Daily Republican., 1882-12-22
wOuIO waahIDgIOn be . RepubII-
can,


"Please inform through the columns,
writes reader of The Press, evidently
seeking political guidance, whether
George Washington, the fiCst President
of the United States, supported any Of
the present Republican principles ?
Could he be called Republican when
alive? Such question asked in good
faith, deserves the most serious c0nsld-
Grafton. No American citizen can go
far wrong If he seeks TO regulate hi5 no
litical action and mold his political
principles by the acts and the opinions
of George Washington. But such
question does not easily admit aH an
swer. "The pleasing assurance that
the popul alton of the United States bor-
ders on 100000 of persons" was an
nOunced by Washington; we now have
81, 900, 900. He was perplexed by an In
dian victory just north Of the present
site of Cincinnati and gave his portrait
to an Indian embassy from the point
where Atlanta yearly enlarges its pros
porous borders. We are policing lndt-
ans in a corner or two OF n national do
main which stretches from ocean to
ocean. His heart was stirred and his
pride touched because 'the rank due to
the United s. ates among nations would
be absolutely lost by the reputation of
weakness" We feed the world, and,
if need were-whioh may God forbid
could fight the world.
These great changes, dimly limited in
these bold statements, make 1t difticult
to apply TO the Republican principles
of to-day the public words of Washing
ton, yet there are certain great rules
which apply alike to the infancy and
the young manhood of nation, and in
these there can be no doubt that Wash
ington supported Republican princi-
ples." He was, It is true, q slavehold-
er; but he regarded slavery rs an evil.
and like most enliQhtened Virginians
of the time--liks Henry and Jefferson
and Madlson-he hoped for its ultimate
abolition; worked A. last by the Repub-
licau party. But, aside from all this,
Washington was Federalist in prin-
ciple and In sympathy, and the Repub.
lican party in the larger lines of its
political creed il the descendant and
successor of the Federal party OF his
day, which adopted the Constitution,
organized the central government and
believed in making it strong, put down
our first rebellion, refunded and as far
as might be paid off our first debt, re-
stored our currency to a specie basis,
built our first navy, and began that
policy of impressing on the minds Of
men the power aud presence Of federal
Authority until, as Washington wished
in his farewell address, "the name OF
American, which belongs to you in
your national capacity, must always
exalt the just pride OF patriotism more
than any appellation derived from local
determinations.
This In general but In more particu-
lar matters Washington was thorough
going prOteCtionist, ard protect
ion il a Republican principle. He
signed a protectionist tariff 0nd he
twice urged ''the encouragement OF
manufacture" on Congress in his mes
sages. A "unIted and effective govern
ment' was dear to him as II is to the
Republican party. He unhestitatingly
put down an insurrectiOn against II,
and he urged that standing army
should be raised, military and naval
academy founded; and arsenals equip
ped to the end that the nation might
not be found unprepared-all acts con-
sonant with Republican principles to.
day. "Cherish the public credit, said
Washington in his Farewell Address,
aud this has been and is Republican
principle and practice. The nation had
debt then as now, aud then, as now,
few nations paid their debt, but Wash
inRton expressed the hope to the House
in 1890 "Ihat it will be favGrtte pol
icy with you not merely 20 secure q
payment Of the debt funded, but as far
and as fast as the growing resources OF
the country permit to exonerate IT OF
the principal"
One. third the public debt paid in halt
generation bespeaks the fact that the
principles of Washington then are the
principles Of the Republican party TO.
day. Cheap newspaper postage IS
Republican practice and Washington
recommended "a repeal OF the tax on
the transportation Of public prints.
He urged sales of public lands in the in
terest of the public, a policy which the
Republican party first carried out be,
fore the war, Lastly, the "command
of its own fort-ue" was the blessing
which Washington tells us in his Fare
we'll Address he had labored TO secure
for our country and his. II in the
course and change of politics the Re-
publican party lays aside the power
given IN trust by the people, it will be
with the consciousness that the United
States is now secure In "the commSnd
of its own fortune. Press,