The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-12-12
MANY HAVE SINNED.
The Most Distinguished Men Have Acted
Much as Parneli has But were
not Oyertaken In Their
Fault.
NAPOLEON AND WASHINGTON

which great statesmen. warriors etc.
have departed from the recognized rules
of morality. IL this respect the world
is probably more stringent nov than III
former generations, and there is more OF!
disposition now TO hold the public leader
to an accountability for his private life
than in days Of Napoleon, Washington
and Wellington It was Napoleon. wh5
asserted that the rules vilich govern
society we're not made for men like
him, and he had both the will and power
TO act on his assertion. his divorce Of
Josephine being one of the most heart
lees social crimes known TO history. Even
in his marriage to Maria Louisa of Aus
tra. he ignored decency and shocked Eu-
rOpo by having the ceremony performed
at his own convenience. irrespective of
the time when marital relations were as
sumcd. His attachment to Il Polish lady
of beauty and rank is Il matter of record.
and the only actual inhcrtor Of The great
Empcror's genius was ali illcgilimatc son.
He also compelled his brother, ilc then
King of Holland, to recognize as icgii
mate an heir whose paternity gossip. an
parently to we'll founded. attributed to !.
Dutch Admiral, and thus the GROW in the
eagles nest" as Napoleon III. has been
called. obtained his place in The Bona
parte family, and eventually mounted
the French throne. If there is ANYTHING
in physognomy there can be little doubt
of tho justice of the apprehension which
prompted King Louis to ignore the Off
spring Of the Queen. Hotrensc, and there
WAS probably not drop of the Bonapartc
blood in the late Empcror's body.
However, We arc not accustomed TO look
to Napoleon and his European contcmpo-
rares for examples Of morality. The idea
then seemed to he that
POWER ASD LICENSE WENT TOGETHER.
and to this day in Europe Il moral life is
rather the exception among the rulers of
States In our own history il has been
the custom to expect decent observance
of social and moral laws in our public men.
The most noted American example Of
private folly OH the part of a statesman
was TINT Of Alexander Hamilton. He was
undoubtedly the victim Of deliberate
scheme of blackmail. According to his
frank confession Of the circumstances.
woman called upon him for assistance
which was his duty as Il public officer 10
extend. Interview followed interview;
she gradually grew conding and then
tender in her approaches. He yielded 20
temptation and then came the demand for
money from the woman's husband, acconi
panied with threats of exposure. Hamil-
ion shrewdly concluded to do the exposing
himself and his pamphlet. giving 10 the
people all the details of his single depart
urc from grace was accepted, even by his
enemies, as conclusive: Undoubtedly this
pamphlet would never have been issued
but for the approximations on the part oi
Hamilton that calumny would not stop
short of accusing him of iccntiouS con-
duct, but that his financial integrity might
be impeached in connection with the un
happy affair, and he certainly preserved
his reputation for honesty while sacriii-
cling whatever credit he possessed for
observance of the seventh commandment.
HAMILTON WAS FAR FROM BEING ALoHE
among the great men who founded the
Republic in his surrender to his own
weakness and the wiles of feminine frai'y.
BENJAMIN Franklin had an illcgtimate
son, born not long before Franklin's mar
riaCc. To the credit of the great ph!Os-
ophcr and statesman ii must he acknowl-
edged that he never denied or abandoned
his offspring until The offspring grew to
manly years, and with no small share OF
his fathers genius, chose to abandon both
Franklin and his country. While Benla-
min Franklin was of inestimahlc service
to the Republic his Legitimate son.
William, was of no slight value to King
George. In his course as Loyalist Gov
error Of New Jersey, William Franklin
was probably actuated by as deep Il con-
scicntiousness rs his famous father in his
devotion to the cause OF independence.
! But it was unfortunate for the struggling
! patriots that the younger Franklin took
the position that he did, and the patriotic
parent who had educated the son as if he
were legitimate and bestowed on him
every care, felt that sons political attitude
to bo the deepest wound inflicted on him.
Fer this reason he cut him of in his will.
The Younger Franklin took refuge in
England upon the triumph of the Revo-
luton and died pcnsionsr OF the British
Government.
OF the prominent men of early Ameri-
can history Aaron Burr was the most
fragrant offender against moral law. He
made no cOncealmcnt of his wickedncss,
and this had much to do with Washing
tons avcrsions for his brilliant young
| officer. No situation could he too serious
for Burr TO forget or lorego the indu-
gencc of his follies. When The Amcri-
cans we're hastily cvacuatng New York,
after the disastrous battle OF Long Island
Burr DELAYED taking part in the retreat
in order to keep Is long az possible The
company of the daughter OF british
officer whose affections he had gained.
Then with . small detachment he bravely
cut his way through the British forces
and rejoined the American army The
story of BlcnncrlIassett Island need not
be told here, although. as Blenncrhassctt
was an Irish patriot whom circumstances
had severed from his country, it would
not be out of place to recall the circum-
stances of that most wicked and unscru-
pulous intrigue. Aaron Burr, III the
| rnise of a friend, carried misery into the
Eden-likc home on an island in the Ohio,
and not content with the domestic ruin OF
his host, he also ruined him politically
and financially.
| GOOD DEAL OF ROMAHCE
has been woven about this adventure OF
I Burr. There is no romance in the story
it is simnly hdeous. Burr ignored social
obligations to the last. ending as the hus-
band of the famous Madame Jnmell. who
was herself in her early days walker OF
the streets of Providence, R. l., her ma
tive place.
Mention of Madame Jumel brings 10
! mind nna of the few allegations against