The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-01-27
Not = sentImentaIIst.


sentimentalist, but statesman. It
was stuff Of his character, this, pur-
pose of independence. He would have
played like part of self-respect for
himself among his neighbors on the
Virginia plsntations; and he could
neither understand nor tolerate the
sentiment which made men like JEFF
ferson eager to fling themselves into
European broils. Truly this man was
provincials merely, dependent still for
their life and thought upon the breath
Of the Old World, unless, like Hamil-
ton, they had been born and had stood
aloof, or, like Gouverneur Morris, had
OWNED Europe in her own capitals
with clear, unenamoured eyes.
/ Fortunately affairs could be held
steadily enough to a course of wise
neutrality and moderation at first,
while Frances revolution wrought
only its work of internal overthrow
and destruction; and while things went
thus opinion began slowly to cool.
Twas plain to be seen, as the months
went by, that the work being done in
France bore no real likeness at all to
the revolution in America; and wise
men began to see it for what it was,
social distemper, not reformation of
government-effect enough as a
purge, no doubt; inevitable, perhaps;
a cure of natures own devising; but
by no means to be taken part in by
people not likewise stricken, still free
to choose.
At first Washington and few men
of like insight stood almost alone in
their cool self-possession. Every man
of generous spirit deemed it his mere
duty to extol the French, to join clubs
after their manner, in the name of the
rights Of man, to speak everywhere in
praise of the revolution. But by the
time it became necessary to act-to
declare the position and policy of the
nations government towards France
a sober second thought had come, and
Washington's task was little simpli-
fed
The measures already adopted by
the government, though we'll enough
calculated to render it strong, had not
been equally well planned to make it
popular. The power to tax, so jeal-
ously withheld but the other day from
the Confederation, the new congress
had begun promptly and confidently
to exercise upon great scale, not
only laying duties upon imports, the
natural resource of the general gov
, eminent, but also imposing taxes upon
distilled spirits, and so entering the
fiscal field of the states.
Not only had the war debts of the
states been assumed, but national
bank had been set up (179D, as if stu
further to make the general govern
ment sure of a complete mastery in
the field of finance. Jefferson and Ran
dolph had fought the measure in the
cabinet, as many moderate man had
fought it in congress, and Washington
had withheld his signature from It till
he should hear what they had to urge
But he had sent their arguments to
Hamilton for criticism, and had &C
copied his answer in favor of the
bank.
lenged the measure on the ground that
it was without warrant in the Consti-
tuition, which nowhere gave congress
the right to create corporations, fiscal
or other. Hamilton replied that, be-
sides the powers explicitly enumer-
ated, the Constitution gave to congress
the power to pass any measure nee
osoor,, opd DroDor, for ovooutiDo fboSa
set forth; that congress was itself left
/; to determine what might thus seem
necessary: and that If it deemed the
erection of bank proper means Of
executing the undoubted financial pow
ers of the government, the constitu-
tional question was answered.
BY accepting such view Washing
ton sanctioned the whole doctrine of
implied powers which jefferson
deemed the very annulment of writ
ten and explicit constitution. No
! bounds, Jefferson believed, could be
| set to the aggressive sweep of congress
! sional pretension If the two houses
were to be given leave to do whatever
they thought expedient in exercising
their in any case great and command
! ing powers. No man could doubt, in
! the face of such measures, what the
spirit and purpose of Hamilton were,
Z OF Of the president whom Hamilton SO
! strangely dominated.
Opposition Is Strong.
Strong measures bred strong opposi-
ton. When the first congress came
together there seemed to be no par
ties in the country. All men seemed
agreed upon a fair and spirited trial
of the new Constitution. But al oppo-
sition had begun to gather form before
it's two years term was out; and in
the second congress party lines began
to grow definite-not for and against
the Constitution, but for and against
an extravagant use of constitutional
powers.
There, was still q majority for the
principal measures of the administra-
ton; but the minority had clearly be-
gun to gather force both in the votes
and in the debates. The reaction was
unmistakable. Even Madison, Wesh-
ington's stanch friend and intimate
counsellor. who had at first been his