1To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 30 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
The letter of Octob. the 7th. which you did me the honor to write me was delivered two days ago by Mr. McCartey, & yesterday I received the duplicate by Count de Moustier. Some time before, the debt of the United States to France had been brought into view by Mr. Necker in a memorial which he delivered to the national assembly on the subject of their finances, & which I inclosed in my No. 10...
2To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 28[–31] January 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you a letter on the 30th. of November last in answer to yours of the 7th. of October. In it I mentioned in what manner our debt to France had become an object of ministerial consideration before the arrival of Count de Moustier, who was charged with your letter, & the influence which his arrival had on some of those who were negotiating with the minister. Although...
3To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 4 April 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
In my letter of the 28th. of January & the postscript of the 31st. of the same month, which I had the honor of addressing you, I made you acquainted with the then situation of the debt due by America to France & the precipitate loan negociated by the bankers of the United States at Amsterdam. I informed you at the same time that I did not doubt a stop would be thus put to Mr. Neckers...
4To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 3 August 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I have had the honor of recieving both the original & duplicate of your letter of the 29th. of May. Mine of the 4th. of April had not then reached you. In it I mentioned the subject of a conversation I had a few days before with Mr. Necker —the hopes he had founded on the unauthorized loan made at Amsterdam & his impatience, occasioned by the distressing penury of French finances, to know the...
5To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 26 November 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I took the liberty of acknowleging the reciept of your letters of Aug. 29th. and Sept. 1st. through the Secretary of State who I begged at the same time to inform you that I was preparing immediately to obey them. I beg leave to refer you also to him (to whom I had an unexpected opportunity of writing yesterday by the way of France) for what has been done in consequence of your letter of Aug....
6To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 2 December 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
My last letter of the 26th of November will have informed you of my arrival at this place. I have been hitherto employed in ascertaining what measures would be most conducive to the honor & interests of the United States in the execution of the commission you have confided to my care. In the course of this business several of the objects to which you directed my enquiries naturally presented...
7To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 18 December 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you from this place on the 26th ulto. & the 2d inst. The first by the way of England; the last by an American vessel going from hence immediately to Boston. In this I gave you a very full account of such circumstances as had come to my knowlege since my arrival here; & of the steps which had been taken in the business on which I came. A duplicate of it will...
Votre courier m’a apporté la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire en date du 14. Je suis faché que le Ministre avec lequel vous me dites avoir eu une entrevue ne vous aye pas donné communication de la lettre que j’ai eu l’honneur de lui adresser en date du 8 de ce mois; comme elle vous auroit probablement evité la peine que vous vous etes donné depuis. Je lui ai marqué dans cette...
9To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 30 December 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
My letter of the 18th. enclosing a duplicate of that of the 2d. inst. with other papers has been detained until now, because the American vessel by which I have thought it best to send it, has not yet sailed. As her departure seems at length finally decided for tomorrow, I annex this letter merely to inform you that the circumstances of the loan remain as when I last had the honor of writing...
10To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 15 January 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Contrary winds have prevented any vessel leaving the Texel since the month of November. The several letters therefore which I have had the honor of writing you by that may still remain there. This unexpected delay is the more unfortunate as it is in those letters alone that I have spoken fully on the subjects about which you must be impatient to hear. I preferred making use of this chanel for...
11To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 25 January 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the honor of addressing you this letter by the way of the English Packet because contrary winds still prevent any vessel leaving the Texel. All the letters I have written to you by American vessels since my arrival here are still there. Their several dates are Dec. 2. 18. 30. Jan. 15. These letters were exceedingly prolix as I thought it necessary to enter into very particular details...
12To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 7 February 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 25th. of last month by the English packet. This, inclosed to the Secretary of State, will be sent also by the way of England. I mentioned in my last what I repeat here for greater certainty. “1093. 450. 264. 1405. 224. 264. 1405. 319. 1065. 224. 239. 1210. 1340. 426. 1336. 839. 1590. 224. 531. 1388. 224. 708. ...
13To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 17 February 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
My two last letters were of Jan. 25. & Feb. 7. They were sent by the way of England. Since then I learn that a momentary change of the wind has permitted two of the American vessels which had my letters for you, to leave the Texel. There were other letters on board of another vessel which I am told still remains there, the wind having again become contrary. I have been much mortified by the...
