A profound student of American constitutional history says of Hamilton's
pamphlets: "They show great maturity, a more remarkable maturity than has
ever been exhibited by any other person, at so early an age, in the same
department of thought."

After the Americans were victorious in the war, Hamilton suggested that a
constitutional convention be called. For seven years this suggestion was
not followed, but in 1787 delegates met from various states and framed a
federal constitution to be submitted to the states for ratification.
Hamilton was one of the leading delegates. After the convention had
completed its work, it seemed probable that the states would reject the
proposed constitution. To win its acceptance, Hamilton, in collaboration
with JAMES MADISON (1751-1836) and JOHN JAY (1745-1829), wrote the famous
_Federalist_ papers. There were eighty-five of these, but Hamilton wrote
more than both of his associates together. These papers have been collected
into a volume, and to this day they form a standard commentary on our
Constitution. This work and Hamilton's eloquence before the New York
convention for ratification helped to carry the day for the Constitution
and to terminate a period of dissension which was tending toward anarchy.


THE ORATORS

There are times in the history of a nation when there is unusual need for
the orator to persuade, to arouse, and to encourage his countrymen. Many
influential colonists disapproved of the Revolution; they wrote against it
and talked against it. When the war progressed slowly, entailing not only
severe pecuniary loss but also actual suffering to the revolutionists, many
lost their former enthusiasm and were willing to have peace at any price.
At this period in our history the orator was as necessary as the soldier.