Newspapers / Minerva; or, Anti-Jacobin. / Sept. 24, 1804, edition 1 / Page 1
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CDISCOUJE GEN. HAMILTON, ! Utt ever t0 6? lamented death qf Homt tonj. it tt iclik SfHtutlu wr eaa film utUe from that tbttm$'utg Kent to &t orditarf mbjecti. qf a pahHe ptqxr ; and we. trust hy our continued attention to il, tot m acting in tympalhy wtt nut of our mader. Among A"'ogie wuik kmi beeii fnmveed on the character of Vie fllustriom deceased, we en pertMid from the extracts tee have done nill tur jau, j degonco ondfmi af aagmige, in diitrirmtmtton of (harrier, in htstnett V sentiments, the Discourse of the1 Jtfo. Mr. S OTT," pastor!" the pretbjfterm church in AU ,iafyi and see prootetd id give those extracts as we fnd Hem tn the Jfew-York Eveung Post. V The Preacher has tdtenftt his text, the very appropriate words in 8 Samuel, J. W. "Bow are the mighty klleu !"J . tAhffe dtdntifall lit Ymgie cafabat. Hit noble nature refused "to eiKlangtr the life of his antagonist. But he exposed his pwa' life, g This was bis crime I and the sacred ness of my office forbids that I should hesi tate explicitly to declare it bo; : t ' -l ? H did not hesitate to declare it a'o him self tA My religious and moral principles are strongly opposed to duelling." . These" are his Words before he ventured to the field of death. I vicr the late transaction with1 sorrow and 'contrition.'' These are-his words after his ret Urn. J V The occasion explains the choice c( my subject ; a subject oh which I enterjn obe dience to your request. You have assem bled to expresi your elegiac s6rrows,and sad and solemn weeds cover you , " Before such an audience, and oh such aa occasion, I enter on the duty assigned roe with trembling. Do not mistake my meaning ; I tremble indeed not, however. through fear of failing to merit your ap plause ; tor What have I to do with that when addressing the dying and treading on the ashes or the dead ? Wot through tear of failings justly, to pourtrayr the character of that great man who is at once the theme of my encomium and regret : he needs not eulogy his ivorks art finished, and death has removed him beyond my censure, and I would fondly hope, through grace,' above my praise. 1 ; ' ' ' " You will ask then, why I tremble ? I tremble to think that I am called to attack from this, place a crime,' the very idea of which almost freezes- one with horror a crime tod which exists among the polite & polished orders of society, and which is ac cbmpaoied with every aggravation r com mitted with coot deliberation ; and -openly in the face of day 1 u But I have a duty to perform; atid dif Hcttlt and awful as that day is, I will not shrink from itT V-4-'-u'; V" Would to God toy talents were ade quate to the occasion But "such as they we, i devoutly proffer them to unfold the auirend counteract the influence of that fiirbarous tustom, whichf like a reslsUess torrent iitinderrainingthe' foundations of .... ...- . . .i i . urn govcrnmcHi orcaKing aown ine oar riers of social happiness, and sweeping away virtuevalents; and domestic felicity in its desolatin e cottiie. " . . " "'v:'. " Another and an illustrious character a fathera general- a statesman the very man who stood on an eminence and without a rival, among sages and heroes, the futur; hope of his country in danger--Uiis man, ucKiing to tnc inuuence oi a custom wmcn flesenes our eternal reprobation, pas been brought to an untimely end. V " ' "That the deaths of great & useful men should be particularly noticed is equally the dictate of reason and revelation. The tears of Israel flowed at the decease of good Jo siah, and tohi3 memory the funeral .women thapted the solemn dirge, . . -I ,- " But neither examplcsnor arguments areLsecessary to wake the sympathies of a-grateful-people on such occasions. The death pf public benefactors 'surcharees thclieart, lnd it spontanepusly disburdens iuelf by a pw ot sorrows, ';;-;:;,--... f Such was the death of Washington, to tmbaloa whose memory, & perpetuate whose Pathless fame we lent our feebly but un necessary "services. ' Such, also, and more peculiarly so,' has, been the df ath of .HamiUv ton. . ; -;. " The tidings of the former moved us mournfully mpved us-and m.c wept. The iscount of the. latter chilled our hopes and curdled our blood. The former died in a i'Qi old age;: the latter was cut off in kit midst of hi& usefulness. The former was a u?tpraary proy ictenqt; ';: 1 wew, injt, if l teav speak so, the finger of Go3fand rested in his sovereignty. 