Litchfield enquirer., 1842-04-28
HAMILTON AND JAY.


the Revolution, is from IL late number OF
the New York Review. 1t is written with
the hand of master.
1t were indeed bold stroke to ven-
ture to draw into comparison the relative
merits of Jay and Hamilton, Oh the flames
or fortunes Of their country-a bold task
and yet, bold as it is, We feel impeIied
To- before closing, at least to venture ON
opening it. They were Undoubtedly, par
mobile fratunt, and yet not twin bro,hers-
parcs see imparss-!ike but unlike. In
patriotic attachments equal, for who would
venture therein to assign to either tie SUI
periority yet was that attachment, though
equal in degree, lar different in kind with
Hamilton it was sentiment, with Jay a
principle-wiIh Hamilton enthusiastic pas
sion, with Jay duty as we'll as lore-with
Hamilton patriotism was the paramount,
law, with Jay ii law sub grariori kge.'
Either would have gone through fire and
water to have done his country service,
and laid down his life freely for her safety
Hamilton with the reused courage of a
lion, Jay with the calm fearlessness of a
man; or rather Hamil,on's bravery would
have been that of soldier-Jay's that of
a Christian. Ofthe latter it mig hit be lru-
" said,
Conscience made him firm.
mat boon companion. who her strong breas,pate
Buckles on him, that fears guilt within,
That bids him on, and fear not
In intellectual power, in depth, and
grasp, and versatility of mind, as well as in
all the splendid and brilliant parts which
captivate and adorn, Hamilton was greatly
not to say UNNECESSARILY jays superior.
In the calm and deeper wisdom of pract-
cal duty-in the government Of others, and
still more in the government of himself-in
seeing clearly the right and following it
whlthersoever it led, firmly, patiently, SELF
denyingly, Jay was again greatly if not i'm
measurably lla,nilton's superior. In states
man-like talent Hamillon's mind had in il
more Of constructive power, jays Of Eek
ecutive.' Hamilton had GENIUS, Jay had
WISDOM. We would have taken Hamilton
to plan government, and Jay to carry it
into execution and in court Of law we
would have had Hamilton for our advocate,
1t our cause were generous, and Jay tor
Judge, if our cause we're just.
I he fame of Hamilton, like his parts, we
deem to shine brighter and farther than
Jay, but we arc not sure that it should be
so, or rather we are quite sure that it should
not. For when we come to examine and
compare their relative courses, and their
bearings OIL the country and its fortunes,
the reputation Of Hamilton we find TO 60 as
far beyond his practical share in it, as jays
falls shon of his. Hamifron's civil official
life was brief though brilliant one. jays
numbered the years Of generation, and
exhausted every department of diplomatic,
civil and judicial trust. In fidelity to their
country both were pure TO their heart s
core yet was Hamilton loved, perhaps,
more than trusted, aud Jay trusted moi
than loved
Such were they in different, If not con-
'rastcd. points Of character. Their lives,
too, when viewed from ii distance, stand
out in equally striking but much more pain
full contrast. jays, viewed as whole, has
in it Il completeness Of parts such as the
nicer critic demands for the perfection of
an epic poem, with its beginning of PROM
Use, its heroic middle, and its peaceful end,
and partaking, too, somewhat of the same
cold stateliness-yet noble, silent and glo-
rlous, and ever pointing, as such poem
does, to the stars. The life Of Hamilton,
on the other hand, broken and fragmenta-
ry, begun in the darkness Of romantic in
terest, running on into the sympathy Of all
high passion, and at length breaking off in
tho midst, like some half told tale Of sor-
row, amid tears and blood, even as does the
theme Of the tragic poet. The name OF
Hamilton, therefore, was a name to con-
jure wilh--that Of Jay to swear by. Ham
ilton had his fralties arising ont Of passion
as tragic heroes have. jays name was
faultless, and his course passionless, as be.
comes the epic leader, and in point Of fact
was, while living, name at which tralty
blused and corruption trembled.
If we ask whence, humanity speaking,
came such disparity Of the fate between
equals-,he siricter morals, the happier
life, the more peaceful dea,b-tu what can
we trace il but to The healIhlul power OF
religion over the heart and conduct? Was
not this, we ask, the ruling secret2 Ham
ll"n was Christian in his youth, and a
peUitent Christian, we doubt not, on his
dying bed but Jay was Christian, SO far
as man may judge, every day and every
hour Of his life. He had but one rule, the
gospel Of Christ; in that he was nurtured
ruled by that, through grace he lived
resting on that, in prayer, he died.
Admitting then. as we do, both names to
be objects of our highest sympathetic nd
miraion, yet with the name of Hamilton,
as the master says Of tragedy, the lesson is
given with pity aud in fear Not so with