In witness whereof, the party of the first part has caused its corporate seal to be hereunto affixed and these presents to be signed by its duly authorized officer the day and year first above written. THE RECTOR, CHURCH WARDENS AND VESTRY- By WILLIAM T. WALSH, Rector. On the 17th day of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-four before me came William T. Walsh, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he resides in 287 Convent Avenue, New York City; that he is the Rector of The Rector, Churchwardens and Vestrymen of Saint Luke's Church in the City of New York, the corporation described in and which executed the foregoing instrument; that he knows the seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to said instrument is such corporate seal; that it was so affixed by order of the Vestry of said corporation; and that he signed his name thereto by like order. State of New York) County of New York S ss: WM. E. COXLEY, N. Y. Co. No. 187. N. Y. Co. Reg's Office No. 5037. On the 18th day of November, nineteen hundred and twenty-four before me came George Frederick Kunz, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he resides at 610* West 110th St., City, County and State of New York, that he is the President of The American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, the corporation described in and which executed the foregoing instrument; that he knows the seal of said corporation; that the seal affixed to said instrument is such corporate seal; that it was so affixed by order of the Board of Directors and that he signed his name thereto by like order. MAXWELL E. MCDOWELL, Notary Public, Kings County Clerk's No. 57, Register's No. 6053 Certificate filed in N. Y. County Clerk's No. 124, Register's No. 6113 Term expires March 30, 1926 There is special propriety in the preservation of this building so near the College of the City of New York, for Hamilton took a leading part in the establishment of the educational system of New York State. It was he, who, as a member of the Legislature in 1787, *Should be 601. introduced the law creating the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. The University was originally founded in 1784, to consist of 24 persons, with one to represent the clergy; and every founder of a school or college (or such person as he might select), and the presidents, professors, tutors and fellows of various colleges and academies were made members by reason of their connection with those institutions. At the next session of the Legislature the law was amended so as to give each religious denomination the right to appoint one of its clergymen to the body. The institution was thus made very cumbrous and the purely regulatory features of the law were smothered by outside elements represented by the professional interests. Hamilton's idea was to secularize education. and to center the administration of the State University in an executive body representing all parts of the State which could enforce its regulations. Therefore, in 1787, he introduced the bill repealing the old law and creating the new body known as the Regents of the University of the State of New York, to consist of 21 members, including the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Hamilton's fundamental scheme continues to this day, with changes which amplify but do not essentially change its scope. The present Board of Regents consists of 12 members chosen by the Legislature. Hamilton will also be remembered as the founder, in 1792, of the Indian School at Oneida which later became Hamilton College. On the Board of Trustees of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society is one of the Regents of the University,-Hon. Adelbert Moot of Buffalo-and two Trustees of Hamilton CollegeMr. Reuben Leslie Maynard and Dr. Henry Harper Benedict of New York. The late Dr. Herbert L. Bridgman of our Board was also a Regent of the University. It is a singular fact that New York City and State have left to private generosity the creation of public memorials of Hamilton. The three public monuments of him in New York City were erected by private funds-the statue in Central Park near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the statue in front of Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, and the statue in front of the Hamilton Club of Brooklyn. The Grange is the only landmark of Hamilton left in the City. His residence and law offices at the time of his appointment as Secretary of the Treasury in 1789 were at Nos. 31 and 33 Wall street, on property which he acquired in 1785. The site is now covered by part of the J. P. Morgan Company's building. It was formerly numbered Nos. 57 and 58 Wall street, and also No. 16 Wall street, the numbers of Wall street having been changed twice since the Revolution. The duelling ground where Hamilton fell was on the New Jersey shore directly in line with West 42d street, Manhattan, about 1570 feet south of the bridge over the railroad track at Weehawken. It is obliterated. He died in the house of William Bayard which stood at Nos. 80-82 Jane street near Greenwich street, and is buried in the Rector street side of Trinity church-yard, where may be read this epitaph: To the Memory of ALEXANDER HAMILTON The Corporation of Trinity Church has Erected this Monument In Testimony of Their Respect for The Patriot of Incorruptible Integrity The Statesman of Consummate Wisdom by Grateful Posterity Long After This Marble Shall Have Mouldered Into Dust. THE SUB-TREASURY BUILDING Not Used for Prohibition and Narcotic Divisions Hamilton's memory is inseparably linked with that of Washington, who was inaugurated first President of the United States on the site of the Sub-Treasury building at Wall and Nassau streets, almost directly opposite the site of Hamilton's Wall street residence. We are happy to report that the Treasury Department does not intend to use the vacant Sub-Treasury building for the Narcotic and Prohibition Divisions of that department, and that the officials of the department have received with much cordiality the overtures of this Society for the preservation and use of the Sub-Treasury as an historical headquarters. The use of the building as a sub-treasury was discontinued December 6, 1920. In issuing the order of discontinuance, Secretary of the Treasury Houston said: "The Treasury regards the New York Sub-Treasury building as a historic public monument which should remain, notwithstanding the discontinuance of the New York SubTreasury," and it was turned over to the Federal Reserve Bank for the purpose of carrying on exchanges of coin and other business previously performed by the Sub-Treasury. The Federal Reserve Bank having recently moved into the new Federal Reserve Building at Nassau street and Maiden Lane, it was reported in July, 1924, that the Treasury proposed to make it the headquarters for enforcing the narcotic and prohibition laws. There were also rumors that the government intended to sell the property so that a great office building might be erected in its place. Immediate onnosition to such use appeared in the newspapers and in the reported action of the Sons of the American Revolution and other patriotic societies. |