Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-27

lStrOng- minded man. The facts Wer
undeniable, and the argument foundet
upon them unanswerable. His own ex
perience during the war had dissipate
many of his previously conceive,
opinions Of British invincibility. HI
had seen unframed militia stand up 70
hours against the utmost might of Eng
lands veteran soldiery. True, tina
militia would sometimes run ava!
when there was no excuse for flight
but they would not run far. The frs
hill or the first wood was a rallyinl
point. They did not scatter and de-
sert their standards. In an incon'
ceivably short space Of time they col
lected together again, and perhaps tht
very next day, would fearlessly Offer
battle to the foe before whom they
had fed; nor did it unfrequently hap.
pen, on such occasions, that they sue.
ceeded in compelling that foe to retreat
in turn. He had seen these same mer
undergo hardships and privations tha1
no regular army could have borne
without becoming thoroughly demor-
allied, and he knew that a little more
service and little more training would
make them equal to the best troops ir
the world. He was thus predisposet
to give full weight to the views urged
by his confederate; and after events
proved that he was not unmindful Of
the sagacious though villainous coun.
sci that night poured into his ears
He did quarrel with General Wash.
ington upon a trivial pretext, and re.
jected the overtures Of the general tc
accommodate the difficulty. At The
same time he took care that the quar-
rel should assume the form of mert
difference upon a point of etiquette
and managed to retain the good opinion
of the commander in chief even while
declining to serve longer on his staff
In a private letter to General Schuyler
after relating the fact Of the rupture
to overtures for an accommodation ne
wrote
"I must assure you, my dear sir
1t was not the effect of resentment; II
was the deliberate result of maxim:
| had long formed for the government
of my own conduct"
In the same letter he speaks OF
General Washington in terms which
plainly show that he was prepar'
ing the way to undermine his repu.
tation and destroy his influence.
1.-THE general" he says, "is a very
honest man. His competitors have
slender abilities and less integrity
His popularity has often been essen
tial to the safety of America, and l:
still of great importance to it. These
considerations have Influenced my
past conduct respecting him, and viii
influence my future. I think 1t neces.
sary that he should be supported"
The comments of Mr.. James Bill
lings on that letter, doubtless ran ir
the following manner
1.-the general is very honest man
But that is all. He Is not at all re.
markable for either natural or &C.
quired abilities. His competitors are
fools and knaves. Therefore it is best
to keep him in command until 1 an
in a situation to supplant him. Hi:
popularity has helped the cause OF
America, and may still aid it; that is
he has somehow gained the confidence
of the country, and, though man OF
no abilities, we must put up with him
for the present. When his popularity
ceases to be useful, we will throw him
overheard / think it necessary thai
he should be supported-because by
maintaining his authority I keeI
down rivalries until I am prepared tc
meet them"
Considering the brevity Of the for
going extract, il would be difficult tc
find anything in the English language
to equal it in the perfection of dam
ming with faint praise" the man tc
whom he owed every thing up to thai
time, and whom he was not after
wards ashamed to importune for grea
and unmerited favors.
Nor was Hamilton's conduct to-
ward General Washington the only ev'
idence that the words of James Bill
lings had not been permitted to fal
unheeded to the ground. When the
Count DEstaing arrived on our coas
with a powerful feet, General Wash
ington sent Colonel Hamilton on board
his flagship to concert a plan of at
tack upon the British troops station
ed at Newport, in Rhode Island. Or
his return, Billings extracted from
him a full account of the intended ex
pedition In the camp at Valley Forge
he had opened communications will
Sir Henry Clinton, and from time Il
time had contrlved to give that office
much information that tended great
ly to prolong the war. His absence
from the camp had reference to thi
object. Too cautious to trust thirt
person in the conduct of such momen
tous affairs, he went himself in dis
guise to the British lines wheneve
| the object was of sufficient magni
tude to justify the risk. His com
munications had enabled Sir Henr!
Clinton to obtain several advantages
unimportant so far as they affected
the general result, but calculated t
keep up the spirits of the Englisl
| troops, and encourage the ministry a
home to persevere in their efforts t
subdue the colonies. Beyond thi
James Billings had no intention
to go. If he had possessed tn
power to betray and destroy tn
whole American army at once
all the gold of England coul'
not have bribed him to the act. No
that he had one moral or patrioti
scruple to restrain him; but he look
ed to the eventual success of the col
| onies as the means of realizing tn
ambitious dreams of his earlier years
Gold had no attraction for him com
pared with the qualification of re
| o1 oil