The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-20
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Literary - Political - Medical.

COURIER AND ENQUIRER
The Courier a~d Enquirer OF Monday, contains
a long letter from Alexander Hamilton to James
Duane, dated Sept 3, 1870, on the subject of the
weakness Of the government of the confederation
formed about the CONNIE ncement OF the revolu-
tionary war, and giving sketch OF the form OF
government which the writer proposed to substi-
tate for that confederation to enable the colonies
TO prosecute the war successfully. The true
friends of the country and of the Union, and If we
do not greatly err in our judgment, the friends OF
Genera Hamilton, will all deeply regret that this
epistle, written wAen he " Is a mere boy OF twenty
three, should have been dug up and published at
this crisis, as the result of his deliberate reflection
and judgment, in relation the permanent govern
ment of the American States This letter was
written in camp, while the revolutionary struggle
was going on-when the country was in great
distress--wben government whatever could
have afforded full relief-when the feelings of the
officers and soldiers of the army were exaspera,ed
and emattered, by privations and sufierings which
shey attributed to the neglect or imbecility Of the
Congress Of the confederation General Hamilton
Gays, in that letter -" Without a speedy change
the army must dissolve. II is now a mob rather
than an army-without clothing. without pay,
without provisions, without morals, without dis
ciplne. We begin to hate the country for It's
neglect OF US; the country begin TO hate US for our
expressions of them. Congress have long been
Jealous ofus. We have now Lost all confidence in
them. and give the worst con struction to all they
DO. Held together by the senderest ties, We are
Fipening fora dissolution" II is foully unfair to
the memory and tame of General Hamilton, to
allow this production, written and er the influence
OF the circumstances that surrounded him, thus
depctured in his letter, and with the feelings
natural to the position he held in the army, and
which episte, he states, hastily written, and
with " confidential freedom" and should be re-
garded the "reveries OF protector, rather than
xhe sober views of politician" to be put forth as
iadex of the convictions of mature judgment, as
to To character Of the government of the fedora
fioa 70 be established after independence was
achieved. The feelings of Congress and of the
country were at that time, as is observed by Gen
Hamilton, "sore al the prevailing clamors" OF
me army, and indisposed TO yield to what with
= Jealous feelings Of liberty" they called "the die
tauon 81 the sword aRd so violent and fierce had
The contest became at the time of the publication of
General Armstrong; celebrated Newburg letters,
That General Washington was constrained to exert
his utmost influence to avert the most disastrous
resus But for the patriotism and prudence of that
greatest and best of men, the close of the revou-
The thirteen colonies, though independent of Grea,
Britain, subject to the rule of military dictator,
and governed by military law. The origin of the
unextinsuish hostility Of the Anne rican people
70 standing armies, doubtless originated in the op-
pressons Of the British military authorities, before
the Revolution, and thorough consideration CO
che vicious principles and evil results of such sys
tens but that hostility was strenghed by the dis
position manifested by portions Of the revolutiona-
ny army, officers and men, at the close of the war,
20 control the government Military life is not
coogenial 10 the sip1t Of republican liberty. A
camp lie OF necessity despotism. The geniss Of
democracy is silent amid the clipg of arms. When
the feelings nurtured IN The army, and especially
amorg its most talented and ambitious young
officers, and which induced many Of the TO long
tor the establishment Of military republic at the
peace OF 1871, fepreesed by the patriotic firm
ness of General Washington most Of those officers
naturally became the advocates of strong con-
soldated federal government. OF this party, Al.
exsndef Hamilton was The admitted leader and
lead He denounces in this letter 10 Mr.. Duane.
he weakness and mbecIity of the confederation,
and he persisted in those denunciaon. after peace
was restored, and unlil after the formation aud
adoption Of the present constitution of the United
states. He was prominent member OF the con-
vention that formed the federal constitution, and
IN fact, for some time, the only member represent
ing the State Of New York. Though, after the
new constitution was submitted TO the States for
ratification AMI adoption, he joined with Jay and
Madison in writing the able papers called the
Fed1atst, commencing It TO public favor, aud
defending ia provisions; yet il Is well known, that
the stpulations contained in favor OF guarding
the righs az The States ana Of the people from the
absolute control Of federal authority, were by no
means acceptable 20 him. This was, at that era,
the dividing line OF political parties. Ia fact, 1t
was the CONNIE ncement OF the formation OF the
,wo gre 1t parties that have ever since divided the
county. The advocates of strong splendid con-
solidatea federal or central government, with I'M
limited sovereign power, and regarding the States
az mere geographical divisions, and entirely subor-
dinsie 60 the central authority, were called fede-
rslists. Those who were for restraining the pow
ers Of the federal government 70 the control OF our
foreign relations, Of the war power, Of the coin
age, cuutrcy, commerce, navigation, Indians,
and other subjects necessarily and naturally
national, were called republicans or demo
crsts, % whom Pauiek Henry and Thomas
Jefferson were the chiefs General Hamilton
has been accused, BY some Of his opponents, with
beng without confidence IN the virtue, patriotism,
or intelligence a the masses; and some have a.
s~rtsd that he was a monarchist. We believe that
u has been stated, upon the authority Of Mr. JEFF
terror. that he avowed himself, either before or
during the session Of the Constitutional Conven-
too. as pref, ming limited monarchy to any form
OF government We haze fc reed ourselves, hitherto,
20 dfregsrd ell the evidence tending to Sustain
this accusation, and 10 believe that It was an as
rerssou upon his character; and We deplore tina
the indscreet publication q this letter, II il is au
thesuc, tends to weaken our resolution in this
respect We perceive in this epistle, unmistake-
able indications Of the leaning Of the writer's
mind, which, IL existing al his early age, and
while holding a commission in a republ IN army.
a