The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1868-12-09

received MS collegiate euucatlon. PuOlIc
attention was drawn TO him by speech
which he delibered at meeting held in
New York, July 8. l774, connected with
the selection Of delegates to the proposed
Continental Congress. He was only seven
teen when he made the speech that brought
him into public notice, and only nineteen
when he was commissioned as captain Of
artillery.
Between that period and his early death
at the age 0! forty-seven, by the hands Of
Burr, he had led career second in distinc-
ton TO few Americans OF that era, 1t was
q weakness Of Hamiton thathe should have
permitted such 4 life as his 10 end by q
practice whichhe emphaticaIly condemned,
and by which he had lost his eldest son, q
youth OF twenty, 10 a political duel some
two years before. Yet il deserves to be
remembered that it was in his character as
public man that he accepted the challenge
Of Burr, in his own statement OF his motives
saying that "the ability to be 10 future
nseful, whether in resisting mischief or af-
facting good in those crises OF our public
affairs which seem likely 10 happen, would
probably be inseparable from conformity
with prejudice in this particular"
In The present tendency towards consoli.
dation ol power in the general government,
the mind naturally recurs to Alexander
Hamilton ss a man who went farfhed
among The trainers Of the constitution for q
strong national government. And certain
ly If that were to be the goal at which, BY
devious and bloody ways, we we're at last
to arrive. il would have saved the country
long years Of tionalstruggles. ending in
civil war, il il had been so nominated ~
the bond" There were two prcmlnent
projects before the convention which IRAN.
ed the constitution. one known as the Viz
ginis plan, which was the basis Of the cen-
stitution actually adopted. and the other
the New Jersey plan. being only the fhen
esisting confederation, amended ~an q few
particulars. General Hamilton. prepared
the Virginia plan, though he did not consi-
der that it was stringent enough to secure
the object in view. A written sketch
which he offered 20 The convention, not with
an idea that il could be,adopted, but as IN
iicating such frame of government as he
would prefer, included ian Assembly to be
elected BY the people for.three years. Sc
nate to be chnsen by electors chosen BY the
people, tnhoid Office during good behaviour.
and . Governo. chosen also lor good beha-
,iour by electors. The Governor was 10
have an absoluie negative on all laws, and
! the appointment of all officers, subject TO
the approval Of the Senate. The Cover
nors Of the States we're to be appointed ey
the general government, and wersato have
q negative on all State laws. TIE power
Of declaring war and oi ratifying treaties
WAS TO be invested in the Senate" Mr..
Hamilton argued that il was necessary to
establish a national government 50 power
fol and influential as 10 create an interest
ia its support strong enough TO counterba-
lance the State governments aud to reduce
them TO subordinate importance. IL he
coald rise from the dead nc would be as
tonished, as well as most OF his cotempora-
ries, TO see how that object has been accom-.
plished without any Of the complicated ma
ehinery for the purpose which he had de.
yised. As but few powers were eonhded 70
the general government, and The great mass
of those powers by which the citizen is
brought into contact with the government
was reserved to the States, and 40 II wss
natural that more interest should be mani.
tested 10 home affairs ,hsn those Of gene.
raj character. few eocld anticipate that, in
the practical workings Of our system, the
brilliant prizes OF federal office would At.
tract all eyes to the general government as
Co the central sun from which the other por.
tions Of the planetary system were to de.
rive light and warmth that presidential
contests would carry With them al Others
State, and even county that the few emu
msrated powers conferred upon the general
government would be 90 strained by iorced
constructions Of the constitution ss to make
IL almost new instrument. and powers as