Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], December 08, 1910, Page 4, Image 4

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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4
DIARIES AND BIOGRAPHY.
INTIMATE LIFE OF HAMILTON.
NOTABLE WORK BY GRANDSON.
Allan Mctane Hamilton —Much New
Material — Letters and Gossip —
Question of Birth Cleared Vp—Elis
abefh Schuyler Hamilton.
There neems to be always room for a
new book on Alexander Hamilton. No
figure of the Revolution has drawn more
heavily on human interest than this one.
It is a life of romance and tragedy. The
astonishing precocity, the brilliancy and
versatility of mind, the dashing person
ality. the amazing volume of achieve
ment crowded into few years and the
tragic taking-off appeal irresistibly to the
ambition and the imagination of men. At
14 years of age we find him a clerk in a
shinpinc house and showing close knowl
edge of the terms and laws of trade. At
IS he is a leader among the young men
of New York in the first outbursts of
revolution, at 22 an officer in the army
attached to the staff of Gen Washington,
aud having his confidence. At 30 he is
prominent in the convention to frame a
constitution, and the author of those im
mortal expositions of the constitution
which make up so considerable a part of
the Federalist. At 32 he is secretary of
the treasury, successfully engaged in es
tablishing the credit of the country and
in reorganizing its finances. And from
32 on to his death at 47 he is a brilliant
lawyer and Darty leader. In precocity
and yolume of achievement Hamilton is
comparable among soldiers with Alexan
der, wbo at 16 showed good judgment in
ruling over Macedon and who at 30 was
a conqueror of the world: or with Bona
parte, wbo at 26 was in the command of
the army in Italy, at 35 emperor, and at
42 the master of all Europe: or. among
statesmen, with Charles James Fox, who
at 25 was the leader of his party in the
House of Commons, or with the younger
Pitt, wbo at 24 was chancellor of the
exchequer, and at 25 prime minister.
These men died young. Hamilton might
hare lived mj^rr years in the natural
course of life, but we can hardly ques
tion that he had before his untimely death
passed the zenith of his career. Nature
is exacting in its compensations. It is
not given to the fires of genius to burn
fiercely and also to burn long.
Hamilton died in 1804. We are brought
into rather striking proximity to that seem
ingly remote time by the fact that it is
the grandson of Gen Hamilton who writes
this latest book, which also gives us a
closer view of the man than any that has
yet appeared. Alexander Hamilton’s
first son, Philip, was killed in a duel three
years before his father’s death and at the
same spot. The youngest son of the fam
ily was given the same name, and that
Philip’s son. Dr Allan McLane Hamil
ton of New York, has prepared this work,
entitled "The Intimate Life of Alexander
Hamilton,” "based chiefly upon original
family letters and other documents, many
of which have never been published." The
publishers are the Scribners. It is aa the
title suggests an intimate portraiture of
the man, and full of original material. We
need hardly aay that the book is a most
entertaining and valuable one. Perhaps
more letters no great importance have
been included than is desirable, and there
is certainly a lack of order in their plac
ing. Many of them are thrown into the
work here and there without much rela
tionship to the context, but the interest of
the reader is held to the end none the less
closely.
Dr Hamilton at first sets himself to
remove the question that has rested over
the birth of his grandfather. Gen Hamil
ton’s father was a Scotchman allied to a
noble family, who went to the West In
dies to make a living and was more or less
of a failure in business. His mother was
Rachel Fawcett, a beautiful and clever
woman, whose parents were Huguenots,
going from France to the West Indies.
She was born on the island of Nevis, and
when a girl barely 16 years old was forced
into marriage with a rich Danish Jew,
John Levine. It was an unhappy mar
riage. He is charged with treating her
cruelly, and her mother, who was of an
imperious disposition, finally took her back
home. Some time later she met James
Hamilton. John C. Hamilton, in his two
volume work on bis father, Alexander,
written many years ago, makes the state
ment flatly that Mrs Levine was divorced
from her husband. The biographer Morse
follows John Hamilton in this statement.
Henry Cabot Lodge, in his life of Ham
ilton, treats the matter in a way to arouse
suspicion all the more. Dr Hamilton now
undertakes to tell the whole story. Much
space is devoted to the difficulties of get
ting divorce in that far-off isle. It was
practically impossible for a woman on
euch a charge as that of cruelty, and ec
clesiastical annulment was out of the
question. Yet it is to be noted that Le
vine had no trouble in getting a divorce I
after Mrs Levine hud gone to live with
James Hamilton. His charge was that
of abandonment, when he might have pre
ferred a more serious one; and the sup- ,
position is that he realized that the fault
bad beeu largely his. Dr Hamilton makes :
. icfcicme in thia connection to the preva
lence of elopements In that time, as if ।
in extenuation of the fault of Hamilton s
parents. The relationship is far front ob
vious.
The case seems to be perfectly plain.
