Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1804-08-09
Fr's tie Bo,1oH caxosieis,


~ iacrifcing to the manes of their departed
heroes. The Greeks and Romans were in thar
practice, even after they c.simed to hold the
lamp OF civilization and refinement for all the
world. Human victims bled on their altar, To
procure happiness and relief from mifery, for the
fouls Of thoie who had fallen in battle. The
Roman Catholics now have funeral iesvices Der.
formed tor the repofe of the fpiriu of their dc.
parted friends: But this 10 only the contsivspce
OF prieftcfsft, 20 deirsud the credslous multitude
OF their property. In oor country. we conGder
the dead % unconfcious OF honon paid 20 their
characters, and, IS completely beyond the reach
OF our imbeeile efforts. Yet we raife mona.
ments to the memory of great men, and celebrate
their funerals with pomP, and fometines with
fplendor. This il done, not for them, but ss a.
powerful Indictment to Others to initiate their
public virtses; and TO encourage good men in
their perfeverance in virtue. from fueh folemn
exprefhons Of the public appreciation.
A number Of people of Boaon, perhaps to
the amount OF three hendred, and half as many
from oeighboring towns, formed procefIion ia
Bottom on the 76tb. One bell toiled while
the van was conducted by near. abous 40 of the
militia in Uniform. An oTarion was delivered
by MIR. Ous, prayer was made by DR.. Kirk
land, and pfslni-tuue played on the organ.
This was done at the Rome chapel. where there
was mixed congregation of males and females.
drawn together by motives of cofiofty, aud
iuch other indictments az commonly operate.
whep an advertisement of novel exhibition is
ihued with tokens Of parade and mulc. Some
who were IN the proccGion had Grape on their
arms, but thefe were few in comparifoa with the
o'hen. This Is fair aud candid Aatement Of
all that was feen. Ni
The fpettaror, and the reader, naturally
ak, what is this proceaion for . The anfwer TO-,
that il is for the funeral obfequies of General
Hamilton.
Another queaion then arifes. who was THE
General Hamilton aDd YET anoihsr. what had
he done TO merit any Gngular. and public no.
tice? There isa delicacy to be obferved in an.
fweiing thefe enquiries, becaufe the maxim of
rresding lightly on fhe afhes of the dead. ought
never TO be forgotten. Yet when the friends of
deceafed man fhsll, by an attempt at public {
procefEon, by novel mode of parade, or an un-
timely eulogy, or any other Hrange anI improp-
er method, render an inquiry intereffing to the
public concern, the maxim mentioned ought not
to exclude il.
No ooe can be III natured enough to at
Hamiltons character. The writers in the fed
eral papers, who have detailed his character to
the public, do not mention his family connec-
tions or the place of his birth. 1t is we'll known.
that his native place is not within the Unind
States the name Of his snceftor will be found
when the place where he lived is known. He
appeared, when child. in New York, by the
name of Alexander Hamilton, and there had IN
education in common form. When the Ameri-
ican war commenced he was nineteen years old.
Within few yean after. he obtained the place
of an aid to fome major general. perhaps to
Schuyler, Whole daughter he married !; and 6nal-
" came within the notice of Wilmington, whom
he ferved az an aid. He had the rank off colo-
mel. and the honor TO command the advance of
q column in detachment, to reduce redoubt ae
rhe Gege of York town, in I781. When the
army wa difbanded, being then about twenty.
fix years old, he turned his attention to the pros
fefiion OF the Law. He was an eminent man in
that buGneh. When the ncw contribution was
formed, Gen. Wafhington appointed him fecse.
tary of the treafury, from which buGaefi he was
relealed but NOT until John Adams was preli-
dent. When be retired from the Office Of fecres
tary of the ueafury, he went to his profefionat
bu6neis. and has held no public Office, except
that when fmalI provifionary army was raifed
under Adsms's standardization, he was the iecond
in command for the fhort timeit exiaed. Wheth-
CT this could be called m arrangement or derange-
mentof an army, 10 yet queeiou for a Hamil-
toa was appointed 10 preference to vaR number
of officers, Who had been offuperior rank TO him
in the revolutionary army. IL threw them behind
the fcene, and placed them 10 rate Of deranse.
mcnt.
This concife. aad trss Gatement Of his
charaeterRic ost-lines, leads 10 to the anfwer OF
the queftion, what had he done TO merit 70 Gn.
gular an atteution - vas attempted to be paid
his memory
Hin family connections, evea in country
where merit 10 herirable diifin6lioa. cosld give
his charatter no claim to il. He never krved 10
the line Of the revolutionary army. and vait
number of brave men, Who diainguifhed them-
felves undes fuAefings and h,sdfhips N thar Ter.
vice, are gone down without Grape, psocefions
or euIogy. Did he difiingoifh himfelf . poll
sician He vas in the cradle vhen Hancock
Adams, FrankIo, Rusledge. Randolph. Lee,
with many Others, laid the Sosndssion principles