The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-10
HAMILTON AND JEFFERSON.

N his Jackson day speech at Omaha, ex- Governor
Altgeld took occasion to accuse Alexander Hamilton
Aof long series OF post-mortem crimes. Among
these he put the alleged offenses OF Quay in Penn
sylvania and the partisan charges upon Senator
Hanna in Ohio, concerning his election by the Legs-
lature Altgeld announced, in effect, the somewhat
novel theory, that mans honesty in public and pri-
vate life is determined solely by his party utilization
According to this if believes in anything
laid down by Hamilton he is rogue. while PROBES
sion of the principles of Jefferson makes him an
honest man! AS Atgelds political principles are
neither Hamiltonian Jeffersonian, he is not to be
classed with either. But taking him for what he
claims to be and applying his theory to incidents in
the history OF American politics, interesting
conclusions appear. This is not the first time an
Ohio Legislature has appealed to the United States
against the title of Senator. 1t was done in the
case OF the late Henry B. Payne and was supported
by afhdavits of members confessng that they sold
their votes for Payne and paid by an agent Of
the Standard Oil Company, who found it convenient
to isolate himself in exile in the fens of the Rio de la
Plata in the far Argentine, and believe he has not
yet turned up grace the politics of his native land
According to Altgeld this was crime committed by
Jefferson and due to profession of his principles.
While Altgeld Governor of Illinois the Jeffer-
sonian State Treasurer died Under the law AltgeId
took charge of the Office, the vaults and money.
Upon subsequent examination it was found that the
Treasurer died defaulter in nearly quarter of a
million dollars, and it charged and never denied
that considerable part of this deficit had been loaned
BY the Treasurer to Altged and represented by
the Governors notes in the vault at the time he
took charge of the dead mans office. These notes
did not subsequently appear in the official assets.
Governor Altgeld compelled the Regents of the
State University OF Illinois elect Spauldng treas
of that institution, and to turn to him the
stocks bonds and mortgages which represented the
endowment of the university Spaulding started a
bank which failed and it was then it discovered
that he had hypothecated those university stocks,
bonds and mortgages and the university endowment
was lost.
Governor Atgeld was concerned with Dreyfus in
organizing another bank and made Dreyfus treasurer
OF the Chicago Drainage Commission, which is
gagged in upsetting the Chicago River to drain the
sewage of the city into the Illinois River That bank
failed and over half million OF the funds of the com
mission disappeared.
Now, il the party principles of to be
blamed for the shortcomings OF the individual all of
these sinister manipuations must be charged to
Thomas Jefferson, the apostle of the principles pro-
fessed by Atgeld and his Illinois gang
glance at the history of his administration
demonstrates that the memory of Hamilton stand
his abuse TAR DETER than that or Jefferson can stand
his praise
Upon the main issue, that Of money, put forward by
Altgeld, Bryan and the other orators at the only
Jackson day banquets held this year, Hamilton and
Jefferson never differed. They in exact agree
ment, and the Bryan school is opposed to both.
Somewhat distorted views are common now touch
ing the views and the personal relations of Hamilton
and Jefferson. The fact is that Jefferson was made
President by Hamilton In the election Of 1900 the
electoral vote a tie between Jefferson and Aaron
Burr The election of President therefore went into
the House be decided by the unit vote OF States
Burr expert politician with all gifts and graces
which belong to that class OF men, and with no
scruples The result was long in doubt but on the
thirty-sxh ballot decided for Jefferson by Della
ware voting blank. That State was represented by
Bayard Hamiltonian an ancestor of the late
Thomas F. Bayard. This was done on the advice OF
Hamilton, who regarded Jefferson as patriot and
safe man.
This act cost Hamilton his life, for it was the
real cause of Burs challenge and of the tragedy at
Weehawken
So, after all, the apostle OF Democracy owed to
Hamilton the opportunity to officially exploit his
theories Of government, and found thereupon the
party that is supposed to be led by Altgeld and
Bryan. There is, however, room for belief that if
Jefferson should return and desire to do turu in
American politics. he would not recognize that crowd
as his political followers.