There was no divorce and there was there
fore no legitimacy in the union of Rachel
Levine and James Hamilton, ami the child
Alexander was illegitimate. But the <ir
vumstanees of abandonment of the rich
. Dane were harah for the woman nm| pal
liating. and seemed to have been regarded
so in the island. The couple did not ap
parently love eaate: they appear to have
been exceedingly fond of each other and
lived faithfully together until the death
of Rachel 11 years afterward, She was
buried under the name Levine. The sit
uation is thus robbed of serious offense in
the eyes of those who regard the siilmamr*
rather than the forms ami ceremonies of
marriage. It was evidently geiumlly
known in the I Tilled Kpiles that Hamilton
was nu Illegitimate child, yet the peculiar
girentnstauees of the union of hi;, parents
seemed even here to have robbed the situa
tion of all moral offense. Gen Washington
evidently knew about it. but lie did not
hesitate to take Hnmihvu into his official
family. Gen Schuyler must have known
about it. yet be welcomed Hamilton as a
son-in-law. In fact, it must nave beeu
generally known, for at the death of
Hamilton, when Gouverneur Morris was
asked to prepare a funeral oration, he
wrote down in his diary a day or two
before: “The first point of his biography
is that he was a stranger of illegitimate
birth. Some plan must be contrived to
pass over this handsomely. He was in
discreet. vain and opinionated.’’
Hamilton in personal appearance is oft
en supposed to have been dark, and some
authors have referred to him as a creole
and others as a swarthy young Indian. Dr
Hamilton speaks of one enthusiastic negro
prom her. whe, when speaking of Hamilton
as a ehrjnpjon of the negro race in the
Kevohitimiar.v war. went so far as to say
that Hamilton's veins must have contained ,
neftm blood. He was in reality, however.
iQSiaa
I
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
[Frfm “The Intimate of Alexander Hamilton ” by Allan McLane Hamilton;, pub
lished by Charles Scribner s Sons,]
of fah complexion and had reddish brown
hair, a specimen of which is carried as
an heirloom in the family, and even now
presents no difficulty in finding that it
belonged to a semiblond type. His eyes
were a deep blue, almost violet, and he
undoubtedly, says Dr Hamilton, presented
the physical appearance of his Scotch
father rather than his French mother. Yet
hie intellect seems to have come frnm his
Breach mother, who, says Dr Hamilton,
was In everv way the intellectual superior
of her husband. Sullivan, writing on the
public men of the Revolution in 1847.
describes him a« under middle size, thin in
person but remarkably erect and dignified
iu his deportment. His hair was turned
back from his forehead, powdered and col
lected in a club behind. “His complexion
was exceedingly fair, and varying from
this onlv bv the almost feminine rosiness
of his cheeks. His might be considered as
to figure and color an uncommonly hand
some fnee. When at rest it had rather a
severe, thoughtful expression, but when en
gaged in conversation it easily assumed
au attractive smile. When he entered a
room, it was apparent from the respecttul
attention of the company that he was a dis
tinguished man’
There are many portraits of Hamilton
extant; the most familiar being those by
Trumbull. It Is considered by Dr Hamil
ton. however, that the best likenesses came
from the brush of Sharpless, an English
artist, who went to Philadelphia about 1796
aud painted pictures of various prominent
people. One of the Sharpless portraits
which appears as a frontispiece in this
book is given herewith.
There still stands at Albany the fine
old mansion of Philip Schuyler. He was
rich in lands and the crude abundance
of that frontier time. He had a numer
ous and interesting family, among whom
were several attractive daughters. It was
a favorite place of social relaxation for
the British officers prior to the Revolu
tion aud for flie American officers dur
ing the struggle, and among these Ham
ilton some time early in the war found
his way thither. He was especially at
tracted by Elizabeth Schuyler, and by
1779 was writing love letters, more or
less stilted iu the fashion of the time,
in great abundance, many of which were
preserved bv Mrs Hamilton and are pub
lished in this book. She is generally
spoken of as a handsome woman. Col
Tench Tilghman, who visited the Schuy
ler house when she was 18 years old (she
was born in 1757. the same year as Ham
iltoni gave his impressions as follows:
“In the afternoon, having taken leave of
my host. I called at Gen Sehuyler’s and
paid my compliments to the general, his
lady and daughters. I found none of them
at home but Miss Betsey Schuyler, the
general’s second daughter, to whom 1 was
introduced by Mr Commissary Liviugstor.
who accompanied me. I was prepossessed
iu favor of this young Indy the moment
1 saw her: a brunet with the most good
natured. dark, lovely eyes that 1 ever
saw. which threw a good beam of be
nevolence over her entire countenance:
Mr Livingston informed me that 1 was
not mistaken in my conjei'tiire. for she
was the fiuest-temiwroil girl in the world,’’
Hamilton confided to the oldest sister,
Angelica, about this time the trouble of
his heart, and he sees her through Bitch
eyes, as follows: —
She la most umuerrifully Uaudsonie, mid so
pervers" that she bus none of those pretty
affectations which nre the prerngntlves of
beauty. Ger good sense ( H destitute of that
happy mixture of vanity and ostentation
which would mat" It consnlcumis to tbe
11 bole trlle of fools and fnjHliHs as well ns
to men of mi'lerstnndlng. so Hint ns the mat
ter now stands It Is little known beyond Hie
rireli* of these. Sbe Uns good unture. affabil
ity and vivacity nnenibelllsbed with tbit
ehafml’ig frlvolonaticss which Is Justly
dvemevl one of the m'voiupHahmeiita of a
imlle. In short, she Is so srrange a creutmel
that she possesses nil the bemtlns. virtues
nnrl arnves of her ►** without nny of those
11 ns In 11 Ie defects which from their penernl
prevalence arc e'twmwl by I'onnaisseiirg
neoessnry shinies Iu ll>*' iharneter of 11 mie
wolimn, The most determined adversaries
of In men enn nml. In her rm pretext for their
hoaHlhy. and there nre **'.os or my friend*,
pbllosrphers who rnl’eil ri love nr. 11 weak,
im-s, men of the world w|n> biii)rbeil nt it as
11 fi'idil-y. whom sib' bins m'os'iitiptnmisiy and
dnrlngly emiqmlle i to m-knowfefidge -its imwe?
anil Murrcuder nt iHseretlim. I van tin* betre.
assert the truth o! tills, ms I tru myself of
the numhar.
