9026. WASHINGTON (George), Opposition to administration.—[further continued].
The object of the opposition
which was made to the course of administration
was to preserve the Legislature pure and
independent of the Executive, to restrain the
Administration to republican forms and principles,
and not permit the Constitution to be construed
into a monarchy, and to be warped, in
practice, into all the principles and pollutions of
their favorite English model. Nor was this an
opposition to General Washington. He was
true to the republican charge confided to him;
and has solemnly and repeatedly protested to
me, in our conversations that he would lose the
last drop of his blood in support of it; and he
did this the oftener and with the more earnestness,
because he knew my suspicions of Hamilton's
designs against it, and wished to quiet
them. For he was not aware of the drift or
of the effect of Hamilton's schemes. Unversed
in financial projects and calculations and budgets,
his approbation of them was bottomed on
his confidence in the man.—
The Anas. Washington ed. ix, 95.
Ford ed., i, 165.
(1818)
