Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-11-29
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ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

ticle of John Fiske's, left unpublished
at the time of his death, on the work
and character Of Alexander Hamilton.
It is a critical study Of the great Feder-
alist's career from the moment of his
obscure birth in the West Indies to
the day he fell, victim to the code
duello, on the heights Of Weehawken;
and 1t is interesting to observe that
each and every act In Hamilton's life,
the late Prof. Fiske's commends in the
spirit more of the ardent eulogist than
Of the discriminating historian.
Especially is this singular prejudice
manifested in what Mr.. Fiske writes
of the closing incident in Hamilton's
career. namely the famous duel fought
July II, 1904. 1t is not too much to say
that in his account Of that unhappy af--.
fair Prof. Fiske blinds himself to the
truth of history. I'm a most tragic and
painful way" says this eulogist Of
Hamilton, "the shadow of the duel was
now in (1SOD thrown across Hamilton's
career. His eldest sbn. Philip, aged IS.
noble and high spirited boy, Of most
brilliant promise, had just been gradu-
ated at Columbia college. In the sum-
mer of 1901 this young man was Bit
terly incensed at some foul aspersions
on his father which were let fall in a
public speech by political enemy.
Meeting this unscrupulous speaker
some few evenings later in box at the
theatre, high words ensued. and chal-
lenge was given. The duel took place
on the ledge below Weehawken
Heights, which was the customary
place for such affairs. Young Hamil-
ton fell mortally wounded at the first
fire, and was carried home to die. AS
one reads of the agonized father, on
hearing the first alarming tidings, run
ming to summon the doctor and faint
ing on the way, it comes home to ones
heart with sense Of personal afflic-
ton. The student Of history becomes
Injured to scenes Of woe, but 1t is hard
to be reconciled to such things as the
shocking death Of this noble boy"
1t Is hard" also for "the student Of
history" to be reconciled to the error
evident in Mr. Fiske's account Of the
shocking death Of this noble boy" The
student of history will doubtless recall
that this was not the first time that the
shadow Of the duel" had been thrown
across Alexander Hamiltons career"
It will be remembered that after the
battle Of Monmouth, Hamilton acted
in the capacity Of Colonel Lauren's Sec
ond in the duel fought between that
officer and General Charles Lee; and 1t
is not forgotten that throughout the
following score Of years many Of Ham,
ilton's friends fought and bled for him
on the field Of honor" In all this pc
riod 1.-The student Of history" fails to
find that Alexander Hamilton ever even
protested against the practice Of the
code duello. Indeed, how could man
who had participated as second In one
Of these unhappy affairs afford to pro-
test against "the code?" Nor IS 1t re-
called that Hamilton, even when his son
was killed, manifested resentment to-
ward the institution Of dueling, though
of course he could not fail to feel the
parental anguish that overwhelmed
him when "the noble boy" was NOR
tally wounded at Weehawken. 1t is
an historical fact that Hamilton, who
had acted as Lauren's second and who
had tacitly reconciled himself to the
manner Of his sons death, did not
protest against the code duello until he.
himself, was required to act as prin-
cipal on the field Of honor and to face
a man whom he hated and whose char
acter he had maliciously slandered and
maliciously libeled. The foul asper-
tions' that led Hamilton. the son. to
fight duel in defense Of the honor of
Hamilton, the father, are insignificant
when compared with the foul asper-
tions" upon Aaron Burr, which were
inspired by Hamilton and which COM
PEELED Burr to demand satisfaction
In discussing this subject. it should be
remembered that Hamilton lived at
time when insult and ISLANDERS were
punishable only by the ''code duello.'
AS he had more than once invoked. or
permitted to be invoked. that code In
his own behalf, 1t was hardly to be ex-
pected that he would denounce the
code the moment its practice imperil-
ed his own life. And yet 1.-THE student
Of history" must admit that this ex-
pectation was sadly disappointed. The
moment the question was brought In
timately home to him, Hamilton did
everything he could contrive to avoid
meeting "on the field Of honor" the man
whom he had traduced, and, falling, in
this effort, wrote a letter, the effect, II
not the intent Of which. was to blast
the reputation of his political opponent
"a man who had eXcelled him In Valor.
defeated him in affairs of the heart
and was about to overwhelm him In
politics. This letter of Hamilton's
which eulogists Of the great Federalist
are so fond of quoting and in which he
declared that he would not shoot to
kill, reads, as Burr said, like the con-
fession Of penitent monk"
Prof. Fiske does not fail to work the
melodramatic for all it is worth In his
account Of the incident that ended at
Weehawken. 1.-THE unprincipled In
trigues of Burr" Burr was a shallow
dreamer" and other like expressions
are used to defame Hamilton's antag-
onist Hamilton, on the other hand,
had earned the gratitude of his
fellow -countrymen by thwarting Burrs
schemes in 1901, and he (Hamilton)
now Tin 1SO4) thwarted him (Burr)
again." Burr failed Of election as