COMMENTARIES, 21 JULY-30 OCTOBER 1787

the exercise of it odious, is to attempt to abridge a privilege, the most
essential of any to the security of the people. The laws, which afford
sufficient protection to the Magistrate, will punish the excess of this privi-
lege: within the bounds (they allow, it is the bulwark of public liberty.
But observations of either kind might mutually have been spared.
There is no danger that the rights of a man, at the head of the Gov-
ernment (possessing all the influence to be derived from long contin-
uance in office, the disposition of lucrative places, and consummate tal-
ents for popularity) can be injured by the voice of a private individual.
There is as little danger, that the spirit of the people of this State will
ever tolerate attempts to seduce, to awe, or to clamor them out of the
privilege of bringing the conduct of men in power to the bar of public
examination.
To all the declamation and invective, with which the Republican
winds up his performance, and labors to mislead the public attention
from its true object, a short answer will be given. It is the stale trick of
the party to traduce every)2 independent man, opposed to their views,
the better to preserve to themselves that power and consequence, to
which they have no other title than their arts of deceiving the people.
Mr. Hamilton can, however, defy all their malevolent ingenuity to
produce a single instance of his conduct, public or private, inconsistent
with the strictest rules of integrity and honor-a single instance, that
may even denominate him selfish or interested-a single instance, in
which he has either "forfeited" the confidence of the people, or failed
in obtaining any proof of their favor, for which he has been a candidate.
It would be ingratitude in him not to acknowledge, that the marks of
their confidence have greatly exceeded his deserts.
1. This article, written by Alexander Hamilton, responds to "A Republican," New York
journal, 6 September, which answered Hamilton's attack on Clinton printed in the Daily
Advertiser, 21 July (both above). The draft of this article is in the Hamilton Papers at the
Library of Congress and is printed in Syrett, IV, 248-53. The manuscript and the news-
paper printing differ slightly in punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. For an attack
on this article, see "Inspector" I, New York Journal, 20 September (below).
2. The text in angle brackets is not in the manuscript version, apparently because a
page is missing.
Anti-Defamationis
New York Journal, 20 September 17871
MR. GREENLEAF, With great indignation I have observed several pub-
lications that have lately appeared, reflecting, in a most illiberal man-
ner, on the Governor of this state, on account of some accidental ex-
pressions, concerning the Convention at Philadelphia; particularly one
under the signature of Aristides, in the Daily Advertiser, No. 794.

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