From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [27 November 1792]
To George Washington1
[Philadelphia, November 27, 1792]
The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the President. The execution of the process by the marshal himself is, for many reasons, so important that it does not appear possible to dispense with it.2 If there should be any failure in the Deputy it would probably furnish a topic of censure and a source of much embarrassment. The impediment in point of health is to be regretted, but, it would seem, must be surmounted.
LC, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
1. For background to this letter, see H to Tench Coxe, September 1, 1792; H to Washington, September 1, 8, first letter of September 9, September 11, 22, 26, 1792; H to John Jay, September 3, 1792; “Draft of a Proclamation Concerning Opposition to the Excise Law,” September 7, 1792; Jay to H, September 8, 1792; Edmund Randolph to H, September 8, 1792; Washington to H, September 7, two letters of September 17, September 21, October 1, 1792; George Clymer to H, September 28, October 4, 10, 1792; Rufus King to H, September 27, 1792; Washington to Thomas Mifflin, September 29, 1792; Washington to Randolph, November 24, 1792.
2. On November 28, 1792, Tobias Lear wrote to Clement Biddle, United States marshal for the District of Pennsylvania, that in view of Biddle’s ill health the President requested that “processes issued at the Circuit Court against the persons indicted for a riot in Washington County” be delayed rather than served by a deputy (ADfS, RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters, 1790–1799, National Archives). On November 27, 1792, in a letter to Washington, Biddle had requested that on account of illness he be permitted to use a deputy (ALS, RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters, 1790–1799, National Archives). The processes were to be served on Alexander Berr and William Kerr. See George Clymer to H, October 4, 1792, note 10.