The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-12-23
Snudged Print

qment declined; minor offices seemed
most to go a-begging amongst men OF
assured position such as it was his
object to. secure. 1t needed all the
tact and patience he could command
to draw about him body of men such
as the country must look up to ard
revere. His letters again went abroadsI
by the hundred, and. as so often be
fore, to persuade men to their duty,
build a bulwark of right opinion round
about the government, make his pur-
poses clear and his plans effective.
He would spare no pains to make the
government both great and permanent.
- Tours Eastern States.
In October, 1889. his principal APP
'pointments all made. the government
in full operation, and affairs standing
still till congress should meet again,
he went upon a four weeks tour
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 a
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 first call from him,
and SO give the executive of Massa-
chusetts prece dence, 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
f1anneis and borne upon mems Shout
ders up the stairs, received him with
grim courtesy, and satisfied the gos-
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
+ eastern towns had seen and done hon.
age to the new authority set over
them. Washington was satisfied, and
returned with noticeable accession
of spirits to the serious work of fed
eral administration.
/ Hamilton His Support.
| No man stood closer to him in his
= 70 ctr \, crix
. tige to the government than Hamil-
{ ton; and no man was able to discover
the means with surer genius Ham
ilton knew who the well-wishers of the
new government were, whence it's
strength was to be drawn, what IL
must, do to approve itself great and
/ permanent, with an insight and thor
oughness Washington himself could
not match: for Hamilton knew Wash
ingterl and the seats of his strength in
tire country as that self-forgetful man
himself could not.
He kn.w that lit was the CONNER
cial classes OF the cOuntry-such men
as he had himself dwelt- amongst ait
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 haif,score; and that the
men who We're standing to its support
out of a. req soned prudence, out of a
high-miRdad desire to secure good gov
eminent and d place of consideration
for their country amongst the nations
of the world, were individuals merely
to be found only in small groups here
and there, where special light shone
in some minds,
He knew that Washington was
loved most for his national characte,
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
fection only, and rather as their hero
than as their leader in affairs.
He saw that the surest way to gel
both popular support and interna
tioRal respect was to give to the gov
ternment at once and in the outset, 1
! place OF command in the business ant
Z material interests of the country. Sucl
Ia policy every man could comprehend
+ and "a great body of energetic and in
IT ffillential men would certainly support
:. thst alone could m9ke the government
seem real from the first-a verieabit
4 power. not an infuence.,and shadow
4 merely.
4 Here was man, unquestionably
Il who had quick genius in affairs; ant
2 Washington gave him leave and init
y alive with such sympathy and com
q prehension and support as Only a ma
tdreI equally bold and equally origina
8 cetfld have given. Hamiltou's meas
rres jumped with. WashiG gtons pur
pose. ran with Washington's percep
ton of national interests; and the,
were with. Washington's aid put int,
execution with a promptness and de
cision which must have surprised tn,
= friends of the new. government no les
than it chagrined and alarmed its en-