14To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 22 February 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
When I had the honor of writing to you on the 17th. I expected that I should have been able to have sent you by this post a copy of the obligation which will be given on the part of the U.S. in consequence of the loan which I then announced to you. The form of the obligation having been delayed, I inclose you at present the prospectus of the loan, original & translation, as it is the basis of...
15To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 4 March 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of informing you on the 17th. of the last month of the loan of 2½. millions of guilders being brought on the market & on the 22d. I inclosed you a prospectus of that loan. It is not till now that I have been able to get a copy of the bonds which are to be given on the part of the U.S. & of which I forward you one at present by the way of England, for your examination, & to...
16To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 11 March 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the honor of writing to you at present for the last time from this place. I am now signing the bonds as fast as I recieve them from the notary. It is possible they may be finished to-morrow & in that case I shall set out the day after for Paris. In my last of the 4th. inst. sent by the way of England was inclosed a translation of the bonds of the present loan. I now add a copy of the...
17Enclosure: William Short to Antoine Bernard Caillard, 6 March 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
En reponse à la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’ecrire avant hier je puis vous informer que l’emprunt dont il est question a été fait en consequence de deux votes du Congres passés le 4. & le 12. du mois d’Aoust dernier & qui autorisent des emprunts en y designant leurs objets. J’ai eu l’honneur avant mon depart de Paris de porter a la connaissance de votre ministere les intentions...
18Enclosure: William Short to Ferdinand Grand, 3 March 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Votre lettre du 25. du mois dernier, Monsieur, m’est parvenue hier. Les remboursements dont vous me parlez ont eté faits depuis plusieurs moi & d’apres les mesures prises de concert avec M. le Directeur du Trésor Royal selon le desir du Ministre des Affaires étrangéres. Les seules parties que me paraissoient interesseés s’etant ainsi concerteés, je suis obligé de vous avouer, Monsieur, que je...
19To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 9 April 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my return here questions have been from time to time asked me with respect to the appropriation of the loan lately made in Holland. When asked by those to whom it was necessary to give an answer it was made conformable to that given to M. Caillard at the Hague, as contained in my letter to him of the 6th of March, of which a copy was sent to you on the 11th from Amsterdam. The ministry...
20To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 4 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last of April 9. I have received a letter from M. de Montmorin in which he informs me that he had recieved a second letter from Schweizer & Jeanneret relative to the reimbursement of the American debt & their proposals respecting it, & that he had answered them that they must apply to me, being unable himself to interfere in the matter notwithstanding the favorable opinion he...
21To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 3 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have had the honor of recieving a few days ago, the 3d & 4th. of your letter of April 13th.—one by the way of England, the other by the way of Holland. This is the only letter I have recieved from you since that of Sep. 1. 90. The 1st. & 2nd. have not yet arrived. It gives me infinite pleasure Sir to find that the manner in which I proceeded in the business you confided to me, has met your...
22To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 5 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my letter of the day before yesterday I have procured the inclosed works on the fabrication of money. Supposing they may be useful to you on the question at present under your consideration I have the honor of forwarding them. One is a report of the committee of money made to the national assembly, another the speech of Mirabeau on the subject, & a third the observations of an artist of...
23To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 10 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last letters of the 3d & 5th. inst. I have recieved a letter from the commissioners at Amsterdam of which I have the honor of inclosing a copy as well as of mine to them which occasioned it. I have not yet recieved their answer to mine written in consequence of theirs of which I inclosed you a copy in my letter of the 3d. but this letter serves as an answer as you will see by the...
24Enclosure: William Short to Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, 26 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
The departure of the post leaves me barely time to inform you that I have at length recieved a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury which renders it necessary that I should know the present situation of the loan opened at Amsterdam & with as much precision as you can have, the time when you think another could be set on foot there. I will thank you to give me the information by the return...
25To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 19 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you by M. de Ternant three letters dated June 3. 5 & 10. In the first of them I informed you that the million of florins you had destined for this country would be paid immediately by the desire of this government to their bankers at Amsterdam. A difficulty has since arisen between them & the commissioners of the U. S. which it is necessary to explain to you, as...
