The border vidette., 1932-05-28
WHEN WASHINGTON REFUSED
A KiNGSHlP

COuA" y SOOoy Ill uV O0 u uOu
archy but for an act of nobility
performed by George Warrington
on May %, 1882. The officers of
the Revolutionary Army had ion
plored Washington to assume
royal power, place himself at
their head, and rule the country
as q king. % May %, q cen
tury and q half ago. General
Washington refused this invita-
ton Ia patriotic terms 80 strong
that the idea was dropped. This
Information comes from the
United States George Washing
ton Bicentennial Commission.
We know that be refused the
off sr Of kingship, but the circum
stances surrounding that drama
tic moment in our history, known
chiefly to scholars. need be re
called to the everyday American.
that be may form q still clearer
conception OF the nobility of
Was hington's character.
This incident. which consti
tutes one of the critical moments
in the destiny of America, occur
ed while General Washington
and the Continental Army we're
encamped at New5urRh. on the
Hudson The surrender of Corn
wallis had virtually ended the
Revolution, but nominally hostil
tiles were still 10 effect. and
Washington was determined to
hold the army together against
any surprise renewal of the war.
As usual bis soldiers were poorly
clothed and fed, and Congress
was deeply in arrears in their
pay. : By then the war has drag
ged on for seven years. The
struggle had cost many of Wash
ington's officers the loss of their
personal fortunes. and the entire
enlisted force faced a future of
want on being released to civil
life. j
-st
Discomfort rosa to dangerous
intensity in all ranks. At length,
Colonel Lewis Nicola, q respect
ed character on friendly terms
with the Commander in Chief,
spoke for the officers as q body
when be addressed to Washing
ton q yelled proposal that he
take over the government of the
county with the army behind
him, and rule it as q king.
The late Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge, in his biography of
Washington, states that on this
occasion Washington was as
truly tempted as Caesar, with an
offer to make himself king or
emperor. The stroke, moreover.
{ would have been easy of accom-
plishment. The colonies were
all beggared by the war. Their
governments were slack and
weak. The Revolutionary army
was the one cohesive, national
power in the land. To a man
the soldiers worshippad Wash
ington. and with their aid he
could have taken over control of
the nation. AS near ss that,
at this stage ofAmerica's history,
was the country to becoming q
monarchy.
Aud yet it was a great dis
tance away. To George Wash
ington the temptation of king
ship was no temptation St all.
o. the contrary be put it aside
with far greater aud more sincere
indignation than did Caesar
wave aside the laurel crown. 10
q letter whose every word should
be implanted in the mind of
every school child in America,
be declined Nicolas offer and re
buked the man who made it.
Writing on May %, 1882, be said:
"Sir,-With a mixture of great
surprise and astonishment, I have
read With attention the senti
ments you have submitted to my
perusal. Be assured, Sir, no
occurrence in the course Of the
war has given me more painful
sensations. than your informa-
ton of there being such ideas
existing 10 the army, as you
have expressed, and I must view
with adherence and reprehend
with severity. .....
Il am at q loss to conceive what
part of my conduct could have
given encouragement to an ad
dress, which to me seems big
with the greatest mischiefs that
can befall my Country. If | am
not deceived in the knowledge of
myself, you could not have found
q person to whom your schemes