The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-03
sONB NEW B0oKa
A Life OF Alexander Hamilten.


Biographies OF American Statesmen" now
publishing by Messrs. Houghton. Mifin Co..
is LiJeo Of Alexander Hamilton. by HENRY CABOT
LODGE This estimate OF the part played by
Hamilton in the history OF this country Is can
did and judicious and in respect Of literary
workmanship the book is fully up to the high
standard established by the companion volumes
in this collection.
At the outset Of tho biography Mr.. Lodge en-
counters the vexed question touching the date
and circumstances Of the great Federaist's
birth. 1t is undisputed that he was British
subject born in the West India island Of Nevis
According to the usually accepted account OF
his parentage. he was the legitimate son OF u
Scotch merchant. This version rests on mca-
gre statement made by Hamilton himself. and
on n narrative given by Mr. John c. Hamilton.
which is termed by the present biographer
vague and unsupported" On the ground.
however. that the joint authority OF Hamilton
and his son should be deemed sufficient in the
absence OF convincing proof to the contrary.
Mr.. Lodge has repeated their assertions in the
text OF this volume, but In the appendix he
follows Bancroft in casting strong doubts on
their correctness. He defends his discussion
of this matter by the plea that 1t would not
have been honest to suppress evidence i'm
portant though inconclusive. in regard to the
birth and parentage OF a man who has left such
deep marks Of his personal influence upon the
institutions Of the United States He accord
ingly sets forth at length the evidence for the
tradition that Hamilton was tho illegitimate
son Of a rich West Indian planter or me, chant.
at the same time pointing out that such u
story. II true. would not reflect upon him or
upon those who bear his name. His remarka-
BILE rise seems honorable alike to his talents
and his character when it IL remembered that
he came to this country stranger and mere
boy from an obscure island. one OF the pettiest
possessions Of England and that. unsupported
by wealth. and unaided by family connections.
he made his way to the very highest plane in
everything which he attempted. 1t is properly
remarked bv Mr.. Lodge that IL to all the other
difficulties which Hamilton overcame that OF
illegitmacy may be added. 1t constitutes q new
title to the respect OF the world for his genius
and force OF character. 1t is only one Of the
penalties Of his greatness that thereby the ques
ton Of his birth and parentage has assumed
considerable historical interest.
Whatever may be the truth about Hamiltons
parentage. We know that he arrived In New
York toward the close Of 1772. being then. as
he himself says. about sixteen years old He
at once entered grammar school at Elizabeth
town. N. j., and at the end Of a year matricu-
York. It is noteworthy that in his freshman
year he addressed public meeting on behalf
OF the colonial cause. and few months after
ward attacked the Tories in q pamphlet OF
some seventy-eight pages. This and other
tracts on the patriot side attracted SO much
attention that the young author received
tempting offers from the Tories Such was the
prominence which he rapidly acquired among
the Wings that when. in 1776. the New York
Convention ordered company OF artillery TO
be raised. the command was conferred or
Hamilton. although at that time he was bu.
nineteen years OLD. The boy Captain won his
spurs at the disastrous battle Of Long Island.
whore with great GOODNESS he brought up the
rear In the skilful retreat which saved the
army. From New York Hamilton accompanied
the Continental forces In their march through
New Jersey. and shared in the engagements at
Trenton and Princeton. The reputation which
he had acquired In six months of fighting led
to his appointment on March l. l777. as one Of
Washingtons aides. with the rank Of Lieuten-
nt-Colonel In his new position his principal
occupation was in the conduct of Washingtons
Immense correspondence. In regard to the
endless documents which issued from head
quarters while Hamilton was secretary. there
has been q great deal Of discussion but we
concur with Mr. Lodge in pronouncing 1t alb
surd to claim for Hamilton the merit of all tho
correspondence which bears Washngton's
name. but which is in the handwriting of his
aide camp. and to speak as if Hamilton
was the man who directed the movements of
armies and instructed Congress In their duty.
1t ia doubtless true that nothing passed
through Hamiltons hands without being put
In finished and effective form but We deem
1t equally certain that the central ideas and
,;,,1a
word or dictated at length. We're the intellectual
property OF the man who signed the letters
and reports with the name of George Washing
ton. The kernel Of a letter often lies in a sim
pie negative or Affirmative which, when appro-
priately expressed. may cover pages. but the
real author OF the letter Is be who directs the
decisive yes " or no" and not the man who
merely clothes tho thoughts in fitting words.
Hamilton's marriage to the daughter Of Gen.
Schuyler. which took place in December 1880,
was u fortunate event for the young officer. He
was no longer q nameless adventurer. but be-
came a member of a strong family. deeply root
ed in the soil. 1t is not doubtful that the wide
connection thus formed must have been of great
use to him when. after leaving the army he
betook himself to the bar, rs well as in pro-
noting his political influence in the State Of
New York. In June. 1882. we find him ap-
poluteu Wy noucTl SOutlneHtul receiver
OF taxes for New York. and a few months after
ward elected by the Legislature to Congress-
DO far as results were concerned his Congress
sional service was failure. for his energies
dashed themselves in vain against the general
Indifference 10 q consolidation of the Govern
ment. 1t was apparently his experience in the
Congress OF the Confederation which pro-
foundly modified his political views. He had
previously regarded Senates as dangerously
Rristocratic. and leaned strongly to extreme
Democratic principles. but these tendencies
were completely reversed by his observation
OF the disntegration and decentralization re-
eulting from tho system OF the Confederation
under which thirteen pure representative de-
mocraces were but nominally bound together
From this period Mr.. Lodge dates the concep-
ton OF that aristocratic republic and strong
Government under which the several States
should sink into mere provinces. and which
found eloquent expression in the plan pre-
scented by Hamilton to the Convention in 1857.
BY the impotent Congress OF 1928 were
planted in Hamilton the germs OF that distrust
VI democracy and democratic systems which
attained such growth when IL spomed TO ind in