Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-04
NO. 23.
AIeNnnler IInmIIfnn.

The most precOcious young man Of that
day, save perhaps William Pitt he had al
ready given promise Of great career be-
fore the breaking out Of the war. He was
born on the island Of Nevis, in the West Iu-
dies, in l757 His father belonged to that
famous Scottish clan from which have come
one Of the most learned metaphysiciaus and
one of the most original mathematcians of
modern times. His mother was a French la
dy, of Huguenot descent aud biographers
have been fond of tracing in his character
the various qualities of his parents. To the
shrewdness aud persistence, the administra-
tive ability, and the taste for abstract reason
ing which we are wont to tiud associated in
the highest type Of Scottish mind he joined
a truly French vivacity and grace. His earn
ebtuess, sincerity, and moral courage were
characteristic alike of Puritan and Of Hugue-
not In the course of his short life he exhib-
tied a remarkable many .sdedness. SO great
was his genius for organization that in many
most essential respects the American govern
ment is moving to-day along the lines which
he was the first to mark out. As an econo-
mist he shared to some extent in tue short
comiugs of the age which preceded Adam
Smith, but in the special department of
finance he has been equaled by no other
American statesman save Albert Gallatin.
He vas u splendid orator and brilliant writer
an excellent lawyer and a clear headed
and industrious student Of political hihto-
ry. He was also eminent as political lead
er, although he lacked faith in democratic
government and generous impatience of
temperament sometimes led him to prefer
short and arbitrary by-paths toward desirable
ends, which can never be securely reached
save along the broad but steep aud arduOus
road of popular conviction. But with all
Hamilton's splendid qualities nothing about
him is so remarkable rs the early age ut which
these we're developed. At the age of fifteen
a brilliant newspaper article brought him in
to such repute in the little island of Nevis
that he was sent to New York to avail him
self of the best advantages afforded by the
Kings College, now known as Columbia He
had at frst no definite intention of becoming
an American citizen, but the thrilling events
of the time appealed strongly to the earnest
heart and powerful intelligence of this won
deiful boy. At a gathering of the people of
New York in July, 1774, his generous blood
warmed, till resistless impulse brought him
on his feet to speak to the assembled multi
tude. 1t was no company of half drunken
idlers that thronged about him, but an assem-
blage of grave and responsible citizens, who
looked with some sstonishment upon this boy
of II years, short and slight in stature, yet
erect and C@ Iar like in bearing, with firm set
mouth and great dark, earnest eyes. His
eloquent speech, full of sense and without
syllable of bombast, held his hearers en-
tranced, and from that day Alexander Hamil-
ton was marked man. He began publish
ing anonymous pamphlets, which at first were
attributed by some to Jay, and by others to
Livingston. When their authorship was dis.
covered, the oyaist party tried in vain to
buy of the formidable youth lie kept up
the pamphlet-wsr in the course of which he
wOfuly defeated Dr. Cooper, the Tory presi-
dent of the college but shortly afterward
he defended the doctors house against an an
cry mob, until the unpopular old gentleman
succeeded in making his escape to a British
ship. Hamilton served in the army through
out the war, for the most part as aid aud sec
retary to Washington but in 1881 he was
colonel in the line, and stormed redoubt ut
Yorktown with distinguished skill and bra.
very. He married a daughter of Philip
Schuyler, began the practice of law, and in
1882, at the age of -, was chosen a delegate
to Congress. John Fisbe IN the 1tlantic.