E 302 .5 .H2 N5 Copy 1 Alexander Hamilton The Great Federalist A Alexander Hamilton THE GRE/F FEDERjlLlST. "PRESS " £^^^^^^ PRINT. No. 268 Main Street, Paterson, N. J. Alexander Hamilton *j^ , 1907 AN HISTORICAL ESSAY IN COMMEMORATION OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF THE GREAT FEDERALIST. By ALFRED NEUBURGER [ILLUSTRATED) PATERSON, NtW JERSEY. RUMLER BKOS.. Publishers. 1907. LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two Cuoies Heceived MAY 29 190? Copyneht Entry /aM. i_2, '<5o' }cUx. 2.2, "507 'class »-- /Utc, flo. COKY b. Coijyright, 1907, by ALFRED NEUBURGER. To The British Ambassador at Washington, The Right Honourable JAMES BRYCE, D. C. L, O. M. This volume is DEDICATED as a token of respect and esteem for the Author of "THE AMERICAN COMMONWEALTH." CONTENTS Page. Dedication 5 Preface 9 Sources of Information 10 Motto 11 Introductory 13 Hamilton's Birth and Early Youtli 14 College Days 17 Entrance In Public Life 19 Hamilton's Financial Proposals 22 Marriage 24 Hamilton at Albany and Philadelphia 20 Hamilton, the New Yorker 27 Hamilton's Most Famous Achievement 2S First Secretary of the Treasury.- 30 Founding of the City of Paterson. N. J 31 Retirement into Private Life 34 Political Survey 36 The Beginning of the End 39 The Duel 41 Hamilton's Death 42 Mementos 43 Hamilton's Slayer 48 Conclusion 48 In Memoriam 53 Ad Honorem 55 ILLUSTRATIONS Alexander Hamilton Frontispiece, Mrs. Hamilton Opposite P; Passaic Falls Panorama of Paterson, N. J Hamilton Statue in Paterson. N. J Hamilton Grange Duel Scene Weehawken Monument Hamilton's Tomb Alexander Hamilton. Major General U. S- Armies, and Secretary of Treasury. . . . / osite P, ige 24 32 34 36 40 42 44 46 50 PREFACE. The public character of the subject, which I am pre- senting to my reader warrants the remark that nothing essentially new can be brought forth relating to the re- markable career of the ardent Patriot and great Statesman, Alexander Hamilton. His life has been so much commented upon and his manner of living was so frank and exposed to the gaze of his fellow countrymen, that the Historian had compara- tively an easy task to hand down to posterity a true account of his splendid achievements. The one hundred fiftieth anniversary of the birth of Alexander Hamilton should be a new incentive to pay homage to the memory of the brilliant American, who has rendered to his country such inestimable services. The City of Paterson, mindful of her obligations towards him, who has been her reputed founder, and in commem- oration of the one hundred fifteenth anniversary of the founding of the city, has just erected a statue represent- ing Hamilton, as he appeared to his admiring contem- poraries. The sources from which I gathered my information, (and due credit is given them herewith), were so manifold and varied, that I lay claim only of having endeavored in as concise a manner as possible, to render an historically accurate account of Alexander Hamilton's life presenting to the reader a portrait of the great Federal- ist, true In every feature. The aim of this modest volume will have been accom- plished. If the perusal of Its pages will bring before the reader's mental eye the colossal figure of Alexander Ham- ilton. THE AUTHOR. Patiimon. N. J., May etb, 1907. SOURCES OF INF-ORMATION. "Works of Alexander Hamilton," Edited by Henry Cabot Lodge. John Church Hamilton's "Life of my Father, Alexander Hamilton." Henry Cabot Lodge's "Alexander Hamilton." John Torrey Morse. Jr.'s "Life of Alexander Hamilton." "Library of American Literature." "Encyclopedia Americana." "Encyclopedia Britannica." Valuable data furnished by Major-General Alexander Hamilton, the statesman's grandson. The illustrations herein presented are exact reproduc- tions from photographs made specially for this book by John Hartmeier, Jr., of Paterson, N. J. ". . . . The most substantial glory of a country is in its virtuous great men. . . . That nation is fated to ignominy and servitude, for which such men have lived in vain. .... The name of HAMILTON would have honored Greece In the age of Aristldes. . . . May Heaven, the guardian of our liberty, grant that our country may be fruitful of HAMIL- TONS, — and faithful to their glory! ..." FISHER AMES. ALEXANDER HAMILTON THE GREAT FEDERALIST. Introductory. Q[ EONS before Christopher Columbus landed on f\ these shores, this continent which we proudly \) proclaim as our own AJIERICA, possessed a history reaching way beyond the ken of man. This unwritten histoiy must have been startling from its convulsions and changes, the material rec- ords of which we find buried beneath our soil. But in glancing over the pages of chronicled events, which have indelibly left their imprint upon the minds of our people, from the time of Columbus, to the days of Theodore Roosevelt, there are no inci- dents appealing so much to our imagination, as the stirring times of the American revolution, and the spirit they universally evoked among our for- bears, known to every true American heart, as " THE SPIRIT OP 76." It seems to be ordained by an All-Wise Providence, that in emergencies of the most vital character to a nation, and in the most troublous periods of her career, the proper instruments to carry out her 14 ALEXANDER HAMILTON destiny, and bring to a suceessfnl issue her mission, are at all times forthcoming. Such was the case with the British Colonies, which prior to their Declaration of Independence, found themselves for several years in irreconcilable .oppo- sition to the powers in London who so persistently declined to read "The Handwriting on the Wall." Among the galaxy of stars, which rose on the American horizon, and whose names are forever written in imperishable script upon the tablets of fame, to whose courage, wisdom, and indomitable love for freedom from an unbearable yoke, we owe today, the priceless treasure of a free and united country, the name of ALEXANDER HAMILTON shines forth with particular lustre, — indeed growing more