The Ordway new era., 1913-11-07
power, not an influence and . shadow

merely.
Here was q man, unquestionably.
who had quick genius In AFFAIRS; and
Washington gave him leave and initi-
ative with such sympathy and COM
prehension and support as only 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 add 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 its en-.
emies. a-s, 8
His Plan Of Finance.
Having done Its work of organiza-
tion during Its first summer session.
the congress came together again.
January 4, 1870. to attempt the formu-
lation Of q policy of government. and
Hamilton at once laid before II . 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 fuil-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
be assumed by the general govern
ment as the debt OF the nation.
No one could doubt that the foreign
debt must be paid in full: to that tof,-
gress agreed heartily and without hes
itation. But there was mseh In the
rest OF the plan to give prudent men
pause. To pay OF the paper Of the
Confederation would be to give to the
spectators, who had bought It up In
the hope of Just such measure. q
gratuity Of many times what they had
paid for II. To assume the state debts
would be taken to mean that the
states were bankrupt or delinquent.
that the federal government was to
be their guardian and financial provi-
dence, and that the capital OF the
country must look only to the govern
ment of the nation, not to the govern.
ment OF the states, for security and
profitable employment. This was ma
tionalizing the government with a ven-
geance, and was plain bid. besides.
to win the money class to its support
Members whose constituencies lay
away from the centers Of trade looked
askance at such measures. and
deemed them no better than handing
the government over to the money
lenders of the towns. But boldness
and energy prevailed, as they had pre-
vailed In the adoption Of the Constitu-
ton itself. and both measures we're
carried through the houses-the first
at once, the second after close and
doubtful struggle-by stratagem and
barter.
Part Of Plan Opposed.
Jefferson had been in France when
Washington called him to assume the
headship OF foreign affairs at home:
had not reached New York on his re-
turn voyage until December %, 1883:
and did not take his place In Washing
toms council till March 21, 1880. All
of Hamilton's great plan had by that
time passed congress-. excapt the as
sumption OF the state debts. Upon
that question a crisis had been
reached. 1t had wrought congress to
u uaHStFOub ucdL VI Iociluk. MeH
bers from the south, where trade was
not much astir and financial interests
told for less than local pride and
sharp jealousy of too great central
power. were set hotly against the
measure; most of the northern mem.
bers were as hotly resolved upon Its
adoption.
Mr.. Jefferson must have caught
echoes and rumors of the great debate
as he fingered at Monticello in order
to adjust his private affairs before en-
tering upon his duties in the cabinet.
The measure had been lost at last
in the house by the narrow margin OF
two votes. But the minority were In
no humor to submit. They declined to
transact any business at all till they
should be yielded to in this matter.
There were even ugly threats to be
heard that some would withdraw from
congress and force dissolution OF the
Union rather than make concessions
upon the one side or the other
Jefferson's Support Won.
It was to this pass that things had |
come when Mr.. Jefferson reached the |
seat OF government; and his arrival
gave Hamilton an opportunity to show
how consummate politician he could
be in support OF his craftsmanship.
The southern members wanted the
seat Of the federal government estab-
lished within their reach, upon the Po-
tomac, where congress might at least
be rid of importunate merchants and
money lenders clamoring at its doors,
and of lmpracticable Quakers with
their petitions for the abolition of
and were almost as hot at
their failure to get their will In that
matter as the northern men were to
find themselves defeated upon the
question OF the state debts.