a 
EEE eee 
Moreover, about August, 1783, he resigned his seat 
in Congress, then commenced the practice of law in the city 
of New York. The course of his legal studies being brief, 
liarly adapted to the analysis of first 
e first rank in his profession; 
e to protect the Tories 
when the popular sentiment of 
towards that party. Thus, his 
qualifications for the bar are described in this manner by 
“FTamilton, by means of his fine melodious 
ment, his reasoning powers and per- 
suasive address, soared above all competition; his pre-eminence 
was at once universally conceded.” 
i islature of New York, 
May, the same 
York were chosen as 
was to form a Federal Constitution for the country, 
d suffered greatly from the want of an 
efficient government and prostration of trade, and the loss of 
public credit. He was the principal author of this movement 
towards a firm and durable union 
Renwick, in his “Life of Hamilton,” he was lauded by some 
and decried by others according to their feelings o 
tion, as the founder of the Union which superseded t 
federacy. Thus his two colleague 
tisans of Clinton, being adverse 
Constitution. Here, says J. 
had placed him there to f 
June 18th Hamilton addressed the Convention in a long 
speech, one of which no report h 4 
was pronounced by Gouverneur Morris to be the most able 
hat he had ever heard; in the course © this 
speech Hamilton read his plan of government 
which is given in J. C. Hamilton’s “History of the Republic 
’ “Although the plan adopted differed 
. 
he signed the new Constitution in Sep- 
tember, 1787, and warmly urged the people of New Yor 
to ratify it. Hence, with the co-operation of Madison and 
Jay, he advocated the adoption of the Constitution in a series 
of essays which first appeared, under the signature of “Pub- 
lius,” in the New York Gazette, which were afterwards so 
lished in several volumes, entitled “The Federalist.” Ham- 
iIton wrote more than half of these profound and luminous 
political treatises, which are recognized by all parties as the 
best commentary on the Constitution; this instrument was 
ed by a powerful party, being misled by 
strenuously oppos : 
the ignis fatuus of State sovereignty. Moreover, concerning 
7 