intense as time rolls on. Hamilton's Birth and Early Youth. Alexander Hamilton was ])orn on January 11th. 1757, at Charles Town upon the Island of Nevis, in the West Indies, to James Hamilton, a Scotch emi- grant and his consort Rachel, a lady of French Hu- guenot descent, by the name of Faucette. Her fir.st marriage had been to a Dane named Lavine, from whom she separated after a short alliance, their union having proved uncongenial. While still very young, Hamilton had tlic mislor- tniie to lose his mother, who from all accounts, must have been no ordinary woman. Her rare beauty, her high chai-ms of mind and character, her refined culture, and her noble and generous spirit, were ever retained in the tender memories of her illustrious son. THE GREAT FEDERALIST. I 5 Hamilton's Scottish blood was plainly discernible ill the peculiar cjualities of his mind and character. The most marked and familiar traits of the gen- nine Scot; the shrewdness, the logical habit of mind, the love for discu-ssion of abstract and general prin- ciples, were his, to an extraordinary degree. While, therefore, his mental traits were Scotch, he had the elegance of manner, and the vivacity of the French- man. His firm, moral courage, his persistency in noble and generous efforts, his power of self-sac- rifice and his readiness of self-effacement combined the elements of a grand heroism. These ipialities denote the scion of one of the high-spirited Protes- tant exiles of France, who gave to the world such a splendid example of courage, resolution and forti- tude, that to it all the pages of history fin-nish but one parallel — the fidelity of the Jewish race to its ancient faith. Such then was the stock from which Alexander Hamilton sprang. Previous to his mother's death, his father became involved in financial diffieidties, and by reason of thi'ir consequent poverty, Alexander, who was the only child surviving the mother, was taken in charge by her relatives. They lived at Santa Cruz, where he was placed in a school, which had only the most mea- gre facilities for education at its command. Presu- mably his instruction went little further than the knowledge of English and French, with which he had an equal and perfect familiarity. — It might be men- tioned as a curio.sity, and also as a sign of his remark- able memory and precociousness, that he acquired the knowledge of the Decalogue in Hebrew, wheij still a verv voung child. l6 ALEXANDER HAMILTON He fortunately supplemented the narrow compass of his studies by miscellaneous reading, and was guided to some extent by the advice of a Presby- terian Clergyman, The Rev. Hugh Knox, with whom he became acquainted. He was only between twelve and thirteen years old, when he was taken from school and finally placed iinder the guidance of a successful merchant and excellent man, one Nicholas Cruger. His rapid advance in the knowledge of mercantile affairs was so marked, that his employer felt justified in leaving the Island for a time, and in placing the whole man- agement of important business interests in the sole charge of young Hamilton, who it must be remem- bered, had at that time, not yet completed his four- teenth year. This is the more notable, since we know that Hamilton's distaste for a merchant's career was most pronounced ; but here as in all things, he brought his boundless energy, his remarkable will power and his subtle intellect, although so young in years, to bear upon his charge. In the year 1772, during the month of August, a hurricane of more than ordinary violence, even for the Tropics, swept over the Leeward Islands, caus- ing unparalleled devastation and destruction. Before the terror and excitement which this out- break of the elements caused had subsided, there appeared a newspaper account of the occurrence, so powerful and vivid, that even the Goveimor of the Island became interested and anxious to discover the unknown writer. The article was traced to Hamil- ton. The unusual capacity it displayed, considering the youth of its author, made Hamilton the cynosure of THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 1 7 all eyes, and a plan to aid in his future career was formed and adopted by some of his friends. Ilis own desires were consulted, and by a turn of good fortune, it happened that he was enabled through some liberal financial arrangements, to set sail for Boston in October, 1772. College Days. From ]5oston, Ilainilton pi'oeeetlctl at once to New York, and placed himself at a School of some re- nown at Elizabethtown, N. J., under the patronage of (iovernor Livingston, and a Mr. Boudinot. (The latter name is not unfamiliar to Patersonians, a rep- resentative of the family being still numbered among our prominent citizens.) He was intro- duced into the families of these gentlemen, and through them han'iit States of the Union. Hamilton's Most Famous Achievement. In 1787, at the age of thirty, Hamilton reached the point in liis remarkable career where he performed the most important service to his country, and tHE GREAT FEDERALIST. ig erected a monument to his own fame, more honor- able and more permanent than fell to the lot of any other American patriot — save Washington alone — the formation and adoption of the Federal Consti- tution, which now unites, governs and protects the llnion. Of this momentous work Hamilton expressed himself in one of his essays in the "Federalist" as follows : — "I never expect to see a perfect work from imperfect "man, but a Nation, without a national government, is an "awful spectacle." The articles of Confederation which up to this time had bound the States loosely together, wore found to be wholly inadequate to furnish a solid founda- tion for the establishnu'ut and i)orpctiiity of the Gov- ernment. Petty jealousies and discords of menacing growth made themselves manifest in its Council ; the as]>ira- tions of the leaders from the various States for the hegemony assumed such proportions that a condi- tion of things was rai)id]y being