During the preceding two years of their acquaintance there had been many quarrels, caused by furious bursts of temper on the part of the lady, when Hamilton forgot her for a month or more.  There were times when she was the solitary woman of Earth, and others when she might have reigned on Mars.  He was very busy, and he had countless interests to absorb time and thought.  He never pretended to more than a romantic passion for her, and deep as was her own infatuation, it was sometimes close to hate; for she was a woman whose vanity was as strong as her passions.  At this time, however, he felt a frequent need of her, and she made the most of the opportunity.

XXIV

Meanwhile, Washington, deeply disturbed by the arguments in the press and Congress against the constitutionality of the National Bank, had privately asked for the written opinions of Jefferson and Randolph, and for a form of veto from Madison.  They were so promptly forthcoming that they might have been biding demand.  Washington read them carefully, then, too worried and impatient for formalities, carried them himself to Hamilton’s house.

“For God’s sake read them at once and tell me what they amount to,” he said, throwing the bundle of papers on the table.  “Of course you must prepare me an answer in writing, but I want your opinion at once.  I will wait.”

Long years after, when Betsey was an old woman, someone asked her if she remembered any incidents in connection with the establishment of the great Bank.  She replied, “Yes, I remember it all distinctly.  One day General Washington called at the house, looking terribly worried.  He shut himself up in the study with my husband for hours, and they talked nearly all the time.  When he went away he looked much more cheerful.  That night my husband did not go to bed at all, but sat up writing; and the next day we had a Bank.”

Hamilton’s answer, both verbally and in a more elaborate form, was so able and sound a refutation of every point advanced by the enemy that Washington hesitated no longer and signed the bill during the last moments remaining to him.  Years later, when the same question was raised again, Chief Justice Marshall, the most brilliant ornament, by common consent, the Supreme Court of the United States has had, admitted that he could add nothing to Hamilton’s argument.  It must, also, have convinced Madison; for while President of the United States, and his opportunity for displaying the consistencies of his intellect, unrivalled, he signed the charter of the Second National Bank.  Monroe, whose party was in power, and able to defeat any obnoxious measure of the Federalists, advocated; the second Bank as heartily as he had cursed the first.  His defence of his conduct was a mixture of insolent frankness and verbiage.  He said:  “As to the constitutional objection, it formed no serious obstacle.  In voting against the Bank in the first instance, I was governed essentially by policy.  The construction I gave to the Constitution I considered a strict one.  In the latter instance it was more liberal but, according to my judgement, justified by its powers.”  If anyone can tell what he meant, doubtless his own shade would be grateful.