The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-12-31
ABUSING WASHINGTON.
Some Of the ScandalOus Charges
Made Against the father
OF His Country.

Gen. Washington WAS probably
as much abused as any President
who has ever acted as the Chief
Executive OF the United States.
At one time be said that he had
been abused worse than common
pickpOcket, aud be was charged
with all sorts OF crimes during bis
administration, says the Cleveland
Leader. The Philadelphia aurora
was. perhaps, the most bitter.
When Washington left the Presi-
dency it had = jubilant article over
the close OF bis term, iu which it
said:
'sIf ever there was . period of
rejoicing this 10 the moment. Every
heart in unisiOn with the freedom
and happiness of the people ought
to beat high with exultatiOn that
the name of Washington this day
ceased to give a currency to politic-
al iniquity and TO legalized cOrrup-
tiou. A Few era is now opening
upon us--aiI era which promises
much to the people; for public
measures must now stand upon their
own merits, and pefariOus projects
cdn no longer be supported by a
name. 1t is a subject of the great
est astOnIsbment that y single indi.
vidual should have carried bis
designs against the public liberty
so tar as to bave put in jeopardy its
very existence. Such, however,
are the facts, and with these staring
us in the face, this day eught to be
asiubilee in the United States"
John Randolph, Of Roanoke, at a
dinner once proposed the toast
..'George Washington; may he be
d-d.' This, however, was too
strong for the company, who we're
enemies of Washington, and be had
to add the prOvisO, 'sif he signs
jays treaty." before they would
drink to ii.
In 1895, "a Calm Observer" in
the New York Journal, accused
Washington of being u thief. He
stated that he had Overdrawn his
accounts, and that he owed the
treasury e1,O37. Another writer
accused Washington OF hypocrisy
aud declared that he wanted to be
a king. A third criticised his car
riage aud his aTistocracy, and, ia
fact, all the opposition newspapers
denounced him in unmeaSured
terms. Congress went against bin
during his second term and refused
to celebrate his birthday, though
they had been accustomed to do SO,
aud when he refused to return for
n third term they charged that he
could not be elected.
1t will be Surprising to the people
to-day to know that Washington
was once charged with murder. 1t
was during one of his presidential
The Philadelphia Al.
r0rG made the charge. 1t stated
that Washington had during one of
the battles of bis early lite, shOt an
officer who was bearing a flag Of
trnce, and that in the papers relat-
ing 70 the affair he bad aeknOwl.
edged the act OF assassination.
Peter POrcupine takes up the
charge 10 his letters and proves it
to be false. The fact, however,
stands that the charge was made.
Speaking Of Washington, 1 see
hat some of the goody- good news.
papers of the country are very in
iignaut at the statement in Quack-
,nbo's history that Washington at
me time ate peas with a knife. l
10 not doubt but the statement is
rue. The whole literary United
States at the time OF Washington
however, seemed to be = mutual
society, and there is
little unfavorablc gossip about the
White House dinners. l found the
'ther day, however, Maclay's Diary,
irving his experiences during his
erm rs Senator Of the United
States when Washington was first
President Maelay dIned with
q number Of times,
md scattered through hls diary are
title bits OF gossip about these
linuerR. At two Of them be de.
icribes Washington as amusing
himself during all the dinner By
,laying the DEVILS tattoo upon the .
able with bis fork. BE says, speak
ng of one OF these dInners; "Ihe
President kept fork IN hand When
be cloth was fakenaWay, l thought
or the purpose OF picking nnts-
lie ate no nuts, bot played With
he tort. striking on the edge Of
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