The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-07-18

of the eastern states, to put the
people in mind there, by his own pres
ence. of the existence and dignity of
the federal government, and to make
trial of their feeling toward it. They
received him with cordial enthusiasm.
for he was secure of their love and adj
miration: and he had once more
royal progress from place to place all
the way to far New Hampshire and
back again.
He studiously contrived to make it
everywhere felt, nevertheless, by ev-
cry turn Of ceremonial and behavior,
that he had come, not as the hero of
the Revolution, but as the president
of the United States.
At Boston Governor Hancock
sought by cordial notes and pleas of
illness to force Washington to waive
the courtesy of a first cal from him,
and so give the executive of Massa-
chusetts precedence, if only for old
friendships sake. But Washington
would not be SO defeated of his err
rand; forced the perturbed old patriot
to come to him, swathed as he was in
flannels and borne upon mems Shout
ders up the stairs, received him with
grim courtesy, and satisfied the Cos
sips of the town once and for all that
precedence belonged to the federal
governmental any rate, SO long as
George Washington was president
Having seen him and feted him, the
+Cv no n sinnn hCv
age to the new authority set over
them. Washington was satisfied, and
returned with a noticeable accession
of spirits to the serious work OF fed
eral administration.
Hamilton His Support.
No man stood closer to him in his
purpose to strengthen and give pres
tige to the government than Hamil-
ton; and no man was able to discover
the means with surer genius. Ham
lton knew who the well-wishers of the
new government were, whence its
strength was to be drawn, what it
must do to approve itself great and
permanent, with an insight and thor
oughness Washington himself could
not match: for Hamilton knew Wash
ington and the seats of his strength in
the country as that self forgetful man
himself could not
He knew that it was the CONNER
cial classes of the country-such men
as he had himself dwelt amongst at
the great port at New York-who were
bound by self-interest to the new gov
eminent, which promised them a
single policy in trade, in the stead of
policies half-score; and that the
men who were standing to it's support
out of a reasoned prudence, out of
high-minded desire to secure good gov
eminent and a place of consideration
for their country amongst the nations
Of the world, were individuals merely,
to be found only n'small groups here
and there, where a special light shone
in some minds.
He knew that Washington was
loved most for his national character
and purpose amongst the observant
middle classes of substantial people
in the richer counties of Pennsylva-
mia, New jersey New York and New
England. while:his neighbors in the
south loved him with an individual af-
lection only, and rather as their hero
han as thefr leader in affairs.
He sawfthat the surest way to get
both popular support and interna-
ional Fesoect was to give to the gov
erLnsEnt at once and in the outset a
PLACE of command in the business and
material interests of the country. Such
! = policy every man could comprehend.
Fand a great body of energetic and in
fuential men would certainly support;
that alone could make the government
seem real from the first-a veritable
power, not an influence and a shadow
merely.
Here was a man, unquestionably,
who had quick genius in affairs; and
Washington gave him leave and initi-
alive with such sympathy and COM
prehension and support as only a ma
| ture equally bold and equally original
could have given. Hamilton's meas
ures jumped with Washington's pur-
pose, ran with Washington's percep-
ton of national interests; and they
were with Washington's aid put into
execution with promptness and de.
cision which must have surprised the
| friends of the new government no less
than it chagrined and alarmed it's en-
emies.
His Plan of Finance.
Having done it's work of organiza-
ton during it's first summer session.
the congress came together again.
January 4, 1870, to attempt the formu-
lation of policy of government. and
Hamilton at once laid before it plan
for the settlement of the public debt"
which he had drawn and Washington
had sanctioned. He proposed that
provision should be made for the pay
ment of the foreign debt in full-that
Of course; that the domestic debt, the
despised promises ana paper of the
Confederation, should be funded and
paid; and that the debts contracted by
the several states in the prosecution
! of the war for independence should