The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-02-20
COLUMBIAN DEMOCRAT BOOMsBURG
George Washintons Declination.

Everybody is familiar with the fact that
Washington declined reelection toward
the close of his second administration. and
the passages of bis famous farewell address
which bear upon this point have been wide
ly quoted the last few weeks. But no one
seems to have recalled not less interest.
ing fact, which still farther emphasizes the
contrast between Washington and Grant in
their treatment of this issue. John Adams
had not been long in the Presidency before
the Federalst party, which had elected
him became greatly disorganaed, and Il
strong element were out-spoKen against his
having a second term. In this condition
of affairs not few Federaists insisted
that Washington must except another elec-
ton to the Presidency. Gov Jonathan
Trumbull, of Connecticut, was one of the
most urgent in advising this policy. In
June, 1899, Trumbull wrote Washington a
letter on the subject, in which he present.
ed the consideration in favor of this
scheme.
Washingtons reply is one of the best
communication's on political subjects which
he ever wrote. Oddly enough, it does not
appear in Sparks elaborate biography. -
The letter is dated at Mount Vernon, July
Dist 1893, and, after some introductory re-
marks, proceeds as follows:
at would be a matter Of sore regret TO
me if could believe that serious thought
was turned toward me as his Mr.. Adams
successor, not only as it respects my ardent
wishes to pass through the vale of lite in
retirement, undisturbed in the remnant of
the days | have to sojourn here, unless
called upon to defend my country (which
every citizen is bound to do), but on pub
| lie ground also for although | have abun-
dant cause to be thankful for the good
health with which | am blessed, yet am
not insensible to my declinaton in other
respects. 1t would be criminal, therefore,
| in me, although it should be the wish Of
my countrymen, and / could be elected, to
accept an office under this conviction, which
another would discharge with more ability ;
and this, too, at a time when / am thor
oughly convinced | should not draw sin
gle vote from the anti. Federal side, and, o
course, should stand upon no other ground
than an other Federal character well sup
ported and when | should become a mark
for the shafts of envenomed malice and the
basest calumny to fire at when | shoul Id
be charged not only with irresolution but
with concealed ambition, which waits only
an occasion to blaze out-aud, in short,
with dotage and imbeciily. All this, |
grant, ought % be like dust in tha balance
when put in competition with great pub
lie good, when the accomplishment of it is
apparent. But, as no problem is better
defined in my mind than that principle, not
men, is now and will be the object of con-
venton, and that I could not obtain a soil
tary vote from that party that any other
respectable FEDERAL character would receive
same sufferages that | should that at my
time of life (verging toward three score
and ten | shonld expose myself, without
rendering any essential service to my coun-
try or answering the end contemplated !;
prudence on my part must arrest any at
tempt of the well meant, but mistaken,
views of my friends to introduce me again
into the chair of government"
Wa,hington's death a few months later
put an end to all talk of third term, but
the tone of this letter leaves no room to
doubt that in any event he would have re-
sisted all attemps to make him again a can
ddate. The Father of his Country did not
consider it above his dignity to frankly an
swer the letters of the people who address,
ed him upon such subject, nor was he
disposed to wait and see whether he might
be elected before declaring himself A
greater contrast could hardly be imagined
than that between Washngton's attitude
on the third-term question year before
the election of 1900 and that of Grant on
the same issue eighty years later