created, which very nearly resembled the deplorable picture, divided Ger- many presented to the world — prior to the forma- tion of that mighty Empire which followed as an inevitable conseiiuence of the war with France, in 1870-71. TIaniilton, as one of the Delegates to the Conven- tion to draw up a new Constitution, presented an elaborate plan of ten articles, which were finally adopted and recommended by the Convention, and securing at last the final approbation of all the states, went into operation in March, 1789. Although Hamilton's jilaii tor an upjier house, called the Sen- ^6 ALEXANDER HAMILTON ate, whose members were to be elected for life, was rejected by the Convention, he with patriotic zeal, advocated the adoption of the Constitution in the amended form. There is not in the Constitution of the United States, an element of order, of force, or of duration, which Hamilton has not powerfully contributed, to introduce into it and to give it a predominance. Among the great men of the world, who have best known the vital principles and fundamental condi- tions of a Government, Hamilton must at once be accorded a place in the foremost rank. First Secretary of the Treasury. On April 6th, 1789, George Washington was unan- imously elected first President of the United States of America. One of the first official acts of the newly elected President was to secure Hamilton's consent to fill the most imjiortant post, at that time in the Cabinet, the office of Secretary of the yet to i)e established. Treasury Department. On September 2nd, ITS!), the act establishing the Treasury Dei);irtnu'iit was passed, and on the 11th day of that montli Hamilton received his Commission as- first Secretary of the Treasury, with a yearly enToIument of .'jf^.i'iOO. The wisdom of Washington's selection soon be- came evident, and over a century has added imper- ishable lustre to Hamilton's grand financial achieve- ments, eoiiiiirisiug a jieriod of five years, from 1789 to 1795. He i)rttUKllt-Qi'der"ont-»f eliaos', effected a system out of the confusion of national and State finances; provided a siidving fund, and elaborated THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 3 1 a plan of taxation to sustain it; reported a scheme for the assumption by (he Federal Government of the State debts; snbmittetl special reports by direc- tion of the Tresident or Congress on the means of raising and collecting revenue; was responsible for the establisliment of a revenue cutter service and the provision of naviiiation laws; began the creation of a Navy; recommended the purchase of West Point for a military academy; the management of the public lands ;( L' i K.'i» fj improved taxation; created (on a very moderate basis) the pi-otective tariff system; and particularly, was he instrumental in the extinc- tion of the national debt. In 1794 he crushed with great vigor and prompti- tude the whiskey insun-ection in western Pennsyl- vania, testing on that occasion for the first time with signal success the sovereign powers granted to the r y^ Central Government, in relation to the individual States. Founding of the City of Paterson, N. J. It was during his incumbency of the Secretaryship of the Treasury that Hamilton's connection with the founding of the city of Paterson occurred. In 1791, a nmnber of distinguished Jerseymen projected a scheme for founding a manufacturing town. A society was created which is known to this day as the "Society for Establishing Useful Manufac- tures." A committee was appointed to investigate and to determine upon a proper site. They induced Hamilton to be associated with them, to which he, the more readily assented, as he was the prime fac- tor in establishing manufactories and industries in V 32 ALEXANDER HAMILTON this country, so as to be independent from the Mo- ther Country, and in fact, from Europe for their commodities. The committee after consulting with the Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamil- ton, selected the present site of the City of Pater- son as the future manufacturing town. At their in- vitation Hamilton himself came to the locality to look over the ground and fully approved of the choice, which to the minds of the projectors was ab- solutely essential. Thereupon they obtained a char- ter of the New Jersey Legislature, in November, 1791, during the Governorship of William Paterson, in whose honor the projected town was to be named. Elisha Boudinot, one of the Governors of the "So- ciety for Establishing Useful jManufactures," re- ceived the Charter in March, 1792, and on May 18th, of the same year, 1792, the City of Paterson was called into being, standing today in spite of adver- .sity in many forms — fire, flood, evil report of maligning tongues, — a living testimony to the far- seeing intellect of Hamiltou. Her diversified indus- tries, notably silk, of which she became the ci-adle in this countiy, are proofs of the wisdom of Hamil- ton's untiring energy as an upbuilder of our coun- try's greatness. The many advantages the site of the City of Paterson presented f(n' a manufacturing town were at once patent to Hamilton and the one hun- dred and fifteen years of her thriving prosperity augurs well for a future, bright in its prospects for her energetic citizens, who although so busily en- gaged in the pursuit of all manner of trades, are cul- tivating the fine arts which grace a high and noble standard of life. ^^1 *^^f. ^i^ .