Askov American., 1943-02-18
Kingship? Not
For Washington
Despite Offers
First President Offered Rule
By Discontinued Army
Officers.

country today might be a monarchy
but for an act of nobility performed
by George Washington on May ~,
1882. The officers of the Revolu-
tionary army had implored Wash
ington to assume royal power, place
himself at their head, and rule the
country as a king. On May %,
more than a century and half ago,
General Washington refused this in
vitation in patriotic terms so strong
that the idea was dropped.
This incident, which constitutes
one of the critical moments in the
destiny of America, occurred while
General Washington and the Cont
mental army were encamped at New
burgh, on the Hudson. The surren-
der of CORVALLIS had virtually end
ed the Revolution, but nominally
hostilities were still in effect, and
Washington was determined to hold
the army together against any sur
prise renewal of the war. AS usual
his soldiers were poorly clothed and
fed, and congress was deeply in ar
rears in their pay. BY then the war
had dragged on for seven long years.
The struggle had cost many of Wash
ington's officers the loss of their
personal fortunes, and the entire
enlisted force faced future of want
on being released to civil life.
Discomfort High.
Discomfort rose to dangerous in
tensity in all ranks. At length, Col.
Lewis Nicola, respected character
on friendly terms with the COM
mander in chief, spoke for the off,
GERS as body when he addressed
to Washington yelled proposal that
he take over the government of the
country, with the army behind him,
and rule it as king.
The late Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge,
in his biography of Washington,
states that on this occasion Wash
ington was as truly tempted as Cae-
sar, with an offer to make himself
king or emperor. The stroke, more
over, would have been easy of ac-
complishment. The colonies were
all beggared by the war. Their gov
ernments were slack and weak. The
Revolutionary army was the one CO.
hesive, national power in the land.
To man the soldiers worshiped
Washington, and with their aid he
could have taken over control of the
nation. AS near as that, at this
stage of Americas history, was the
country to becoming a monarchy.
Not a Temptation.
And yet it was a great distance
away. To George Washington the
temptation of kingship was no temp
tation at all. On the contrary he
put it aside with far greater and
more sincere indignation than did
Caesar wave aside the laurel crown.
In letter whose every word should
be implanted in the mind of every
school child in America, he declined
Nicolas offer and rebuked the man
who made it. Writing on May %.
1882, he said:
"Sir-With mixture of great sur
prise and establishment, have read
with attention the sentiments 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 infor-
nation of there being such ideas ex-
listing in the army, as you have ex-
pressed, and I must view with alb
horrence and reprehend with sever
ity .
Il am at a loss to conceive what
part of my conduct could have given
encouragement to an address, which
to me seems big with the greatest
mischiefs that can befall my Coun.
try. If I am not deceived in the
knowledge of myself, you could not
have found a person to whom your
schemes are more disagreeable
Let me conjure you, then, if you have
any regard for your Country, con-
cern for yourself or posterity, or re-
spect for me, to Danish these
thoughts from your mind, and never
communicate. as from yourself or
anyone else, sentiment of the like
nature"