The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-02-12
GEORGE WAsHlNGToN,s DECLI.
NATION.

Gv0tvOVOy - soWstAoA WAso W. sO~s
that Wellington declined . reelection
toward tho eloso Of his second adaiuis-
tratioo, snd the passages 81 his famous
farewell eddsess which bear upon this
point hsvs 1ssu widely qoeted the last
lev weeks. Bot no ons seems 70 have
recalled not les ipteSesting fact.
which stili fsrtter emphasizes the con-
trsst between Washingtou and Grant
in their tfsoaoeot Of this Issue. John
Adams he'd not been hing in The Pres
idency before the Fsdsrslist party.
which had elected him, bsesms grsstly
disorgauised, And . strong element
were outspoken- aeainst his having .
second term. Ia this condition Of shsirs
not . lev FedeFslists Insisted that
Washington must saespt another slec-
ton TO Il, Presidency. Gov Jonathan
Trrmbull. Of Connecticut. vas one Of
tho most urgent in advising this policy.
In Jnne. .I79o. Tsumbutl wsote Wash
ington letter on the subject. in which
he presented the considerations 10 favor
of this scheme
Washington's reply Is one Of the last
communicstions on political subjects
which he ever wrote. Oddly enough,
it does not appear in Spssks's slsbsrate
biography. The lsttsr II flstsi q
Mount Vernon. July 81, 1g91.s snd,
after some Introductory remarks. pro-
eeeds % follows:
Il would be- matter Of sore regret to
mo q I oeald believe shst . Sssious
thoGghA. vos.tu1Ded toward ne - his
(Mr Adams successor. not only - it
feepscts my ardent wishes TO pass
through the vale Of life in retirement,
undisturbsd in the remnant OF the days
/ hsvs TO sojourn here, unless called
upon TO defend my country (which
every eitisen i bound TO do.) but on
pubic ground also; for. slshough
have abundant cause to be thankful for
the good health with which am bless.
ed. yet am not insensibls TO my de.
clination in other respects. It would
10 criminsl, therefore. in me, although
it should be- ths Wish Of my country.
men, andI ssdl6 b elreted, 10 accept
On Office under the c,nvictiop. which
another would discharge with more
ability; and this. too. At time when
am thoroughly convinced should moi
draw o single vote from the anti.Fed
ersl side. spd, II course. should Stand
upon no other ground than any othel
FedssetchNusts swsA .supperts6; and
whe0fIhepld sbeoome Q mark s1or Shs
shafts OF envsn0med malice and III
bsssst calunny TO dre ct; when
should be charged not only with irres-
elution, but With concealed ambition
which waits only On occasion to blszs
outs-spd, % short With dstage and i'm
becility. All this. lYnnt. ypght . BE-
like dast 10 the balance when put in
competition With = great public good,
when the accomplishment Of Il il sp.
parent. But. % no problem 10 better
defined in ny mind than thst pflnci.
pie. not men, 10 now and will be the
object Of contentioa. ard that I could
not obtain 8 solitary vote from that
party; that any other respectable Fed
ersl chsractse would recsive Che same
SURFACES that I should; that ct my
time Of life (vsrging toward three score
and ten) | should expose myself. with.
out reneeriug any esseutial service q
my country Of answering tho end con.
templsted; prudence on csy part must
arrest any attempt Of tho we'll meant,
bnt misteken. visvs Of my friends tc
indus - aCAia into the chair OF Gov.
ern0ont.
wasnington's death . few month.
later pnt % end TO Oh talk Of . third
term, bdt he tons q this lstter leaves
no room 70 doubt that no would In any
event hsve tsd6esd oil steemp>s "a
make him seaia =. candidate. The
Father - his Cgantry did not eoosidss
II above his dignity to frankly snswsl
the lestAss of tho p1epls Who addressed
hin eroe ssoha subjset. nsr vas b
disposed - VIA ood1 60 whether hl
might y Secte1 bsfose declaring him.
seli. 4 gseates2 cee&Saet o0uld hardly
be imagined than that between Wash,
ineton's attitude on the third tern
question ysar before the election 81
1900 and that Of 0isnt on the same
issue eighty years Later.