^1 THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 33 It is noteworthy that two of her citizens have faith- fully served the nation. The late Garret A. llobart in tlie exalted station as Vice President, and the Hon- orable John W. Grigg;s, a former Governor of the Sovereign State of New Jersey, in the capacity of ]ei,'al adviser to the Federal Government, as Attor- ney General of the United States of America. The City of Paterson, which Hamilton's approval called into existence, forms only one link in the great chain of industrial centres of the United States. His fertile brain foresaw with astonishing accur- acy the limitless possibilities, the natural resources our country offered to well-directed efforts of her citizens. Our people became so imbued witli tlie spirit of never resting industry and energetic zeal for com- mercial supremacy, that we present today, to the wonder of the worlil, the unparalleled spectacle of having become, in an amazingly short time, from a Debtor nation, enormously aggravated by the bur- dens of the Civil war, a Creditor — to which all civ- ilized nations of tlie earth are bound to pay their tribute. As Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton naturally was confronted by opposition, but for this he seemed to have cared little, until sonu' of his political enemies attacked his official integrity. He forthwith pre- pared and promptly published a series of reports giving the fullest details of every public loan, and the entire operations of the Treasury Department from its inception. He laid before Congress such a wealth of information, concerning the manner iu which he conducted every branch of his Depart- ment, that not oply was he honorably exonerated, 5 34 ALEXANDER HAMILTON from even the slightest breath of scandal, but on the contrary, it was universally admitted, that in all matters of money and business transactions, he uni- formly displayed an integrity altogether irreproach- able, and a sense of honor delicate to the last de- gree. All insiniuitions of wrong doing in the conduct of the affairs of his Dejjartment vanished like mists before the morning sun, and he emerged from these base calumnies with an luisullied reputation. The great minister of Napoleon I, Talleyrand, that cruel cynic, who was wont to judge men most soberly, and rather underrated their moral quali- ties, stood in awe before the first Financial Secretary, of the young Kepublic. He proclaimed him as be- ing (iue of the wonders of the world, and spoke of him as a man laboring all night to support his fam- ily, while he had made the fortune of a nation. Retirement Into Private Life. Upon his retirement from the head of the Treasury Department, he was offered but declined the high Office of Chief Ju.stice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, made vacant by the re- tirement from that position of John Jay. lie fi'lt that the needs of his family required hi.s inunediate attention to the practice of Law, so that he might earn a competency for them, but while he was en- gaged in his profession his interest in public affairs never flagged, and his advice and co-operation were frequently sought by Washington and others. It is now known that he materially aided Washington in preparing his famous farewell address. In 1798, when there was prospect of war between France and the United States, it was deemed neces- o J. o Y, THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 35 sary to reorganize the Army. President Adams con- ferred the chief command on General Washington, who had since his retirement from the Presidency, led an idyllic life at his conntry seat on Mount Ver- non. Washington however accepted the position only on the conditions, that he should not be called into the field except in case of actual hostilities, and that Hamilton should be second in command. President Adams, who conceived a great dislike for Hamilton, would at first not hear of such an ap- pointment, and it was only when Washington threatened to resign the command that Hamilton was. appointed Inspector General, with the rank of Ma.ior General. On the lamented death of Washing- ton, late in 1709, Hamilton succeeded him as Com- niaiiilcr-in-Chief, and when he had brought the Army into thoi'ough organization and discipline, the emer- gency had passed, and he resigned his command in 1800. It will be of interest in this connection to repro- (hice a letter of Hamilton, written at that period, which is furnished by the courtesy of his eldest granilson, Ma.ior-General Alexander Hamilton, nine- ty-two years of age, who resides in Tarrytown, N. Y. 'riic li'tter addressed to Mrs. Hamilton is as fol- lows : — Elizabeth Town Friday Oct. 17, 1799. I am thus tar my dear Eliza on my way to New York. But I am under a nece.ssity of viewins tho ground for Winter quarters today, which will prevent my being with you before tomorrow. Then plea.scs God I shall certainly embrace you & my dear John — A Thousand blessings upon you Yrs. Ever. A. H. ALEXANDER HAMILTON .4'' The "My dear John" spoken of in this letter was Col. John Church Hamilton, son of the Statesman and his biographer. In the year 1800 Hamilton was elected President General of the Order of the Cincinnati. In the Presidential election of the same year the Federalist party under Hamilton's leadei'ship, had been defeated. He advised his friends, to support Thomas Jefferson rather than Aaron Burr, when the duty devolved on the House of Representatives to decide which of these two men should become Presi- dent. He succeeded in accomplishing the defeat of Burr, and from that moment a hostility existed be- tween Hamilton and Burr that neither cared to con- ceal. Political Survey. Before we enter into the last and sad chapter of Hamilton's life, it is well that we pause a moment for r*trospeetie»r The early history of our Republic shows the existence of two great parties, the Feder- alists under Hamilton's leadership, striving for a firm, central government. The Republicans under the guidance of Thomas Jefferson, were in favor of States' Sovereignty, with only limited powers granted to the central government. From the inau- guration of President Jefferson to the Civil War, Jefferson's party which afterwards became known as the "Democratic Party," was in the ascendant. The "Repul)lican Party," which evolved from the old "Federalist" or "Whig" party, had also been in existence some time ]u-inr to our civil conflict. It woidd ill become a student of our Republic's history, to dwell upon the merits or demerits in HAMILTON STATUE