The Federal Party in Power under the New Constitution--Agency of Individuals in the Formation and Ratification of the latter--Prospects of the Opening Administration of the Government--Unwise Course of the Federal Party--President Washington--His Peculiar Relations with the People and with Parties--His first Cabinet--Character of the Differences between Jefferson and Hamilton--The latter sustained--Hamilton's Position, Power, and Influence upon the subsequent Course of Parties--His Monarchical Views--Various Authorities in Relation to the latter--Fidelity of Washington to the Republican Form of Government--Importance of correctly Understanding the Extent of Hamilton's Influence during the Administrations of Washington and John Adams--Personal and Official Relations between Washington and Members of his Cabinet--Evidences of the Spread of Monarchical Views among Officers and Public Men in Washington's Time--His Steadfast Adherence to the last to the Republican Form--His Permanent Hold upon the Affections of the People, even while they repudiated certain Leading Principles of his Administration. The period in our political history to which our inquiry has conducted us, was one of the greatest interest. The successful effort that had been made to compel Great Britain to acknowledge our Independence; the government of the Confederation, and the causes that led to its abandonment; the grave step taken in a better direction by the formation and ratification of the new Constitution, with the hopes and fears excited by the last great movement, were well calculated to impress profoundly the minds of those who had been actors in such important scenes. The success of the Federal party in the first election held under the new Constitution was complete. For the first time since its organization, that party possessed the unrestricted control of the national legislature. If any thing could have been thought wanting to insure its permanent success, that was believed to be secured by the consent of General Washington to be the first President of the new government about to be organized under a constitution, to the paternity of which they had established so fair a claim. Neither the formation nor the ratification of that instrument were altogether the work of avowed members of that party; but as between the two parties they had clearly the best title to be regarded as its authors. The merits of individuals in that great work were various. Alexander Hamilton, the able and undisputed leader of the Federal party, from its origin to his death, did comparatively nothing either toward its formation or adoption by the Federal Convention. His most useful services were rendered in the New York State Convention, by which it was ratified, and in his contributions to the numbers of "The Federalist." These were formally