The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-22
AMERICA MIGHT
HAVE BEEN
KINGDOM
Washington Rejected Offer to
Head Monarchical Govern
ment in 1888.

/
America might have become q
monarchy; in fact, but for the
counsel Of cooler heads In 1888,
that most probably would have
been its fate and instead Of cele-
brating the Fourth of July, as the
birthday of the greatest republic
in the history of the world, an an
niversary on some other day would
have celebrated the coronation Of
King George, the First. There
would have been no Star Spangled
Banner.
Had that happened, as It seemed
likely to In the latter part Of f7SS,
when the Continental army, prac-
tically In open revolt over the fail.
ure of Congress to discharge itG
financial obligations to the men
who had fought for and won the
independence Of the thirteen origi.
nal colonies, how would present.
day conditions compare with those
manarchical government would
have developed?
Would a House Of Lords ever
consented to pass a prohibition
measure. leaving the subjects OF
the king facing the alternative of
going dry or flying in the face
Of a royal edict?
Would suffrage have been en-.
acted, allowing the women of the
kingdom to vote for members of
the House of Commons? Would
women have been eligible for seats
in such q body as they are today
in England? Would the influence
Of America in awakening over the
world a recognition Of the spirit
Of democracy have been as poten.
tial? Would the American King
have felt 1t incumbent upon him
to call a great army to make the
world safe for democracy?
Probability of Scandals.
Would there have developed such
scandals in high places as have
resulted from recent and present
Congressional probes?
What would have been the fate
Of the negro slaves emancipated by
Abraham Lincoln? Would a civil
war have followed agitation Of the
slavery question, with the result
Of the royal provinces Of the
South revolving against the King
and establishing q second kingdom
Of their own?
Would there have been such con-
centrations Of wealth in the hands
OF subjects as have been accumu-
lated by individuals under the re.
public which barely escaped politi-
cal wrecking at the hands of an
irate soldiery? Or would the special
privileges, which went SO far to
establish the first great American
fortunes, have been distributed
among court favorites, that the
aristocratic class might enduringly
fix its position?
How would American interests be
interviewer with those Of Europe
through royal alliances. had there
been a line Of princes and prin-
cesses available for such matri.
monial ventures?
Certainly with it's vast latent
wealth. which has made America
the richest Of all nations, under
a monarchical government similar
development would have occurred.
Would this have insured America
being politically mistress Of the
world today?
The opportunity to become Amer.
teas first King was offered Wash.
ington in 1888. The offer was made
by q group Of army officers, who
argued that conditions resulting
from the experiments in establish
ing republic proved no such form
OF government could last. They
took the position that q monarchicaI
government with q responsible
king as its head, was preferable
to a government having so many
heads that no one could tell who
was ruler. In Congress they had
lost all confidence.
Creditors DlsgruntIOA.
Back Of the disgruntled soldiery
was an army Of Government cred
itorS who believed that the sooner
a stable government was establish.
ID the sooner they would have their
claims settled. Like the soldiers
they had little confidence In Con.
greSs or IN the States to collectively
agree upon any financial policy
which would insure the payment Of
war obligations.
The offer Of o kingdom at the
hands OF the army was made Wash.
ington by q Colonel In the New
York or Pennsylvania line. His.
torian1 have little to say TO it's
contents. They agree. however,
that IL was very well written. It's
effect on Washington. It IL said by
them, was to arouse his resentment.
It was q subject he rarely or never
discussed. Yet Il IL an historical
fact that the offer was made, that
social, economic, industrial and DO
htlcal conditions were such az
seemed favorable to the execution
OF such Q design, ana there 10 every
reason for believing had WashinH.
ton at that time been favorably In
clined toward the proposal, the
plan could have been carried out, II
might have resulted in a civil war,
but the temper of the army was
such that It could have been de.
pended upon almost to q man to
have supported the monarchical
movem~pG with Washington as its
head. It must have proved victor
ious.
Had Washington succumbed to
the offer who would b. his success.
sor on the throne today?
washington left no children. His
brother Lawrence left several. The
original John Washington had two
sons. George Washington was de-
scended from the eldest son, Law.
renee. The second son, John, left
a long and numerous line OF de-
scendants. The Barcley Washing.
ton, the Mason Washington occa.
sionally, q Lawrence Washington,
the given name having been taken
from the other branch Of the family,
are scattered all over the country.
Some OF them live In Texas, others
in the New England States, New
York State has its Washington col.
Ony, while here are to DO found
numerous members Of that branch