To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 19 April 1798
From John Jay
Albany 19 April 1798
Dear Sir
I have this Instant recd. a Letter dated the 14th. Instant from Judge Hobart,1 resigning his Seat in the Senate of the united States, and as our Legislature is not now in Session, it hath become my Duty to appoint a Senator to succeed him and take his place, untill the next Meeting of the Legislature.2
The present delicate State of our public affairs, and the evident Expediency of filling this Vacancy without Delay, induce me without requesting your Permission and waiting for your answer, to determine to send you a Commission to fill that place, by the next Post. I can say nothing that will not occur to You.
adieu yours sincerely
John Jay
Alexander Hamilton Esqr.
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; copy, from the original in the New York State Library, Albany.
1. John Sloss Hobart was a justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1777 to 1798. On January 11, 1798, he was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by Philip Schuyler’s resignation (Journal of the Senate of the State of New-York; At their Twenty-First Session, Began and Held At the City of Albany, the second day of January, 1798 [Albany: Loring Andrews & Co., n.d.], 15). On April 11, 1798, John Adams nominated Hobart to be judge of the United States District Court for New York, and the Senate agreed to his appointment on the following day (, 269).
In May, 1798, William North of Duanesburg, New York, was appointed to the Senate in place of Hobart (, VII, 559–60).
2. The New York legislature met on August 9, 1798 (Journal of the Senate of the State of New York; At their Twenty-Second Session, Began and Held At the City of Albany, the Ninth day of August, 1798 [Albany: Loring Andrews & Co., n.d.]).