Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-07

ssued but for the apprehension on the
part of Hamilton that calumuy would
not stop short at accusing him of licen-
tIous conduct, but that his financial in
tegrity might be inpeached in connec-
ton with the unhappy affair, and he
certainly preserved his reputation for
honesty while sacrificing whatever credit
he possessed for observance of the sew
enth commandment.
HAMILTON WAS FAR FROM BEING ALONE
among the great men who founded the
Republic In his surrender to his own
weakness and the wiles of feminine
frailty. Benjamin Franklin had an il
legitimate son, born not long before
Frankln's marriage. To the credit of
the great philosopher and statesman it
must be acknowledged that be never
denied or abandoned his offspring, until
the offspring grew to manly years and
with no small share of his fathers ge-
MUS, chose to abandon both Franklin
and his country. While Benjamin
Franklin WAS of inestimable service to
the Repulic, his iilegitimate son, VIII
liam, was of no slight value to King
George. In his course as loyalist gov
ernor of New Jersey, William Franklin
was probably actuGted by as deep q
COuscientiOusness as his famous father
in his devotion to the cause of inds-
peudence. But 1t WIS unfortunate
for the struggling patriots that
the younger Franklin took the
position he did, and the patriotic
parent who had educated the
sou as If he were legitimate, and be-
slowed on him every care, felt that son 5
political attitude 10 be the deepest wound
S,,ti iata hi t,., NJ
him off in his will. The younger Frank
lin took refuge in England upon the tri-
umph of the revolution, and died PEN
sioner of the British government.
OF the prominent men of early Ameri-
can history, Aaron Burr was the most
fragrant offender against moral law. He
made no concealment of his wickedness,
and this had much TO do with Washing
tom IS aversion for his brilliant young
officer No situation could be too seri-
GUS for Burr TO forget or forego the in
diligence of his follieS. When the Amer
leans were hastily evacuating New York
after the disastrous battle of Long Island
Burr delayed taking part III the retreat
il order to keep, as long as possible, the
company of the daughter OF British
officer, whose affections he had gained.
Then with small detachment he bravely
cut his way through the British forces
aud rejoined the American army. The
story of Blennerhasset Island need not be
told here, although, as Blennerhasset
was an Irish patriot whom circumstances
has severed from his country, it would
not be ont of place to recall the circum-
stances of that most wicked and un-
scrupulous intrigue. Aaron Burr, in the
euise of a friend, carried misery into the
Eden-like home on an island in the Ohio,
and not content with the domestic ruin
of his host, he also ruined him politically
and financially.
GOOD DEAL OF ROMANCE
has been woven about this adventure of
Burr. There is no romance in the story;
it is simply hideous. Burr ignored So
cial obligations to the last, ending as the
husband of the famous Madam Jumel,
who was herself IN her early days
walker of the streets of Providence, R.
l., her native place.
Mention Of Madam Jumel brings to
mind one of the few allegations against
the good name of George Washington.
The father OF his cou2try was, SO far as
the public gaze entered into his private
life, an exemplary husband. The stories
affecting him have never been the sub
1ect of historical allusion, as in the ln-
stances above mentioned; but in more