The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-06-30

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Thy fallen brother needs it; =
K0w easy and how small the cost
With peace and comfort speed it
Then drive the shadow from thy cheek,
A smile can well replace it; 1sas s1ls
Our voice In music when we speak
With gentle words to grace it.
AIexnnde1. TEnIn.Iltosl, the Antas.
tal Onist of Anr-on Burr.
Having recently briefly portrayed
the character of Aaron Burr. the
third Vice President Of the United
States, we are naturally led to make
some observations upon the listin
guished man with whom, by an un-
fortunate accident, his lite and for
tunes were 80 singularlY connected.
We a1lude to Alexander Hamilton.
The United States will, In the brief
period OF seven years, reach the even
century that commamorates their
birth. In that period they have pro-
duced but TIVE men who's the French
would call I0ctriaQireS. They were
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander
ii amilton. They were the founders
Of political schools that exist to this
day. Mr.. Jefferson organized the
Democratic party-Mr. Hamilton
the opposition. We. are now but
lighting over the battles, in our poiit-
ical contests, which had their origin
in the brains of those two intellectual
leviathans. That Mr. Hamilton was
wonderful prodigy, every thing
connected with him bears witness.
He was born of Scotch pareu tage, on
the island of st. Thomas, in the
West Indies, in 1T60. AT the age of
sixteen or seventeen he came to the
United States. OF course his eduea-
ton, at that period, could not have
been-We will not say the highest
but even the ordinary schooling be-
slowed in that day even upon aead-
emicians. BE had hardly arrived
here before he took an active interest
in our Revolutionary struggle then
going on. His prejudiees, by birth
and education, would haVenaturalIy
been on the Tory or British side,
but he was not their friend, He
embraced the side of the Colohists,
and his able pen in their behalf soon
became conspicuous.
On account of his literary, political
and practical talent, he was, at the
early age OF seventeen, selected by
General Washington as his private
and confidential secretary. In that
position he acquired an unbounded
ascendency over the mind of that
distinguished man. who, in most
other cases. was 50 cold and imper-
V1ous 20 any other influence. The
ascendenoy continued as long as they
both lived. No man with whom he
was ever acquainted seemed so singu-
larly TO. influence Washington as
Alexander Hamilton. At only one
time did there ever appear an alter
ration between them. Gen, WASH
ington was noted for his punetuality.
He had an appointment with his
Secretary at particular hour toward
the close Of the war. Mr.. Hamilton
in meeting it was detained by the
button-hole, for five or ten minutes,
by the Marquis de Lafayette
Washington was highly incensed,
and so expressed himself to his Sec
retary. The latter Immediately re-
signed and, although the flienified
and stately Washington su5sedueat-
ly wrote note OF apology I'd a Young
man who was hardly twenty years
of age, the latter refused to resume
the position which, in a moment of
passion, he had abandoned.
The favorable impression male by
Hamilton during the war upon ali
his cotemporarIes was eYinced by
his marriage. He was united to the
eldest daughter of General Philip
Schuyler, of New York, probably
then the richest man in America-a
man of wonderful pride and haught-
iness. Hamilton had no fortune but
that gained by his sword, and was
what might be considered in those
days q 00rUe1lts. But by his intel
lcctual force and power he bore off
one of the richest heiresses of Amer
lea, at time when the distinctions
of rank and wealth were quite as
great in ordinary life as they now
aIe between the white and black
races. We carried through the Rev
olutiOnary Waf-on the State Rights
principle. Every thing important
had to be approved by the action of
the State Legislatures. This process
was Slow and although it proved
successful 1t did not meet the aDprO-
bation Of Mr.. Hamilton. He was
for a strong centralized government.
10 him and James Madison, of Wir-
ginia, are chiefly due, not only the
idea, but the formation of our Fed
eral Constitution. They were the
leading members of the Convention
that adopted it. They were the
main authors of series of papers
called the Fedsr0llSE, which COM
mended il to the people, and which
to-day. are standard authority for its
construction and interpretation. So
strongly was Mr.. Hamilton in favor
of union of the States, that he ac-
cepted 8 plan which fell far short of
his original design. His draught of
Constitution was for a President
and q United States Senate for lie,
with other features equally aristo-
cratic. In combating the objections
Of the State Rights men in New
York 10 its adoption, he admitted
thai there could be no coercion of
any State many event by the Federal
Government.
When General Washington became
President he selected Thomas Jeffer-
son for Secretary of State, and Alex
ander Hamilton for Secretary Of the
Treasury. There was a constant
war between Them. Mr.. Jeffer-
son was seventeen years older than
Mr.. Hamilton. lie was diff rent
IN temperament, IN character and
Ia political opinion. Jefferson was
an extreme, radical Democrat. Ham
iltorn was a senli-monarchlst. For
the sake of harmony in the Cabinet
they both resigned. Hamilton was
a poor financial manager. He left
the Office of the Treasury q defaulter,
but the claim was afterWard arrang-
ed, His retiring from the Cabinet
did not interrupts his intimacy with
General W ashingtOn. He had pre-
viously written most of Washing
TOMS State papers, civil as we'll as
military. { He was asked to write his
Farewell Address. He complied,
and the result was one of the most
brilliant political documents in our
annals. he comprehended General
Washington's character and position
and gave such counsel to the people
as would naturally flow from his
pen. The General accepted the
draught, and only made a few verbal
alterations. This being document
OF such Importance, and being writ
ten in great confidence, we have
often felt that Mr.. Hamilton was
inconsiderate in placing the original
copy with his own papers, where it
was found and published by his son