complete edition of Hamilton’s works was edit 
Cabot Lodge, which was in nine octavo voluansa. te anes 
to the memoir just referred to, by J. C. Hamilton, there are 
several biographies, of which the most recent and valuable 
are those by John T. Morse, Jr. (two volumes, 1876); Henry 
Cabot Lodge (American Statesmen Series, 1882); and George 
Shea (second edition, 1880). All the standard histories of the 
United States—Bancroft, Hildreth, Shouler, Von Holst, Curtis 
Fisk, and so on, may be consulted advantageously. é 
There is an anecdote of Hamilton that is very interesting. 
February 16th, 1781, at Morristown, in New Jersey, at the 
headquarters of the army, Hamilton and Washington passed 
each other on stairs, whereupon Washington desired a con- 
versation with him. But, that Hamilton was on a mission 
to deliver a letter of importance to Mr. Pilghman, which was 
to be sent immediately to the Commissary, as it contained 
an order of the most pressing nature, he told Washington to 
await his immediate return. Hence, as Hamilton completed 
his mission and reascended the stairs, he met General Lafay- 
ette; here the latter detained him a few moments in conversa- 
tion. Thus, Hamilton finally reached the head of the stairs, 
where, as he met Washington, who had left his own apartment 
to accost him, exclaimed in an angry tone: 
“Hamilton! you have kept me waiting for you fully ten 
minutes! I must tell you, sir, that you have treated me with 
disrespect!” 
Hereupon Hamilton replied: 
“T am not conscious of it, sir; but since you have thought 
it necessary to tell me so, we part.” — 
“Very well, then, if it be your choice,” concluded Wash- 
ington, 
Such was the cause of the breach that occurred between 
them. 
The moral qualities of Hamilton were such as every wise 
and good man must esteem, his honesty and integrity being 
unimpeachable. This trait in his character won him the con- 
fidence of Washington, which rendered him his bosom friend 
while almost a youth. On the other hand, during the progress 
of the revolutionary war, he intrusted Hamilton with the most 
important secret mission, in preference to all his other officers 
and subordinates. He was an active member of an anti- 
slavery society formed in New York, and offered, about 1784, 
a resolution that every member of that society should liberate 
his own slaves; hence, he proposed to give the right of suf- 
frage to all freemen, without distinction of color. 
Let us go a little farther into his virtues. As a conqueror, 
he was humane and benevolent, for he spared the effusion 
of human blood in every instance in which it was possible; 
