The Poetical Writings of Fitz-Greene Halleck/A very Modest Letter from one Great Man to another
[Mr. Editor: I wish you to precede the lines I send you enclosed, by republishing Mr. Hamilton’s late letter to the Governor verbatim, in order that the world may see that, on this occasion, at least, the poet does not deal in fiction.]
“To De Witt Clinton, Governor of the State of New York.
“Sir: To your shame and confusion let it be recorded, that you dare not assume the responsibility of preserving to our national councils a patriotic and distinguished statesman, while you could advocate the publication of an insidious and base attack upon private character through the public organ of your administration.
“You know the motive of my visit to Mr. Root—you were not ignorant that the senatorial reëlection of Rufus King28 was to me a subject of deep personal concern; and on this occasion you declared that you had marked my course, and that this support should recoil with vengeance upon the Republican party. To those intimate with your pusillanimity and intrigues, you disappoint no expectation. The traducer of America’s brightest ornaments can only be consistent within the sphere of his degeneracy. It is the pride of the name I bear, to be distinguished by your envenomed malignity—one and all, we are opposed to your administration and your character. I am induced to make this explanation as a permanent obligation to the public; to my own feelings it is perfectly humiliating. I have the honor to remain,
“Your obedient servant,ALEXANDER HAMILTON.29“Assembly Chamber, March 8th, 1819.”
A VERY MODEST LETTER FROM ONE
GREAT MAN TO ANOTHER.
“To be a well-favored man is the gift of fortune, but to write and read comes by nature.”Dogberry.
ow dare you, Sir, presume to say,
And write and print the paltry thing,
That I did wrong the other day
To give my vote for Mr. King?
’Twas natural that I should take a
Particular interest in it, Sir,
For I’ve been agent at Jamaica,
And he a foreign minister.
You say you’ve marked my course of late,
And mean to make what I’ve been doing
A means of breaking up the State,
And bringing on our party’s ruin.
With all who’ve known your scoundrel tricks,
Since first you came to curse the nation,
The Lucifer of politics,
“You disappoint no expectation.”
It suits your mean and grovelling spirit
Thus to attack great men like me;
You slander only chiefs of merit,
Stars in our country’s galaxy!
Elijah, when his task was done,
His mantle o’er Elisha threw;
Now I’m my father’s eldest son,
And heir to all his talents too.
We’re proud to say, the world well knows
You never liked our family;
We, “one and all,” have been your foes,
My brother Jim, and John, and I.
For my own sake, you well may wonder
That I these lines to you have sent;
It is to lay the public under
An “obligation permanent.”
