Wichita eagle., 1889-05-01

|
republic. The government OF the states,
under the articles of confederation. be-
came bankrupt because II could not raise
| four millions of dollars; the government
| OF the union, under the constitution Of the
| United States raised SIX thousand nil
| lions of dollars, its credit growing frmer
as its power and resources were demon
strated. The congress of the confederation
| fled from the regiment which it could not
| pay; the congress of the union reviewed
| the comrades of million of its victorious
| soldiers, saiuting as they marched the flag
OF the nation, whose supremacy they had
sustained. The promises of the confed-
eracy were the scott of itsstates: the pledge
| Of the republic was the honor of its people
The constitution which was to be
| strengthened by the strain of the century,
! to be mighty conquerer without IL sub
| ject province, to triumphantly survive the
greatest OF civil wars was the eontiscation
of political offender, to create and
grant home rule and state SOW
erignity to twenty-nine additional common
| wealths. and yet enlarge itsa scope and
| broaden its power, and to make the name
! OF an American citizen a title of honor
| throughout the world. came complete from
| this great convention to the people for
! adoption. AS Hancock rose from his seat
in the old congress, eleven years before, to
| sign the declaration independence, Frank
| lin saw emblazoned on the back of the
| presidents chair the sun partly above the
| horizon, but it seemed setting IN blood
red sky. During the seven years of the
| hope from the glittering emblem, but
now as with clear vision he be-
held fixed upon eternal foundations the en-
| during structure of constitutional liberty
pointing to the sign, he forgot his eighty
two years, and with the enthusiasm of
youth electrified the convention with the
declaration: Nov | know that it is the
rising sum-
The pride of the states and the ambition
of their leaders, sectional jealousies, and
the overwhelming distrust of centralized
power, were all arrayed against the adop-
ton of the constitution. North Carolina
and Rhode Island refused to join the
union until long after Washing
territory extending from the sea to the
lakes made her the keystone of the arch.
Had Arnold's treason in the revolution
not been foiled by the capture of Andre,
England would have held New York and
subjugated the colonies, and in this crisis,
unless New York assented, hostile and
powerful commonwealth dividing the
states, made the union impossible.
Success was due to confidence in
Washington and the genius of Alexander
Hamilton. Jefferson was the inspiration
of independence, but Hamilton was the
incarnation of the constitution. In no
age nor country has there appeared a
more precocious or amazing Intelligence
than Hamilton. AT II he annlhilated the
president of his college, upon the question
of the rights of the colonies, in series of
anonymous articles which were credited
to the ablest men in the country; at forty
seven, when he died, his briefs had become
the law of the land and his fiscal system
was, and after hundred years remains,
the rule and policy of our government. He
gave life to the corpse of national credit,
aud the strength for self preservation and
aggressive power to the federal union
Both as an eXpounder of the principles and
an administrator of the affairs OF govern
ment he stands supreme and unrlvalled in
American history. His eloquence was so
magnetic, his language so clear, and his
reasoning so irresistible that he swayed
with equal ease popular assemblies, grave
senates and learned judges He captured
the people of the whole country for the
constitution by his papers in the Federal
list, and conquered the hostile majority in
the New York COW ntion by the splendor
of his OratOry.
But the multitudes whom no argument
could convince, who saw in the executive
power and centralized force of the consti-
usurpation of king and ministry Were sat
ished only with the assurance, Washing
ton will be president" Good" cried
John Lamb the able leader of the sons of
liberty, as he dropped his opposition; for
to no other mortal would trust authority
so enormous" Washington will be pres
ident," was the battle cry of the constitu-
ton. 1t quoted alarm and gave confidence
to the timid and courage to the weak.
The country responded with enthusiastic
unanimity but the chief with the great
est reluctance. In the supreme moment
of victory, when the world ex
pected him to follow the prece-
the power grateful country would will
ingly have left in his hands. he had re-
signed and retired to Mount Vernon to en-
Joy in private station his well-earned
rest. The convention created by his eXer-
tons to prevent, as he said, 1.-THE decline of
our federal dignity into insignificant and
wretched fragments of empire, had
called him to preside over its delibera-
tions. It's work made possible the realiZa-
ton Of his hope that I'VE might survive
as an independent republic" and again he
sought the seclusion of his home. But,
after the triumph of the war, and the
formation of the constitution, came the
third and final crisis: the initiation
movements OF government which were
steps of empire.
He alone could stay assault and inspire
confidence while the great and complcat-
ed machinery of organized government
was put in order and set in motion.
Doubt existed nowhere except in his
modest and unambitious heart. ''My
movements to the chair of government
he said. will be accompanied by feelings
not unlike those of a culprit who is going
to his place of execution. So unwilling
am |, in the evening of life, nearly con-
sumed in public cares, to quit peaceful
abode for an ocean of difficulties, without
that competency of political skill, abilities
and inclination, which are necessary to
manage the helm" His whole life had
been spent in repeated sacrifices for his
countrys welfare, and he did not hesitate
now, though there is an undertone of in
expressible sadness in this entry in his
diary on the night of his departure: About
ten O'Clock | babe adieu TO Mount Vernon
to private life, and TO domestic felicity and
with mind oppressed with more anxious
and painful sensations than | have words
to express, set out for New York with the
best disposition 70 render service TO my
country In obedience to its call, but with
less hope of answering Its expectations.
No conqueror was ever accorded such a
triumph. no ruler ever received such
welcome. In this memorable march of six
days to the capitol, it was the pride Of
states to accompany him with the masses
of their people to their borders, that the
citizens OF the next commonwealth might
escort him through its territory. 1t was
the glory of cities TO receive him with every
civic honor at their gates, and entertain
him as the savior of their liberties He
rode under triumphal arches from which
children lowered laurel wreaths upon his
brow. The roadways were stre7yn with
flowers. aud as they were crushed beneath
his horses hoofs. their sweet incense watt