26To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 8 July 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
In my last of the 19th. of June I mentioned to you a difficulty which had arisen between the French & American bankers at Amsterdam relative to the payment of the million of florins ordered by your letter of the 13th. of April. I have now the satisfaction to inform you that it is removed & that the payment is probably completed agreeably to the basis proposed by our bankers viz. at the rate of...
27Enclosure: William Short to Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, 24 June … (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last I have not seen M. Dufresne & of course have nothing new to say to you concerning the disagreeable affair of the rate of exchange for the million of florins paid by you. I fear he will not consent to any other mode of settling it than that of the current rate ascertained by sworn brokers agreeably to the data of Messrs. Hogguers & Co’s draught furnished you. I hope you will...
28To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 19 July 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 8th. of this month by the French packet & of acknowleging the reciept of your letter of the 9th. of May. The commissioners at Amsterdam have since then informed me that all difficulties being removed they have consummated the payment of the million of florins to the French bankers there & recieved their bill on this government for its amount 2,696,629...
29To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 24[–25] July 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last of the 19th inst. in which I gave you an account of the then prospects with respect to loans at Amsterdam or Antwerp, Mr. Morris has recieved an answer from his correspondent at the latter place. He still assures that a loan for the U.S. being opened there for a million of florins at 4½. p. cent might successively be carried to greater amount. He insists however on the commission...
30To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 26 July 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
After closing & forwarding my letter to you yesterday I recieved one from the bankers at Amsterdam of which I think it necessary to send you a copy. It is for the most part in answer to one from me in which I had repeated the arguments, already communicated to you, in favor of our right to reduce the rate of commission in the case of a new loan being opened at 5. p. cent. You will see that the...
31To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 27 July 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Morris has just recieved a letter from his correspondent at Antwerp in which he informs him that since his last of which I mentioned to you the subject he had recieved an express from the Russian ministry authorizing him to open a loan for the Empress at 5. p. cent interest with a considerable advantage in the exchange. He of course declines undertaking the American business for the...
32To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 8 August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
The letters which I have lately had the honor of writing to you are of the dates of July 8.—19—24—26—27. In them I informed you of what had been done with respect to the intended loan. Since then I have recieved your letter of the 24th. of May, which increases my powers both as to the repetition of the loans & the disposition of the sums arising from them. At the time of its receipt a sudden &...
33To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 23 August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I acknowleged the reciept of your letter of the 24th. of May in my last of the 8th. of August. I have now the honor of acknowleging that of the 30th. of June inclosing one of the 25th. of the same month (both duplicates) which came to my hands yesterday by the way of the French packet. My former letters will have informed you of the progress & issue of the affair of the reduction of interest....
34To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 30 August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I make use of this conveyance by the English packet merely to announce to you that the bankers at Amsterdam have in consequence of my letters to them had a loan contracted for in behalf of the U.S. for six millions of guilders. The celerity with which it was taken up, as they inform me, shews the continuance of the high ground on which the credit of the U.S. stands at that place. The bankers...
35To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 31 August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of announcing to you yesterday by the way of the English packet the loan contracted for at Amsterdam for six millions of florins. I thought it best to give you the details of what has happened with respect to the charges & commission by this conveyance which is a person going to embark at Havre. My several letters will have informed you of the several attempts I made to bring...
36To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 3 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I received last night the inclosed copy of a letter from the bankers at Amsterdam which they desire me after perusal to forward to you. In my two last of the 30th & 31st ulto I announced to you the loan therein mentioned & informed you it would be appropriated agreeably to your directions—so that from the time of your recieving this information you may consider the 2½ million of florins at...
37Enclosure: William Short to Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, 3 September … (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 22d of August informed me that you had opened a loan for six millions of ⟨florins⟩ & it gave me real pleasure as it never could have entered into my mind that any other conditions than those presented & repeated in my several letters authorizing the loan could have been adopted. Your letter of the 25th informs me that you have ⟨presented⟩ other conditions for this loan not...
38To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 23 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
My letters lately addressed to you by different chanels were of Aug. 8, 23, 30, 31, & Sep. 3. They will have informed you of the loan lately opened at Amsterdam for six millions of florins —the success with which it was attended & my attempts to reduce the charges on it. In my last I inclosed you a copy of my letter to the bankers on this subject. I have since recieved from them a letter of...
