The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-07
THE ACTON ASSEMBLY.
An Interesting Address by Professor
j. G. Ridpath.
The Governors of Indiana, Illinois and Ohio
to Deliver Addresses To-Day. which,
Will Conclude the Assembly.

itge OF tue Futufe, ana PRESIDENT anger, OF
Michigan University, "The University of the
Future" OF these gentlemen only Prof Rid
path could be present, and he alone spoke,
his subject being changed for obvious
reasons. There were no exercises in
the morning, but in the afternoon Mr.
Ridpath delivered an interesting historical lee
ture on alexander Hamilton and the Ameri-
can Constitution" in the course of which he
said:
The American Revolution was one of the most
heroic events in the history of mankind. 1t was
not lacking in any element of glory. Whether
considered with reference to the general causes
which produced IT, or viewed with respect to the
personal agency by which it was accomplished,
the struggle of our fathers for liberty suffers
not by comparison with the grandest conflicts
of ancient or modern times. In determining the
nature and causes of this great event, several
things must be considered. European monarchy
was a colossal edition of feudal chieftainsbip.
1t was the embodiment of ecclesiastical domain
over secular society. The king was either the
head of the church or its obedient servant. As
necessary prop and stay of the system stood
graduated order OF nobility, as prop and stay
Of that stood the principle of promogeniture,
and as prop and stay of that, in turn, was the
doctrine of entails by which landed estates and
in certain lines of descent and thereby be main
tanned in perpetual solidarity. The king was
not hampered by constitutional limitations; the
people existed for the Kings pleasure. Now, it
was this whole monstrous thing, this
whole system of despotic rule, against
its principles, its spirit, it's preteusion, its bad
tendencies, its sham methods, that our fathers
of the revolution raised the arm of rebellion.
This was the thing they hurled down and de-
| stroyed. Grand insurrection Glorious sight to
| see those scattered American colonies, few, PEN
niless, unequipped, smite the brass gods OF the
middle ages, tear away the trappings of tradi-
ton and challenge the past to mortal combat!
Our fathers heroes. The American revolu-
ton had two aspects or phases: The first was
the phase of destruction, i'll which the govern
mental theories of the middle ages were at
tackled aud destroyed; the second was the phase
of construction, in which n new type of govern
ment was erected on the site of the abolished
| edifice In the latter there were various per-
sonal agencies that exercised a commanding In
fuence. Among these were Washington, Jeffer-
son, Henry. AT the head of the building stood
the Man of Destiny, one who is said by the New
Britannica, voicing the sentiment of Europe, to
have been the ablest jurist and statesman ever
produced in America. 1t is now seventy .six
years ago since Alexander Hamilton yielded up
his life, and it has renamed for our own day to
revive his memory, and out of the logic of great
event TO determine his true place in history. We
see now that the genius of this nan has flashed
through and Illuminated whatever is great and
glorious in our national history. He has touched
us in every crisis.
Professor Ridpath proceeded to review in
| an interesting manner, the principal events
in the life of Hamilton, and his
great work in the constitutional convention. He
| said in SUNNI arzing, the purpose of Hamilton
to build an American nationality directly upon
the foundation of the people, the grandest
project conceived by the craftsmanship of the
eighteenth century Happy had it been for the
destinies OF America and for the friends of civil
liberty throughout the world, if Hamilton's
views ceuld have prevailed in the constitution
| of our country. just In proportion as they did
prevail, just to the extent that his sound and
| substantial theories of government were incor-
porated in our fundamental law Just In that
degree has the temple of American liberty been
| founded on rock; just i'll proportion as his
| views did not prevail, just to that extent that
4 his comprehensive principles of civil govern
menJ were thrust aside by temporizing expedi-
ents and the miserable shufflngs and patchwork
\ of compromise, just to that degree have our
| institutions been imperied and the glory of the
American name scattered to the winds. The in
| fnencs of Hamilton in giving final form to the
great document almost as conspicuous and
| singular as his name. The illustrious Guzot de-
clarss that there is not in the Constitution of the
| United States, single element of force, of
| perpetuity which Hamilton did not powerfully
contribute to introduce and to make predomi-
nant. IL is not inviGious to say that at this
pe-ilOus epoch in our country's history there
was in all America but man, who,
| by the genius within him and the
| force of training, had the ability carry the
| constitution before the bar of the people, to
| overcome their prejudices, to conquer their
heriditary jealousy, TO allay their fears to con-
| vince their Judgments, and to rally them to the
support of the consolidated Union. That man
| ever been, to defeat itself by its audacity. 1t
cries out for liberty, equality, fraternity; but it
fOrgets that they can only exist within the bull
\ warks of the nation. l am for all the rights of
| the Jeffersonian democracy, and am for all the
powers of the Hamiltonian union I am for the
| Jeffersonian democracy under the HamiltOnian
| union. This is the key OF American liberty.
Given us the unobstructed exercise of Demo-
cratic rights under the unObstruoted exercise of
| national supremacy, anu you have the prize for
which ages have commended. But if any
man will put the HamlitOnian union under
the feet OF dsruptive democracy, turn upon
| him the guns of Gettysburg! AS between the
| nation and the state, say down with the state
| and up with the nation. The Hamilton maxim
| is the one thing cardinal In American politics.
| How otherwise snail the rights OF man be made
secure except by the supremacy of law and the
oneness of the nationf Where shall we go for
| the maintenance of individual liberty except to
the flag OF the state in empire The one thing
essential to the perpetuity of his country Ham
ilton grasped with greater sagacity and pro-
| founder penetration than did any other man of
| his epoch He OWNED til 9 future. He saw In
| the distance tne storms and perils to which the
| American people were to be exposed. The study
| of history gave him his materials; genius gave
| him mis- insight. Every relapse OF antiquity he
| analysed to its elements and causes. Every
| abortive project of the human race struggling
for freedom, he read as an open book. Every
| com IMPLICATION and tendency of modern Europe
| he knew by heart. To the wisdom of the phi
! losOpher, he added the vision of the prophet.
| With the love of the jurist and statesman he
joined the virtues OF tue patriot and the philan-
| thrUpist
Prof. Ridpath devoted some time to contro-
verting the claim that Hamilton monarch
| ist, and in conclusion SAID: II Alexander Ham
ilron could have had his way, he would have
choked the serpent of disunon even Hercules
strangled the hydra II he could have had his
way, the perricious doctrines of secession and
| dismemberment, whether IN New England or
! Carolina, would have died without an advocate.