We air t«» Judge from t! thttt Elizabeth
Hehujrirf mon a svb-roninined, quiet, uu
drinon»<ti*itth*r porn<»n. h> <‘>utniNt
with the oldrM idutur. An^ltDis. w bone
dolling rhatarter nod htlßiant mental
fiualltiew weni to have been quite faiumiK.
AiiKrllra had rhe advantage of the beat
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8. 1910.
schooling that was to be had at that time
ami iu that vicinity. Elizabeth did not
enjoy any such "advantage. Yet we are
told that her letters were as grammatical
a- was common among the women of the
better class of the times, and in the matter
of misspelling would compare favorably
with the letters of Martha Washington.
She was certainly a remarkable woman; a
woman of uncommon strength of mind and
eharm ter. Within the space of two years
she had to bear up under the insanity of
her oldest daughter, the death in duel of
her oldest son. the loss in the same way
of hA - husband. the deaths of her parents
and a sister, and a descent from artiueme
to comparative poverty. She lived for Tpl
years after the death of Hamilton, and
devoted much of that time to work in de
fense of his memory against the under
mining assaults of his enemies. At her
death in 1554, at the age of 97. the follow
ing was found in a tiny bag hanging to her
neck, where it had evidently been carried
from the time of her marriage. It is 4
bonnet written upon a piece of torn vello»v
paper, fragments of which had been sewn
together with ordinary thread. The title
is ’Answer to the inquiry why I sigh”;—
Before no mortal ever knew
A love like mine, so tender, true. !
Completely wretched-you away—
And but halt blest e’en while you stay,
if present lovp (illegible^ face*
I’eny you to my fond em'brace,
Joy unmixed, my bosom warms
But when my augel'a iu my arms.
Evidently written by Hamilton and sent
to her some time before their marriage.
Her Ipve and loyalty ore well attested by
an incident which took place when she was
well advanced in years. She could never
forget, among other things, the behavior
of James Monroe at the time of the Rey
nolds? affair. Long afterward Monroe vis
ited hor, and an interview occurred which
was witnessea by a nephew, a lad of 15: —
I had been sent to call upon my Aunt Ham-
Lton one afternoon. I found her In her gar
den. and was th?re with her talking when
her maid servant came from the bouse with
a card. It was the card of James Monroe,
bhe read the name and stood - holding the
card much perturbed. Her sank and
she spoke very low. as she always did when
sne was anary: “What has that man eame to
ee^ me for?” “Why. Aunt Hamilton.” said
I. “don t you know it’s Mr Monroe and ha’s
been nresideur, and b e 1$ visiting here now
in the neighborhood and has been very much
made of. and invited everywhere? And so I
suppose he bas come to call and pav h|s re
spects to you ” After a moment’s hesitation,
♦’l. will see him.” she said The maid went
back into the house: my aunt followed, walk
ing rapidly. 1 after her. As she entered the
parlor Mon Toe rose. She stood hi the middle
of the room facing him. She did not ask him
to sit down. He bowed and addressing her
formally made her rather a set sneerh-4bat
’ F . a6 , man .v Years stnre they had inet. that
tile tan^o of Hare brought *.oftonn le inflirancc
that ther both wars nearing the grave', wheti
past. diffe|ences conld be forgiven and for.
gotten.-in fact, from his point of view a
very nice, conciliatory, well-turned little
speech. She answered, still standing and
looking at him: "Mr Monroe. If rou have come
10 toll me that, yon repent, that von are v»rv
sorry tor the misrepresentations apd the slan.
decs and the stories you ham circulated
against my dear husband, if rou have mm,
to say this, I understand It. but otherwise
no lapse of time, no nearness tn th» grave
makes any difference." Sira stopped spenklrra
Monroe turned, took up his bat and left the
rcom.
Hamilton from a time before his mar
riage until his death maintained a cone
spendeuce with his vivacious sister-in-law.
Angelica Schuyler, who bad early eloped
with an English office;- and spent much of
her time abroad. It used to be said that
Angelica manifested more than a sisterly
affection for Hawijtqti. She writes from
London to her sister Elizabeth in 1788:-
Cul Becknith tells me that onr dear Ham.
Iltou writes too much and takes no exercise
ami grows 100 fat. 1 hate i«*b th.* word ami
Hie thing, and desire that vffu will take care
«f his health and his good looks. Whr T
shall find him on my return a dull henry'f.l
low. He Will be as unable to dirt us Robert
Morris. Pray, Betsey, make him walk and
ride and be amused . Embrace poor
dear Hamilton for me. it | s impossible to
know him anU rot wish him health and pleas,
uri* and thru 1 am so fond ami proud of hl,
ability that even you. me Eliza, might envr
my feelingK. *
Ue have made note prlneimilly of thu
chiipters on Hamilton’s parontagp!. his per
sonnl npiJearnncr and his wife, Elizabedi.
