Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-20
HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF.
Attempt TO Impeach Presi-
dent Washington.
InfidcIity in His Cabinet.
The People Take Alarm.
Prom the Philadelphia Arc.l

to bring about complication Of public
affairs, such as would render it safe for
the dominant party in Congress TO depose
the President for political reasons
(although carried further), is not without
a parallel in our history.
In 1895 an attempt was made to de-
stroy the character Of President Wash
ington, with an intention, had il sue
ceeded, to impeach him. The parties
combined to accomplish these objects
consisted Of
!. The opponents of the Funding
Scheme of Alexander Hamilton.
IL The partisans of the French Direc-
tory.
III. The opponents of the Excise Law.
This combination assailed Washington
with bitterness and vigor never since
surpassed in this country. The vials Of
party wrath were poured out against him
through malignant press. We are told
by Chief Justice Marshall:
His military and political character
was attacked with equal violence, and it
was averred that he was totally destitute
of merit, either as a soldier or a states
man. The calumnies with which he was
assailed were not confined to his public
conduct; even his qualities as man
were the subjects of de clamation. That
he had violated the Constitution in ne
gotiating treaty without the previous
advice Of the Senate, and in embracing
within that treaty subjects belonging ex-
clusively to the Legislature, was openly
maintained, for which an impeachment
was publicly suggested; and that he had
drawn from the treasury, for his private
use, more than the salary annexed to
his office, was asserted without blush.
This last allegation was said to be sup
ported by extracts from the Treasury
accounts, which had been laid before
the Legislature, and was maintained
with the most persevering effrontery."
In addition to the insurrecton in the
western counties of Pennsylvania, which
Washington believed to have been fo-
mented by the self created societies, who
we're laboring to effect some revolution
in the government" the President was
embarrassed by divisions and dissensions
in his Cabinet, and the want Of fidelity
on the part of some members of the Cab
met, and was also confronted by seri-
ous dispute with the House of Represen-
tatives, arising out of his refusal to COM
ply with resolution of the House, re
uuesting the President to lay before it
the instructions, correspondence, and
other documents relative to the treaty
with Great Britain, negotiated by Mr.
Jay. His biegrapher, Washington Irving,
says:
Washington, believing that these pa
pers could not be consttutionally de-
manded, resolved from the first moment
and from the fullest conviction of his
mind, to resist the principle which was
evidently intended to be established by
the call of the House; he only deliber-
ated on the manner in which this could
be done',with the least bad consequences. "
Washington, in his answer, after OBJ
serving that to admit the demand would
establish dangerous precedent, con-
cuded by declaring that as it was es-
sential to the due administration of the
government that the boundaries, fixed by
the Constitution, between the different
departments should be observed, just
regard to the Constitution and to the
duty of his office forbid q compliance
with the request"
This decided answer subjected Presi-
dent Washington to numerous misrepre-
sentations and fabrications, which, says
Marshall, "were with unwearied indus
try pressed upon the public in order to
withdraw the confidence of the nation
from its chief" After all these Difficult
ties President Washington pursued the
even tenor of his way, but that his mag
unanimous heart received deep wound
from these prosecutions and misrepre-
sentations there is ample evidence in his
letters.
To jefferson he writes, "until within
the last year or two had no conception
that parties would or ever could go the
length have been witness to; nor did l
believe until lately that it was within the
bounds of probability, hardly within
those of possibility, that while was
using my utmost exertions to establish
national character of our own, and
wished by steering steady course to
preserve this country from the throes of
a desolating war, l should be accused of
being the enemy of one nation and sub
iect to the influence of another; and to
prove it, that every act of my admins
tration would be tortured and the grossest
and most insidious Misrepresentation OF
them be made by giving one side OF a
subject, and that too in such exaggerated
and indecent terms as could scarcely be
applied to Nero, a notorious defaulter,
or even to a common pickpocket."
Again, we are informed that when
the Minister of the French Republic
l. r IL TT..tol Ctofac Govarn-
ment at defiance aud threatened the Ex-
ecutive with an appeal to the people, and
the latter, Notwithstanding the indignity
thus offered to their Chief Magistrate,
sided with the aggressors, and exulted in
their open defiance ofhis national policy.
He became weary and impatient, and
being handed one Of those scandalous
Ebels in circulation called THE Funeral
of George Washington, wherein the
President was represented as being
placed upon a guillotine, horrible par
ody on the late decapitation ofthe French
King. "burst forth" writes Jefferson,
Unto one Of those transports OF passion
beyond his control; inveighed sgairst the
personal abuse which had been besFtEed !
on him, and defed any man on earth to
nroduce single act Of bis since he has
been inthe government which has not been
done in the purest Of motives DE had
never rspented but once having slipped
the moment Of having resigned his odiee,
and that was every moment since. In the
agony Of his heart he declared that he
had rather be in his grave than IN his
present situation; that be bad rather be
on his farm than 10 he made Emperor
Of the World, and yet, said be, indiE-
uautly, "they are charging me with want |
ing 70 be q King" From Randolph, /
Secretary Of State, be demanded an ex-
planation Of his statements to the French