Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-07-15
ALEXANDER HAMILTON.
Now York Trlhnhe Lnlv tO.l

lNtW 1oIk IIlbune July W.
one hundred years ago tomorrow Alex
andcr Hamilton fell before the pistol of
Aaron Burr ON the shore of the Hudson
at Wechawkcn Ills early death will al
ways he remembered as one of the great
personal tragedies Of American history
In 1901 Hamilton was-in private life, the
leader of party cmphattcallv repudi-
atcd 10y the people, the exponent of prin-
cipos SO unpopular that notwthstaud-
ing the universal grief at his fate, his
culopist, GouVener Morris. felt called
upon 10y his grave to ask pardon for
some of his expressions and speculative
opinion. lie was not, like Lincoln,
hearing the burden Of nation which
felt itself stricken In his fan Yet so
splendid was his personality so pathetic
every incident Of the duel, from the re-
cording of his purpose not TO shed his
cncmy's blood to the knightly gentle
ness and scnsibility and bravery OF his
dying hour that the sorrow of his coun-
trymon was scarcely less than that felt
by later generations over the assassina-
ton of a President. and to his name
there still attaches "a romantic interest
and charm At this centennial of his
death many will retcn the story of the
marvellous boy, who, still in his teens,
stirred this city 10y his cloquencc and
trudged across New Jersey patting his
cannon as If il were a favoritc pony, Of
the invaluable aid to Washington; Of the
accomplished soldier, the brilliant law
yer the prophet of nationality, the wiz
ard of finance. the genius whom Talley-
rand called the greatest man Of his
epoch since III await devine Europe"
Still. We think the greatness of Hamil-
ton u.s. best OF all. TO be discovered In
the pcrmunoucc of his work and in the
progress Of his ideas.
\ century ago all that Hamilton stood
for in statesmaushlp seemed to nave
been swept away. The government was
i'm the control of those who painted him
ass the enemy of the Republic. and their
school Of thought was destined to be pre-
dominant for 90 years. Deccntralizing
tendencies prevailed, and doctrines of
popular rights which pronounced an
archy a better friend Of civilization than
strongly intrenched governmental au-
thority The nation was being governed
on the theory that Il was not a nation.
In the great contest between the two
schools of political thought identified
with the names Of Hamilton and Jeffer
son. Hamilton had been completely
worsted, and only n rash prophet would
have predicted development of the
American union other than along JEFF
fersonian lines. Yet Hamilton has tri-
umphed. In spite of themselves, his op-
ponents have worked his will.
The essence of Hamltons statesman
ship was order and nationality. The gov
eminent which he thought adequate to
these purposes he based. indeed. on too
narrow a foundation. lie did not con-
ceive Of a firm state dependent on the
general popular Vol o.; but neither did
any OF his contcmp Hrlrics, not even
jefferson. Universal ~."rlge was I'M
dreamed ~. THAT was the birth Of the
later Jacksouiau wave of democracy.
We have hroadeued the foHu. 'ution Of
our government far beyond anything
planned by the radical Republicans Of
l>o1; but. nevertheless. We have built up