'The la.er is not at-l-aded with this soothing circumstance. - The falloLHamUtonrpwc Jts -exist?. s5Jmadjdeliberation, and isrriarked by, Violence. Thetimethe place, the? circum &nces, are arranged with barbarous coqI ?css. The instrument of deathls levelled in day light,, and with well directed skill pointed at his' heart. V Alas I the eyent has pfoven that it was but tQt well directed Wounded, mortallv wounded, on the very 5pot which still smoked with the blood of a iavorite son, intc. the ajms of his indiscreet cruel friend the faher fell. v " Ah J had he' fallen in the coursenof jia-' trt , or jeopardizing his life in defence oC is country ; had he fallen But hje didbotr cu n single comoat i aruou wy mi Humiliating end of illustrious great ness ! Hov ere the mighty fallen! And shall the mighty lhas fall frThw shall the noblest i sr lightehingraud whoserdcielopemenof 4 lives be sacrificed, and the richest blood be. spilt 1' Tell it not inXZath , publish it 7iet in the streets of Akelon - , . Think not that the fatal issue of the late inhuman interview Was fortuitous. No ;hc Hand that guides, unseen the arrow- of the archer, steadied and directed the arm of the duellist And why did it thus direct it?c As a solemn memento is a i lopd and awful warning to a community where jus tice has slumbered and slumberedand slumbered whilc the wife has been robbed of her partner, the mother pf her hopesi and life afier life rashly, and with an air of tri umph, sported away. - i y And was there, Q my God ! no odier sacrifice valuable enough-would the crj' of no other blood reach the place of retributi on and awake justice, dozing over her aw ful seat!"' . - -' '::r: . Again'''':" . In accomplishing the object which is before me, it will not be expected, as it is not necessary that ;I ahoiild give a history of Duelling. , You need: inot be informed that it originated in a dark and babarous age. The polished Greek knew nothing of it-- the noble Roman was above it." But though Greece and Rome knew nothing of Duelling, it exists. -It exists a mong us t : and it exists at nee the most Hash; the most Absurd and Guilty'pracuce that ever disgraced a Christian nation.'! The indignation of ibe iivine breaks out lit the following ejocUtnatie!)- , .. v : " ,' ' "- Who is it then that calls the duellist to thdanerausnddeadlyj'ombat 1 1 Is it God i No j on the contrary he forbids it. Isit theft his country ? No ; she also utters her prohibitory Voice.-; Who is it then I A man of honor, i And who is this man of. honour I A matt perhaps whose honour is a uame ; wno prates witn polluted lips aoout the sacredness of character, when his own is stained with crimes, and needs but the single shade of murder to complete the dis mal and sickly picture 1" QtKt more ' . The frantic meeting, by a kind of ma gic Influence, entirely- varnishes over, a de tective and smutty character i transforms vice to virtue, cowardice to courage ; makes falsehood truth, guilt , innocence in one word, it gives a' new , comffffciton to the whole state of thing3. 1'he Ethiopian changes his skin, the leopard his ' spot, and the debauched andtreacherousi having $hot aray the infamy of a sorry life, comes back trom the hetjot terfectibihty quite re generated, and,"jn the fullest sense, an ho norable , mart, . Ue is now fit for the com pany of gentlemen : he is admitted to that company anu snouia ne jain, uy acia ui yiientss, stain this purity pf character so, nobly acquired, and should any one have the effrontery to say that he 'has done so, again he stands ready to vindicate ' his ho nor, and by another act of homicide to wipe away.the stain which has been attached to 44 The Statesman ike correctness of w 'principles-add therstreiigth ;.of, whoSe knind, are inscribed bn the records of Congress, and on the annals of teebunSel chamber whose genius impressed jtstjf upon the cotistitutioh.ofjiis country and Vhoseme mory, the government, illustrious fabric, resting on this basis, will perpetuate while It lasts and, 6hiken by the violence ofpar ty, should it fall, which may heaven avert, his prophetic declarations will be found in scribed bn its ruins. , i V4 The Counsellor who was at once the pridb of the bat, and the admiration of the court. Whose apprehensions were as quick v", But t wait in vain, f It WPS a 'qlomen' in which his great wisdonr forsoiuk' Junv-AUr moraent in which Hamilton was not him, :. He yielded to the forc$ of an imperiods , custom; Aud yielding he sacrificed a life in which all had an(intere6t--and he is lost' lost to his country lost to his family lost to us.. . ;-"::- v ''' ::' ' ' - " '' V Fortius.'