The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-10

f:,l an pacIty he possesseds ne Qiu hot p.o
r -, belong 10 the race OF geniuses, yet n's
mind was OF that rare quality that he couiu
readily takesthe measure OF whatever topc
really arrested bis attention: and though hls
opinions were not, like the Pope's, always
infallibIe, yes they were seldom lar Wlone
and on several occasions the expression VI
bia views determined questions OF. conse,
aueuce long before his powers had reacneo
thsseason Of their maturity.
1.-THE breaking out Of the Revolution nsm
ilton did not hesitate to declare that nc mas
ambitious to rise; aud when be mrs. pe:anie
acquainted with Washington, anu na9 saso
| fully observed him, he was gao 10 uuu
| ing 10 whom he could look up 10 VIII pIo.
fonnd resnect. Once only, as believe, was
oood understanding between them inter.
runted. Hamilton conceived himself 10 nave
been affronted by Washington; but IL IS
h;ohlv honorable to both men that wnen Tue
sober second thought came on Hamilton em'
hraced the earliest suitable opportunity 10
res,ore himself to friendly relations Win DIS
ohief From that time forth the conduct OF
Hamilton toward Washington was IKE tbat
| of sensible and devoted son to klno ana
mapnanimous father.
sfter the close of the war Hamilton be-
came an important member of the CABINET
of Washington; but we pass by his relations
9th the Government for the simple reason
that we have not space to do justice to mat.
ters NJ interest which might suggest them
selres. In his relations with the Govern
ment he might have promoted his own inter-
ests hut he did not and though he was as
sailed with rancor and bitterness, he scarce.
10 ever lost his self-possessou, nor ever fal.
tered in the discharge OF his duty. When
he left the Cabinet Washington gave him
Testimonial of bis confidence and esteem as
high as could well be put together in words;
and even Mr.. jefferson, who occasioned al
most the whole war against Hamilton, at the
last hour speaks Of his high opinion OF his
"capacity, integrity, and honor"
It is distressing to think of one like HAM
ilton being cut of in the prime of lille on
what is called field Of honor; aud It seems
very strange, when we think LITTLE, that
brave man who has confronted danger ana
death in a thousand forms should think it
necessary 10 give another sort of excuse
for taking away his life to prove his own
lack of fear.
Could we be oblivious of the present it
would be with proud feeling we should go
back to the time when such men as Hsmi-
ton were actors upon the public stage and
bethink us of what those noble men did on
,ehalf of civil liberty. In theory their work
seemed almost perfect but in falling to pro-
vide that the Constitution should never be
administered except BY honest and wise men
they made sad mistake, and gave the world
another proof how easy it Is for meu's bet
endeayors TO he MARRIED By plrtisanry and
fanaticism. AS we now stand With our mem
: cries abou! US, and in the very presence OF
thousand unpleasant contingencies, and see
hate mistaken for virtue, and the bayonet
reckoned of more value than the Constltu-
ton. which it has pierced until it lies bleed.
ing at every pore, we cannot help asking our
, selves. Are these the fruits for which our no.
, bile ancestors fought at BuDker's Hill, and at
Kings Mountain, and at Yorktown:
Let it not be fancied that the writer would
prefer that our Revolution had been failure.
: and that we were now under the sway OF
Queen Victoria (whom Heaven bless. No !
E suppose that the loss OF the American colo-
nics was blow which suggested an import
ant lesson to the British Government, and |
: should be glad 10 see the Confederate war
, turned 10 the same good account. George
| the III. and bis friend North somewhat
like Grant and his man Williimsl supposed
that constitutions were not made for appre-
cialiye men like themselves; but when The
SWORD OF COT0WatllS Ieli iIOu us pauu a1
Yorktown new ray of light was let in upon
the British Government, and from that hour
the tendency of governmental movement in
England has been toward liberalization. u
at the present day l had ample means, and
wanted to sit down quietly and close my lie
10 peace, should be willing to depart for
England and take up my abode under the
prot ection of the British sceptre.' But what
did 1 say? I beg pardon of Old Virginia
for the uppatrio;ic utterancc. am willing
to remain under tue shadow of her wings !:
and if had the gold Of CrG.us would lay
it in her lap. Tuen, as TO the love bear
her, think it is more intense 90 account OF
the discreet fortiude with which she has borne
her humiiations than it would be If Lee bad
brought back the Army Of Northern Virgil
mia with victorious banners 10 Richmond
aud the emblem Of the Con'ederacy were
fl Eating in triumph upon the capitol of the
Old Dominion. y. X. Il.
Uopc,reN, Hanorer, Va.