Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-12-04
ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

C.. Hamilton, the son OF ALEXANDER Liam
ilton, to whom the city is indebted lot
the statue. and who is now 50 years. Oh
age, made the following speech, formal
ly addressed to Mayor Cooper
Upon IL base OF granite rock, with a tracing
Of forest trees marking its central position. iac,
ing the rising sun, is now beheld the statue Oh
nv father. With reverence iGr ms chalaSt..;
and valuIng the sympsthies oil tiis ais,iasrnnni;s
ussemblage, 1 present II TO this imetroloi.s
through your honor, the esteemed niatoi'
Though preferring that 1t was the :lct oil staeIs,
1 may he permitted to avow aHuI. nenI .e
close Of a century oil our national existenSe,
time having developed the uiiiiiS D Il MS Punu
services. and of the lessons Of his policy. Ina t
this memorial may aid IN their being reca'ea
and use fully appreciated under the blessings 81
Il constitution ordained and established oS '"e
people of the United States OF America.
The statue was then uncovered. 1t IS
by Conrads, and is said to be q perfect
Likeness of Hamilton.
1t is gratifying that, az years alter
the death OF the statesman father, the
author son should be permitted to do 50
graceful an act OF duty as an American
And before the memory of
Hamilton. patriot, soldier and states
man. zone will iorbear to All
honor to thee, Hamilton, that thou vast
an American rather than au English
man, and tina: thy great intellect was
honestly dedicated for many years to
thy country.
We do not propose to enter into the
"details of Ramilton's lite. 1t will be
remembered that he was a brave ohcer
in the revolutionary army, was aide de-
camp and secretary to Washington. was
the first secretary of the treasury. hav-
ing previously been prominent in the
formation and adoption of the constitu-
ton Of the United States.
What we desire to notice are the
words of the son directed toward the
hope that the policy OF the father might
be recalled and appreciated. We are
the more moved to this task by a re-
mark made by the presidenL-elect, when.
as a candidate, a lew weeks ago. ne
said in a speech made IN New YORK,
that the principles of Hamilton were be
ginning to dominate in the minds OF the
people OF this country, and he was glad
of it. Following the lead Of a greater
mind a lesser one, but still a menace Ill
our politics, the sx-president, q consplc-
!, uous figure in these c~erenoniais. has
reiterated the sentiment. One OF these
gentleman has been elected president
the other still hopes again to be cleo
tied. 1t is q serious question, therefore,
to know what these gentlemen mean
when they say they are ''slad OF it."
Glad OF what?
Hamilton was a nan of genius, nc
j doubt, but he was q monarchlst. lie
was a splendid %inancier, but he was $
csptralist. He believed in the rule o
IN aristecracy, and in the submission o
The masses. For instance, what coule
. more clearly indicate this than the fol
: lowing language used by him in tn
u convention which framed the constitu
ton, and which was recently quoted Ii
an able article in the St. Louis kepub
= lican:-
O .I believe the British government FERNS til
g hes, model tie world ever produced All com
munitIes divide themselves into the lew IN
many. The few are the rich and we'll born; III
.;h-rs are the mass OF the people The voice Z
y dne people is said 10 bs the voice OF God, but
IS not true IN fact. The people are turbuie'
III and Changing. They seldom judge erdeteriuiI
tightly. Give, therefore, the rich and We
.0rn \ permanent share in the government
i,u cannot have . good executive on the oeihe
cratic plan
re At the particular time that this spsec
was uttered. the English govsrnmer
oil was as venal and corrupt. as hone.
Ell combed with moral and iiduciary TO
~teuness as it ever was in all of its hi
% tory, and this is saying much. Upe
-, this model Hamilton would have fcrmt
lie a government for his country. He e
:, saved it. He formulated a constltutio
in which there was as little as might
of the voc popuH ror Del. 1t was tr
l" to his theory OF the few against
"a" many. 1t vas rejected; and so gre
was the suspicion engendered in t
III minds OF the people. that when the &C
~v.ution did finally submit a constitute
err HamiIton's state. New York, held ba
er- until eleven of the thirteen states had
'pe proved it, and was mainly induced to g
the its assent by the favorable course tai
by the greatest Of the commonwealth
the political councils of the country
"a sinia. When the constitution vas be
debated and adopted, the author of
declaration OF independence was rep
sentins his country in France His
.ence from home was the greatest
las lamity thai ever betsl the count
xis- Though separated from America by
ives ocean, he made himself heard and
ave in the councils of his countrymen, br
he had led, with his matchless skill
ton language, and correct ideas of the RIG
Of oil man, there would have been no
.rlv biguties on which aiterward to bull
fedsralist party. As Hamilton dele
ed the tories. and advocated = pr
LEGGED class, SO Jefferson hated arts
racy, and revered the voice OF the I
Pile. We are still fighting the battl
Jefferson against Hamilton. Upon
one side is arrayed the old republ
now democratic party on the other
IONA %misnamed corporation o known
enix, the republican party. Since the re
,teen election we occasionally see a new
muir per which says that the democ
party, to succeed. must be more
gressive; must start something
wv Nothing that we know Of would be
49, progressive than The principles ia
~ by Jeiferson-no!hmg Or
fascinating to every patriot who
his fellow man. We have retrogl
rs OF so far into q second feudal age,
ID tor masters being corporations, that
,gton. o!d-iashioned democracy would b
ms to a new revelation. What demo
needs is to be democratic-what it
do to succeed Is to have the cours
'"o''A its convictions. Hamilton favored
Pa %tional bank Jefferson opposed it
-" democratic doctrine, as old as the
800 itself. to oppose this monopoly. l
fought 1t; Jackson stamped it OF
is founded on the doctrine that q !