Smyrna times., 1896-07-29
FROM the New York Herald


among those of all the young men of
eminence whom this country has pro-
duced. Hamilton was practically a
famous man-as famous as Mr.. Bryan
the day after his great speech at Chic
agO-at 20. 1t was in that year that
he entered Congress, and from that
time on he was one of the most power
full figures of the time. At 80 he was
a leading member of the Constitutional
Convention of 1887, which drafted
what Mr.. Gladstone calls ''the most
remarkable document ever struck off
from the brain of man." It was
Hamilton who, more than any other
man, gave his impress upon that won
derful document. and it was he who
saved this country from being given a
government of the loose and decentra-
ized character which the school of
Jefferson desired.
1t was natural, therefore, that
Hamilton should be called by Wash
ington as the first Secretary of the
shaping of the nations currency. He
was then 80, and at 33 he sent to Con-
gress his first ''report on the public
credit, which ranks as one of the
great State papers of this nation and is
part of the fundation of our form of
government.
After Hamilton, Jefferson probably
takes rank in the matter of youthful
pre-eminence. The latter was only 33
when his almost inspired pen wrote the
Declaration of Independence. But
Jefferson was already nationally known
some time before this, and next to
Washington, and despite his age. was
the most prominent citizen of Virginia.
He was Governor of that State at the
age of SO.
Madison, Familiarity known as the
Father of the Constitution, entered
Congress when he was 2S, and immedi-
ately took a leading rank in the conn
ellis of the young nation. When he
began the making of the national
charter he was only SO, and it was at
this age that he made his contributions.
along with Hamilton and others. to the
celebrated Federalist
Monroe, of whose notable doctrine
as regards foreign Intervention on this
continent we have heard very much in
the last year, was three years younger
than Madison, even, when he was
chosen to the Continental Congress.
He was a United States Senator at 80
and our Minister to France at 36.
Yet more remarkable, and almost
equal to that of Hamilton, was the
career of John Jay. Although the
name of Jay is less known at the pres
ent day than that of many of his com
patriots, yet is it doubtful if any man
OF the times exercised so deep and
practical an influence as he. jaw
entered the Continental Congress at
", and was amember of the committee.
appointed for that purpose, which
drafted the famous address to the
People of Great Britain" :"
Retiring from Congress, he took a
leading part in the formation of the
government of New York State. and
was member of the Constitutional
Convention at 80. He became the first
Chief Justice of New York's Supreme
Court in the same year, and was like
wise member of the Committee of
Safety, which for a time exercised
dlctatorial powers, owing to the an
archlal of affairs at that time law
was member of the commission
which went to Paris to arrange the
Treaty of Peace at 36, with Franklin.
Adams and others, he signed the docu-
ment which recognized the new Re-
public as an independent nation.
Coming down to what might be
called the second heroic period of
American politics, we find that almost
all OF its dominant characters-Cal-
noun and Jackson, Webster and CLAW.
Benton aud Fillmore-won their nolit;-
cal spurs at very early age. After
having made his name known to all
the people of the country as fighter
at 20, jackson then turned LAWYER. was
member of the Constitutional Con-
ventlon which framed the government
OF Tennessee. He was chosen United
States Senator at 80, and Judge or the
Tennessee Supreme Court at 81, which
latter position he held for several
years.
Jackson's lifelong antagonist. Cal
houn, entered Congress at 20 and won
a prominent position so quickly that at
30 he was chosen Secretary of War.
AT the same age that Jackson was made
Senator from Tennessee, Clay, known
10 his generation by the affectionate
title OF 'The Mill Boy of the Slashes .
was made Senator from Kentucky
Serving for but very short time. he
was chosen to the lower branch Of Con-
gress, and at "a was elected Speaker Of
the House of Representatives. At ~
was member of the Ghent Commits
sion.
Daniel Webster had already achieved
fame as lawyer when at 81 he was
chosen to Congress. He was only 35
when his famous ergument in the Dart
mouth College cause placed him at the
head of the American Bar. Millard Fill
more, at SO, had been twice elected to
Congress, at 81 William H. Seward
was put in nomination for Governor OF
New York, and when 30 James Buch-