39Enclosure: William Short to Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, 16 … (Hamilton Papers)
I received after the departure of the last post your letter of the 8th inst. ⟨I⟩ am really sorry to find that you persist in pretensions which I should have hoped must have been removed by the observations contained in mine of the 3d. instant & of which you acknowlege the receipt. It becomes useless for us to discuss this subject longer. For my part I examined it in all its parts not so much...
40To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 10 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
The last letter which I have had the honor of writing to you was of the 23d. of September. I have since then recieved yours of August 1st. I inclose you at present a copy of my last letter to the bankers at Amsterdam written in answer to theirs in which they propose of themselves, as I had formerly mentioned it was probable they would do, that the rate of commission on the last loan should be...
41Enclosure: William Short to Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, 30 … (Hamilton Papers)
I have barely time to acknowledge by the extraordinary of tomorrow the receipt of yours of the 22d. inst. in which you propose that the sec. of the Treasury should settle the rate of commission on the last loan. It would seem that the rate at which any business is to be transacted should be looked for in the powers authorizing the transaction of that business—still if you think this matter...
42To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 8 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Of the six million loan lately made, three millions of florins have been remitted & have yielded 8,170,000₶. I had intended that the rest should be kept in the hands of the bankers to answer your draughts for 2½ millions of florins & such other demands as might arise. But some days ago the commissaries of the treasury requested I would direct our bankers to pay theirs f 560,000, in order to...
43To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 12 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last of the 8th. inst. sent by the French packet, the person expected from Antwerp of whom I then spoke to you has arrived. This letter written in haste & despatched by the post of to-day in the possibility of its arriving at L’Orient in time for the packet, is merely to inform you of the result of my interview with Mr. Wolf of Antwerp the name of the person in question. I informed...
44To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 22 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
In my two last letters of the 8th: & 12th: inst. I informed you of the then position of affairs at Antwerp & Amsterdam. Nothing new can have taken place with respect to Antwerp as I then mentioned to you that a loan was to be opened there for three millions of florins at 4½. p. cent interest & 4. p. cent commission. I shall leave this place in two days so as to sign the contract there at the...
45To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 1 December 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I arrived here the day before yesterday & learned from M de Wolf that the loan mentioned to you in my letters of the 12th. & 22d of November was already contracted for, except a small portion which he reserved for the public according to the usage of this place & which he should continue open ten or fifteen days. The loan is to be dated from to-day & the undertakers are to have five months to...
46To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 15 December 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have now the honor of inclosing you a copy of the contract for the loan opened at Antwerp, which could not be had in time to go with my last of the 1st. inst. The customary ratification has been promised on it, which it is hoped will be obtained & forwarded to Antwerp. A duplicate will be sent by another conveyance. The translation is in French, the English language not having been...
47To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 23 December 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you from hence on the 15th. inst. & of informing you of the posture of the American business here at that time. I am now happy in being able to announce to you the conclusion of a loan here for the U.S. at 4. p. cent interest. The reimbursements are to begin at the end of ten years & to be made in equal parts during the five succeeding. It has been found...
48To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 28 December 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
In my last of the 23d. inst. I had the honor of simply announcing to you a loan being contracted for here on account of the U.S. for f 3,000,000 at 4. p. cent. The departure of the English post by which my letter was sent did not allow me to enter into details, except as to the terms of the loan. An alteration has since been made as to the times of payment from eight to six months. You may...
49To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 30 December 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
My letter of the 23d. inst. which I sent by three separate conveyances will have informed you of a loan of 3,000,000 florins being contracted for at 4. p. cent interest. That of the day before yesterday sent by the way of the Texel contained the steps which preceded & led to this loan & the circumstances respecting the charges on it. The present which goes by the English packet of the next...
50To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 26 January 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have had the honor of recieving since my return to this place on the 15th. inst. your letter of Nov 1. I have previously acknowleged your others as they have been recieved. Mine to you have been exceedingly multiplied for the reasons which I have repeatedly mentioned. You acknowlege their reciept as low done as the 27th. of July, but do not mention those of the 8th. & 19th. of the same...