National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-12-17
Political Defamation.

Iron the St. Louis journal, Decembers.l
We are all prone to believe that the days in
which we live are sadly degenerate. Many
honest people are firmly persuaded that we
live In such an era of corruption as never
cursed the world before, and that our public
men are the greatest rascals or the most
cruelty slandered men the world ever knew.
We have only to turn to the records Of our
country to learn that rascality and thieving
and official speculation has at all times been
abroad in the land, and that the very men
who now live in the hearts of the people were
as outrageously abused and yiliied as the
public men of our times.
No man, living or dead, was ever so cruelty
mahgned or more outrageously DETAINED than
George Washington. The most yituperatlve
attacks were made upon him, and these
attacks grew more violent and persistent
toward the close of his public service. The
aurora, leading journal of that day, said of
him: eff ever o nation was debauched by
man, the American nation has been debauched
by Washington. If ever a nation was deceived
by q man, the American nation has been de-
ceived by Washington. Let his conduct,
therefore, be an example for future ages. Let
it serve as warning that no man may become
an idol. Let the history of the Federal Gov
eminent instruct mankind that the mask of
patriotism may be worn to conceal the foulest
design against the liberties of the people" %
This sounds very much like Dana with his
AMroTG, the New York Sun.
History further tells Us that Washington
felt keenly these attacks. When on one oc-
casion, as Jefferson tells us, Knox made some
allusion TO recent lfbels uttered by the press,
Washington became very much excited-"got
into one of those passions when he cannot
command himself, dwelt much on the per-
sonal abuse which had been bestowed upon
him, iefled any man on earth to produce one
single act of his since he had been in the Gov
eminent which had not been done with the
purest motives. He had never repented but
once the having slipped the moment of re-
signing bis office, and that was every moment
since, and, by God, he had rather be in his
grave than in his present situation. He had
rather be on bis farm than to be made En-
peror of the world, and yet they were charging
him with wanting to be King"
On the second day after his retirement from
the Presidential chair the Aurora had the fol-
lowing:
'If ever there was q period for rejoicing,
this is the moment. Every heart in unison
with freedom and happiness of the people
ought to beat high with exultation that the
name Of Washington, from this day, ceases to
give currency to political iniquity and to legal
lied corruption, with much more of the same
editor of that sheet had been refused the col
lectorship of some port.
John Adams was bitterly assailed by his
enemies, and charged from the time of his in
auguration with corruptly using his power to
renominate himself. He was charged with
having "a vanity without bounds, }" "disgust-
ing egotism," and "ungoyernsble iadiscre-
ton" and openly denounced as traitor to
his country. The storm Of malediction be-
came so great as to drive him into retirement
at the close Of q single term. He left the
White House broken man, not even remain
ing to witness the Inauguration of his success
sor.
Thomas jefferson was also terribly vilifed.
His personal vices were held up as notorious.
His ambition, his duplicity, his chicanery, are
among the mildest charges brought against
him. During the last canvass made by him
an Opposition paper had the following: GAN
who wish to see the horrors of the French Rev
olution in America, the guillotine set up in
our streets, and Robespierre in the chair of
State will vote for Thomas jefferson, the inf
del, the leveler, the agrarian, the calumniator
of Washington, the crack Drained enthusiast"
During Madison's administration prominent
citizen gave public utterance to the wish that
shell could be beiled down to o half pint, and
Madison made to drink it for which he was
loudly cheered. - dom o.
Monroe and John Quincy Adams were also
foully abused, and openly charged with cor
ruption and ambitious designs upon the liberty
of the people. .3 u s..
0fAndrew jackson, the Richmond Enquirer,
then q leading paper in the nation, had the
she has abrogated the known laws
of nations and promulgated q new code of
his own, conceived in madness and folly, and
written in blood. He has, in fine, violated all
laws, human and Divine, and violated them
with impunitY." We could scarcely name any
vice or crime. in the catalogue of turpitude,
which was not at one time or another sscribed
to him. ~ ~.
Then comes Van Buren,, whose administra-
ton was held up before the people as a re-
proach to the American name; and William
Henry Harrison, who lived but one month
after his Inauguration, but was in that short
time sneered at as "Grandma Harrison, Cos
siping old lady, and an imbecile;;" and John
Tyler, whose name is yet used as term Of re-
proach; and James X. Polk and Zachary Tay.
Tor, and Willard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce,
and James Buchanan, all abused and none OF
them yet elevated by time to places of respect
in the memory of the American people.
or Abraham Lincoln and Andrew johnson
we need not speak. All are familiar with the
terrible storm of abuse which followed the
first through his entire administration, and the
and denunciation which met the lat
ter at the threshold of the office and followed
him to his death.
In the light of these historical facts, let the
people remember that the man who sits in the
Presidential chair cannot escape abuse and
SANDER and the foulest viliication from his
personal and political enemies, and let them
remember that Washington and Adams and
jefferson and jackson live to-day in the hearts
of their countrymen, In spite of calumny and
detraction. And rememberingit, let them re-
fuse to listen to the lying Bourbon press,
which seeks to destroy Republican leaders,