bargo, and substituting non-intercourse with the aggressing
belligerents, offered by him on the 8th of the same month. In the next
number of the paper the editor expresses the opinion that "the man, who,
after reading this lucid exposition of British aggressions, can blame
his own government--can accuse the administration of a want of
forbearance, and a wish to provoke a war with England without cause,
must be wilfully blind or perversely foolish." This recalls at once the
circumstances of the time, shortly after the beginning of Madison's
administration, and during the Embargo. Democracy was odious in New
England, where the prostration of her commercial interests, the ruin of
many and serious injury of all her citizens, had rendered the
administration exceedingly unpopular. The _Patriot_, however, steadily
defended the administration and the war which followed. Probably there
will always exist a difference of opinion with respect to the necessity
or expediency of the war of 1812; but public opinion has given its
sanction to what is now known as the "Second War of Independence." Since
that time its advocates have been steadily supported by the country, and
among them the subject of this sketch, who always referred with peculiar
pride to that portion of his career--"the dark and portentous period
which preceded the war."

Mr. Hill continued to edit the Patriot until 1829, a period of twenty
years; during which time he was twice chosen clerk of the State Senate,
once Representative from the town of Concord, and State Senator four
times. In 1828, he was the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator, but
was not elected. In 1829, he received the appointment of Second
Comptroller of the Treasury Department from General Jackson, and
discharged the duties of that office until April, 1830, when his
nomination was rejected by the Senate of the United States. The light in
which his rejection was regarded in New Hampshire, may be inferred from
the fact that its result was his triumphant election to represent that
State in the body which had rejected him. He continued in the Senate
until 1836, when he was elected Governor of the State of New Hampshire
by a very large majority. He was twice reelected, in 1837 and 1838.

In 1840, he was appointed Sub Treasurer at Boston, which he held until
removed, in March, 1841, by the Harrison administration.

About this time the policy of the radical party in New Hampshire, to
which Mr. Hill had a