Coming from the military service of the country yet a youth, but with knowledge and maturity, even in civil affairs far beyond his years, he made this city the place of his adoption; and he gave the whole powers of his mind to the contemplation of the weak and distracted condition of the country.  Daily increasing in acquaintance and confidence with the people of New York, he saw, what they also saw, the absolute necessity of some closer bond of union for the States.  This was the great object of desire.  He never appears to have lost sight of it, but was found in the lead whenever any thing was to be attempted for its accomplishment.  One experiment after another, as is well known, was tried, and all failed.  The States were urgently called on to confer such further powers on the old Congress as would enable it to redeem the public faith, or to adopt, themselves, some general and common principle of commercial regulation.  But the States had not agreed, and were not likely to agree.  In this posture of affairs, so full of public difficulty and public distress, commissioners from five or six of the States met, on the request of Virginia, at Annapolis, in September, 1786.  The precise object of their appointment was to take into consideration the trade of the United States; to examine the relative situations and trade of the several States; and to consider how far a uniform system of commercial regulations was necessary to their common interest and permanent harmony.  Mr. Hamilton was one of these commissioners; and I have understood, though I cannot assert the fact, that their report was drawn by him.  His associate from this State was the venerable Judge Benson, who has lived long, and still lives, to see the happy results of the counsels which originated in this meeting.  Of its members, he and Mr. Madison are, I believe, now the only survivors.  These commissioners recommended, what took place the next year, a general Convention of all the States, to take into serious deliberation the condition of the country, and devise such provisions as should render the constitution of the federal government adequate to the exigencies of the Union.  I need not remind you, that of this Convention Mr. Hamilton was an active and efficient member.  The Constitution was framed, and submitted to the country.  And then another great work was to be undertaken.  The Constitution would naturally find, and did find, enemies and opposers.  Objections to it were numerous, and powerful, and spirited.  They were to be answered; and they were effectually answered.  The writers of the numbers of the Federalist, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Madison, and Mr. Jay, so greatly distinguished themselves in their discussions of the Constitution, that those numbers are generally received as important commentaries on the text, and accurate expositions, in general, of its objects and purposes.  Those papers were all written and published in this city.  Mr. Hamilton was elected one of the distinguished delegation from the city to the State Convention at Poughkeepsie, called to ratify the new Constitution.  Its debates are published.  Mr. Hamilton appears to have exerted, on this occasion, to the utmost, every power and faculty of his mind.