Show me rounder of Our When Washington was one day conversing with Roliert Morris about the finance of the country he asked "What shall we do with our heavy national debt?'' — to which Morris replied: "There is hut one man in the L’nited States who can tell you— he is Alexander Hamil- lie is the one man fitted by studies and ability to create a pub- ton lic credit and bring the resources into active effi- of the country ciency’'’ This national and international fame was acquired in an incredibly short time lut seventeen years before at the age of thirteen he was an office boy in a West Indian counting house During those seventeen years he had accomplished more than most men accomplish in Left on his own rea life time sources through the financial embarrassment of bis father he made his wav from the W est Indies to Here he studied at Xew Shirk (Columbia then King’s College until he joined the militia of Xew York in its first company of artil-leremployed in the continental service He became Washington’s private secretary in 1777 and was given a command just before the surrender of Cornwallis During his military service he not onlv displayed bravery and pat v NuNoiuil Nuance riotism in the field and an accurate and comprehensive knowledge of the theory and art of war but he found time to analyze the fundamental needs of the army to expose the inherent defects of the confederation in a series of papers known as the Continentalist to outline an adequate and permanent form of government and above-alto mature and complete a scheme of national finance including a national hank These plans are embodied in a series of letters written to his friends James Duane and R ffiert Morris and may justly he termed the principia of the l American government Hamilton’s legal triumph in and Xew York after the war and his earlv contests with his professional and political rival Aaron lhirr are among the most interesting chapters in his life but they must he omitted here Lord characterizes the two men as "rivals at the bar and in political aspirations The legal career of both was eclipsed bv their political labors The lawxer in Hamilton’s case was lost in the statesman and in Purr's in the politician" lamilton’s public career really began as a delegate to the constitutional convention at Philadelphia in In this illustrious assembly 17S7 AI-ban- I v |