Other chapters de.il with Hamilton as a
'vrß‘ i r and orator, as a l.nwy.T, Ids family
his friends and enemies, building lih»
Grange In the upper part of wbat is now
A 6 "’ A-hich nearly mvnmptd
him nuapcially and was' a chief «>f
lea% Jim his family clone to poverty at hi«
« «"ith.—-the relations of Hamilton and
r 'ii I***’ 1 ***’ ! ,p '^l°’ These chapters are
full of original mutter, carrying out dm
authors purpose give the reader a
ing likeness of the man. his times, and
Jus surroundings. There is nn a musing
passag’e In the chapters on Hamilton as a
lawyer. Ejdy in his pHifetislonnt cancr
utter the Revolution, ap-egt and impriwiu
mmit for debt were general, and H.imiltqii
seems to have b ’d u large nntrounge. pur
hriimrl.v from the creditor class. Dr Hanv
ilmn remarks llmt “one gentleman, whose
c.muce l iWUre here w^: nu.iitod with in
terest and nnsjetr. was J irrpout Edwards
of Ha ven. who Mndbmsl v kept nfn of
the ate, Jonathan EdnnriN'H vouiwwt
sou that name was then in New Ha
ven. and is Dremimabty the tierwon ne
reefed to by Dr Hamilton. The book con
t uhim npnendh ph <'onsiMtiiig of vpri->tis
dornments and samnlos of the notes prw
] a red by Hamilton for some of his more
important arguments in court. Other in
terewting documentary matter indudeg the
eyidenee collected by his widow to prove
Hamilton s authorship of Waibiutfton’e
Farewell Address No lite of Hamilton
has yet appeared which so informs ami in
terests the general reader as this; and its
value to historians of those times tuny be
easily understood.
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS’S DIARY
WRITTEN WHILE tMPRISONEU.
♦
In Fort Warren at Boston—Self-Re
veallna Panes— His Relations With
Davis—Views and Experiences—An
Excellent Blogrnphieal Study.
Alexander H. Stephens, vice-president
of the southern confederacy. left Rich
mond at the evacuation .early in April.
1865. in company with other high officials
of the confederate government, and pro
ceeded southward, finally going to his
home in Crawfordville, Ga. He was there
arrested by federal troops under orders
from Washington and Xaken to Atlanta.
There were also brought Jefferson Davis
and his family. Senator Clement C- Clay,
for whose capture a reward of s2s.im'>
had been offered by President Johnson
on a charge of complicity in the assas
sination of President Lincoln: Judge Rea
gan. postmaster-general of the confeder
acy. and others. This party were taken
by train to Augusta and thence trans
ferred by water to Fortress Monroe. Mr
Davis was imprisoned there. Mr Ste
phensand Judge Reagan were transferred
to Boston add committed to close con
finement in Fort Warren. Mr Stephens
there secured diary books, in which he
made extended daily entries front the
time of his commitment. May 25. 1865.
until his release in October. This diary
is now published by Doubleday. Page &
Co. edited by a collateral descendant of
the family. Myrta Lockett-Avary, with
a biographical study of some 190 pages. I
Mr Stephens gives in this diary the de
taijs of his capture and transfer to the
northern prison. He was not friendly
with Mr Davis at this time, and makes it
clearly evident in the confidential entries
of the diary. He did not meet Mr David
throughout the journey from Atlanta, uu
til they were on shipboard. Mr Davis
one day came on deck and extended his
hand to Mr Stephens, but his manlier
was chilly and only formal words passed,
between them. During the stormy voy
age lo Fortress Monroe, however, the
two men were brought more and more
closely together, and when they parted
there Mr Davis manifested strong emo
tion. Much has been said of the condi
tions of his confinement aud complaints
of Mr Davis at Fortress Monroe. Mr
Stephens seems to have been subjected
to conditions almost ns trying, but he
took bis confinement more philosophical
ly. His semi-invalid, studious life had ap
parently treasured up for him large men
tal resources for his diversion in such
a predicament. He was not wholly satis
tied with the situation, but he made thit
comparison with what Lafayette had suf
sered during his five-years’ imprisonment
at the French Revolution:—
How much better ts my condition than wa>
bis: I bare a large, airy room, plenty of
heaven’s precious light, a comfortable bunk
with shtick mattress, on which with my
blankets I get along with tolerable comfort;
pure water, though not cool, and enough
food. If It were only suited to my habits - and
state of health. I am permitted to purchase
what suits if I possess the means. I have
the privilege of seeing daily papers and rend
ing books. What abundant cause for consola
tion! How much more miserable and horrible
might my condition be! It is true I suffer In
tensely. My anguish is unutterable. This
arises from no nelf-aicnt-itlon. no apprehen
sion of the fuf|ire. nor fear of death. I feel
as If I could meet death, if such fate as a
punishment awaits me, with ns much calm
ness as did Seneca or Socrates. My suffering
springs from confinement and from being cut.
off from all communications with home and
its dear' ones. No mortal ever bad stronger
attachments for hie home thnn I for mine.
That old homestead and that quiet lot. Liberty
ball, in Crawfordville. sterile and desolate as
they may seem to others, are bound to me by
associations. - tender as heart strings and
strong as hooka of steel. There I wish to live
nqd there to die.
Mr Stephens took with him to Fort War
ren $560 in gqM. and from this fund
h> drew to buy such provisions as the fort
lid not offer in the regular ration. He
makes nu entry in his diary as to some
p.irchns. s. which show that those wore the
times when people faced the real thing in
the high cost of living. Fop one pound
of coffee they charged him 80 cents, on"
pctind of sugar 25 cents, one pound of
tea $2. scissors sl, lead pencil 20 cents,
coffee pot $2. The post possessed a library
of limited "Xtent upon which Mr Stephens
fires- avariciously. Wbat money he eoqid
spare fin-t!-,er from his small fund, he spent,
for riora books, among which were Horace
Greeley’s "American Conflict," which had
hist been i.-sned. and which, as it. told of
the fall of the confederacy, must have made
some speed in going through the last stages
of publication and getting to Boston as
soon as f tephens did.