ON CITV HALL 1>LA/A, PATEKSON, N. J. Unveiled Memorial Duy. 1907. THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 37 favor of one or the other party, for there can be no manner of doubt that the great and distinguished men of either party were striving for the good of their common country, just as God gave them light to see the right. If Thomas Jefferson had left no other legacy to his countrymen than his bold authorship of that im- mortal document known to all the World, as "The Declaration of Independence of the.se United States," his claim to fame and the eternal gratitude of his fel- low citizens in all generations to come, would have been all-sufficient. So it must in truth be said of Alexander Hamil- ton, if his name could be connected with nothing else, but that he had beenj,he principal and moving s[)irit of that imperishablej/' Magna G harta,'' the ] " Con.sti- tution of the United States of America, it would have been enough to crown him with ever'asting glory. Through his wisdom and accurate foresight, he secured for his fellow citizens "Freedom of Con- science," acknowledging no .special religious belief, but granting absolute guarantees from interference in the exercises of each individual form of worship. The American policy of non-interference in Euro- pean politics is based upon Alexander Hamilton's earnest recommendation to Washington to refuse to let this country be drawn into European quarrels. Washington reaffirmed this rigid policy in his "Farewell Address" by admonishing his fellow coun- trj-men to abstain from any participation in Euro- pean affairs and from these fundamental principles evolved afterwards "The ifonroe Doctrine." Hamilton was accused and is to this day accused in certain quarters, of having been an "Aristocrat," / / ^8 ALEXANDER HAMILTON and in favor of a monarchical form of government. Nothing is more fallacioiis than snch notions. It is quite true he had no sympathy with mob rule, such as made itself manifest during the fir.st great French Revolution, but then again, he was imbued with the spirit of self government, and "for a government of the people, by the people, for the people," as some sixty years later, that other great exponent of pop- ular government, the immortal Lincoln, so forcibly _pxpressed himself. The terrible evidences of mob supremacy and anarchy were vividly brought home to us by the awful spectacle, which lawless Russia has been giv- ing to the world : — The unchained passions of an op- pressed and misguided people, seeking vengeance on the just and on the unjust. Again, what we have been permitted to witness in our own days, an achievement which has called forth the admiration of the entire world, bringing forward our great country, as a potent factor for peace and amity toward all nations, has only been made possible by a strict adherence to the grand policy of Hamilton. The spirit of Alexander Hamilton is plainly dis- cernible in the pursuance of the principles of States-^ nianship, laid down by him, finding their culmination in the conference from which emanated what is now laiown to the Avorld as, "The Treaty of Peace of Portsmouth, New Hamp.shire," between Japan and Russia, in the year 1905. Alexander Hamilton was also one of the principal founders of the "New York Evening Post," which issued its first copy on November 16th, 1801. This THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 39 conservative and influential journal has been pub- lished ever since uninterruptedly, day by day. Regarding Hamilton's religious convictions, it is on record that shortly before his death he said of Christianity, in his sincere and positive way: "I have studied it, and I can prove its trutli as clearly "as any proposition ever submitted to tlie mind of man." lie lived and died as a man for whom religious be- lief brought consolation, and that peace of mind which only earnest and sincere conviction can grant. There was nothing hypocritical in his composition, and he was as true in his relation to his Master, as he was to his fellowmen. The Beginning of the End. (The shadow of a great calamity is now upon us.) Aaron Burr had never forgiven Hamilton for having been instrumental in depriving him of the Presi- dency, in favor of Thomas Jefferson. However, in 1800, he was not quite ready to seek vengeance. Hamilton, although retired from all offices and pur- suing his great! aed romuno ratweJLaw practice, was ever alive to all public issues. When, therefore, in 1804, Buri", who then filled the high office of Vice- President of the United States of America, declared himself desirous to become Governor of the State of New York, it was again, through Hamilton 's( iu ij trH HKiittaJity ftiitt) efforts, that Burr was thwarted in his ambition, and defeat — his lot. The enmity already engendered turned into open hatred, and Burr was determined to destroy his gi-eat opponent. He sought and found an excuse to challenge him to a duel. He referred in a letter to Hamilton to 40 ALEXANDER HAMILTON some expressions of the latter, rather uncompli- mentary to Burr's political character, and asked foi' a conijjlete retraction which Hamilton, after consul- tation with some of his friends, declined. Burr asjain wrote, this time demanding a most f i)orompto f y a«*l y un(iualified answer, which Hamilton again refused to give. As a man of honor, he could not privately ■pENV - repudiat e wliat was known to he his public opinion of Burr's political shortcomings. Wlien it became evident to Hamilton that he was to meet his adv(;rsar.v (ui the so-called "Field of Honor," the pivjiiuMtH+H-of his fate had plainly fal- len across his soul, and it was the melancholy fore- lioding of the result of this meeting which led Hamilton to prepare a paper in explanation and vin- dication of his course. He declared : That he was certainly desirous of avoiding this interview; That; 1) His religious and moral principles wore strongly opposed to the practice of duelling, and it would ever give him