8998. WASHINGTON (George), Attacks on.—[continued].
[At a cabinet meeting] [Secretary] Knox in a foolish, incoherent sort
of a speech, introduced the pasquinade lately
printed, called the funeral of George Washington
and James Wilson [Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court]; King and Judge, &c., where
the President was much inflamed; got into one of
those passions when he cannot command himself;
ran on much on the personal abuse which
had been bestowed on him; defied any man on
earth to produce one single act of his since he
had been in the government, which was not done
on the purest motives; that he had never repented
but once the having slipped the moment
of resigning his office, and that was every moment
since, that by God he had rather be in his
grave than in his present situation; that he
had rather be on his farm than to be made
Emperor of the world, and yet they were charging
him with wanting to be a King. That that
rascal Freneau sent him three of his papers
every day, as if he thought he would become
the distributor of his papers; that he could see
in this, nothing but an impudent design to in
sult him: he ended in this high tone. [513]
—
The Anas. Washington ed. ix, 164.
Ford ed., i, 254.
(Aug. 1793)
