The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-24
certainly not warm. Washington's proc

, Of the treaty Washington's orders as to
the privateers recognized no obligations
to France. and indicated no friendship.
Genet's disilusion was complete and
most painful.
The struggling French republic like the
thirteen American colonies. was sorely in
need of money. Genet asked for no gifts
The return Of the donations the French
had given to aid the struggling colonies
was not expected: but Genet did ask that
the subsequent sums, which had been
loaned. might now be repaid.
Hamilton refused The debts were not
due, and it would be announcement to
pay them Should America discharge the
debts before they were due Great Brit
ain might take offense!
Can any American citizen Of the present
dav read that statement and not feel
| ashamed?
But this was not ALL Genet. deeply
hurt at the refusal to pay. and at the
reason assigned, proposed to transfer the
French claims to American merchants in
exchange for food and clothing for the
needy soldiers of France. who, barefoot
ed, ID rags. and almost unfed We're fol-
lowing the flag In the cause of liberty,
| Just as the poor American soldiers had
| done only few years before.
And Washington's government. domi-
| mated by Hamilton. refused 10 allow Ge-
net that poor privilege,
Great Britain might not like 1t,
Is it any wonder that young Genet
| lost his temper?
The American of this day who can read
| this chapter in our history and be proud
| of it will also be proud of the attitude
of our government when Great Britain,
| ,l,~ l,~ no lDf,>
| from us in violation Of treaty was tram
! ping the life out of the South African
republics. But no other citizen can be
| proud % It.
| Yes, young Genet lost his temper. and
like all men in u passion. did things
| that hurt his cause. He gave John Jay,
! Hamilton Rufus King and other feder-
| alists the excuse TO say that he had in
| suited the president. Genet appealed to
! Washington to correct the Islander, and
! Washington frightened the mantle of
presidential dignity around him. retus-
| Ing to notice the appeal
| Democratic societies had sprung up
everywhere. and Genet had multitudes OF
| friends: but he could not afford to match
himself against Washington, nor did he
try. He protested as well he could,
| but he was powerless. jefferson was Sc
cretly in sympathy with him almost 10
the last; but even jefferson realized that
| the issue could not be met on the ground
where the federalists had put it. He
abandoned Genet to his fate, which. IN
| deed. was not personally ruinous 10
| Genet. for the young man won the heart
and hand OF the daughter Of Governor
Clinton. OF New York, and settled down
! 10 the life of private citizen.
I Not only were the British assured that
] this government would pay all dana ges
inflicted by the priVateers fitted out from
our ports. but they were permitted To
seize French property on American yes
sells. as well as American property on
American vessels. if such property
CHANGED to be foodstuffs on the way to
..~ngry France!
Worse than all-during the entire pe.
Rod covered by the controversy with
Genet. British war vessels continued to
capture American seamen wherever and
whenever they could. and to impress
them 10 service. exile and death on Eng
lsh ships,
Greater humil1ations were never en-
dured than those We bore in the efforts
10 make terms with England We broke
with a true and tried friend TO prepare
the way for alliance with an inyeterate
enemy. The reason assigned by HamiI-
| ton. Jay and the federalists generally
was that another war with Great Britain
would ruin us.
To keep peace inflicted upon our
selves and upon France cruel wrong
and yet we had England to fight. after
al.
lad we kept faith had we been true
20 treaty, had We paid France our debts
Of gratitude and OF money, who can say
that It might not have been better for
Us well for France?
Great Britain divided her foes-thanks
to Hamilton She fought France. and
kept us from aiding her. And then she
fought lis. when France could not help
us. Had we made common cause she
might not have attacked either. Thus
each of the three nations suffered be
cause of the broken treaty
Before the revolution there had of
course. been no national political par
ties. Wings and tories there We're, and
divisions on local colonial questions. Dur
Ing the war all Americans who fought
for independence were classed as wings,
those opposed as tories. When the new
constitution was on trial those who ia
vored it were called federalists. those
opposed anti-federalists. BY the time
jefferson had taken in the full slgnih-
sition lifted its head. and took the name
republican. BY that name ne himself al
ways referred to his party. Its founder
believed that Hamilton and his followers
were aiming at monarchy. This did not
necessarily mean that Jefferson thought
Hamilton aimed at setting UP king; it
meant that republican ideals, democratic
| principles, were being put aside. If this
| tendency was to be checked II the mon
| archical spirit was to be kept out, then
| organized opposition was necessary. To
| organize this opposition and to dedicate
| the new government to the true republic
| can ideals, became the mission OF JEFF
| ferson's life.
| And therein consists his greatness.
| Edmund Randolph was perhaps quite
| as brainy a man as Jefferson; Patrick
| Henry in some respects exceled him;
| Madison. in his own narrower limits, was
| az efficient; but in combination of high
| qualities, and in conservation of lofty
purpose none of these bear comparison
| TO Jefferson.
With him, as with Hamilton, the pur
| pose was TO found a system, establish q
creed shape the future of genera tons yet
unborn. To do this was q duty, mis-
sion. He had no option; 1t was work
| imposed upon him by the law OF his
| ture. He believed in the people, was
| willing to trust the people; the name of
| which he grew proude,t was the man
| of the people" At all points his system.
| his creed, co!lidsd with that Of Harni-