pain, to be obliged to shed the blood of a fellow creature in a private combat forbidden by the Laws; That; 2) His wife and children were extremely dear to hiin, and his life of the utmost importance to thorn in various ways; That; 3) He felt a sense of obligation towards his cred- itors, who in case of an accident to him, might become in some degree, sufferers. He did not think himself at liberty as a man of probity, lightly to expose them to such a condition; That; 4) He was conscious of no ill-will to Colonel Burr, except from distinctly political opposition, and which as he trusted, had proceeded from pure and upright motives; And That;; 5) and Lastly: By the issue of this interview, he would risk much and could possibly gain nothing. Abhorring, as he did, the practice of duelling, still he felt that if he was to be useful in future, in TIIK HOME OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON and THE TMIKrKKN GI'M I REKS PLANTED BY HlMSEl F IN COM M EMOK ATION OF THE nilKTEEN ORIGINAL STATES. HAMILTON GRANGE. This House was the Home of GENERAL ALEXANDER HAMILTON. First Secretary of the Treasury of the L'nited States under President Washington. Built 1801 on South Side of 143d St., West of Convent Ave. Moved to East Side of Convent Ave., near 141st St., 1S89. This Tablet was placed by The Washington Heighls Chapter, Daughters of .Vnierlcan Revolution. April, 1907. THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 4I public as well as in private life, he could not decline the call. Public i)rejudiees, in these days demanded of him to meet his opponent. He had .solemnly resolved, however, if the op- portunity were given him, not to fire on his antago- nist, but to throw his fire away. As the time ajiproached for the fatal meeting he set his papers and affairs in such order as he could, and wrote his will. In it he entreated his children, should there not be enough left for the payment of his debts, as soon as they shoukl be able, to endeavor to make up the deficiency. He also felt at that hour that he had sacrificed too far tlie interests of his family to public duties. His letter of farewell to his wife and children is full of tender words,/ aiBtJ- tht*-f»aihos|and affection of these last sacred terms of parting are indescribably touching. The Duel. On the morning of July 11th, 1804, Hamilton set out from his country home, "THE GRANGE," over- looking the Hudson River, and where today is West One Hundred and Forty-third Street and Convent Avenue, New York, to meet his death. The princi- pals met with their seconds at a little secluded ledge which nestled beneath the heights of Weehawken, N. J., and not far above the level of the Hudson. It was the favorite spot for duels in those days. Placed at their appointed stations and at the command — "Present," the pre-arranged signal to fire. Bun- paused an instant to take deliberate aim, and fired. Hamilton, having been shot in the groin, conviilsive- ly raised himself upon his toes, and fell forward up- 6 42 ALEXANDER HAMILTON on his face, his pistol going off as he fell, sending the ball through the foliage of the surrounding trees. Hamilton was raised into a sitting posture; upon examination by the physician it was found the ball had struck him in the right side. In feeble tones he could just articulate: "This is a mortal wound," and then fell into a swoon. As they bore him gently to the river bank, he opened his wandering eyes, and said: "My vision is indistinct." William Bayard, an intimate friend and co-worker, offered his house in case of disaster and to it the boat wended its way as quickly as possible with Hamilton aboard, whose precious life was fast ebbing away. He then bade them to send for his wife, adding : ' ' Let the event be gradually broken to her ; but give her hopes." In the meantime Burr, by the advice of his sec- onds, had retired from the scene. Hamilton's Death. With wan and feverish face Hamilton tenderly took leave of those to whom he was bound by llie most sacred ties, and lapsed into inieonsciousness, thus being mercifully relieved from the intense pain, which the terrible woiuid caused him to suffer. His great soul went to its reward at 2 o'clock in the afternoon on the day following the duel, July 12th, 1804, in the forty-eighth year of his age. Although news was not disseininated as quickly in those days as is now done, still the trite saying : — "Bad news travels swiftly," became a reality in the case of Hamilton's fatal misfortune. Lamentations, 3 oa z o as < < 1^ -*••*•■ iT'^'Mi^'^f'' i ^ > =^ W z w (J s V- •.: ^.-i., j-V' > •i\^ THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 43 • loep and genuine were heard on all sides from friends and political opponents, and bitter execra- tions were hurled at his slayer. With amazing rapid- ity the great loss which the republic sustained by the death of her distinguished son became known throughout the land. Great as the people's sorrow was, when Washington entered into his eternal rest, crowned with honors, and in the fulness of his years, the grief at the untimely taking off of this bright intellect was still more pathetic in its intensity. The entire nation was thrown into mourning by the death of Hamilton, and the manner of his demise struck horror to the hearts of every one. The uni- versal sorrow of those days can only be likened to the sad experiences which this nation was called up- on to undergo, at the time of the violent deaths of the exalted Lincoln, the martyred Garfield and the beloved McKinley. The confidence which had been reposed in the wisdom of Hamilton, and the sense of security which his powerful personality gave to the people at large, was made manifest by the sincere mourning of the multitudes, at his terrible and untimely end. v_ Mementos. Although a century and more has passed since these events took place, the spot where that historical duel occurred and the Sepulchre, wherein was en- tombed all that was mortal of Hamilton, are worthy of description. The