Mr Stephens pronounced the "American
Conflict" probably the fairest account of
the civil war that could ever be expected
from a northerner. His cell was damp,
and as time wore on he began to suffer
much. The prices charged for the books
and for the extra articles of food drew
down his fund alarmingly, and he shows
anxiety over the state of his purse. Ak
his health fails to improve he bus to buy
more food on private account. Meantime
the fort ration is sent in unfit to eat. Th.,
sutler's bill comes in with an entry of $4
for "sundries,” which he has no idea of.
He suspects graft—although that expres
sive word was not then in use. He roads
in the newspapers of a southern report
that Stephens had been drinking-himself to
death. This causes an explosion. lie
writes down that lie was never drunk in
his life, aad he questions if all the spirits
he ever drank would make three gullons.
He sees in the Boston Journal "one o".
the best and most sensible of Mr Lincoln’s
kindly, good illustrations by jokes.’’ Sher
man asked Lincoln if he should cupturo
Davis or let him go. Lincoln replied that
there was once a temperance lecturer who.
was asked if he would take a little brandy
in bis lemonade, and he said he would if
. they coqlrl get it in there “unbeknownst”
to him. So if Sherman could lot Dnvjs go
unbeknownst to Lincoln it would be nil
right. He reads the Bihle much—Job espe
cially in the early days of his vonlinenient.
Then he goes into the epistles, and reads
and philosophizes. Ho hns a great ml
mlratfon fi^l’atil. Adversity, he says, has
its conipeiWitions. Bitt for this contiue"
incut lie might Hevcr hav* enjoyed these
"mastcriy’’ productions, He thinks they
are the grentest sermons ever written.
Slrpbeus |. a'deeply religious mail and
generally orthodox, though in leading the
Song of Solomon be marvals at the temer
ity of the <omiuentators In making it an
! aUegorleiH expression of Clirist's relation
to the ilinn h. Ih says It is no more limn
a pngmi line ditty. But with nil bis ortho
। doxy, lie was । xtrcinely liberal in respect
to tlin views i.f otben*. so Hlilch so that
I worn a Roniaii t'athollc alster-in-luw eame
! Io visit nt Liberty Hull he had a romp
• fixed un fm her ns n Cnttojle chapel. He
। writes out flinty sketches. Now it is u de
| little tvhh sm’.i tmrtherntr in respect to
i why ho shi iild I•• contiue<|. He goes over
his altitude iu ielation tn secession, how
he had even untaacuized the mdittiuice of
sMissiim in the Geurgln vmiventlou. and lie
wimihis why he should bv confined when
i others more culpable were lielng released.
: He lii'iii-s dint n Gen Jaeke.m, also con
lined ni Foil Warren, had been allowed
. tn go i.n imrnlc, and he notes Hint Jack
son woiii.*<| with all Ills might on behnlf
of aoeersinn. He goes at length Into the
character til'd cundmi of Jefferson Davjs.
with whom he laid been on terms of cool
ness ever since 1863. He declnrcs that he
(Hteplnnsi i.crer thoitght of developing
nn imicpendeiu sovereirtty with slavery
for Its romei.stone, lie stood out from
first to Inst for n conatltlltlonal government
ami the rlghrn of the Mates under the epn
atitution; no more. He opposed seieasiqu
and went with hie state only because h»
final iiilegiiinci' he considered remained
there. He was es|iec:sll.v amazed at Dnvis’s
conduct ufteietne failure of the Hampton
Ronds Cciifi'ren« Dnvis’s speech in the
African church In Richmond he thought one
of the most eloquent ever spoken, but tin*
' st min i i:|s i.f it made him believe that the
j man umrl haw I st bis mind. Ue reads in
I the Bcsti n papers of a elergyman’s Fourth
i of July si'ceib. which Is so uncharitable
I in its gejierai attitude as to bring strong
I rebuke. IL* says tnat he had found clergy
men ns a rub- to have less charity and
: magnmiimli .• than any other class of men.
! ami he imulc it a r.ile in practicing law
■ iitd wins! he nas engaged for the defense.
I never m ebow a clergyman to get into the
; jury l“ ; x nijltss- be' knew well bis cliarac
i ter hefori'hnml.
July 13 he writes: "This day completes
i the ninth week since my arrest, the sev
enth of my incarceration hero without nc-
I cusation. warrant or notific^iob of cause,
[ and yet it is claimed that this is a free
: country." His health grows worse. He
; has many dreams, and frequently in
i dreams visits people in their own
botries who have been dead long
■ since, and it never occurs to him that
they nre dead. July 22 is the annb
versnry of bis examinariqn for admission
to th.e bar. 31 years before. He says
that he hud read law only six weeks and
without an instructor. He read ami re
read in that time Blackstone, Chitty’s
Pleadings. Starkic on Evidence, etc., un
til lie had the general principles of the
law well in his head, hut how would he
stand the ordeal? Several of the most
eminent judges and lawyers of Georgia
were to sit nt the examination, and the
^residing judge was to he the famous
William 11. Crawford. He is greatly re
lieved when a lawyer tells him that Judge
Crawford was not oxacting in such cases.
