" Although colonel Hamilton has never acted in the cha racter of a general officer, yet his appointment, as the prin cipal and most confidential aid of the commander in chief, afforded him the means of viewing every thing on a lar ger scale than those who had only divisions and brigades to attend to. By some, colonel Hamilton is considered an am bitious man, and therefore a dangerous one. That he is ambitious I shall readily grant : but his ambition is of that laudable kind which prompts a man to excel in whatever lie takes in hand. Ile is enterprizing ; quick in his per ceptions ; and his judgment intuitively great ; qualities es sential to a great military character: and therefore I re peat his loss will be irreparable." A loftier •eulogium on the merits of general Hamilton could not he written. Its excellence consists in the opportunities the writer had en joyed of knowing him intimately ; for every one acquaint ed with general Washington will readily admit, that his opi nions and candour were always entitled to the highest con sideration.
Invested with the rank of inspector-general, Hamilton repaired to his post ; and immediately entered upon the duties of his office. The organization and discipline of the army were the appropriate duties of his department. The –'ndition and police of the army, in a short time, support ed expectations of the commander in chief. The arts of b`^mie his constant study ; and the knowledge he acquired by ..,earch, lie happily disseminated among the subordinate offices... who in turn diffused it through the ranks by assiduous On the death of the comn–nder in chief, in 1799, gene ral Hamilton succeeded to the 'ommand of the army. Hostilities between the United and France having terminated, and the provisional army having been dis banded, he here turned to the bar, and never afterwards filled any public station ; but devoted himself exclu sively to the duties of his profession. Notwithstanding the great majority of his days had been spent in the public service, his abilities, industry, integrity, and eloquence, ad vanced him to the highest estimation as a lawyer and ad vocate. He was decidedly foremost in New-York ; and it is believed he had no superior in the United States. He had the intuitive strength of Marshall, the learning of Par sons, and the eloquence of Henry. In the fall possession of great influence over the public mind, and enjoying the entire confidence of every one, he had the prospect of run ning a long, brilliant, and lucrative professional Career : but a sad catastrophe arrested him in the midst of his years ; spoiled the hopes of his family ; and deprived his country of one, whom she had always • accounted second only to Washington.
Aaron Burr, late vice president of the United States, by his endeavours in the year 1801 to supplant Mr Jefferson as the president, lost the confidence of his political friends. So early as he ascertained, that he could no longer look to them for the indulgence of his ambition, he began to cast about for a plan to recover his influence in the country.
One was presented to his view, which he eagerly pursued, with no little promise of success. He became a candidate for the office of chief magistrate of New York, at the election in April, 1804 ; and calculated on success, from a combination of his yet powerful personal friends with the federal party of the state. It was supposed that the coa lition would ensure an ascendancy. The scheme was ge nerally favoured by the federalists ; and would probably have succeeded, but for the decided opposition of general Hamilton; whose influence enabled him to defeat the coalition, and prostrate the hopes of colonel Burr in the dust. The election having terminated in his disappoint ment; colonel Burr determine to be revenged on the au thor of his political overthrow. For this purpose, he ad dressed a note to general Hamilon, demanding a prompt and unqualified acknowledgment or denial of the use of certain expressions imputed to him,and deemed derogatory to the honour of colonel Burr. The demand was adjudged inadmissible ; and a duel was the consequence. The par ties met at Hoboken on Wednesday norning, 11th of July, i804; and, at the first fire, general Hamilton fell, on the same spot where his son a few years before had fallen, in obedience to the same principle of honour, and in the same violation of the laws of God and of man. He was carried into the city ; and, being desirous of receiving the sacrament of the Lord's supper, he immediately sent for the reverend Dr Mason. As the principles of his church prohibited him from administering the ordinance in private, this minister of the gospel informed general Hamilton, that the sacrament was an exhibition and pledge of the mercies which the Son of God has purchased, and that the absence of the sign did not exclude from the mercies signified, which were accessible to him by faith in their gracious author. He replied, " I am aware of that. It only as a sign that I wanted it." In the conversation welch ensued, he disavowed all intention of taking the i1fe of colonel Burr ; and declared his abhorrence of "c Whole transaction. When the sin, of which he hail °cell was intimated to him, he assented with ,rong emotion ; and when the infinite merit of the as the pro pitiation for sin, the sole ,c our acceptance with God, was suggested, he said with emphasis, " I have a tender reliance on the mercy a the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus c;brist." The reverend bishop Moore was afterwards sent for, who, after making suitable inquiries of the penitence and faith of general Hamilton, and receiving his assurance, that he would never again, if restored to health, be engaged in a similar transaction, but would employ all his influence in society to discountenance the barbarous custom, administered to him the communion.. After this his mind was composed. He expired about two o'clock on Thursday, July 12, 1894, aged about forty-seven years.