., v-' act, because he disclairn-i ed it, and was penitent, X forgive him.wr Tlie tt eachcr reiurnt to bi reprobation cf Duelling. , i ;''.; But ihere are those whpna I cannot for"? give. T mean not hi antagonist, overl ' whose erring steps,' if therje be tears in he a- it. The following contains the eulogy which a Minister ol God, standing at the altar felt hi rn.se f justified in pronouncing ou Alex ander HAMILTON . . : 44 The M an, on whom najture seems ori ginally to have impressed - the " stamp3f ereatness i whose genius beamed from the j-etirementof cpllegiateljfe, with aradiancci which dazzled, and a loveliness which charmedV the eye offeages. - :, . w , ' 44 The Ileroy called from his sequestered retreat, hose first appearance in the fitcld, though a stripling, toaciliated. the esteem of Washington, our good (ld -father.:; Mov tng by w hose- side, d uring aE the perils it tbg revolution, our young Chieftain was a contributor to thvetran's glory, the guard-? iarr of hb person, and the compartner of his toils-v;.;-;v,Y'' 'h . The Conatzerery who sparing of human blood when victory favored, stayed the up lifted armi andTtioblv said to the vanquish Jed enemy, 44 live truth was luminous as its path ; whose ar gument no change "of circumstance could embarrass t whose knowledge appeared in tuitive ; and who, by-a single glance, and with as much facility as the eye juf fhe ea gle parses o'y t-r the J.indscape, surveyed the.' whole field of controversy ; saw in what way truth might be most successfully de fended, and how error must be approached. And who, without ever stopping, ever he sitating, by a 'rapid and manly march, led the listening judge and the fascinated juror, step by step, through a delightsome region, brightening: as he-advaneedrtill-his-argiH-meat rose to demonstration, and eU-que nee was rendered usele- s by conviction. Whosr talents were employed on the side of righteousntss. Whose voice, whether in the counsel chamber or at thenar of jus tice, was virtue's consolation. At whose approach oppressed humanity, felt a secret rapture, and the'htart of Injured innocence leapt for joy. t " Where Hamilton was, in whatever sphere he moved, die friendless had a friend, the fatherless a father, and the poor man, tho' unable to reward bis. kindness, found an ad vocate. It was, when the rich oppressed the poor when the- powtrful menaced the defenceless j .when truth was disregarded, or the eternal principles of justice violated ; iTwisTodT thesei occas1dTiS;Uiaf hexcrted all his strength, it was on these occasions that he sometimes scared so high, & shone with a radiance so trauscetdant, I had almost said, so 4' heavenly," as- filled those around him with awe, and gave him the force and authority of a prophet. . . , . ,4 1 he Patriot whose integrity baffled the scrutiny of inquisition. Whose manly vir tue never shaped its If to circumstances.--who, always great, always hi mself, stod, amidst the var in; tides of partyriw, like the rock which far from laud, hits its ma jestic top above the waves, and remains un shaken by the stoims which agitate, the ocean. . - V ,':'.: - ,,. ' 44 The Friend, who Inew ne guile. Whose bosom was transparent and deep, in the bot tom of whose heart was rooted every ten der and sympathetic virtue. Whose vari ous worth opposing parties acknowledged while alive,' and on whose tomb thev unite with equal sympathy and gi iel to heap their honours. ; ', -; V . - 44 I know he bad his fairings. I see on the picture of his life, a picture rendered awfuf by greatness, and luminous by virtue some daik shades. On these let the' tear that pities Human Weaknesi lail : on these let the veil which covers human frail ty rest. -As a hero, as a statesman, as a patriot he lived nobly : and. would to Gcd I could auu, he nobly tell. . M Unwilling to admit his error in this re spect, I go back to the period of discussion. 