Alexander Hamilton Papers
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From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 31 July 1799

To James McHenry

N Y July 31 1799

You will see my Dear friend in the case of Capt. Frey the evil tendency of correspondence by the head of the War Department with inferior officers, when there is a superior.1 For a thousand good reasons it cannot be too carefully avoided. Perhaps a sudden emergency where the superior officer is in a situation that recourse to him might defeat the object is the only exception.

Yrs. truly

A H

ALS, Montague Collection, MS Division, New York Public Library; ALS (photostat), James McHenry Papers, Library of Congress; copy, in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.

1. See H to McHenry, first letter of July 31, 1799.

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    Hamilton Papers
    Title
    From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 31 July 1799
    Author
    Hamilton, Alexander
    Recipient
    McHenry, James
    Date
    31 July 1799

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 31 July 1799,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-23-02-0312. [Original source: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 23, April 1799 – October 1799, ed. Harold C. Syrett. New York: Columbia University Press, 1976, p. 299.]

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