The lawyer relates an incident of Judge
Crawford, who. after an examination had
been completed, to which he had given
little attention, turned to the clerk and
said: "Swear him; Mr Clerk. If he knows
nothing he will do nothing.” Judge Craw
ford Ila id young Stephens the compliment
of giving close attention to the examinu
tion. and praising the ability shown by
Mr SU'phcu^ in meeting it. On July 26
liq looks from tb'e cell window and sees
the new moon over his right shoulder.
He notes that he has been having very
bad luck for a long time, aniVthinks now
it may change. And, Indeed, on July 29
comes an order from Washington releas
ing him from dose continement. He can
now walk around the f<lrt at will, and
the fresh air and the larger freedom, and
the greater companionship begin to restore
his health. There are ninny visitors to
the fort, and they darken the window pf
his coll, so that be cannot write, in order
to get a glimpse of the rebel ex-vice-presi
dent. He has many friends among the
wbigs of Boston, with whom he long
trained in politics, aud they come to the
fort in increasing numbers in the last
days‘of his confinement, and he is greatly
cheered. He reads Cicero’s Moral Du
ties. He says that his. standard of
morality is high; that no Christian phi
losopher’s is higher. Indeed, he thinks
Paley appears to disadvantage in the com
parison. and discusses iu this connection
the telling of white lies, and goes into his
practice ns a lawyer. Hjs rule at the bar
was to investigate u case submitted to
him. and if he did not think the partv
entitled to success in the court he would
decline to have anything to do with it.
His rule in criminal vases was never to
appear in capital cases for the prosecution
of any one whom be did not believe fully
guilty. In defense of persons charged with
homicide he seldom declined to appear, but
he only insisted that the partv should
have his rights under the law. He gives
the case of n woman charged with poison
ing her husband. It was a most- foul
crime. But the . guilt of the woman as
charged was in doubt even with himself.
The evidence was circumstantial and in
conclusive. and he did not therefore hesi
tate to throw his energies into the de
fense, and he obtained an acquittal. That
was nearly 20 years hefof'e. the woman
was still living, and no further discovery
was ever made.
July 30 be reads of Gen Grant being in
Boston and having a ’ great reception in
Faneuil hall. He predicts for him a still
— eV
Mtn
MBS??
THE rjtSSIDENT AND MES POLK.
(From "Tbe Diary of James K. Polk;’’ published by A. C. McClurg & Co.]
greater future tbnn bls Immediate past ha<i
been. He aceoupts him the great mun
of his Hun* uftar Lincoln. He attributes
to him us his chief qualification the pos
sefisiou ol duuhuul common muise— a qual
ity most uißbnipiot), he hail found, among
ni'en In high stution. Ucloasv thiaily comes
to Stephens in October, and bis nppeiir
unce on emerging from )irison is described
us that us ii "skeleton with eyes more
piercing in their gaze by renson of tile
struggling white locks that fell over his
temples in silken Hireuds." He walked
with the feiildmu'ss of old iige. But Sti
pheu« wns always little more than n skele
ton. lie was nil intellect, m><Lil used to
be said iu Washington, after bls return
to C'ouuresfi following the civil war, that
iijs nrriviil ut the eu|iltol was Unit of u
great bundle of elbthes. from which, after
ninny unwindings. Htephen* would finally
emerge mid enter the cluiinber. The book
closes with u eouehtding sketch of Mr Ste
plwns’s afler-rareer hi Cojigress mid ns
governor of Georgia, mill his death In
1883. The dinry, together Willi Xliss
Avary’s inimirslilc introdni'tory biograph-
Iqji study, gives the most inthmitu por
traiture of thia rainarkable mpl most in
teresting character which has yet been
drawn. The volume Is a distinct and val
uable contribution to American history..
JOURNAL OF JAMES K. POLK.
WHILE IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
_™ 7 — ■ ■ x
Alow Publisbed for the First Time-
Four Volumes of Kather Formal
Entries—Good Hlsturieul Material.
During his time in the presideury of
the United States, from 1843 to 1549.
James Knox Polk followul tire habit of
writing down at the end of each 'day its
events and incidents. This diary, with
sundry pnblie papers aud documents, was
kept by Mrs Polk tor a long time after
her husband's death. it bad bet'll her
desire that some friendly contemporary
, should make use of these papers and write,
ilu account of bis life and administration.
R. G, Gillett of New Yxk. register of
the treasury under Polk and author of tue
life, of stilus f right, was asked to under
take the work, but declined on the ground
of his nnfiimiliarit.v with politics in Ten
nessee. George Bancroft later oil took up
the project and had extensive transcripts
uutde from the. papers and.diary, but noth
ing more eame of it. Years afterward the
diary and papers passed into Hie posses
sion of the Chicago historical society. Va
rious obstacles arose to the diary's publi
cation until in 1908 Prof Charles W.
Mann of the Lewis institute of technology
took up the work and the diary is now pup
iished some time after the deaHi of Prof
Maim under the further editorship of
Milo M. Quaife. an assistant professor
in the Lewis institute, with an iiitrodiictim
by Andrew C. McLaughlin, professor of
history iu the university of Cliicago. It
consists of four attractive volumes, with
a copious index, from the press of A. C.
McClurg A Co of Cliicago.
Prof McLaughlin observes that the diary
does not appear to have been written with
the expectation that it would be conned
by future historians. It lacks., therefore,
lie says, "affected, self-COnspioilsneas.”
