Complete Works. Hamilton Alexander
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who seems to have been guilty of concocting a plan to palm off a baby upon the defendant in a breach of promise case, and, at the same time, evidently posed as a medical expert. In another case the competency of a man is considered who "was never conceived to be deranged, but at times he was a good deal in liquor." This gentleman, however, was by another witness regarded as "very rational and pretty sociable."
Possibly, with the exception of Aaron Burr, no professional associate of Hamilton in New York can be found who withheld from him the praise which his work merited, and the tributes to his genius have been most hear and sincere. It would almost seem as if time strengthened the glory of his reputation, for with the lapse of years the rancor of political rivalry has been forgotten, and jurists everywhere to-day seem to be almost unanimous in admitting his greatness as one of the foremost of American lawyers. As an example I may quote James Broym Scott, a recent and most agreeable writer, who says," He [Hamilton] had no past of his own; he settled in a country with none, and dreamed and planned of a future for himself and country....
"And for the practice of law Hamilton was admirably fitted. In the matter of physical presence he was as favored as Lord Erskine, and he possessed a power of speech hardly inferior, it would seem, to the Scotchman. These are qualities not to be despised, but while they may make the verdict getter they do not make the lawyer. A knowledge of the history of the law added to the power of searching analysis and philosophic grasp' are essential to the lawyer in the scientific sense. In rounded completeness they make tbe jurist."
Justice Ambrose Spencer, who presided in the Anscoll case, said some years after the duel: "Alexander Hamilton was the greatest man this country ever produced. I knew him well. I was in situations often to observe and study him. I saw him at the bar and at home. He argued cases before me while I sat as judge on the Bench. Webster has done the same. In power of reasoning, Hamilton was the equal of Webster; and more than this can be said of no man. In creative power Hamilton was infinitely Webster's superior."
Chancellor James Kent, one of his dearest friends, wrote at one time: "He rose at once to the loftiest heights of professional eminence, by his profound penetration, his power of analysis, the comprehensive grasp and strength of his understanding, and the firmness, frankness, and integrity of his character. We may say of him, in reference to his associates, as was said of Papinian: 'Omnes longo post se intervallo reliquerit.'" And again: "I have been sensibly struck, in a thousand instances, with" his habitual reverence for truth, his candor, his ardent attachment to civil liberty, his indignation at oppression of every kind, his abhorrence of every semblance of fraud, his reverence for justice, and his sound, legal principles drawn by a clear and logical deduction from the purest Christian ethics, and from the purest foundations of all rational and practical jurisprudence. He was blessed with a very amiable, generous, tender, and charitable disposition, and he had the most artless simplicity of any man I ever knew. It was impossible not to love as well as respect and admire him.... He was perfectly disinterested. The selfish principle, that infirmity too often of great as well as of little minds, seemed never to have reached him. It was entirely incompatible with the purity of his taste and the grandeur of his ambition. Everything appeared to be at once extinguished, when it came in competition with his devotion to his country's welfare and glory. He was a most faithful friend to the cause of civil liberty throughout the world, but he was a still greater friend to truth and justice." In Coleman's history of the duel and funeral, numerous newspaper articles from the press of those days of persons who had, during his lifetime, been both friends and foes are recorded. None of them is more touching than the tribute of Croswell, in whose behalf Hamilton had appeared, and to which reference has elsewhere been made. Croswell was then the editor of the Balance, and after the duel said: "From the editor of this paper something more is due to the departed Hamilton than common panegyric and general encomium. This, a whole nation is bound to bestow—this, not a citizen of America seems disposed to withhold. But to me he once rendered unequalled service, apart from that rendered to his country generally. In my defence, and in defence of the American press, he once exerted his unrivalled eloquence. In my cause, this greatest of men made his mightiest effort—an effort which might have palsied the uplifted hand of power; an effort which might have carried terror to the bosom of a tyrant. For this service, voluntarily rendered, I owed him a debt of gratitude which never could be cancelled—never diminished. But, by offering my feeble aid to the support of principles which he advocated, I hoped, at least, to show my sense of the obligation under which I was laid, by his disinterested exertions. Alas! he is gone—and I have only returned him the professions of my gratitude. But 'His fame is left'—dear as my blood; my life shall be devoted to its protection!"
Chapter VIII
Family Life
When Hamilton left the army he diligently studied law, and in a few months felt himself able to take up a new and congenial profession. To one of his warmest friends he wrote:
Alexander Hamilton to Richard K. Meade
Albany, August 37, 1782.
... As to myself, I shall sit down in New York when it opens; and this period, we are told, approaches. No man looks forward to a peace with more pleasure than I do, though no man would sacrifice less to it than myself, if I were not convinced the people sigh for peace.—I have been studying the law for some months, and have lately been licensed as an attorney. I wish to prepare myself by October for examination as a counsellor; but some public avocation may possibly prevent me. I had almost forgotten to tell you, that I have been pretty unanimously elected, by the Legislature of this State, a member of Congress, to begin to serve in November. J do not hope to reform this State, although I shall endeavor to do all the good I can.
God bless you,
A. Hamilton.
Robert Morris had, however, been so impressed with Hamilton's mental qualities and great energy that in May, 1782, he appointed him receiver of the Continental taxes in the State of New York, a position which proved to be a thankless and uphill job. It would appear that he accepted the office only after continued urging, and remained a congressman at the same time. So in debt was the country then that it was spoken of as a "bankrupt Confederation." His friend, Chancellor Livingston, smarting under his own excessive taxation, thus wrote to Hamilton at a later time:
Robert R. Livingston to Alexander Hamilton
Clesmont, 5th March, 1787.
I received your information relative to the law for dividing the district. I am much obliged by your attention to that object. While I condole with you on the loss of the impost, I congratulate you on the laurels you acquired in fighting its battles. I see you are making some progress in the new system of taxation, but I could hardly credit my eyes when I saw Jones opposed to the clause for a tax on houses, since if I am not extremely deceived I heard him commend to you your ideas on that subject at a law dinner. Be very tender on the point of taxation. I am convinced no direct tax of any importance can be raised. The minds of the people in this part of the state are sore and irritable— The Collectors are all disturbed upon not being able to collect the quota of the £50,000 tax. Indeed the improvident grants of money both in this and Dutchess County for the building of Court Houses and the collection of arrears all within six months have fallen extremely heavy. You will be astonished when I tell you that my tax in this past year upon an estate which has never produced me £400 per annum is upwards of £600 in certificate and; £260 specie, including arrears of one year and one year's arrears when I lived in Philadelphia and was not an inhabitant of this State. I shall endeavor to make my stay here useful by effecting some changes in the representation which I have good hopes of accomplishing in Dutches County. When I have conversed with most of the leading people at this end of it who agree with me in thinking a change necessary, the County will I think remove five of their old members.
I expect that this will product some attack on me or my salary by those who know I opposed to them. All I expect for my friends will be that they do not suffer such reductions to be made as will be dishonourable to [illegible]. A liberal and honourable appointment such as would enable