The Life of Alexander Hamilton, Volume 1 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
addressed adopted affairs Albany American André appointed army arrival bank body brigade British British army campaign circumstances Colonel Hamilton colonies command commander-in-chief committee conduct confidence congress continental corps Count D'Estaing dear sir detachment duty endeavour enemy enemy's engaged established event excellency exertions favour Fayette feelings finance Fishkill force France French funds Gates give gress happy head quarters honour hope HORATIO GATES immediately importance induced influence interest La Fayette Laurens letter liberty loan Lord Cornwallis measures ment military militia mind Morris Morristown necessary necessity neral New-York object officers operations opinion party Peekskill Philadelphia proposed Putnam racter received regiments reinforcements rendered resolution respect Robert Morris Samuel Adams says Schuyler sentiments seventeen hundred Sir Henry Clinton situation soldiers soon South Carolina success taxes thing thousand tion troops Washington whole wish
Popular passages
Page 153 - I can assure those gentlemen, that it is a much easier and less distressing thing to draw remonstrances in a comfortable room by a good fireside, than to occupy a cold, bleak hill, and sleep under frost and snow, without clothes or blankets.
Page 5 - I shall be present or not, for to confess my weakness, Ned, my ambition is prevalent, so that I contemn the grovelling condition of a clerk,* or the like, to which my fortune condemns me, and would willingly risk my life, though not my character, to exalt my station. I am confident, Ned, that my youth excludes me from any hopes of immediate preferment, nor do I desire it, but I mean to prepare the way for futurity.
Page 276 - I urged a compliance with Andre's request to be shot; and I do not think it would have had an ill effect; but some people are only sensible to motives of policy, and sometimes from a narrow disposition, mistake it. When Andre's tale comes to be told, and present resentment is over, the refusing him the privilege of choosing the manner of his death will be branded with too much obstinacy.
Page 286 - But the confederation itself is defective, and requires to be altered ; it is neither fit for war, nor peace. The idea of an uncontrollable sovereignty in each State, over its internal police, will defeat the other powers given to Congress, and make our union feeble and precarious. There are instances, without number, where acts necessary for the general good, and which rise out of the powers given to Congress, must interfere with the internal police of the States ; and there are as many instances...
Page 293 - Congress should have complete sovereignty in all that relates to war, peace, trade, finance ; and to the management of foreign affairs; the right of declaring war ; of raising armies, officering, paying them, directing their motions in every respect ; of equipping fleets, and doing the same with them ; of building fortifications, arsenals, magazines, etc., etc.
Page 92 - ... there; and it must certainly be considered more difficult, as well as of greater moment, to control the main army of the enemy, than an inferior and I may say dependent one; for it is pretty obvious, that, if General Howe can be kept at bay, and prevented from effecting his principal purposes, the successes of General Burgoyne, whatever they may be, must be partial and temporary.
Page 250 - Mississippi scheme, projected by Mr. Law. Its paper money, like ours, had dwindled to nothing, and no efforts of the government could revive it, because the people had lost all confidence in its ability. Mr. Law, who had much more penetration than integrity, readily perceived that no plan could succeed, which did not unite the interest and credit of rich individuals with those of the state...
Page 138 - It must be indeed acknowledged, that the faults of very respectable officers, not less injurious for being the result of inexperience, were not improper topics to engage the attention of members of Congress. " It is, however, greatly to be lamented that this adept in military science did not employ his abilities in the progress of the campaign, in pointing out those wise measures which were calculated to give us ' that degree of success we might reasonably expect.
Page 275 - She received us in bed, with every circumstance that would interest our sympathy : and her sufferings were so eloquent, that I wished myself her brother, to have a right to become her defender. As it is, I have entreated her to enable me to give her proofs of my friendship.
Page 331 - The people are discontented; but it is with the feeble and oppressive mode of conducting the war, not with the war itself. They are not unwilling to contribute to its support, but they are unwilling to do it in a way that renders private property precarious; a necessary consequence of the fluctuation of the national currency, and of the inability of government to perform its engagements oftentimes coercively made. A large majority are still firmly attached to the independence of these States, abhor...