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


steadily, attended to important mat
tiers as he could Twas scarcely nee
essary he should be out of bed and
abroad again to make all who handled
affairs feel his mastery; and by the
time the summer was ended that mas
terry was founded upon knowledge.
The First Cabinet
BY the end of September (1789)
congress had completed it's work of
organization and Washington had
drawn his permanent advisers about
him The federal courts, too, had
been erected, and given definitiye jul
risdiction The new government had
taken distinct shape. and was ready
to digest its business in detail. Wash
ington chose Alexander Hamilton to
be secretary of the treasury, Henry
Knox to: be secretary. of war, Thomas
Jefferson secretary of state, and Ed
mund Randolph attorney general
young men all, except Jefferson. and
he was but forty-six
The fate of the government was
certain to turn, first of all, upon ques-
.tions of finance. 1t was hopeless pow
erty that had brought the Confedera-
ton into deep disgrace; the new gov
eminent had inherited from it nothing
but great debt; and the first test
of character to which the new plan
in affairs would be put, whether at
home or abroad, was the test of its
ability to sustain it's financial credit
with hIrc fhnrnf1obnncc nj
statesmanlike wisdom
Hamilton's Critical Post.
Alexander Hamilton was only thirty
two years old He had been a spirited
and capable soldier and an astute and
eloquent advocate; but he had not had
days experience in the administra-
ton of a great governmental depart
ment, and had never handled-so far
as men knew, had never studied
questions Of public finance. Washing
ton chose him, nevertheless, without
hesitation, for what must certainly
turn out the most critical post in his
administration No man saw more
clearly than Washington did how
large capacity for craftsmanship
Hamilton, had. shown in his mastery
papers in advocacy of the Constitu-
ton. He had known Hamilton, more
! over, through ali the quick years that
had brought him from precocious
youth to wise maturity; had read his
letters and felt the singular. power
that moved in them; and was ready to
trust him with whatever task he would
consent to assume
Henry Knox, that gallant officer of
/ the Revolution, had been already four
years secretary of war for the Confed-
Grafton In appointing SHIN. to the
same Office under the new Constjtu-
lNtion, Washington was but retaining
a man whom he loved and to whom
he. had for long been accustomed to
look for friendship and counsel.
Jefferson's Wide Experience. Us
' He chose Thomas Jefferson to handle
/ the delicate questions of foreign, af.
/ fairs which must press upon the young
\ state because, John Adams being vice
: president, there was no other man ei
/ equal; gifts available who had had SO
large an experience in the field of di
plc1nacy. Again and again Jefferson
i h j been chosen for foreign missions
under the Confederation; he was
American minister to France when
Washington's summons called him tc
the secretaryship of state; and he
4 came of. that race of Virginia states
men from whom Washington might
4 reasonably count upon receiving a sup
port touched with personal loyalty
Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry
and George Mason were housekeeping
spirits, and doubted of the success OF
the new government. but Jefferson
Il though he had looked upon its making
IRON across the sea. approved, and
!swas ready to lend his aid to its sue
cessful establishment
L In appointing Edmund Randolph to
be attorney general, Washington was
but choosing a brilliant young man
whom he loved out of a great family
of lawyers who had held sort OF
primacy at the. bar in Virginia ever
since he could remember-almost ever
since she had been called the Old Do
minion.
Knox was thirty-nine, Edmund Ran
! dolph thirty-six; but if Washington
chose young men to be his comrade:
and guides in counsel, it was but an
other capital proof of his own mastery
in affairs. Himself natural leader
he recognized the like gift and capac
; ity in others, even when fortune hat
not yet disclosed or brought them Il
4 the test.
s. Hard to Fill Offices.
1t was hard, in filing even the great
eer Offices, to find men of eminence WIZ
were willing to leave the service o
their states or the security and cas-,
of private life to try the untroddei
paths of federal government TIL
states were old and secure-so mel
thought-theg federal government wa
new and an experiment. The stronge
sort of men, particularly amongs
those bred to the law, showed, man.
of them, a great reluctance to identif,
themselves with new institutions Sc
but five or six months ago; and Wash
ington, though he meant to make yer.
liberal allowance for differences o