St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-27
He Is Asked to Prove the Aus
thenticity Of a Quotation
Which He Used.
Roger Vail Quotes Eminent
Historians to Disprove
Burrell's Words.
"Put None But Americans on
Guard" Declared to Be a
Fabrication.
Original Order From Which
the Quotation Was Con- .
Strueted.
To the Editor of the Globe.

In your issue of July IA l read an ex-
tended abstract of the address delivered
by DR.. Burrell, of Minneapolis, in reply
to Archbishop Ireland's paper on the
school question. The foil owing day ]
addressed courteous note to DR.. Burr
rell, inclosing my letter on the Lafay-f
cite motto. which appeared few days
previously in the GLOBE. / told Dr.
Burrell that the phrase imputed to
Washington, "Put none but Americans
OH guard" was of the same character.
as the Lafayette phrase-a pure fabrica-
ton for which no historical references
can be given. | told him further that
if ne again repeated the words aseribe0
to Washington, | would be compelled.
in the interest of historic truth
and of the Catholic Truth So
ciety, which l hava the honor
to represent, to call upon him publicly
for proof that Washington ever issuedl
any order containing the words attrib,
uted to him. Last Sunday DIR. Burrell
had the hardihood of using the self.
same quotation without the slightest
modification whatever, and | therefore
feel complied to call upon him to-day to
produce his authority for the use of the
words, or stand as talsifier Of Amer
lean history. The phrase in question
had its origin in the days of knOw-noth
inglSm, which DR.. Burrell seems inclined
to revive at this enlightened day. 1t is
gross injustice to the memory of
Washington to add the sanction of his
great name to the hatred and proscrip-
ton of American citizens born in foreign
lands. The pretended order of WASH
ington is employed for the base pur-
pose of justifying the ignoble war
made by men like DR.. Burrell upon for
eigners, especially if they are of the
Roman Catholic faith. and into which
men of sectarian and race prejudices in
this city have unwisely allowed them
selves to be drawn. "Place none but
Americans on guard" is a pithy ex-
preston so accOrdant with their intOler-
ance, and so hostile to the broad prin-
cipleS of true AmericaniSm, that it has
been unscrupulously palmed upon the
illustrious founder of the republic. ?
Fancy, il you can. George Washington
at the head of an army composed, rs ID
was, of many of the most true and tried
soldiers of foreign birth-with such
officers as Lafayette. Baron Steuben,
Lee, Montgomery and Alexander Ham
iton, and an allied army of French
troops led by high-spirited, chivalrous
French nOblemen, by whose aid the
War of the Revolution was brought
to close-fancy him, so surrounded
and supported, issuing such an
order as PUT none but Amer
leans on guard" The very
statement is enough to show its abb
surdity. When Jared Sparks, the cele-
brated biOgrapher of Washington, was
asked concerning this phrase, he said
that he had never met with any such
expression in Washington'S writings
and manuscripts. But an attempt has
been made to make it appear that he
used words of similar import. A forged
order, said to contain the words, was in, y,
the possession of Gen. Dearborn, Of
ROXbury, Mass, who died thirty-five
years ago. 1t was Justification of
genuine order issued by Washington,
which can be found in Forces Ameri-
can Archives, vol. H., p. 1854, dated
Cambridge Headquarters, July Z, IT'S,
and which reads as follows:
1.-THE general has great reason and Is
highly displeased with the negligence
and inattention of those officers who
have placed as sentries, at the outpOsts,
men with whose character they are not
acquainted. He therefore orders, that
for the future no man Shall be ap-
pointed to these important stations who
is not native of this country, or has a
wife or family in it to whom he is
known to be attached. The Order is
to be considered as a standing one, and
the officers are to pay obedience to it at
their peril.
'(Signed.) Fox. adjutant of the day;
countelsign, nExeter, parole, Dorches-
ter"
The circumstances of the mo meDt
fully explain the purpose of the order:
Washington had arrived at headquar-
tiers, in Cambridge, three days before,
and. finding want Of care in the mill
tary arrangements, and having reasons
to fear that there were in camp persons
tavOrably disposed to the British, then
holding possession of Boston, and
watching their opportunity to COMMUNE
cate information to the enemy, he di-
rected certain precautions to be taken
in the selection of sentinels. not against
foreigners as such, but against traitors
and spies in disguise.
If DIR. Burrell has time or inclination
to read authentic history would rec
Ommend him to read the writings of
Washington as given by his eminent
biographers, Irving, Sparks and Head
lev, and he will find that Washingt ton
uttered sentiments of sympathy for the
distressed of foreign lands and gave a
cordial welcome to those from abroad
who reached the noSpltaDle shores VI
America.
No RHETORICAL clap trap on the part
of DR.. Burrell will convince the student
of American history that Washington
was either a Know-Nothing or bigQs,
and In justice to his memory resent
the imputation cast upon his noble
character. have already offered 500
for any Protestant institution in Mime
apolis if DIR. Strong can trace the La,
fayette motto to any original
source, and L now make SIM
liar offer for the benefit of
any Presbyterian Institution if DIR. Bur
reil can give any authentic reference
other than have given for the order
ascrbed to Washington. Come on, DR..
Burrell. and tell lis where you got this
quotation. If you assume a lofty In
difference to criticism and go on using
spurious phrases on secondhand au-
thoritv. your reputation as an impartial
historian will suffer in the eyes OF all
intelligent and fair-minded people.
ROCEJ. VAIL.