Evening star., 1933-03-05

comparisons have been made but nowhere has
the writer ever seen 1t stated that Alexander
Hamilton, as Secretary Of the Treasury, had
compeer. Indeed, he IS looked upon as the
outstanding cabinet officer of all time and at
the time of his appointment he was but 80
years of age.
As an oficer in the American Revolution, he
had distinguished himself upon many occasions;
was the military counselor Of the commander
in chief; as has been said, "the right arm OF
Washington" At the Battle of Yorktown, on
the night Of October IA, 1781 in the presence
of three armies, it was this mere boy who led
the assault on the redoubt of the enemy-and
the world knows the result
As a financier, he came into notice two years
after the retirement of Robert Morris, super
intendent Of finance, when, in 1786, the three
commissioners of finance had been so unsucceSs-
full that Congress declared the crisis had ar
rived when the people of the United States
must decide whether they would preserve their
public faith or not, for the country was in want
of money with which to pay its current ex-
penses, and must give some assurance OF future
stability.
At this time Hamilton had retired to private
life but it was his opportunity to come forth
as a financial statesman, and it is said to have
been the impulse given by his influence that
resulted in the calling of the convention which
met at Annapolis Ito take into consideration
the position and prospects Of the United
STATES LaCer MS genius was uipudyCu Ii
having enacted into law the assumption BILL
which meant that the United States as whole
should pay of the foreign debt, amounting to
something like $12,000,000, and assume the
State debts, totaling $2150o00O
THE Northern States were keen for this legfs-
] lation. Pennsylvania alone possessed $3,000.-
900, on which it would draw interest, and In
addition to this, the citizens held $1500000O
upon which they would secure payment. How
ever, Hamilton'S motives were not prompted by
this fact at all, since he eloquently maintained
that the public debt was "the price of liberty"
The South was not in favor of the bill as
proposed by Hamilton which had been defeated
in the House. Hamilton knew that the South
wanted the Capital City located within its
midst; the North did not Hamilton's bill meant
more toward the salvation of the United States
than did the locating Of the Federal Capital
q fact the Secretary of the Treasury was alsos
well aware Of and he proceeded in a states
manlike way to satisfy both parties and, above
all, to put the newly formed country in good
light before the world. He was willing to locate
the Capital anywhere to secure the passage OF
his bill and he SO Informed Morris and JET
ferson OF this, Jefferson says:
"As was going to the Presidents one day,
met Hamilton in the street. He walked me
backward and forward before the Presidents
door for half an hour. He painted pathetically
the temper into which the Legislature had been
wrought; the disgust of those who were called
the creditor States; the danger of the seces-
sion of their members and the separation of
the States. He observed that the members Of
the administration ought to act in concert;
that though this question was not of my depart
ment, yet a common duty should make It
common concern; that the President was the