1 see him resisting the threatened inter view. I imagine myself prestnt in his chamber. yatiou reasons, for a time, Seem tp hold his determination in arrest. Various and moving objects pass before him, and speak a dissuasive laupuace. ' 41 His countrj',which may need his coun sels 4 guide and his arm to defend, utters her veto.. , i he pai tnti- f his youth, alrea dy covered fritb Wcedsnd whose: tears flow down her bosom, iutemdes ! ; Hts babes Itretchin out their little thands and pointing to a weeping "mother, with lispii.g tloquence, ou eloquence which reaches a fetVcalcryout 44 SjayJUy-rdear-papa, and 4ive foir us T? In the mean time the spectre of a fallen son, pale and ghastly, approaches, opens his bleeding Bosom,r'ind. as the harbinger of vdeatb, points'to the yawning-tomhand forwanis a hesitating fa ther of the issue ! -i: '7 m-. '-'. ; r 44 He pauSeS. Reviews tliese.s'ad objects : and reasons on ' the subject. J I admire his magnanimity. I approve his reasoning, & I wait to hear him reject 'with indignation the murderous proposition, and to sec him spdrn from hi3 presence the presumptuous i bearer of iu . , . ' yen, a pious mother looks down &; weeps If he be capable of feeling, he suffers alrea- ;'' dy all that humanity can suffer. , Suffers, and wherever he may fly will suffer, withi" the poignant recollection, of having taken I th'e life of one '..who 'was too magnanimous in return to attltfpt hiso wm -Had he have " " known this, it must have paralizcd his arm,'1 '."V' while it pqinted at so incorruptible a bosom, . die instrument of death.., Dcs he know this now, Iris heart, if it be not of adamant, , -must soften. if it be not ice, it must melt. But oh this article lforbcar Stained with blood as he is, ifhe .be jjenitent,1 I forgive Turn andif he be not, trefore these alurs where all of us appear as supplicants, I wis; not ta, excite your- vengeance, hut radier, in behalf of an object rendered wretched and pitiable, by crime, to wake your pray ers. -::. - , ; :' y, ... , V ' But I have said, and I repeat it, there arc those whom I cannot forgive : I cannot for give that minister at. the alur, . who has hither to forb'jro to remonstrate on this -subject. I cannot forgive that public per- ; secutor, who, entrusted widi the duty of; avenging his country's wrongs, -has seen, : those wrongs, and taken no measures to a- v venge them. I cannot forgive that Judge upon the bench, ,or that uovernor m the. chair oft state, who has lighUy passed over'; such offences. I cannot lorcrive the public, " , in whose opinion the duellist finds a banc . fuary.--' I cannot forgive you, myctthri n, Who tilL this late hour has beciVsiltritj whilst -successive murders were committed. .No ; I cannot forgive you, that ou have not, in common with the freemen of litis state, raised youA'piceJoJlhe loudly and explicitly demanded an .ekcu-s" tion of your laws." " - ' VT: . Would' to God, 1 might be permitted to approach fcr once the late scene of death.," Would to God I could there assemble oh the, one side, the! disconsolate mother with her seven fatherless children and on the other .those -.who administer the Justice'' of, iny country. Could I do this, J would point themto these sad objects. I would entreat, them, by the' agonies of bereaved fondness, to listen to the widow' heartfelt groansj , to mark the orphan's sighs and tears. . And, having done this, I would uncover' the breathless corpse of Hamilton. I wwuld lift from his gapi:'.g wound his bloody m an- , TLB I would hold it up to heaven before them, and I uild ask in -the name oi God, whether at the sight of it they felt no com punction. 1 . I '':"'.' ' .. :T " You will ask perhaps, at can.be doii'ey to arrest the progress of a practice which . has yet so many advocates l-l answero thir.g--M it be the deliberate intention to do xoTiiiNG. But if otherwise much Is 'with-, in our power." . , 2. . , : ", He i'irstt euti in the foHjjvinj' pathetic scraiii '"'t" 41 IIqxo are the mighty fallen 1 And re-" gardless as we are of vulgar deaths, ihalli not the fall of the mighty. affect us J : ,( 44 A short time dnee, and he who is. the, -occasion of our sorrows, was the ornament " of his country. He stood on ah eminence ; and glory covered him. ' from that emt jicnce. he has ' fallen suddenly forever fal-. len. His intercourse widi the living World is-now ended and' those who ivvould lietu after find him,mu6t seek .him in the grave. :There. cold and lifeless, is theneart which just now was the 6eat of friendsh i p. There, dim and sightless is the eye, whoe radiant h enUvenincr rb beamed with inteUhn itce -V and there closed foreteafe thioe hps, on whose, persuasive accents sve have so oficn and so lately hung with transport. ' ... From the darkness which rests upon his "-. tomb, thereTproceeds,: methinks, a light ia . . which it is clearly $een.that those gaudy pi :s jects. which men pursue are only phantoirisV "' -In this light bVwdindy-shiae& thepSftdoi-T--oiF ictorj how humble appears ,the. hujes-; W of grandeur. The bubble which set med f -. to, have sd much solidity has bursts w?,St we again see mat au oeiow uic sun is va;u- ty. I --- - 7f 1 T -.VrV - ' i
Sept. 24, 1804, edition 1
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