The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-07-11
me First Cabinet.

1
organization and Washington had
drawn his permanent advisers about
him. The federal courts, too, had
been erected and given definitive ju-
risdiction. The new government had
taken distinct shape, and was ready
to digest it's 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-
lions 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 a 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 its financial credit
with businesslike thorodghness and
statesmanlike wisdom.
HamiIton'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
a days experience in the administra-
| ton of a great governmental depart
I 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
! administratiO No man saw more
clearly tn in ton did how
large c@pacity for craftsmanship
| Hamilton had shown in his mastery
papers in advocacy of the Constitu-
ton. He had known Hamilton, more
over, through all the quick years that
had brought him from precocious
youth to wise maturity; had read his
! letters and felt ther,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 him to the
same office under the new Constitu-
ton, Washington was but retaining
man whom he loved and to whom
he had for long been accustomed to
look for friendship and counsel.
Jefferson's Wide Experience.
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 of
equal gifts available who had had so
large an experience in the field of di-
plomacy Again and again Jefferson
had been chosen for foreign missions
under the Confederation; he was
American minister to France when
Washington's summons called him to
the secretaryship of state; and he
came of that race of Virginia states
men from whom Washington might
reasonably count upon receiving 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,
though he had looked upon its making
from across the sea, approved, and
was ready to lend his aid to it's sue
cessful establishment
In appointing Edmund Randolph to
be attorney general, Washington was
but choosing a brilliant young man
whom he loved out of great family
of lawyers who had held a sort of
primary 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 comrades
and guides in counsel, it was but an
other capital proof of his own mastery
i In affairs. Himself a natural leader,
/ he recognized the like gift and capac-
/ ity in others, even when fortune had
not yet disclosed or brought them to
the test.
Hard to Fill Offices.
t 1t was hard, in filling even the great
t er offices, to find men of eminence who
} were willing to leave the service of
| their states or the security and ease
of private life to try the untrodden
> paths of federal government The
| states were old and secure-so men
thought-the federal government was
> new and an experiment The stronger
} sort of men, particularly amongst
| those bred to the law, showed, many
/ of them, a great reluctance to identify
> themselves with new institutions set
but five or six months ago; and Wash
ington, though he meant to make very
5 liberal allowance for differences OF
, opinion, would invite no man to stand
: with him in the new service who did
not thoroughly believe in it.
) He was careful to seek out six OF
> the best lawyers to be had in the
t country when he made up the Su