boulder on which rested his head, after receiving the mortal wound, was removed from the river bank to the top of the cliff, when the West Shore Railroad mms built. It is 44 ALEXANDER HAMILTON crowned with a bust of Hamilton and contains a tab- let with the following inscription : 1804. I8a4. Upon this Stone rested the head of the Patriot, Soldier, Statesman & Jurist \LEXANDER HAMILTON, after tlie duel with AARON BURR, fought July 11th, 1804. "The duel took place on the bank of the river near this spot; and the stone was moved here when the Railroad was built. — 1894." The point i.s an ideal one, on the Weehawken Heights, overlooking- the Hudson, and about opposite where today is Forty-second Street, New York. It was eminently meet and fitting, that the re- mains of so distinguished a man should have been deposited in old Trinity Churchyard, the Westmin- ster of our young Nation. On the Rector Street side, near that great center of activity, and where pulsates the financial interests not only of this continent, i)iit of the entire world. Wall Street, Hamilton is sleeinng his last sleep. With reverence we approach lliis lialldwed shrine and pause with bated breath, to read : AI.EXAN'DKK HAMILTON'S BUST, TAHI.KT AND STONE, A I' Wkkiiaukkn, X. J. THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 45 IN MEMORY OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON The Corporation of Trinity Church has erected this MONUMENT In Testimony of the respect for The Patriot of Incorruptible Integrity The Soldier of Approved Valour The Statesman of Consummate Wisdom Whose Talents and Virtues will be admired B Y Grateful Posterity Long after this marble shall have mouldered Into DUST. He died July 12. 1804. Aged 47. 46 ALEXANDER HAMILTON Close by are interred the remains of Mrs. Hamil- ton, and a tablet tells ns that there lies: ELIZA, Daughter of PHILIP SCHUYLER Widow of ALEXANDER HAMILTON. Born at ALBANY August 9th, 1757. Died at WASHINGTON November 9th, 1854. INTERRED HERE TOMB OF ALKXANUEK IIAMILTUN, In Tkinity Ciiukcii Yard, Nkw Vurk City. THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 47 On the north wall of the vestry room iii Trinity Church of New York City, the New York Society of the Cincinnati placed a marble bust of Hamilton, beneath which is inscribed this beautiful tribute : This Tablet Does not profess to perpetuate the Memory of a Man. to whom the age has produced no superior. nor to emblazon Worth «mlnently conspicuous in every feature of his Country's greatness. nor to anticipate Posterity in their Judgment of the Loss which she has sustained by his premature death, But to attest. In the Simplicity of Grief, the veneration and anguish which fill the Hearts of the Members of the New York State Society of CINCINNATI on every recollection of their illustrious Brother MAJOR GENERAL ALEXANDER HAMILTON. Obiit 1S04 — .\etatis 47. 48 ALEXANDER HAMILTON Hamilton's Slayer. With the personality of Aarou Burr, we have no concern. Brilliant as were his faculties he was de- void of all moral sense. His courage in battle and his ability in the council chamber cannot be gainsaid, but the sinister traits of his pcatilcntia A character involved him in questionable transactions which ulti- mately brought him before the bar of justice. He was accused of high treason against his country, and although this great crime was not proven against him, he fled and for many years was exiled from his native laud. He attained an age of over eighty years, dying in poverty and obscurity, thus proving that that duel was infinitely more fatal to the blood- stained survivor than to his immortal victim. J)£3TlfC<: T/ue Conclusion. Alexander Hamilton's chief qualities of mind were a clear and vigorous reasoning faculty, and a chaste and prolific imagination. In the discussion of any subject, he seized hold of the main points with the vigor of an intellectual giant, and handled them skilfully, gracefully and with ease. His essays, pami)hlets, and reports are masterpieces; each per- fect, symmetrical and finished in itself. The elo- quence of Hamilton was a model of perfection, whether it was displayed in a tleliberative assembly, in the Courts of Justice, or in the Halls of the Acad- emy. He was possessed of a retentive memory, and clear discrimination and was gifted with untiring industry. His integrity and honesty were unim- peachable. As a soldier, Hamilton was eminently brave, chivalrous and prudent. THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 49 Alexandei" Hamilton's personal appearance was pleasing and attractive. Although he was under the middle size, he carried himself very erect, and his bearing was dignified and courtly. He was thin in person; his complexion was delicate and fair, and his cheeks rosy. He had a rather long and straight nose, and steel blue eyes, with remarkable force of penetration. His hair he was accustomed to comb back from his forehead, to powder and to collect in a cue behind, as was the habit in his days. His forehead was high, capacious, and prominent; his voice was musical, his manner frank and impul- sive. His appearance and carriage betokened a man of great intellect and one fully conscious of his men- tal powers. The virtues of Alexander Hamilton should ever be worthy of the truest emulation by all generations to come. We would, however, lay ourselves open to just cen- sure were we to attempt to depict Hamilton as hav- ing been without failings or without errors. But in justice to his character it must be admitted that he was courageous enough to acknowledge his foibles; nor must we lose sight of the fact that the standard by which morality was gauged a century and more ago, was not of that high plane to which society in this enlightened age is expected to con- form. Well may we throw the cloak of Charity over his shortcomings; the inestimable services he rendered to his country and the many virtues which were iinited in his person, entitle him to the considerate judgment of posterity. 