The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-18

eign policy that would guard the United States from entangling alliances. But above all things, he meant to breathe in to the constitution all the power 1t did not specifically carry but which might be | implied to 1t.
 | It did not matter to Hamilton that he was invading Jeffersons domian in the matter of foreign policy. Hamilton acted as If he was premier. not secretary of the treasury. Daily he and Jefferson were pitted against each other. Daily there was tie when the men voted on a measure. Knox supported Hamilton and Randolph supported Jefferson. Nearly always Washington decided as Hamilton voted.
 The labor Hamilton did in the first ad- ministration of Washington was pro- digious. Where he got his mastery of finance is as great a mystery where he got his mastery of literary style, of law, of the various other departments in which he showed such genius. Surely he did not learn finance in the three years in Cruger's store in the West Indies. His post was the hardest under the govern ment. The currency was in disorder. Commercial credit had ceased to exist. The nation was bankrupt. He had to devise method by which the bedt of the nation would be paid. create a ma chine, find and train servants and, hard est of all, furnish revenue for immediate needs. He did 1t. Not only that, but he insisted that every dollar owed by the nation or the states should be paid by dollar. He had the bedts of the various states assumed by the general govern ment and he rejected with scorn the proposition to repudiate some Of 1t be- cause there had been rank and outrage ous speculation in 1t by which the orig inal creditors had ben robbed of their due. Better, said he, to pay every dollar of it no matter how dishonesty the specua- tors acted, than have the slightest stain on the nations honor or credit. Nor would he listen to 8 suggestion of com- promise.
 In four years he brought the nations credit to so high standard that he was | able to obtain loan for the government in Holland at per cent Only one other
 
 rate, and that nation was England. He established the Bank of the United States and started the first great period of prosperity through it. His financial brochures are models today.
 | In manufactures he advocated a sys- tenn of government bounty to aid infant industries. He may be termed the father of the protective tariff.
 Everything he did while in the cabinet was against strong opposition. Most of the time Congress was hostile. A good deal of the time he was subject to the most vicious attack. He was accused of dishonesty and various other crimes. Nothing checked him. He worked steadi- ly and used every means to strengthen the central government and reduce the power of individual states. The de- cision of Chief Justice Marshall of the supreme court aided him greatly.
 His Work Done
 | When he left the cabinet, after five years of service, the constitution was a far more powerful instrument than when it came into being. His will had done much to make 1t strong. But while l the constitution he was arousing bitter antagonlsms. Party feeling was stirred to a high pitch. France was in the convulsions of revolution. Soon revolu- tionary or republican France was at war with England. The sympathies of the American people were with France. The people still considered the old alliance with King Louis to be in force. They had not ceased, either. to hate the Brit ish.
 As statesman Hamilton was magnifi- cent. but as politician he was failure. He left the cabinet because he was deep- ly in debt and had to wipe out those ob- ligations and provide for his family But out of office he almost was as powerful as in. Washington summoned him many times. The farewell address of the first President, one of the nobest of state papers, was written by Hamilton. John Adams, when he became President, bit terly inveighed against the influence of Hamilton. Adams hated him, but never theless was swayed so much by Hamil- ton that he declared that "the Little Lion" acted as if he not only was lead CT of the federalist party, the whole cab inet of the President, but the President I also. 4
 When war was declared against France and Washington was summoned to take charge of the army, Adams sought to humiliate Hamilton Washington had designated the four men who should be major generals. Hamilton headed the list Adams put Knox first. Washington re- fused his commission unless Hamilton should lead. With bad grace Adams gave in
 If Adams hated Hamilton the hate was returned with interest When Adams sought reelection Hamilton wrote bitter attack on the President, which was in- tended for his personal friends among federalist leaders only In it he exposed every weakness, every fault, of Adams without mercy and with his marvellous skill. Aaron Burr got a copy of the letter and used 1t to confound the fed eralists. In the election Jefferson and