When I wrote the article in National Review arguing that Donald Trump is utterly unqualified to take the constitutional oath of office, I fully expected to receive a torrent of comments to the effect of “If you don’t vote for Trump, or vote for a third party, you are voting for Hillary Clinton, and she would be even worse on the Constitution and the Suprem eCourt.”

I’m reminded of a letter Alexander Hamilton wrote to Theodore Sedgwick concerning the election of 1800 between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Hamilton loathed Jefferson, but he could not bring himself to vote for Adams.

“For my individual part my mind is made up. I will never more be responsible for him [Adams] by my direct support—even though the consequence should be the election of Jefferson. If we must have an enemy at the head of the Government, let it be one whom we can oppose & for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures. Under Adams as under Jefferson the government will sink. The party in the hands of whose chief it shall sink will sink with it and the advantage will all be on the side of his adversaries.”

I think these words are particularly apt for our present situation.