The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-06-20
of capital stock offered him by the State
of Virginia, as appears in an official
communication.

of capital stock offered him by the State
of Virginia, as appears in an official
at gives me great pleasure to inform You that
the Assembly, without dissenting voice. com
plimcntcd you with fifty shaocs in the Potion
Company aud one hundred shares in the James
River Company ashington's Writings. vol, |
q, i7S5.
Fully to appreciate the reply of
Washington it must be borne in mind
that, according to Washington Irving,
his biographer, "Some degree of econ
omy was necessary, for his financial
affairs had suffered during the War,
and the products of his estate had fall
en- on.n But he was not tempted. !
Thus he wrote:
"lIow would this matter be viewed by the eye |
of the world and what would be Its opin on when |
1t comes to be related that George ashington |
accepted 1900 0y Under whatever pretcnse, and |
however customarly these gifts are made IN other
countries, If | accepted this should not hence
forward be considered ~ dependent! ! mover
entertained the idea ofScCcpting it. '-llbid, p. S.
Letter to Benjamin Harrison, j nuary %, 1888.
How admirably he touches the point
when he asks, T" If | accepted this,
should | not hencetorward be con-
sderd as n dependent ?" According to
our Scripture the gift blinds the eyes
according to Washington it makes the
receiver dependent. In harmony
with this sentiment was his subsequent
refusal when President, as is recorded
by an ingenious writer:
ale was exceedingly CHreful about committing
himself would receive no fayors OF any kind, ana
,,ntI fnr, ut A
was set aparJ for him on Ninth rect on the
grounds now covered by the Pennsylvania Uni.
ytrsty which he refused TO accept Colonel
| Foney's Anecdotes.
BY such instances brought to light
recently, and shining in contrast
with our times, we learn to admire
anew the virtue of Washington.
1t would be easy to show how, in all
ages, the refusal of gifts has been re-
cognizcd as the sign of virtue, if not
thc requirement of duty. The story
of st. Louis of France is beautiful and
suggestive. Leaving ON a crusade he
charged the Queen Regent, who re-
manned behind, "not TO except presents
for rhcrsclf or children such was one of
the injunctons by which this monarch,
when far away on Il pious expedition,
impressed himself upon his country.
NV own strong convictions on this
Presidential pretcntion were aroused in
conversation which it was my priyi-
lego to enjoy with John Quincey Adams
rs he SAT in his sick chamber at his SON +
house in Boston, short time before he
fell ut his post of duty in the House OF
Representatives In voice trembling
with age and with emotion, he said that
no public man could take gifts without
peril, and he confessed that his owl
i, Judgment had been quickened by the
, example of Count Romanzoif, the emf
= nent Chancellor of the Russian Empire
v who, after receiving costly gifts iron
foreign soyereigns with whom he ha
;, negotiated treaties, felt n difficulty Q
y conscience i'll keeping them, and at las
T handed over their value to n hospital
= as he related to Mr.. Adams, then Min
= lister at st. Petersburg. The latter wa
), impressed by this Russian example, an
y through his long career MS Mlniste
:, abroad, Secretary of State, Preslden
e and Representative, always refuse
d gifts, unless IL book or some small art
i Gle in its nature token, and not re
ward or bribe. a =,
= The Constitution testities against til
taking of gifts by officers of the Unite
o States, when it provides that no perso
II holdino anv Office of profit or trust III
y der them shall, without the consent
h Congress, accept of any present or emo
l. nmrnt from any King, Prince or foreig
ic state The acceptance of a present {
n rmolument from our own citizens WI
" left without constitutional inhibition
N 70 bo constrained by the public COZ
ie So Science and the lust aversion to al
Mt son,hloucr of bargain and sale or brib
er w in fine public service.
he ''Tho oooo of our President is exec
e. t;onoI Notoriously he has taken gif
i v,I ''I,;Io IN the nnhlic seryice-some,
Ut ,onst I,,. oftor he had been elected Pres
~ Jcnt3until "thc Galena tanner of
II ~ Cow hundred dollars year." to borrC
~ tLo M words Of nv colleague Mr.. Wilson
-, omo a of h;s sunnorters. is now rich
~ Inuans Inu lands and stock above his 50
~, no'i'o' Nv Io;nd, mrohohlv the richest Preside
,,gt y, puin6 n,nno WosI;noton Notorious
th M S'nIe .'oo.5i ;,toJ tn h;s Cabinet seye,
~. ',, ~ i,", tLoon "Greeks bearing gifts
,st ,',tI3 a';.I'n3nt snom;no to see the iudecoru
pr- n'.,1ti snt tLo ;ndncencv Of tbe transactit
lift a a. ''Io Iooat .,t0 twn if NOT three. of the
~ crooks having no known position
he uieIhS' ,hp;oap hT, ,.rtv m nr influence in
ch snu ,ntrr nr'''b bav" been selected as his COZ
lie. county, NJ M,t;anoi % o,Ta;rs and heads
he sel,oI' not donortments IL n Of Goyernme
re- Ricav R; do % rnnnat thc words of c
n aealn o,. w. "a "a n;ft 10th Mind the q,
ocr'p,"'IS H." S;so 4" Aoain the words
oen Oh Oh the WIS.,. Mis.' uIf occepte1 tb
dis. washington . honnefarwarJ be cons
I 'bs should i.onJnut9" hoS nGn,t.o
1ear erea as ueRonon ta aos. Of tbe first Secre
YER Nof uoe' 1;s, ,nr u';'e oharactnr 81 from
.ny ary ry OF ota.e u'i'er 5r,n - pr"s;Jnnt feel;
rn othef three. LIZ hi,i;oa,;on to Mr. Wa
under personal op,,s""Un anunort vi aave h h
of burne ior important nom nIpti m;npation e with ,
ON II coiiltll.iInv'A - ofterconfirmation
er understaha,hs tli"v ."n;an "iver o nnnnnt {
an should forthwith resign. l. osi'noU m
ar get the indignant coliiilienS , % ,,t t',V t