3713. HENRY (Patrick), Political fall.—
[Alexander] Hamilton * * * became his idol,
and, abandoning the republican advocates of
the Constitution, the Federal Government on
federal principles became his political creed. *
* * His apostasy sunk him to nothing in the
estimation of his country. He lost at once all
that influence which federalism had hoped, by
cajoling him, to transfer with him to itself,
and a man who through a long and active life
had been the idol of his country beyond any one
that ever lived, descended to the grave with
less than its indifference, and verified the
saying of the philosopher, that no man must be
called happy till he is dead.—
To William Wirt.
Ford ed., ix, 344.
(M.
1811)
