ALEXANDER HAMILTON,

Statesman, orator, and financier, born in the West Indian island of Nevis, 11th of January, 1757. His father was a Scotch merchant, and his mother was the daughter of a French Huguenot. He was educated at King’s College, N. Y. When he was 18 years of age he surprised the people by his public speeches and pamphlets in favor of American independence. He was commissioned Captain of a Company of Artillery in March, 1776, and served with distinction at the battles of Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, and Princeton, and was appointed Aid-de-camp and Private Secretary to General Washington in March, 1777, and gained his special favor and confidence in planning campaigns and devising means to support the army. In 1782 he was elected a member of the Continental Congress, and Washington expressed the opinion that no one excelled him in probity and sterling virtue. He was an active member of an anti-slavery party in New York, and offered a resolution in 1784, that every member of that society should liberate his own slaves. He was a delegate to the convention which met in Philadelphia in May, 1787, to form a Federal Constitution and to promote the Union of the States, and it appears was the principal author of the movement. Hamilton was appointed Secretary of the Treasury in 1789, at the time the nation was burdened with a heavy debt, almost destitute of credit, and on the verge of bankruptcy. The results of his financial policy were the restoration of public credit, protection to American industry, and a rapid revival of trade and commerce. He resigned his office to resume his practice of law, January 31, 1795. He declined the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States previously tendered him. Washington testified his great esteem for Hamilton by consulting him in the preparation of his Farewell Address, as well as in many other acts of his noble career.

In 1804, Aaron Burr, presenting himself as a candidate for Governor of New York, but Hamilton opposed his election expressing the opinion that “Burr was a dangerous man and unfit to be trusted with power.” The election of Gen. Lewis blasted the ambitious projects of Burr, who insolently demanded an explanation of Hamilton, and finally challenged him, Hamilton accepted the challenge, was mortally wounded at Weehawken, and died July 12, 1804. His death was profoundly lamented throughout the country.

Note.—His eldest son had been killed in a duel by a political adversary about 1802. Mr. Hamilton was the principal author of the Federalist, and the real father of our financial system. Immediately after adopting the constitution, he strongly advocated the establishment of a Mint, so that the New World would not be dependant on the Old for a circulating medium.