Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-09-02

ed to others who are wholly incapable
of them. The opinion was industri-
ously propagated and accepted by a
great many as true that Hamilton
wrote the farewell address of Wash
ington, but the evidence is conclusive
which shows that every word of that
immortal production came from Wash
ington himself; and Hamilton could
not have written it any more than he
could have made the world. Some of
Jackson's most characteristic papers,
bearing the full impress of his own
mind, were habitually credited TO per-
sons of far inferior ability. When it
was charged against Jefferson that he
wrote Logan's speech, he solemnly de-
clared that he was unequal to such
composition. | am not affecting mod
esty when | claim credence of my
present denial for similar reason. l
could not have written Hancock's No.
40-not because pretend to be dumb
or altogether unskilled in the use of
the English words, but because if /
had undertaken to write it the chances
are ninety-nine in hundred that my
augmentation would have marred its
majestic simplicity and greatly dimin-
ished its power. When public man,
especially a military man, meets n
grave responsibility, saying no more
nor less than just the thing he ought,
but saying that with unequivocal
clearness, you may be sure he is the
interpreter of his own thoughts. At
any rate, the attempt is unjust to bas-
tardize No. 40 by assigning to it an
origin totally different from the true
one.
Why should my opinion bo asked or
volunteered on General Hancock as q
civilian Anybody else who has
watched his life is as good a judge as
l, and there are thousands who know
him much better. But since the ques-
tion is propounded will answer, sub
ject to fair correction, that he has in
him the highest and best qualities of a
Republican ruler. ! think his fidelity
to sound principles, coupled with his
sound judgment, will entitle him to
rank with the great Presidents of form
er times. | do not compare him with
Washington, for the grandeur Of that
character is and will remain forever
unapproachable. but | do say that
Washington, if placed in his situation,
would have acted precisely as he did.
His patriotism has not the impulsive
ardor of Jackson's; but his fidelity to
the truth, his love of justice and his
scorn of wrong, are quite as unmis-
taxable. lie is not a doctrinaire, like
Jefferson, for his busy life has left him
no time to study the abstract philoso-
ply of politics, but his practical good
sense knows the right intuitively and
always catches the nearest way to do
it. If he be elected, the ability of his
administration will inspire universal
respect, and his moderation and mag
nanimity will conciliate even his ene-
mics. / have the fullest faith that he
will not only keep his oath to preserve,
protect and defend the Constitution,
but will so carry out its provisions
that the great objects of its trainers as
expressed in the preamble will be
fully accomplished-"To form more
perfect Union, to establish justice, to
insure domestic tranquility, to provide
for the common defense, TO promote
the general welfare and to secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity." ]. S. BLACK.