Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-11-02
Opinions OF Alexander Hamilton Appiicn
bic 10 the Present Crisis.

" Few persons will be so visionary ms seriously
to contend that military forces ought not TO be
raised to quel rebellion or resist an INVASION
and if the defence Of the community, under such
circumstances should make it necessary to have
an army so numerous as to hazard its liberty,
/ this is one of those calamitcs for which there is
neither preventive nor Federalist, No
/ XTTL
sThe hope of impunity is a strong induce
mept to sediton the dread of punishment, a
proportionaby strong Encouragement to it. VIII
/ not the Government Of the Union-whch, if pos
scssod of due degree of power, can call to its
aid the collective resources of the whole con-
federacy-be more likely to repress the former
sentiment, and to inspire the latter, than that oi
a single State, which can only command the re-
sources within Y'-Federalist No. XRVH
"That there may happen cases in which the
National Government may be under the necessl-
ty Of resorting to force, cannot be denied.
Sediions and instructions are. unhapplly,
maladies as inseperabe from the body polite, as
tumors and eruptions from the nataral body.
The idea of governing at all times by the
simple force Of law, (Which we have been told is
the only admissible principle Of republican gov
ernment) has no place but in The revery of those
political doctors whose sagacty disdans the
admonitions Of experimental instruction
"Should such emergencies at any time happen
under the National Government, there could be
I no Itlutty Dul IOtCc. nc Hlfuuo ~ bC Cih-
ployod must lie proportional to the extent Of the
mischief. f."-FeaeraiiSt, No. XVIII
"In times of insurrecton, or invasion, it would
be natural and proper that the militia OF a neigh
boring State should be marched another, to resist
common enemy, or to guard the republic
against the vocnccs Of faction or sediton."-
BcderGlist. No. -K4YIY.
"The scheme to separate confederaces will
always multiply the chances Of ambition, will be
neverialllng bait to all such influential charac-
ters in the State administration as are capable
of preicrring their own cmolument and advance
ment to the public weal."- Federaltst, No. LIK.
These declarations. remarks an eastern writer,
derive additional weight from the fact that they
were published to the people before the adoption
Of the Constitution. Yet was the Constitution
made by the people the " law of the land
Hamilton speaks Of the vigor and energy which
should distinguish the Executive Does any one
suppose that Hamilton, or Washington, or Jeiler
son. if President in April and May, 1861 would
have permitted rebeA 10 seize our Virginia Navy
Yard, and steal $500 cannon? Or to march
100000 strong to within thirty miles of Washing
ton, and, at their leisure, erect batteries, TO kill
Union soldiers? Or to sweep our commerce
from the ocean by their pirates? Or to spend
months in the iortiiication Of the Potomac by
hostile batteries? Or would for six weeks have
left Sumter with a suffering garrison, without
raising an arm TO reinforce the loyal little band
These are gleQt errors, and will cost us millions of
money. perhaps thousands Of lives! Let uS not
again have 10 cry, " Awake! thou that sleep
est" Now happily aroused, let MS have no
more . folding Of the hands to sleep"