subdue this
first Democratic rebellion. Like most
disturbances Of the kind it proved to
be more barleycorn than fight, and was
quelled without bloodshed. Wash
iDgton in a subsequent letter to John
Jay. expresses the opinion that it was
fomeBted by the "self-oreated (Demo-
cratic) societies who were denouneing
his administration and endeayoring to
effect a revolution in the government.
This denunciation, however, did not
cease. but, as WashiDgton's term of
Office drew to close, grew more and
more violent under the mistaken ap-
prehension by the Democrats that he
would possibly consent to serve a third
term. His military and political char
acter was attacked by the Democrats
with equal virulence, and it was aver
red that he was totally destitute of
merit either as a soldier or a statesman.
It was even asserted that he had drawn
from the treasury, for his private use,
more than the salary annexed to his
office. No wonder Washington wrote
that he had no conception that parties
could go to the length they did, or
that, in view of his straightforward
course, his administration would be
misrepresented in indecent terms that
could scarcely be applied to a Nero, a
notorious defaulter, or even to a com
mon pickpocket."
Finally these caIum uies were siIen-
eed by the Farewell Address in which
Washington declared his positive de-
termination to retire to private life
The two Houses of Congress replied
to the address in terms commendatory
of WashingtOns administration and
of his retirement. To these
portions of thereby Mr.. Giles of Vir-
ginia objected, saying that the admin
had lacked wisdom and firm
ness, that a thousand persons in the
Union were as capable of filing the
Presidential chair as Washington, and
that he did notregret his retiring from
Office. He therefore moved that the
passages IN the reply which eulogized |
and his administration,
and deprecated his withdrawal from
public life be expuuged.