Mr.

be attempted by the state Legislatures. Jefferson maintained very different opinions; he feared no evils from the jealousies of the state sovereignties, and was rather desirous of checking and limiting the exercise of the national authorities, particularly the power of the executive.Secretaries Hamilton and Jefferson also differed as to the conduct which should be pursued towards France on the commencement of the rup ture between that power and England: the opinion of Jefferson was happily embraced by Washington. The advice of Hamilton was followed in regard to the insurrection in Pennsylvania, in 1794, and such a detachment was sent out under his own command, that it was suppressed without effusion of blood. In this disputation between Jefferson and Hamilton, may be said to have, in a great degree, originated the distinction of parties under the denominations of federalist and republican. General Hamilton may have been as honest as Mr. Jefferson, but certainly time and events have affixed to the opinions of Jefferson the stamp of superior wisdom. In the death of Hamilton, his party felt an irreparable loss, a chasm was thus formed which could not be filled; and the party has continued ever since to decline. In 1798, when the state of the relations between France and the United States, made it proper for the latter to prepare for defence, and when Washington was induced to accept the command of the provisional army, that great man made it a condition that Colonel Hamilton should be appointed second in command; he accordingly was made Inspector-general and Major-general of the armies. This proof of the attachment and high opinion which Washington entertained for his former Aidde-camp, is in itself a volume of well merited eulogy.

In 1800, General Hamilton returned to his profession, in which he continued with great celebrity to the time of his death.

General Hamilton had for a long time conceived an ill opinion of the political principles of Mr. Burr. Some strong expressions of the General in 1804, when Mr. Burr stood candidate for Governor of New-York, induced the latter to demand an explanation, which being deemed unsatisfactory, a challenge ensued, and was accepted. The parties met on the west side of the Hudson river, were the General received a mortal wound.Thus fell a great man, in the forty-seventh year of his age, a victim to a custom, the child of barbarism, the disgrace of civilized life.

One trait in the character of General Hamilton should not be passed unnoticed. He was an honest man; he quit the public service poor, and with clean hands; and he was supposed to have left to his family a smaller fortune than his professional talents and practice might have amassed.

MAJOR-GENERAL

WILLIAM IRVINE.

THIS brave officer was a native of Ireland, and was educated for the medical profession, which he relinquished at the commencement of the revolution. He had an early command in the army, and in the expedition to Canada in 1775, was conspicuous for his talents and bravery. In the operations in the middle states during the remainder of the war he was consulted by the Commander-in-chief, and was particularly obnoxious to the enemy.

We learn from Marshall's life of Washington,

that General Irvine had the command of the division of the army, which at the battle of Trenton was to have crossed the Delaware at the ferry, and secure the bridge below the town, so as to prevent the escape of the enemy by that road. Although this service was not performed as intended, yet no censure was attached to Irvine. The cold on the night of the 25th December, was very severe; a mingled snow, hail and rain, fell in great quantities, and much ice in the river rendered it absolutely impracticable for Gen. Irvine to execute that part of the plan which had been allotted to him. The same cause prevented General Cadwallader from attacking the post at Burlington. With infinite difficulty, he got over a part of his infantry, but finding it impossible to cross with the artillery, his infantry returned.

After the war, Major-general Irvine was a member of Congress from Pennsylvania. He died at Philadelphia, July 30, 1804, aged sixty-three years. He held for some time before his death the office of military intendant. He was also President of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania. Frank and sincere, he paid respect to none but those, whom he deemed worthy, and those for whom he had no regard, he shunned in silence..

MAJOR-GENERAL

HENRY KNOX.

THOSE national struggles which have for their object the establishing of national independence, never fail to bring forward the talents of individuals, whether devoted to great and honourable views, or bent on evil design. Of the former, Henry Knox was an uncommonly splendid in

stance; brave, intelligent, humane, courteous, charitable, and hospitable, he was an ornament to human nature, and among the most precious gems of his country.

He was born in Boston, July 25, 1750. His parents were of Scottish descent. He received his early education in those excellent schools for which Boston has been long celebrated. By means of an early education, and his subsequent employment in a book-store, he acquired a taste for literary pursuits, which he retained through life.

Young Knox gave early proofs of his attachment to the cause of freedom. In 1774, he was an officer in one of those military companies, which were formed in his native state, with a view to awaken the martial spirit of the people. In this capacity he was distinguished by his activity and discipline.

The British commanders soon discovered his merit, and endeavoured to secure his support by great promises of honor and profit. It was at least hoped that, as he became connected with a very respectable family which adhered to the British ministry, he would not attach himself to the cause of the provincials. But, it appearing that his mind could not be warped from his patriotic love, his departure from Boston was interdicted by the British general Gage. In June, after the affair at Lexington, he found means to make his way through the British lines, and was received with joyful enthusiasm by the American army at Cambridge. The provincial Congress immediately entrusted to him the erection of such fortresses as might be necessary to prevent a sudden attack from the enemy at Boston.

It was in the course of this season, and before he had formally undertaken the command of the artillery, that Knox volunteered his services to

go to St. John's, in the province of Canada, and to bring thence to Cambridge all the heavy ordnance and military stores. This hazardous enterprise he effected in a manner which astonished all who knew the difficulty of the service.

Soon after his return from this fortunate expedition, he took command of the whole corps of the artillery of our army, and retained it until the close of the war. To him the country was chiefly indebted for the organization of the artillery and ordnance department. He gave it both form and efficiency; and it was distinguished alike for its expertness of discipline and promptness of execution.

To his bravery and skill, his country was in a measure indebted for the victory gained over the enemy at Monmouth. General Washington, in his general order issued on this occasion, says, "he can with pleasure inform General Knox and the officers of the artillery, that the enemy have done them the justice to acknowledge that no artillery could be better served than ours." Lord Moira, who had a command in the British army in America, in a late publication of his, bore ample testimony to the military talents of this general officer; the marquis Chattleaux, speaking of him, says, "As for General Knox, to praise his military talents only, would be to deprive him of half the eulogium he merits.-A man of understanding, well informed, gay, sincere and honest, it is impossible to know, without esteeming him, or to see, without loving him. Thus have the English, without intention, added to the ornament of the human species, by awakening talents where they least wished or expected."

Washington kept this useful and scientific officer always near his person. When General Greene