nds our
politics, who knows our history, and whose practical statesmanship and
lofty talents render his opinion most valuable, when he declared that
"there is not in the Constitution of the United States an element of
order, of force, of duration, which Hamilton has not powerfully
contributed to introduce into it and to give it a predominance," stated
but the simplest truth. Equally correct is his remark, that "Hamilton
must be classed among the men who have best known the vital principles
and fundamental conditions of a government." Alone of all the New York
delegates Hamilton subscribed the Constitution.

In the discussions that followed the labors of the Convention, Hamilton
had the principal part in urging the adoption of the Constitution. "The
Federalist," that first of all American political works, and the
excellence of which was quickly recognized by foreign statesmen, was his
production. Not only did he write most of it, but the least of what he
wrote for it excels the best that was contributed to it by men so able
as Jay and Madison. Every attempt that has been made to take from him
any portion of the honor of this masterly work has failed, and it is now
admitted that it can fairly be associated only with his name. "The total
number of these essays," says Mr. John C. Hamilton, "by Hamilton's
enumeration, approved by Madison, is seen to be eighty-five. Of this
enumeration, an abbreviated copy by Hamilton from his original minute,
both in Hamilton's autograph, ascribes to himself the sole authorship of
sixty-three numbers, and the joint authorship with Madison of three
numbers, leaving to the latter the sole authorship of fourteen numbers,
and to Jay of five numbers."[H] "The Federalist" had a powerful
influence on the public mind, and contributed vastly to the success of
the Constitutionalists; and other writings of Hamilton had scarcely less
effect. Had he not been a friend of the Constitution, and had he sought
only the creation of a powerful central government, he never would have
labored for the success of the Constitutional party; for the surest road
to despotism would have been through that anarchy which must have
followed a refusal by the people to ratify the action of the Convention
of 1787. As a member of the Convention of the State of New York,
Hamilton most ably supported the ratification of the Constitution made
at Philadelphia.

The Constitution was adopted, and the new government was organized on