Alexander Hamilton - Founders

Brief Overview of Achievements
Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – July 12, 1804)

• First United States Secretary of the Treasury
• Founding Father,
• Economist, and political philosopher.
• Co-wrote the Federalist Papers, a primary source for Constitutional interpretation.

While Madison's contributions to the Constitution of the United States are by far the most profound of all the founders, Alexander Hamilton is probably the single individual who contributed the most to the debate that followed the adoption whereby congress and the people struggled to turn the framework of the constitution into practical tools and policies that would serve to institute the philosophies.

Wikipedia Biography

During his tenure as Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton issued a series of five separate reports to the Congress that today are recognized as among the most comprehensive and profound arguments for an activist role within the Federal Government on those matters that would lay a firm foundation for the long term economic stability and power of the United States government.

President George Washington appointed Hamilton as the first Secretary of the Treasury on September 11, 1789. He left office on the last day of January 1795, and much of the structure of the Government of the United States was worked out in those five years, beginning with the structure and function of the Cabinet itself. Forrest McDonald argues that Hamilton saw his office, like the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, as that of a Prime Minister; Hamilton would oversee his colleagues under the elective reign of George Washington. Washington did request Hamilton's advice and assistance on matters outside the purview of the Treasury Department.

Hamilton's five reports:

• First Report on the Public Credit: Communicated to the House of Representatives, January 14, 1790. Extract of the First report .
• Operations of the Act Laying Duties on Imports: Communicated to the House of Representatives, April 23, 1790.
• Second Report on Public Credit: Report on a National Bank. Communicated to the House of Representatives, December 14, 1790.
• Report on the Establishment of a Mint: Communicated to the House of Representatives, January 28, 1791.
• Report on Manufactures: Communicated to the House of Representatives, December 5, 1791.

Madison's death, in a duel with Aaron Burr would cut short the contributions of this remarkable founding father. One can only speculate at what else this intellectual giant might have contributed had he lived to a ripe old age.