I am tearing through the biography of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow at breakneck speed.
At this point in the book, Hamilton has teamed up with Jay and Madison, after the Constitutional wrangling in Philadelphia, a divisive and vicious process – and the three of them have decided to publish a series of newspaper articles, which, of course, will later be known as “The Federalist Papers”.
As Hamilton went about to study to become a lawyer in New York, he realized that all of the laws were not written down, there was no handbook, no law book to pass out, in regards to New York State law. And so, of course, Hamilton wrote the book.
It’s that kind of single-minded focus, and determination that all of these guys had in common – even though each one of them had a different take on the “how should we move forward” question.
Oh – so this book doesn’t exist. But this book NEEDS to exist. So, clearly, I must write it.
It was Hamilton who said, during his 6 hour long speech at the end of the Constitutional Convention, “Decision is true wisdom.”
It’s that very view that can make him rather terrifying, at times.
But still. I could not be more facinated by him.
Hamilton said:
Take mankind in general, they are vicious – their passions may be operated upon. Take mankind as they are, and what are they governed by? Their passions. There may be in every government a few choice spirits, who may act from more worthy motives [but] one great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are. Our prevailing passions are ambition and interest. Wise government should avail itself of those passions, to make them subservient to the public good.
“The fundamental source of all your errors, sophisms, and false reasonings, is a total ignorance of the natural rights of mankind. Were you once to become acquainted with these, you could never entertain a thought, that all men are not, by nature, entitled to a parity of privileges. You would be convinced, that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent Creator, to the whole human race; and that civil liberty is founded in that; and cannot be wrested from any people, without the most manifest violation of justice. Civil liberty is only natural liberty, modified and secured by the sanctions of civil society. It is not a thing, in its own nature, precarious and dependent on human will and caprice; but it is conformable to the constitution of man, as well as necessary to the well-being of society.”
Alexander Hamilton (17551804)
Sheila, these comments seem especially poignant in the days after Spetember 11th.
Oh Sheila… You have cut right to the essence of Hamilton’s brilliance.
I often tried to decide whether I would be a Federalist or a Democratic-Republican. While I don’t like Hamilton as a person, his discussion of making government harness human nature for good in the Federalist papers won me over. Just as today, the party of Jefferson seemed to be saying “this is how it SHOULD be” while Hamilton and the Federalists said “this is how it IS, and therefore this is what we should do about it”.
The “Decision is the true Wisdom” quote is even better. I use it all the time. In government there is now shortage of people who will tell you how things OUGHT to be, or what SHOULD be done. The wisest leaders I’ve known however were the ones who could actually make it happen – translate their “should’a would’a” into action. It doesn’t matter how great your ideas are if they don’t come true.
Hamilton was great because he knew the baser instincts of man first hand, but he could also rise above them and see how to use those instincts to advance the cause of liberty, and advance the fortunes of the nation.
Serendipity is always the most serendipitous…
I just finished writing about Elizabeth I – who was great not because of her ideas, which were advanced but not that inspiring by our modern standards, but because she could make a decision. She didn’t just have ideas – she translated her ideas into action, sooner rather than later.
CW –
Just read your incredible post. I’ll link to it when I have a second.
I always had a soft spot for Marlowe. Love his language – he’s a lot of fun to work on, too. As an actress, I mean.