The Washington union., 1857-08-25
For the Union,
GENERAL HAMILTON.
10 The Editor Of ae Union:


To The Editor Of Tie Union:
An able article in the Charleston Mercury strongly
recommends Gen Hamilton OF That State as the success
of the late distinguished Judge Butler brief sketch
is given of the public of Gen. Hamilton and of
his services to his native State in her Legislature as
mayor Of Charleston city governor Of the State and
member Of Congress for long series of years In this
brief compendium Of his public services ter the express
sion of deep regret that this distinguished statesman
had nearly twenty years retired from public e the
writer refers most interesting events Congress-
as well as in South Carolina during the administrations
of Adams and Jackson and relates many incidents which,
having been seldom referred to Of late years, may be
worthy of revival now even though much discussed at
that period After alluding to his able practice at the
bar his military service in Canada during the of
1872 his civil services in various high offices at home
and finally governor of the State the writer proceeds
speak of his in Congress- the of the
great and good Lowndes, and says:
SAT this epoch the vexed and vexatious question Of
the tariff had already become the great suha"+ - ,cr
sion and debate. On this imDnr'~- orot;o, cn Han
.I'on soo ,-nguished himself amongst the most
P'oiiiie members in its Discussion and in 1924 he
delivered his great speech the tariff in which, whilst
inayzing thoroughly the economical relations of the
question he orshadowed the subsequent resistance of
south Carolina He continued, with fearless ability
mis- opposition to that scheme Of fraud and injustice
largely contributed overthrow the iniquitous sys-
tenn Of plunder, and gave the country, in some
measure the justice and benefit Of comparatively free
trade. The contemporaneous aud bitter conflict between
Adams and Jackson at this time progressing with in
tense and excited acrmony In the House of Represent
atives the opposition to Mr. Adams led by General
Hamilton and that he contributed more to its
throw than any other in the country cannot be con
trovered denied Day after day. in the running fire
of off hand debate he continued his assaults on his oppo
nents with signal ygor of argument and brilliant saies
of wit and humor Aud what impaired the strongest
dor to his exetons the conviction that the overthrow
of the administration of Mr. Adams and the election of
Jackson would be the overthrow Of the tariff and Of the
system of internal improvements which was fast corrupt
ing the country to its In the House of Representa-
tves from 1926 to 1929, he the leader OF the oppo-
son the tariff of protection and the administration of
Adams In this Congress Clay stood, it is true on an
isolated pedestal of his own but after McDuie, ard
Storrs, of New York. General Hamilton ranked as the
next member in power of debate in the House. and In
briiancy of wit and scahng sarcasm he second only
to Randoph whilst in sagacity and address leader
he was acknowledged to be superior to them all.
In the winter Of 1929 General Hamilton returned to
Washington and during that session his relations with
General Jackson continued to be friendly and confidential
although the tokens becoming sufficiently significant
that he would take sides against South Carolina in her
coming struggle. Jackson requested an interview with
Hamilton, and cntreated him not to resign his scat in
Congress but to return and be the leader for his admins
istaon in the House 1t well known that hc declined
this overture and that jackson then declared to Haml
ton that he had left Tennessee with the determination TO
call him the head of The War Department for which
he deemed him the best qualified of any man IN the
country but that his extreme views the tariff and his
declarations of medated open resistance to the meas
ure precluded his thus gratifying his personal wishes.
The reply of Hamilton was that whilst he thanked the
General for the honor he had intended him. he was more
highly gacd at the assigned for his exclusion
than he could have been by all the honor of his cabinet
few weeks after this General jackson offered him the
mission to Mexico com instructions, to act at his dis
cetion and with blanche for the purchase OF Texas
This honor General Hamilton also declined