The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-03
THE INTELLIGENCER,
WHEELING, MARCH a, 1898.
a Former crlais.

X; The present crisis between the United
States and Spain is serving to recall a
former incident in the history OF tho
:, country. In which trouble with a foreign
1 power so nearly approached war ell
!. max that some fighting actually occur
& red and preparations for active iiostili-
ties were made. but were rendered un-
: necessary by unexpected occurrences
that assured peace. Almost at the very
beginning of the life OF the republic we
had q falling out with France, and a
: maritime war actually existed for some
time. growing out OF the anger OF the
French because we did not take sides
with them in their difficulty with Eng
land.
The French captured the merchant
Z vessels of the United States and sold
them On the ports Of France, and the
American statesmen who were sent to
France as diplomats were openly in.
( suited. The climax came when private
agents OF the French government de-
manded brides from this government to
Z refrain from making war upon us, be-
lieying that the Americans would regard
themselves as unable to defend the coun-
try against so powerful nation as
France.
This was In 1897, at the beginning OF
I John Adams's administration, and when
G the republic was in Its infancy. It was
then that Pinckney. one Of our rcpresen-
tatives in France, when approached with
these bribery propositions, replied with
that famous declaration. which rang AZ
forward throughout America and set The
country ablaze with patriotism: Mil
y lions for, defense, but not one cent for tri-
bute!" Then the maritime war broke
out, and several French vessels were
captured, but in 1899 the French govern
y ment, which had been under the Direc-
tory, had been overthrown, and Napo-
leon, as First Consul, made peace. with
the United States.
@ The extent to which the young repub-
lie prepared for long and desperate
Z struggle with France was much farther
s than that to which we are going to-day
In the crisis with Spain. General Wash
ington had been recalled from his life
OF retirement at Mount Vernon to the
4 service Of his country, as Lieutenant
Il General and Commander-in-chiet OF the
{ armies. raised or to be raised for the
!. service OF the United States"
The great patriot, who mad preferred
retirement to further military or civic
i honors, promptly responded to the call,
"touched by this new proof Of public
confidence" andinacccp.ing theappoint-
SSment, wrote letter to President Adams
81 in which. after reviewing the offenses
& committed by France. and commencing
4 the administration for its forbearance,
B and It's cool. calm and conservative et-
fffort to overt an open rupture until all
4 other means to preserve peace had fail
ed. a policy which is now being pursued
byfPresident Mckinley, he said:
2 caraIv Wished and endeavored TO avert
: war, and exhausted, to the last drop, the
cup OF reconciliation, we can with pure
peat.s appeii W i'sa.e -, ..e !us,
~ he final result to that kind Proyidencc
!; who has heretofore, and so often, signal
Z lyS favored the people OIL these United
Y e .',rs,n,.,,r IL nj, dor and roo,,,,
how incum5ent II Is upon every person,
OF every description. to contribute at all
times to his conntrys Weitate' ana es-
pdu,n ayor,,th, ho ho,d dear and sacred
Is SO seriously threatened, I have finally
determined to accept the commission OF
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