Upon the accession of the Republicans to the control of the government,
Jefferson ordered the books of Hamilton searched to ascertain what
charges could be made against him, and to discover the alleged blunders
and frauds perpetrated by the Federal official while in office. Albert
Gallatin, himself one of the greatest financiers of his age, undertook
the task with a hearty relish as he at that time entertained no great
esteem for the great Federalist. Struck by the almost absolute
perfection of the system, Gallatin reported to the President that any
change would certainly injure it and that no blunders or frauds had been
committed.
This great man was born on one of the West India Islands, January 11th,
1757. His father failed when he was young and his mother died leaving
the poor child in actual want. He was taken by friends at Santa Cruz. He
had no great educational advantages there, but being able to read both
English and French he devoured all such books as fell in his way. He was
placed in a counting-house in Santa Cruz and, although he detested the
business, applied himself diligently to his task and the knowledge here
gained was no small factor of his future great success as a financier.
He applied every spare moment to study and early began to use his pen.
In 1772 a hurricane passed through St. Christophers, and an account
which young Hamilton then wrote for the papers attracted so much
attention that his friends decided to give him a better chance. They
accordingly raised the money with which to send him to New York to
school, and after a few months spent at a grammar school in
Elizabethtown, New Jersey, he entered Columbia College, New York--then
called Kings College. Here he began study preparatory to a medical
course.
About this time his attention became drawn toward the struggle which was
about to commence between Great Britain and America, and at a public
meeting he made a short speech which attracted general attention. He was
now but seventeen years of age, yet his pen was keenly felt in the
interest of America, through the columns of _Holts Journal_, to which he
had become a regular contributor. He entered the army as captain of an
artillery company which he was the chief means of raising, and did good
service at White Plains, Trenton and Princeton.
He secured this position through the influence of General Schuyler and,
although but nineteen years of age, he was well qualified for the
position, having made a study of artillery tactics. His ability had not
escaped the attention of the army, and he was placed upon Washington's
staff with rank of lieutenant-colonel. Washington needed some one to
take charge of his great correspondence,--some one who could think for
himself. Young as Hamilton was he assumed the entire responsibility of
chief secretary, besides rendering much valuable assistance as aid. He
married one of General Schuyler's daughters, and this alliance with one
of the wealthiest families in the State proved a most fortunate epoch in
his life. A difference arising between Washington and himself he
resigned and, although Washington sent an apology, he refused to recall
his resignation however their mutual esteem was continued. He
subsequently commanded a brigade at the battle of Yorktown.
He now took up his residence at Albany and began the study of law with
his wife's father. He was soon licensed to practice, and was chosen one
of the delegates to the Continental Congress. He realized the necessity
of vesting more power in congress and secured the adoption, by the State
of New York, of a resolution urging the amendment of the constitution
with that object in view. He now moved to New York where he soon
acquired an immense practice. His efforts in behalf of the constitution
were untiring and useful.
When Washington became president he selected Hamilton as his Secretary
of Treasury. It was a wise choice as financial difficulties were the
most formidable of any in the way of the administration, and no man was
more capable of bringing order out of chaos than Alexander Hamilton. All
parties agreed that the debts incurred abroad must be met according to
contract, but as a large amount of the domestic debt was in the hands of
men who had bought it for a rise it had been suggested that these
obligations be settled upon the basis of the amount paid for them by
their present holders. This measure Hamilton opposed. While
acknowledging that speculation was an evil, still he saw that such a
measure would tend to weaken our financial credit. He also brought
about the assumption by the government of the entire State debt incurred
during the war. This measure was strongly opposed by Jefferson, and its
passage had a marked effect on our system tending to centralize
authority.
It will thus be seen that to Alexander Hamilton belongs no small share
of founding and shaping the destiny of this powerful country of to-day.
Like many other great and good men, he was obliged to suffer the slander
of the press, which charged him with a misappropriation of the public
money, but as has already been shown in this narrative, it proved
nothing but a foul story concocted through jealousy and partisan hate,
and is no longer countenanced. His salary being insufficient for his
support, he resigned his position and resumed the practice of his
profession in New York. In the warlike demonstration of 1798 he became,
upon the death of General Washington, the Commander-in-Chief of all the
armies of America, but happily the war with France was averted and peace
restored.
Now we come to the saddest page of American history. We have followed
this poor homeless boy from childhood; we have seen him rise from
obscurity to a leading position at the bar, become a gallant soldier and
the greatest financier in America. And yet, when his country most needs
his council and help, we see him, at the age of fifty-seven, stricken
down by an assassin.
Aaron Burr was an ambitious politician. His alleged intrigues with the
Federalists, whereby he sought to effect the election of himself to the
presidency instead of Jefferson, the people's choice, cost him the
confidence of his own party. Knowing New York to be the pivotal State,
he sought the gubernatorial chair through an independent vote, hoping
to secure Federal support, as it was conceded that they could not elect
a candidate of their own. Hamilton, himself as pure as the bright
sunshine, felt his party to be imposed upon by this intruder who, while
professing to be a Republican, was seeking to thrust himself upon the
other party.
At a caucus Hamilton warmly opposed the endorsement of a man whom he
characterized as dangerous and who had not ought to be trusted with the
reins of government. Hamilton took no active part in the campaign, but
his opinion was frequently quoted by those who did, and the result was
Burr's defeat by Morgan Lewis. Attributing his defeat to Hamilton, and
feeling him to be his greatest political rival, he early sought a duel
with him. Hamilton detested this practice, and sought by all honorable
means, as he wrote to his wife, to avoid it. But finally he accepted,
not in the spirit of a professed duelist, but in the character of a
public man. They met on the morning of July 11th, 1804, on the fatal
field of Weehawken, New Jersey.
At the first fire Hamilton sprang on his tip-toes, and, after a
convulsive movement, fell forward on his face. At the same time his
weapon was accidentally discharged, his missile flying wide of its mark.
Indeed, Hamilton did not fire; in reality, he had resolved not to return
his antagonist's fire, and never knew that his weapon was discharged, as
he was insensible when he fell. He died within thirty hours, and his
funeral was the most imposing ever witnessed in that day. Around the
name of Hamilton there glows a halo which has brightened in the ages.
Thus was America robbed of her brave soldier and pure statesman.