, 1879-07-27


In the way OF original suggestion. We can see.
however, that be Was aware of the necessity OF
cxempttng tile head Of a nation from sou OF
! the conditions and temptations Of ordinary
human lite. he wished the President to be
elected for fixed term OF seven years, and tneo
to be ineligible for seven Years more. he was
opposed to Hamilton's scheme OF q Senate elect
ed for life; aud he thought that on some SUB.
jects OF vital importance vote Of two-thlrds OF
the Whule Legislature ought to be required.
The present Constitution, in some Of its lead
ing features, was comDromise-a part or tue
chronic, still unended compromise-betHeen the
North and the South. He held himself Tree
from the intrtgues OF the closing weeks. he told
Mr.. Jefferson, in 1872 that the Constitution, az
agreed to fortnight before the Convention
arose, was one to which he would have Set both
his hands and his heart. Probably there was
not q man in the Convention who knew less
either of science or the history OF government
than the President OF the body. It was simply
bis knowledge Of average men which led him to
the conclusion that the chief of nation must be
personally dfsinterested in the conduct ~'of al
fairs,-as much so IS the foreman OF jury III
the cases which he decides. It Is to be lamcnted
that the President OF the Convention, welding
such an uneuualed influence. should have been
unable to contribute ANYTHING to the Constitu-
tion from the past experience OF mankind.
!. When Hamilton asserted, in season and out OF
season, that monarchy was the only government
L1Ak ua11f Tx CQuIA AaFCs RAs oSee ~ 0SA1AA~e51
very slight knowledge, even OF the history
of that century, would have shown that
monarchy Is, OF all conceivable governments, the
one most dependent upon accidents. The "nole
history of Europe refutes Hamilton. A compe~
tent statesman must possess more knowledge
than bis own experience furnishes, OF his own
mind evolves. 1t Gen. Washington, during the
fifteen years when he had lived peacefully at
home, Virginia country-sentleman, bad spent
few hours week In the study OF men anu
events as they are conveniently massed aud
grouped in books, be would have been better
ablo to meet the arguments of the reactionar5
party In the Convention,
The Presidency ct Gen. Washington would be
highly Interesting study II only we could ap'
proach it without passion and Without preju-
one. Who will ever be ablea Some OF the ques-
tasked the judgment Of the first
Presidenr can never be discussed By
mortal men without degree OF warmth which
may ut any moment blaze up into fiery passion; !;
our interests are involved in them, as we'll as
our feelings; they belong to that system Of re-
adjustment which goes IN forever between the
interests OF the few and the interests Of the
whole. For the first time In bia life Gen. Wash
ington had to deal with subjects for the due
consideration OF which bis past experience
HAD GIVEN HIN NO PREPARATION.
Never was public trust more conscientiously
fulfilled; never was an Administration conauct-
cit with an eye more single to the public good: !:
the most trivial appointment and the most i'm
Dortant measure we're equally subjected to the
test of intrinsic fitness. On The moral side, the
conduct OF the President Was absolutely without
aaw. But partial history (shere being no such
thing as impartial history will lament
that the weight aud influence OF Gen.
Washington should have been given finally to
purity notSn harmony with the genius of the
country, and strangely incapable Of wise con-
duct. Partial hi tory, say, will lament this.
WHAT view impartial history would take of it, II
there were such a thing, it would be waste OF
time to inquire. ..:
Surely it was not wise, in Cabinet Of four
members. to placc" two mcu who could contrib
u:e so little to its sum OF intelligence as Gen.
Knox and Edmund Randolph: Events proved
the incompetcncy OF both, as well in private af-
fairs as in public. Both had served with the
General In lhe field, aud We know that for Knox
be had feeling warmer than friendshfp,-he
'"loyed" him; nIlu we may fairly infer that this
comradesIip bad much to do with both Appoint
ments. Edmund Z .ndoiph, moreover, had lost
his inheritance by esDpus.ng the cause of his
country wnen hs fa ner had adhered to that OF
the Klng. Hamilton and Jefferson, the other
members, we're men Of honor, ability, and
force, equally concerned for the welfare of the
conntry; but they differed totally and hopeless
1y rs to The means OF secur.ug that welfare.
With what patience the President beWildered
sometimes bv their vehement Debates strove
to hold the balance between those two positive
aud rreconcilable spirits! For mis- own part. he
had confidence only in = the teachngs OF cx-
perience. Theories we're Of little weight With
him: he could scarcely conceive how men so
to be could maintain theories OF government
with SO much ardor- In one particular: he
greatly surpassed both Of his chief advisers; he
did justice to their motives. AS Jefferson re-
versed in financial projects, calculations,
and budgets;'' and, SO far as he ap-
proved Of Hamilton's financial system, his
approval was founded on his confidence in the
man. He had as little sympathy With the en-
thusiasm which Jefferson brought home from
France for equal liberty and equal rights; but
be thought those opinions were salutary as
s. q check" " upon Hamilton's conservative con-
yictions. He was conscious that neither OF
those men possessed the whole truth Of poll
tics but supposed that each of them had val
uahle part Of it. II JefFersnn held the right
sentiment, Hamilton, perhaps, had the right
methods, or was capable OF furnishing them;
and. from the conflict OF two minds SO fiercely
adverse,
He HOPED THE TRUTH WOULD ISSUE.
jefferson, trained from youth lp republican
ideas, believed that men could govern them
selves, as we'll on the great scale as on the small:
Hamilton, rs We know, not merely did not hold
this opinion, but had litte patience with it; he
held it II contempt, as an evidence OF provin-
c;al narrowness or fanaticism. :Ycferson, ma
tive OF Virginia, descended from Jefferson who
was member OF the first Legislative BODY that
ever sat on the Western Continent, Virginian .
Of the Virglnians, was opposed by patriotic H.
stinct to eTery measure which mafle Virginia
seem anything less than sovereign. Hamilton,
not a native Of The country, was devoid of sym-
York and with the pride: OF Virginians in Vir-
ginia. He would have willingly seen State GOV
ernment abolished aud State lines obiiterated
No man unassisted bv feeling would have been
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