New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-13
"r1TrOoEDD PATER PATRIE.

On the fourth of March, 1897, George Wash
ington retired from the Presidency after serY7
ing in that Office eight years. The general I'M
preston is that he did we'll by the people. he
has frequently been named the cOnsummate
flower of patriotism. His birthday is still
observed with every mark of admiration and
resnect. By unanimous consent he has passed
into history as first in war, first in peace, first
In the hearts of his cOuntTymen. No later than
last Evacuation Day he was publicly eulogHed
by George William Curtis, without protest from
either George Haven Putnam or K. X. Bowker.
And vet the Father of his Country was n tat
tooed man. On the very day that he surren-
dered his great trust and retired from public life,
an able Pennsylvania newspaper published
the following:
From The FhHadelDhia aurora March 4h, l701'
"Lord now letest Thou thy servant depart IN peace
for mine eyes have Thy salvation was the Pous
ejaculation of a man who bened flood of happiness
rushing upon mankind If ever there was time that
would license the reteration Of the exclamation that
time isnow arrived for the man who Is the source OF all
the msfOrtunes OF country is this day reduced to
level with his fellow-czen and is no longer possessed
of power TO multiply evils upon the United States If
ever there was period for rejoicing this is the moment
Every heart in unison with the freedom and happiness
Of the people ought TO high with exuaon that the
name of Washington from this day ceases to give cur
rency to political iniquity. and to egalze corruption
new era is opening upon us-an era which promises
much TO the people; for public measures must now
stand upon their own merits and nefarious projects can
no longer be supported by When retrospect Is
taken OF the Washington Administration for eight years.
is subject Of thegeatest establishment that single
individual shout have cankered the principles OF Rcpub-
icans in enlightened people Just emerged Iron inc
uf of despotisn and should have Carried his designs
20 n
ary its very existence Such however are the iacts
and with these staring the face this day ought 10 be
a Jubilee in the United States.
Here we have first-rate job OF tattoOlng.
Had there been n comic pictorial sheet III exist
ence in 1897 possessing the same ethical status
as The aurora. what a tremendous cartoon 1t
might have made from the data placed at its
disposal by that newspaper On the broad
brow of Washington could have been tattoOed,
the source of all the mistortunes of our
country"; on his breast, the multplier of
evils upon the United States; Oh his right
hand, "the giver of currency to political in
iduity" on his left hand, the legalizer OF cor
ruption'; on his right leg, the owner of name
that supports nefarious proiects"j On his left
leg " the individual that unaided and.alone has
cankered the principles of Republicansm ! on
his broad back, " the carrier of designs against
the public liberty so far as to have put in jeop-
ardy its very existence"
Washington was great and good man. Yet
he was a tattooed man for all that. But the
fact that he was tattooed man need not dis
tress his admirers, nor move them to indigna-
ton. Let them possess their souls in tranquil
lily, rejecting that no man ever held or was
named for the exalted Office of President with
out becoming for the time being more or less a
tattOoed man.