This may be a correct view, but a more
formal or less spontaneous recounting of
fact, and incident in official life was prob
ably never written; and probably tills ex-,
plains why the papers have so long await
ed publication. If Mr Polk possessed tire
quality of humor, it has been carefully ex
cluded from this diary. If he had the
faculty of keen and ainused observation
of the foibles aud p'ecuiiurites of his fel
low-men. its Ulanitestiitioiis were^ never
allowed to creep into these papers. If lie
ever heard and appreciated u good story,
the readers of this diary have nut been
allowed to share ill the iimtiseiueut. And.
indeed, the gulf between the private and
public life of statesmen in that day was
evidently much greater than it is in our
time. Benton could write two large vol
umes of a Thirty Years' View and make
it about as dry as the Polk diary. Most
of the statesmen of that tme. in the se
clusion of their homes or their clubs,
miglit possibly bubble over with humor
mid anecdote and good fellowship, but no
part of either was ever allowed to creep
nito their public a open ranees. When they
left the home or the pint), it was with the
high collar, the black tie, the frock eotit,
the solemn countenance, aiid the sepul
chral voice. It was in w high collar aud
black tie that this diary must have been
written.
President Polk, for example, .receives
visitors, gives a few names and, lets it
go at that. He is overrun with office
seekers aud constantly records the general
fact witli iiidigimtiuii. and yet lie clings
to the system of the distribution" of offices
as a reward for party service, and seems
not to perceive the inconsistency. He
holds cabinet meetings, ihimes the secre
taries who were present and absent, makes
more or less extended note of the divmiou
of opinion iu the administration councils,
and closes the day’s entry. On Sunday
lie attends the First Presbyterian chitrch
with Mrs Polk. but. rarely or never tells
of the sMtrires or the vreiicher, w the
qbulity of the seruum. flow the re,^ ot
the day is. spent, what he reads, what he
meditates over, whnt he docs—all is blank.
Yet there is large matter of historical, in
terest in the diary. After two years in
the White House he says that ajumst the
whole of his embarrassment in adminis-
taring the government arose out of the
public patronage. The female friends and
leliitjvis of office-seekers nre especially
trouplefiome. He notes that the caijer., un
one day are mostly thorn' eouiiag to pay
ilieir resi pets aud not for office, and lie is
amazed. Three women cull one <lnv. one
with n baby named after the president,
aml he gives her a lialf-engle. Then Hie
other women usk for prosi'hts. Oue day
n womaii calior .-mked for sßu am] thought
it a most modest demand.
Mr Polk was a man of the most careful
integrity. He ut ouu time invested $39110
in United States stock, but compelled Ilie
brokerage Una to take it bmk in feur
that uolitbal qiipatieuts miglit mumse the
matter. There wus d uroiit *m the trnnfi
uctiou. but Polk refused to take it. ami
i|io broker. Mr (’OllOlllll, gave it to a
I'.v.liHe clmrity. One duy during the Meg
uu n war 11 stibo rd 1 ini te m the trensnry
department gained the iiresiili*nt , K ear and
told him tluit s2.O.'JO.Oiio had twen drawn
from the trciiHitry on wiirrmit-s from the
war deisirinieiit. and wns being used hi
Wall street ghecuhitkm. The nrosideut
wns greatly stirred mi over this. Bi*<*re
tnry Walker of the treasury' doiiiirtim'Ut
wns away. He gent for him. demanded
an explanation, aud wag some time in
; being satisfied that the secretary had
acted properly in sending money to New
I Orleans at the risk of nrokers instead of
; through .the inadequate channels of the
| treasury department. Oceasiouall.v there
| creeps into the diary just a suggestion
1 of tile lighter vein. Secretary Buchanan
i brings in one day a letter to the emperor
■ of Brazil, prepared by a secretary. Mr
. I’olk questions'Whether the letter is drawn
I UP in accordance with the precedents of the
. state department. Mr Buchanan insists
i that it is. Mr Polk offers to wager a bottle
iof ehampngnetlmt it is. Bncha mintakes the
; wager, goes to the state department, finds
. 'lmt he is in the wrong ami admits it to
Poik with much chagrin. The champagne
i « refused. Ti e Mexican war of course
i figures very largely in the diary during
i Hie two mirlvears of the administration,
i "' c rww'dent has no end of tronh'e with
1 <-en Scott. He constantly refers to the
I man’s vanity and nompousness. and at
tunes seriously considers the matter of
Ins _ recall and eontt-martial for insub
■ crilp'ntinn. hot the cabinet opnose this as
I nowise. He gives his.opinion of Gen Tay-
I ■?’’ !ls , :* "good fighter, but I do not con
sider him a great general." It is not nn
"J M b '’A' 1847. that he hears the news
of Scoffs victory at Cerra Gordo on the
lith mid 18th of Anri! Some days aft
trward h P makes arrangements wbere-
Sv file government instead of the Balti
more Sun might get first news from the
wot r.
It is a, common impression that threffigb
■tire opposition of the whigs ,the.Mexican
war. tvaq brought, to a close as soon as
it was. The late Alexander H. Stephens
of Georgia, who was then in the House,
ihade a statement years afterward in a
brief account of his public career, that it
was an amendment to a war resolution
suggested by him and offered bv George
Ashmmi of Massachusetts referring to the
war Tis "'line*mstitilli<mn lly- begun." which
the wings voted through,—th ar. this “end
ed the war. broke its backbone." Polk, says
Stephens, saw what Was coming, and in
a few days "Trist was despatched to Mex
ico, to make Hie be?t terms ~f peace be
lonld.” That was in February. 1848.’ 'lt
.can be learned from this diary that as
carlv ns dmm 13; 1547. Polk was anx
imisly working for peace. He bud even
then disuatched Trist as diplomatic agent
to the beadquarfers of Gen Scott and was
greatly disturbed over Scott's arrogance
and quarreling with Trist. Ho writes at
tin’s time (June 13. 1847) “I have serious
fears Hint the golden moment to make
; peace (namely, as our army appronches
the City of Mexico) may be lost because
of Gen Scott's arrogam.* and inordinate
vanity." This, was eight months before
the time when Stephens says the whigs
forced polk to end the war.
