New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-30

,;ors The Declaration of Independence was speed
;lv followed BY the arrival in the waters OF New
York of large British force, under the two Howes
| Our young artillery captain was called into acu'e
service. and, in the disastrous retreat from Long
Island, he lost his baggage and one of bis guns IL
soon became necessary to abandon New'fork' sno
Washington retired with bis army to the upper
part of the island. Il was here that Hamilton,
| while employed in the construction OF an earth
work first attracted the attention OF the CON-
mander.in Chief who invited him to his quarters
Hamilton's artillery, now attached to MeDou'
gals brigade, formed part Of the force OF sixteen
hundred men which held Chattertons HIl-the
attack upon which by the British is commonly
known as the battle of White Plains. Again the
Americans we're forced to retreat, but Hamilton's
conduct in the engagement was such a. fully to sat.
| isfy his commander.
He followed Washington in the dispiriting re-
treat through the Jerseys, and his guns helped to
check the advance of CORVALLIS, who came
upon the retreating forces with double their num-
bers as they were crossing the Raritan. Ham-
toms company was also in the battles Of Trenton
and Princeton, by all which hard services it was
| reduced to twenty-five men.
Hamilton's spirit and ability had not escaped mo-
tice, and he had been invited by two major generals
to take place in their staff These invitations he
| had declined, but he accepted a similar offer from
Washington and on the lst of March, 1777, was
| announced in orders as aid-de.camp to the Com
mander.inC G. ief with tho rank Of lieutenant
| colonel.
What Washington most wanted in his aides.de-
camp and what he found it extremely difficult to
get, was assistance in the multifarious correspond
ence he was obliged to carry on-persons able to
think as well as to write for him-qualifcatOns
not easily found, but which Hamilton possessed in
high degree, and of which Washington largely
ayaied himsef
In fact, the bulk of this volume, which comes
down only to the close of the year l779, is made
up of extracts from letters written, rs the compiler
expresses himself, "by Hamilton over Washing
toms signature The narrative of events thus
given is further illustrated from HamiltOns cor
respondence with the Council of Safety Of New
York. his private letters, and by extracts from the
letters or other actors in the scene, diligent use
having apparently been made of the collection of
the papers of Gen. Gates, deposited with the New
York Historical Society. All other known sources
of information, printed or manuscript, have been
diligently put into requisitOn. 1t is, however, to
be regretted that the dates Of the letters quoted
are not more uniformly given, and that in some
cases we are neither furnished with the name of
the writer nor with that of the person TO whom
they were addressed, both circumstances of prime
-, mi, tba 10
be attached to such documents.
Were We to judge by the lamentations with
which for two or three years past the newspaper
press has abopnded, might imagine that section
alism was quite new thing in our politics. hor-
rid monster now for the first time heard of. This
is very great mistake as all familiar with our his.
tory are fully aware, and as is most abundanty de.
mOnstrated in this volume. The point most strlk.
ingly brought out in it is the very high degree of
sectional jealousy and personal antpsthy, and the
extremely low estimate of each other, whether as
to talents or honesty, which prevailed among the
cliques and parties into which the heroes of the
Revolution and the founders of our Republic were
diyided-a state Of things not in any respect ex-
ceeded by the similar antipahes and feelings of the
pIetenL WOnlent Anu IRON tnls We arc duthoI-
lied to derive consolation and encouragement. II
infant liberty in its cradle survived those sectional
ealOuses may we not expect that the hstreds,
ealouses suspicious, plots, violences and contra.
dietions Of interest and ideas of the present day
will be in like manner surmOunted!
The origin of the trouble at that time was not
without certain degree of resemblance to the
causes of our existing political divisions. New
England was altogether too radical, too fsnatcal,
too democratic, too much carried away with IDEAS
of equality, to suit the temper or to cooperate
kindly with the gentry Of the Middle and Southern
Colonies" to borrow the phrase of our author.
Then as now it was with the gentry" that the
political leadership Of the South rested. The great
of the population counted in that respect for
little or nothing; whereas in New-Engand it was
absolutely necessary to take into account the opin-
ions and preudices of the Masses the body OF the
people being impressed with the inconvenient idea
that they too must be consulted; while on the other
hand the gentry of the Southern and Middle Col
onies felt and expressed toward these Pragmstica
and insOent New Englanders and their representa-
tives in Congress much the same feelings enter
tanned and expressed to-day by our Southern slave
holders for the laborng Inhabitants of the demo-
cratic section of the Union-New England having
gradually extended itself since the Revolution
through New.York into Ohio and the Far West.
These feelings of sectional jealousy and dispar.
sgement having led to the denuneston of the New.
England officers az Doors and her soldiers as cow
.r1s a cbaroe IN which too much color Has given