50 ALEXANDER HAMILTON It is well, therefore, in conehision, to recall the tes- timony some of his notable contemporaries and other men of eminence have borne to his genius, the talents of which he so unreservedly gave to his country. Fisher Ames, of Massachusetts, one of his con- temporaries, spoke of Hamilton as "A Lawyer, his comprehensive genius reached the prin- ciples of his profession; he compassed its extent, he fath- omed its profound, perhaps even more familiarly and easily, than the ordinary rules of its practice. With most men law is a trade; with him it was a science. "As a statesman, he was not more distinguished by the great extent of his views than by the caution with which he provided against impediments, and the watchfulness of his care over right and the liberty of the subject. In none of the many revenue bills which he framed, though committees reported them, is there to be found a single clause that savors of despotic power; not one that the sagest champions of law and liberty would, on that ground, hesitate to approve and adopt. "The only ordinary distinction, he did aspire, was mil- ttary; and for that, in the event of a foreign war, he would have been solicitous. He undoubtedly discovered the predominance of a soldier's feelings, and all that is honor In the character of a soldier was at home in his heart. His early education was in the camp; there the first fer- vors of his genius were poured forth, and his earliest and most cordial friendships formed; there he became enam- oured of glory, and was admitted to her embrace. "Those who knew him best, and especially in the army, will believe, that if occasions had called him forth, he was qualified, beyond any man of the age, to display the tal- ents of a great general. "It may be very long before our country will want such military talents; it will probably be much longer before it will again po.ssess them." ALEXANDER HAMILTON, Major Gkneral ok L'nitkd Si aies Akmiks. and Skcretary of Treasury. From iin old siecl engrnvint; In the possession of St. Luke's P. E. Cl.uich. New York City. THE GREAT FEDERALIST. $1 John Marshall, the eminent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, in describing the "Troubles of the first Administra- tion," wrote in his well balanced and judicial man- ner the following : "Until near the close of the war Mr. Hamilton had served his country In the field; and, just before its term- ination, had passed from the camp into congress, where he remained for some time after peace had been estab- lished. In the former station, the danger to which the in- dependence of his country was exposed from the imbecility of Its government was perpetually before his eyes; and, in the latter, his attention was forcibly directed towards the loss of its reputation, and the sacrifice of its best Interests, which were to be ascribed to the same cause. Mr. Hamilton, therefore, was the friend of a government which should possess. In Itself, sufficient powers and re- iources to maintain the character, and defend the integ- rity of the nation. Having long felt and witnessed the mischiefs produced by the absolute sovereignty of tha States, and by the control which they were enabled and disposed separately to exercise over every measure of gen- eral concern, he was particularly apprehensive of danger from that quarter; which he, probably, believed was to be the more dreaded, because the habits and feelings of the American people were calculated to inspire state, rather than national prepossessions. Under the influence of these Impressions, he is understood to have avowed opinions in the convention favorable to a system in which the execu- tive and senate, though elective, were to be rather more permanent, than they were rendered in that which was actually proposed. He afterwards supported the constitu- tion, as framed, with great ability, and contributed essen- tially to Its adoption. But he still retained, and openly avowed the opinion, that the greatest hazards to which it was exposed arose from its weakness, and that American liberty and happiness had much more to fear from tha encroachments of the great states, than from those of tha general government." 52 ALEXANDER HAMILTON Daniel Webster, one of the greatest statesmen this or any other country ever produced, uttered these sentiments : "Alexander Hamilton was made Secretary of the Treas- ury; and how he fulfilled the duties of such a place, at such a time, the whole country perceived with delight and the whole world saw with admiration. He smote the rock of the national resources, and abundant streams of rev- enue gushed forth. He touched the dead corpse of the Public Credit, and it sprang forth upon its feet. The fabled birth of Minerva, from the brain of Jove, was hardly more sudden or more perfect than the financial system of the United States, as it burst forth from the conceptions of Alexander Hamilton." THE GREAT FEDERALIST. 53 IN MEMORIAM. Thus lived a noble Life. A L E X .\ N D E R H .\ M I L T O N , THE RESOURCEFUL FINANCIER, THE WISE COUNSELLOR, THE LEARNED JURIST, THE EMINENT STATESMAN; and thus faced with equal nobility and classic composura, an untimely f.ate; THE GREAT PATRIOT, THE GALLANT SOLDIER. THE PROFOUND SCHOLAR, THE ACCOMPLISHED GENTLEMAN: but towering far above these Parts, thus securing Immortality, Behold The MAN OF COURAGE, OF FIDELITY. OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HONOR. ALEXANDER HAMILTON. ALEXANDER HAMILTON 55 AD HONOREM. A 8 the ages roll along li ight and darkness interchanging E ver shifting scenes creating X tol the fame of HAMILTON. A II for his country's greatness N ever faltering, never ceasing D ominated his brave soul; E volving from his mind's conception R arest gift — Our Constitution. TI onor then, ye generations A L E X A .\ D E R HAMILTON M aster, wise in statesmanship 1 ntellect of world renown 1j eader to America's glory T oiler for her liberty. O nward may his spirit guide N ation Thee — his hope, his pride.