M r Polk possessed n most punctilious re
gard for the dignity of his office. He de
clined to correct a false report circulated
by a religions fanatic, ou the ground that
the president eould not descend into a
controversy with a private citizen upon an
issiqe of veracity. He was so careful about
this dignity of office that when he was in
vited to attend a dinner given to Gens
Quitman and Shields, jmit returned from
Mexico, he called his I'.dyiscrs into con
sultation ami looked into the precedents
to find justification. The only case that
cOtlhi be found was that of President
Jackson when be attended the dinner in
memory of Thomas Jefferson and threw
his toast 011 the Union full in the face of
John C. Calhoun. This was not clear as
a precedent and Polk stayed away.
As the demoeratiie conveiition of 1848
approached, his relations with Secretary
Bttclmuan became considerably strained.
At the outset of his. administration Poik
liad requireii from the members of his cab
inet a pledge that those of them who should
seek the nomination for the presidency
iu -1848 should thereupon retire from the
cabinet. There was much talk at tins
time of Mr Buchanan's ambition in that
respect. Not long before the meeting of
the convention at Baltimore the New
T’oric Hcfujii ppblfsbed the proposed treaty
pf pflueif wltliMcxmo,' together with ivr
ta'ih other 'docnmdnts which were in the
seeris'y of the state department and the
foreign affairs. committee of the Senate,
and Polk wns greatly excited about the
matter find the' location of the leak. He
fiuspectert Bm-hamin. The Herald’s Wash
ington correspondent, Nugent, bad been
parti;)! to Bm huimu. given him much at
tention in the columns of the Herald And
was generally friendly with him. Polk
couldn't understand where the copy of
the treaty hud been obtained unless of
Buchanan. He surmised that it was a.
step on Rm-luinan’s part to forward his
nomination for the presidency. He was
made the more suspeious by receiving a
letter from Mr Buchanan asking for n
cony of the pledge that the cabinet minis
ters should withdraw when they became
candidates for the presidency. On being
called to account Bm-iinmin denied nil
knowledge of the -matter. Official circles
were greatly aroused, the Senate held an
investigation, .'mil Nugent was cited to
appeiir for contempt. Polk at this time
expressed himself in unmeasured terms
respecting the work of newspaper men in
Washington and of Nugent in particular.
He seems to have had the iitmost con
tempt for all of thorn.
Polk was ns well pleased, apparently,
to have the nomination go to Lewis Cars
as to any one else except himself. He
seems to have been particularly well
pleased that Buchanan did not get it-
Ho did not like Buchanan ami once re
ferred to him In his diary as wotse to
have around than an old timid. It is the
most spontaneous ntt4ran--e apparently to
be found in the diary. When the barn
burners and abolitionists in New York,
state combined and nominated Marlin Van
Buren for president and Glmrles Francis
Adams of Massachusetts for vice
president. Mr Polk wrote: "Van Bu
ren is tfie most fallen man I have
ever known." The campaign engages
very little of bis attention. He is much
disappointed at the success of the whig
ticket. He notes at length the ignorance
of Gen Taylor in regal'd to public affairs
and- his incompeteui'y outside of, Hie mil
itary service. Ho fears that Ttiyim' .vill
be snrmitnded by the worst enemies of
the Polk ndmiilistration. who will tin what
they can to destroy its achievements.
The importunities of the officii seekers
increase as a ch'auge of adminiafratinn
comes into view. The word circulates iliat
President Ta/lor will not adopt the pol
icy of proscription and consequently that
those who could get into office then would
be likely to rcmam, Polk, day after day,
writes In bis diary of the plague of this
class. He said: ••'This is a penance which
I have to pay daily. As my term of office
approaches it’s close the bassjon for ottiee
seems to increase, ami the very Scum of
society seems to have been let loose upon
me. From missions abroad .down to clerk
ships and messengers’ places I am troubled
daily. Scarcely a day passes toq but some
stout looking fellow calls to beg money.
It is some relief that sometimes persons
! cull simply to pay their respects." And
' again he says: "I regard office seekers as
[ 11 class the most useless and least dcserv
i ine portion of society.”
When President-elect Taylor reaches
Washington, he calls 011 Polk, who receive*
him portliaHj. tin returning from the cap
ital after inauguration. Gen Tnylo^ talked
volubly with the ex-pre«W’*ht mid to the
iinirzeim-ut of the latter expressed the view
that at least as much of the territory ac
quired from Mexico as California and
Oregon should be set up into an independ
ent government.
Seme daj'3 afterward Mr and sJrs Polk
li ft for the South, going by way of Charles
ton. New (.Ith ina anil St Louis. They
vine every win re rneeived with great atten
tion. Mr Polk miles that the cvatlon on
bls return home was greater tbnn that
winch atttmdeu bls going to Washington,
lie died in Juin* cf the same year. This
diary will nut change the verdict of his
hry in ri'i'peci to Mr Polk or his aduiinis
tratmii. IL) wnj n man of quite ordinary
nhiUHes, limited ■ vision and cold nature,
but It mac lie doubted whether any pte»i
dcut has ever given to the country a more
huuest or watchful administration. \