New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-29
WAsHINGTOHS MORAL CHARACTER.

A writer in The Cincinnati Commercial dis
credits stories recently revived touching the nmO-
raty Of George Washington The story that he %as the
the Revolution and aferward Governor OF the Territory
of Indiana has nothing but an indefinite ana coectuia
basis Neither the life OF POsey published in sparks
American Biography, nor Marshas or Irvings Life OF
Washington contains any reference TO this story nor 70
POseys striking personal resemblance 10 tne nrst
President Inquiry in the vicinity of Poseys birthplace
has been attended by equally unsatisfactory results
On the other hand at no time during Washingons Pres
idency, either In his first or second term IN the most
bitter attacks upon him which emahated rom the
most violent and partisan OF MS detractQrs'
did any one make any public uttefance I'M
peaching his moral character IN the slightest degree
Charges there were OF other 0nenses IN aDshdahce'
Washington ayarcious, vain, pomp0us, dishonest
aristocratc tyrannical unpatrotic AMBITIOUS mohar
chia and exclusive. But no one crcuated any oi INC
stories that had been spread during the Revolutionary
war imputing lOoseness Of morals, however seldom OF
exceptionally exercised TO Washington Inc Ony ietur
eYant which makes any reference TO these reports Is
private written by Major Gen Gharles zee W pen'
Joeph Reed in 77s The former OF these had been sus
Dended from his command by Congress, and court
tailed for his conduct at the Battle OF Mohmou'h am
entertained no very kindly feelings toward MS GheI'
Tn the letter referred 10 he remarked that Gen. Wash
ingon had been charged by several WIN great cuel
10 biz slaves in Virginia ana immortality OF NE though
thew acknoWedge il is 40 very secret that 1t Is difficult
TO detect it," II should be remarked however tnst Gen
Reed considered these calumnies a. unworthy OF Dei
I'm the summer of 1916 when WashIngtOn's army hed
New York. which AZ that time tui OF Oa
zens and Tories many arrests were made OF person. s
neced OF an organized plot conspiracy to capture Gen
Washington assassinate his stan ohoers au io ~, th
norson, arrested was the Mayor OF NewYork, David
Matthews who was a bold and avowed Tory. Washing
toms body guard had been tempered Tlth aoe Oi tS
engaged In the scheme aud several Landlords or cOne
house keepers pointed out as having alded OF a9et
ted plot committee OF Congress was aPpoited 70
investigate the matter, with power to SEMI IOr persons
ana papers Washington was authorized ana re,
Guested by this committee 10 secure the Mayor ana
a his papers Numerous other arrests took place and
among them OF WashingtOns bOdy-glaTd OF WHOM
one Thomas Hickey, an rishman, was tried by court
marital and hanged Great dismay fell the Tories.
The evidence before the Committee being al secret,
filled the city with vague terror Inc mater hen S0 ef
fected by the display Of yigor IN suppressnB inc sdon
in the bud But some years iater %nen tha Secret
Committee discovered among Ine pa4eIss vi ~, Us
Secretary. They were carried to London, ana aier e
Minutes of the Trial and Examination of certain per
e1g1ged in conspiracy against the authority Of Con
dences here printed was the folloWing'
court~In what conversation heard at the serseau'
A cdcperBDs here re 2 Of May heard John Co INFORM
the company that Mary Gibbons was Thoroughly 10 t. NM
was girl NewJersey Of whom Cen Washington was very ond
North River that very late night disguise lie
sa5Gt also that a s % Of W.. . S Ge wilmington s% aid
ooD 700 i r. Mr. f s s before With u6 be
and that h Ss s G% w Ss nl9 Ss sa sof that
CoaF-was you At the the 2lst faay Did
| @ g 14 H d'eh int nn so%1 70 the h
.praor which were taken out Of Gen wasShs pn 2 NJ
Gaylord always copied them and they we're pu INTO H' pos
again" o..
y" Court-What was dOue with these papers 49,
read al the table, copied an1 sent on
Amer this evidence bad heard the committee resel over NJ
John Jaw withdraw anu TIE room u De
cleared ,.,,. A..
consult AsLIh8lo
some other ohcers upon what has appeared.
the Generaa be Is IN some al
fcd by the app1e him OF and consult with him 10
other suspected should be seized as speedily "
possible" ~ .,t., a.. .h
Minutes is that the committee had many consultations
with Gen Washington upon the testimony ana that, In
consequence, further arrests were made.
The anonymous editor OF the reprint OF TINS tract re-
marks in the preface:
Respecting the charge agsnst the morality Of Wshngtonoen
and should be
beeye recOected that az tha day laKness Of
visited with It is In
that Of the Of the not proof
temptation know from the CONF Of Hamilton and the
iutrgues Of Burr"
The writer in The Commercial sees in this story
nothing the belief that the charges against
Washington true Mary Gibbons was mere
girl and the fact that she boosted OF her
amOurs with Gen Washington would hardly induce any
one TO believe that a of WashingtOn's prudence
would have put the power or such person 10 ruin
him. LAS To credtng circumstance so at variance
with the tenor OF his whole life, OF man so conspicuous
the GOODNESS OF his manners with no weakness for
the society women, spending all his leisure iii official
writing and whom feminine charms could seduce into
a SMILE every reader can exercise his own judgment