The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-07-18


this desirable p,"pose may be adopted
without delay. Such other
measures as may be necessary for US
to pursue against events which it may
not be in our power to avoid or con-
troll, you will also think of, and lay
them before me at my arrival in Phil
adelphia; for which place 1 shall set
out tomorrow"
He was at Mount Vernon when he
dispatched these instructions; but it
did not take him long to reach the seat
of government, to consult his cabinet,
and to issue proclamation Of neu-
trality whose terms no man could mis-
take. 1t contained explicit threat of
exemplary action against any who
should presume to disregard it.
Genet Comes From France.
That very month april, 1893 Ed
mond Charles Genet, a youth still in
his twenties whom the new republic
over sea had commissioned minister
to the United States, landed at
Charleston. 1t pleased him to take
possession of the country, as if it were
of course an a-ocnege OF Fr.cce. H
the world think Of such conduct, and
it? Circumstances press for decision;
and as you have had time to consider
them, l wish to know your opinion
upon them, even before tomorrow, for
the vessel may then be gone" 1t
was indeed too late to stop her;
gross violation of neutrality had been
permitted under the very eyes OF the
secretary of state. Washington stayed
henceforth in Philadelphia, in person
al control of affairs. 1t was an ap-
peal to the people that finally deliv-
cred Genet into his hands. Washing
ton revoked the exequatur of one Du-
PLANE, French consul at Boston, for
continuing to ignore the laws of neu-
trality; Genet declared he would ap-
peal from the president to the SOW
ereign state of Massachusetts; rumors
of the silly threat got abroad, and
Genet demanded of the president that
he deny them. Washington answered
with chilling rebuke; the correspond
ence was given to the public prints;
and at last the country saw the
French minister for what he was. A
demand for his recall had been re-
solved upon in the cabinet in August;
by February, 1874, the slow processes
of diplomatic action were complete,
and a successor had arrived. Genet did
not venture to return to his distract
ed country; but he was as promptly
and as readily forgotten in America.
Some might find it possible to love
France still; but no one could any
longer stomach Genet.
Washington had OWNED French af
fairs much too clearly to be for mo-
ment tempted to think with anything
but contempt of the French party who
had truckled to Genet. 1t was his
clear perception what the danger
would be should America be drawn in
to the gathering European wars that
had led him to accept a second term
as president. 1t had been his wish to
remain only four years in the arduous
office; but he had no thought to leave
a task unfinished; knew that he was
in the very midst of the critical busi-
ness of holding the country to the
course which should make it a self
country itself had not fully known
Washington till then-or its own dig
nity either. 1t had deemed the proc
lamation of neutrality a party meas
ure, into which the president had been
led by the enemies Of France, the par
tisans of England.
But the summer undeceived every
body, even Genet. Not content with
the lawless mischief he had set afoot
on the coasts by the commissioning
of privateersmen, that mad youth had
fastened to send agents into the south
and west to enlistSmen for armed ex-
petitions against the Floridas and
against New Orleans, on the coveted
Mississippi; but his work was every
where steadily undone.
Neutrality Is Enforced.
Washington acted slowly, deliberate
ly even, with that majesty Of self-con-
troll, that awful courtesy and stiffness
in wrath, that had ever made him a
master to be feared in moments of
sharp trial. One by one the unlawful
prizes were seized; justice was done
upon their captors; the false admiralty
courts were shut UP. The army OF the
United States was made ready to
check the risings in the south and
west, should there be need; the COM
plants of the British minister were
silenced by deeds as we'll as by words;
the clamor of those who had well
coined the Krenchman SO like provin-
Gals was ignored, though for season
it seemed the voice of the country it.
self; and the humiIiating work, which
ought never to haYe been necessary,