The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-27

SUES BETWEEN GEoRGE WASHINGTON AND cos
oREss : lnFEAoHnEsF PsEyssrED By rH
PEOPLE.

n VI.
PEOPLE
The trial Of President johnson recalls the at
empts made IN 1895 TO destroy the character Of
President Washington, with an in;ention. had i
ucceeded. TO impeach him. The parties com
lined to accomplish these objects consisted Of:
First. The opponents Of the funding scheme Of
Alexander Hamilton.
Second. The partisans Of the French Directory.
Third The opponents of the excise Law.
This combination assaied Washington with
bitterness and vigor never since surpassed In this
eountry. The walls OF party wrath were poured
but against him through malignant press. ne
.ere told by Chief Justice Marshali His military
[and political character was attacked win eqaal
Violence and it was averred that he was totally
destitute Of merit either as soldier orstatesman.
|The calumnies with which he was assailed we're
mot confined TO bis public conduct: even his quail
ties ss a man were the subjects Of derison. That
be had violated the Constitution IN negotiating
treaty without the previous consent OF the Senate,
and embracing within that treaty subjects belong
ing exclusively TO the legislature, was openly
maintained, for which an impeachment was pub
licly suggested; and that he had drawn from the
treasury for his private use more than the salary
annexed 10 his Office, was asserted without blush.
This last allegation was said TO be supported BY
extracts from the treasury accounts. which had
been laid before the legislature and was E,an-
tanned with the most persevering efrontery.
IN addition to the insunecton in the western
counties of Pennsylvania which Washington be-
leved 10 have been "fomented by the self-created
societies who were laboring 70 effect some revo-
luton in the government" the president was
embarrassed by divisions and dissensons In his
cabinet, and want of fidelity on the part of some
members of the cabinet, and was also confronted
by serious dispute with the House OF Represent
atiyes arising Of his refusal 70 comply with
resolution of the House requesting the president
to lay before IL the instructions, correspondence
and other documents relative TO the treaty with
Great Britain, negotiated by Mr.. jay. His bio
grapher, Washington Irving, says:
washington, believing that these papers could
not be constituti0naly demanded, resolved from
the first moment, and from the fullest conviction
OF his mind, 10 resist the principle which was evil
IDENTIFY intended TO be established by the call Of
the House he only deiberaied on the manner in
which this could be done with the least bad con.
Washington. in his answer. after observing that
TO admit the demand would establish a dangerous
precedent concluded by declaring that las il was
essential to the due administration of the govern
mentt that the boundaries fixed by the Constitution
between the different departments should be OBJ
served, a just regard 70 the Constitution and TO
the duty OF his Office forbid compliance with the
request"
ihis decided answer subjected President Wash
iDgton 10 numerous misrepresentation and fabri-
cations, which. says Marshall, "were with un-
wearied industry pressed upon the public IN order
TO withdraw the confidence of the nation from its
chief.u Among all these difficulties President
Washington pursued the even tenor OF his way,
but that his magnanimous heart received deep
wound from these prosecutions and misrepresenta-
tons there is ample evidence in his letters.
To Jefferson he writes; =" Until the last year or
two bad nolconception that parties would or ever
could go the length have been witness TO; nor
did believe, until lately that it was within the
bounds Of probability. hardly within those Of pos
sibilisy, that while | was using my utmost exer-
tons 10 establish national character of our own.
and wished by steering a steady course, to pre-
serve this country from the throes Of desolasing
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one nation, and subject to the influence of an
other; and 10 prove it, that every act Of my ad.
minstration would be tortured, and the grossest
and most insidious Misrepresentation of them be
made, BY giving one side of q subject, and that,
too, ia such exaggerated aud indecent terms as
could scarcely be applied 10 Nero. notorious
defaulter, or even TO common pickpecket.u
Again we are informed that when the minister
Of the French republic set the acts OF the Unite
States government az defiance and threatened the
executive with an appeal TO the people, and the
latter, Notwithstanding the indignity thus offered
TO their chief magistrate, sided with their aggres
sors. and exulted in open defiance Of his national
policy he became weary and impatient, aud being
banded one Of those scandaous libels in crcula
ton called (" The Funeral of George Washington
wherein the president was represented as placed
upon guillotine, horrible parody on the late
decapitation of the French King, burst forth,
writes Jefferson into one of those transports of
passion beyond his control; inveighed against the
personal abuse which had been bestowed upon
him, and de6ed any man on earth TO prodnce a
single act of his he had been IN this govern
ment which had not been done In the purest OF
motives. He had never repented but once having
slipped the moment of having resigned his Office,
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 he
had rather be on his farm than to be made empe
ror Of the world; and yet,' safd he, Indignantly
they are charging me with wanting to be king
From Randolph, secretary Of state. he demanded
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