Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/66

 HAMILTON

HAMILTON

17S2-83. A convention \v;is proposed by Vir- ginia to l)e held at Anuajxilis in September. 1786, anil Hamilton, seconded by Egl)ert Benson, se- cured friendly delegates from New York, and attended the convention. Hamilton drew up an address which, modified by Edmund Rjindolph, was agreed upon by the convention. It recited the evil con lit ion of public affairs and called for a new convention at Philadel]>liia, May 2, 1787. On returning to New York he was elected in No- vember, 17S6. to the .state assembh'. and there opposed the Clinton party in an imequal contest for a stronger central government. He was a delegate to the last Continental congress that as- senibled in New York, 1787-88 and he succeeded in being named by the New York convention, the minority delegate to the Philadelphia convention, w hich gave

CD/VORESS HALU.

him a seat, but no control of his state. In a speech of five hours before the constitu- tional conven- tion he present- ed his theory of government. It called for a president and sen- ators for life and for the appointment of govern- ors of the respective states by the president. After delivering his speech he withdrew from the convention, only returning to affix his name to the constitution as framed, Sept. 17, 1787. He then went before the people to obtain for the in- strument a speedy ratification. He was the prin- cipal author of the series of essays called the Federalist, advocating a strong centralized gov- ernment. In the New York ratifying conven- tion which stood two to one against the adoption of the constitution as framed, by skil- ful debate, adroit management and wise counsel he secured its triumphant ratification. The ques- tion then came before the people, and at the polls the ratification was not only confirmed, but the Federalists elected four of the six representa- tives in congress and the power of the Clintons in New York was for the time broken by the young leader of the Federalists. He named for U.S senators Rufas King and Philip Schuyler, ignoring the Livingstons, and this was deemed a political blunder on the part of the youthful politician, as it cost the Federal party the state in 1790 and secured the election of Aaron Bun- as U.S. senator. Washington was inaugurated President of the United States, April 30, 1789, and on the organization of the treasury depart- ment in September of that year he named Alex- ander Hamilton as the first secretary^ of the U.S. treasury. His work as secretary of the treas-

ury was to establish public credit, to restore business confidence and to open an era of com- mercial prosperity. He provided a system of internal revenue, a protective tariff, regulated the currency, established a U.S. mint, provided nav- igation laws, laws as to coasting trade and as to post-offices, and provided for the purcliaseof West Point for a military academy, and laws for the management of the public lands. He courted the mvestigation of the affairs of the U.S. treasury by his political opponents, and quieted their charges of mismanagement by promptly showing his books. He maintained the policy of a strict neutrality during the French revolution and de- fended President Washington in maintaining it. He opposed his fellow cabinet officer, Thomas Jefferson, secretary of .state, and contributed to the Gazette of the United States, a series of letters condemning Jefferson's financial views. This brought out the interference of the President who patched up peace between the two statesmen. The trouble, however, broke out again, and in 1794 Jefferson resigned from the cabinet and two great political parties took form. Hamilton re- mained and subdued the threatened whisky in- surrection in Pennsylvania, accompanying the armed force to the scene of the riot, and on Jan. 31, 1795, he resigned, as his salary as secretary did not provide sufficient support to a growing fam- ily. He returned to New Y'ork where he resmned the practise of law and soon regained bis posi- tion as a leader of the New York bar. He continued to be an advisor of the President, suggested many of the thoughts of his speeches and messages and helped to write liis farewell ad- dress. His close relation to Washington sug- gested the same position in the administration of John Adams who had received his earnest sup- port in the election. Hamilton named the com- missioners to France and they were appointed, but when he wanted to be placed at the head of the provisional army the President objected, and the friendship between the two was broken. Washington sugge.^^ted a compromise which the President adopted and in 1798 Hamilton was made inspector-general with the rank of major- general, and was promoted commander-in chief in 1799. This however did not end the quarrel between the President and Hamilton and the Federalist party could not concentrate their forces in the election of 1800. In New York Burr carried the state and Hamilton projxised the revolutionary expedient of calling together the old legislature and referring the choice of election to the peo|)le in districts. He also openly attacked Adams as unfit for the high trust of President and still illogically counselled the party to support him. When the electors met, Jefferson had seventy -three votes. Burr seventy-