io8
THE GREEN BAG
as a modern Pennsylvania historian [Stone] so body which a few months before had remon truly declares, "the soil of Philadelphia would strated concerning Washington's military have been stained with the blood of three plans. The curtain, however, was not rung signers of the Declaration of Independence." down until the president of the Supreme It was this same organization, still contain Executive Council had secured an appropri ing the best blood of Philadelphia, which ation of £360 to replace a sword hanger served as a guard of honor to Wilson's re which he had lost at the time of the riot, for mains at the time of their recent re-inter it seems that he had appeared on the scene. ment in Philadelphia, and which since So ended this criminal effort permanently Washington's day guards the person of the "to remove " James Wilson from the scene of President of the United States when visiting his worldly activities. " But," as is recorded Philadelphia. The controlling faction in in Sanderson's " Lives of the Signers of Pennsylvania promptly issued, on October the Declaration of Independence," "like the 6, 1779, a proclamation, declaring inter alia: mammoth of the lakes, he opposed a daunt less front to the storm and shook off the "The undue countenance and encourage shafts that were hurled for his destruction." ment which has been shown to persons dis affected to the liberty and independence of During the interim of five years when Wil America by some whose rank and character son was not in Congress, he performed an in other respects gave weight to their con duct, has been the principal cause of the inestimable service to the cause of American present commotion. . . . We . . . require independence by maintaining the closest re all those who marched down from the lations with America's great ally, France. Common in hostile array to the house of The minister plenipotentiary of Louis XVI, James Wilson, Esq., and also all those who M. Gerard, on September 15, 1779, formally had previously assembled in the said house with arms or otherwise immediately to sur notified Congress that he had constituted render themselves to . . . some justice of James Wilson Advocate-General of the the peace, who is directed to commit them to French nation, "in order that he may be prison, there to remain until examination charged with all the causes and matters rela can be had." tive to navigation and commerce." The In response to this extraordinary procla commission issued to Wilson on June 5, mation, Wilson, who had been defending his 1779, the appointment, having been made on life in his own house — his castle — and the that date, recites: other men with him, boldly appeared before "The daily discussions which arise in the their enemies in the Supreme Executive different parts of United America, relative Council, which had issued the proclamation, to commerce and navigation, and the estab —and were held in bail for trial in such lishment of fixed regulations on those sub modest sums as £10,000 for Wilson, £20,000 jects, forming an object of great labor and for his brother-in-law, £10,000 for Richard importance, which can only be confided to a person versed in the laws, and internal ad Peters, later a member of the Board of War, ministration of America, as well as in the and afterwards the distinguished United rights of man, and the general usages of commerce; and the experience and talents, States judge, etc., etc. Some embarrass ment was caused when Colonel Gressel, of of which Mr. James Wilson has afforded so theXContinental Army, appeared, but the many brilliant proofs, making him worthy of this nomination, we hereby appoint and con Council avoided it by declaring that "he stitute him, subject to the good pleasure of had used his influence to prevent bloodshed," the King, and until his decision be known, and allowed him to go without bail, with the Advocate-General of the French nation, in the thirteen United States." request that he attend later on "as evi This commission was duly confirmed by dence." These farcical proceedings were the King of France on February 18, 1781, finally ended by an act of amnesty to all con cerned, passed March 13, 1780, by the same "in consideration of the zeal and attach
