Something to Remember: Hamiltonian Wisdom

I certainly grind an axe here. Nevertheless the angel of my better nature demands I acknowledge, at least in passing, that those who grind a contrary axe are not nearly so perverse as I often think them.

Alexander Hamilton rises from the past to point a bony and accusing finger at me, and so I must reproduce a portion of his wisdom here, a short passage from Federalist #1, something for all of us waiting most impatiently for this election to be finally done.

Hamilton, as Publius, wrote:

I am well aware that it would be disingenuous to resolve indiscriminately the opposition of any set of men (merely because their situations might subject them to suspicion) into interested or ambitious views. Candor will oblige us to admit that even such men may be actuated by upright intentions; and it cannot be doubted that much of the opposition which has made its appearance, or may hereafter make its appearance, will spring from sources, blameless at least if not respectable--the honest errors of minds led astray by preconceived jealousies and fears. So numerous indeed and so powerful are the causes which serve to give a false bias to the judgment, that we, upon many occasions, see wise and good men on the wrong as well as on the right side of questions of the first magnitude in society. This circumstance, if duly attended to, would furnish a lesson of moderation to those who are ever so thoroughly persuaded of their being in the right in any controversy.

Or: imputations of ill will or bad faith on the part of those in opposition to our own considered judgments of sound policy have no place in our discussion. It's hard, but so is all virtue.

Wow, I feel all George Will-ish after quoting the Federalist, so I am now going to take a break and read Democracy in America for a while....