I don't think we should overlook the fact that a larger part of the issue may be that there simply was much less to sweep under the carpet in previous eras. Society today is much, much larger and more complex than society in George Washington's day. (Much more complex than in any time in history in fact.)

This is not to imply that George Washington is no better than the corrupt politicians, judges and police we have today. George Washington was, by all accounts, a very good man.

My only point was that it was far easier to actually be a good man in the time of George Washington than it is to be a good man or woman today. Not even a tenth of the opportunities to get yourself in trouble back then.