Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-05
SCRAPS OF HISTORY.
interviewer in q Romance by George
Alfred Townsend.
ALEX. HAMILTON In THE WEST
How he Sang an Old Revolutionary Song
for Pennsylvania Boys
WITH FIFE AND DRUM ACCOMPANIMENT.

IL
From "Mrs. Reynolds and H hamilton, by George
Alfred Townsend (Gath).
The President kow proceeded to Cumber-
land, while Hamilton and few mounted
friends moved out from the Welsh settle
ment to pass the great Tuscarora Mountain
by trail. The mighty mass of rock and
woods seemed to open as they approached
like gray cloud, and showed cove that
had low gate cut by brook, and beyond
this opening seemed nothing but a deep,
round bowl of forest and rampant, sublime
and serene Yet within the cove little way
they came to "store," or settlers shop,
of stones and logs, and found some
pack horses loading with supplies for the
Monongahela. Within the Irish trader s
cot the gentlemen took some of the cove
whisky and a snack of ven1son.
"If 1 had my Eliza here" said Hamilt on
to the young traders wife, ''I should be the
happiest settler in this cove What is this
little fellows name?'
"James-James Buchanan, SIR" replied
the young mother, giving her child to the
Secretary.
"May the United States last after jam lie
is its President, madamer'
Out of the cove, like notes ascending
within blue-bell, the travellers wound, and
gaining the summit after miles, looked over
upon a small valley like a grave, posted
with new-broken farms, and pebbled by a
small, new hamlet.
Down the mountain, up the next one, down
the next and over others, the party went
along in forests illimitable, till they found
the army the second day, toiling up the
heights and wondering at the profusion of
mountains, also marching like themselves
upon converging lines through stars and
storms But the human army seemed hardly
q caterpillar, dwar ed by the nature it had
entered on. The few settlers, however,
were sickly creatures compared to the
soldiery, who were only worn with un-
accustomed marching,
Hsmilton's soul thrilled with the soft yet
sacred scenery, which seemed to his
chastened spirit the revealment of Gods
mercy and msjesty-stupendous as the
meaning, "I was set up from everlasting,
before the mountains were settled,
and my delights were with the sons of men,"
The predestinarian in his Scotch type
carried his Imagination no farther than the
Scriptures and belief, and out of this faith
came his love of fond authority on earth and
love of raising altars of institutions instead
of playing the worshiper like Cain, razing
his blother's altar.
"God bless Pennsylvania, gentlemen"
exclaimed the constructive soul of Hamilton
as he came to the Juniata crossings.
Though she slay us, yet will we praise
her,"
He saw the Little Juniata sweep the noun
tain's base and hug the mountains ribs and
the mountain promontory, like that vast
galley stranded on Ararat, feeling the
Deluge subside in the gentle stream that
flowed about its beak.
There, in the night, Hamilton lay in a
log tavern, with the witty Judge Peters and
a fellow-West Indian from Jamaica, named
Dallas, who had here escaped from the po-
litical combinations Of Miflin's group
All three were JOYOUS natures, and in the
rare, cold air blowing through the chinks
they lay and laughed st repartees and lis
tened to the passing wagons and fed their
green wood fire till nothing was heard at
last but the Juniata muttering underneath
as to the meaning of those camp-fres bur
nishing Its rapids.
All was still.
the fire strike upon the naked wall to which
his face was turned; he did not move, but
watched this mysterious shadow in the late
chamber of mirth and aneedote. It was
that of one in prayer, with hands raised and
head uplifted. Not sound was heard but
the softest sigh.
The tall Scotch head, the Roman nose,
the well-produced and already historic jaws
and chin, described that shadows original
to be the man from Nevis, the hated op-
ponent of his faction, Hamilton.
Both!these men were Scotch West Indians.
The prestige of Hamilton had already soft
ened Dallas prejudice when it so youth
fully relaxed to fun and fellowship.
THAT is my enemy" thought Dallas.
still as sleep, but thrilled in all his Scottish
type. LET me pray, too, from that exam
pie. God bless Mr.. Hamiltonp"
Twenty-one years was to pass before Dallas
was to become a successor of Hamilton as
the Finance Minister. He found the
finances, taxation, the public morale, every
thing deranged and almost destroyed by four
teen years of Jefferson's prejudices applied
to the State. The capitol, the Presidents
house, lay in ashes, burned by the foreign
enemy.
The new Secretary found it hard to tear
himself away from the illusions of party, but
reason pointed the only way-increased, can
did taxation; tariff, National bank.
"Dare 1 recommend these things we have
rejected with their authors fame?" Dallas
thought.
Then he saw the shadow of a head long
since given to the worms-a tall Scotch
head and Roman nose and martial profile,
in the act of prayer.
Back, back to Hamiltonl'' exclaimed
say again my mountain prayer: God bless
himp"
And yet, so close together lie the godlike
and the human, that Hamlton's prayer
that night had been Tor his wile's pity and
forgiveness.
They came to Bedford next day, occupy
ing level shelf above the Juniata, where
once had stood an old Indian stockade;
some stone and log houses around a court
house now, and two hundred residents, and
the great army encamped upon its all-sur-
rounding hIllsides, in lines of feecy tents
by day and golden fire by night. lighting up
the great ox-backed mountains, while the
rare air bore the strains OF music to the
stars that spread above like the field in the
floating ensign at each headquarters, Jersey
and Pennsylvania.
The old Jersey Governor was Revo-
lutionary soldier who had made a song
that was thought very fine, and his
band played it several times day, as fol-
lows:
To arms once morei our hero crles;
Sedition lives and order dies;
To peace and ease then bid adieu,
And dash TO the mountains, Jersey Blue.
CHORUS; Dash to the mountains, Jersey Blue,
Jersey Blue, Jersey Blue,
And dash to the mountains Jersey
Blue.
Pennsylvania had no song, nor was there
any national hvmn, and Hamilton was not
a poet. However, with some assistance, to
ho