John Jay Papers
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John Jay and Rufus King to Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox, 26 November 1793

John Jay and Rufus King to Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox

N York, 26th. nov 1793

Gentlemen

You will recieve herewith enclosed a Publication by Mr Genet denying his having declared that he wd. appeal from the President to the People—1 a publication by us that we would shortly proceed to state the Evidence and Circumstances relative to that Transaction, and also our ^manuscript^ address to the public containing such Statemt.— we think it most ^more [illegible]^ expedient ^^[illegible] as well as more^^ delicate with Respect to You,^ that it shd. be accompanied by your Certificate, ^than that it should be printed here without it—^ Be pleased therefore to subjoin one to it, under your Signatures; and then cause it to be published ^printed^ without Delay in one of your Papers, & to send [us some?] of the papers containing it, ^us a correct Copy of the whole,^ to the End that it may instantly ^on its arrival,^ be published here.2

Every observation that we could make on the Subject will occur to you, and therefore we will not lose Time in enumerating the Considerations, (relative to the public, yourselves and us), which call for Decision ^and promptitude^ and ^wh^ point to the Propriety & necessity of these Measures. We have the Honor to be Gent. your most obt. & hble Servts

Mr Secy Hamilton &
Mr Secy Knox—

Dft, NNC (EJ: 05646). Endorsed: [on back] “To Col. Hamilton & / Gen. Knox—/ nov. 1792”. PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett et al., eds., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (27 vols.; New York, 1961–87) description ends , 15: 411–12.

1Probably Genet to ER, 14 Nov., printed in the Diary (New York) on 22 Nov., and subsequently in many other newspapers, but see also RK’s certificate regarding Genet’s denial, dated 20 Nov., a copy of which was attached to a copy of JJ and RK’s publication of 12 Aug., and printed in note 1 to that document, above. The following response appeared in the Diary of 23 Nov., and was widely reprinted: “Mr. Genet having at length under his signature, publicly denied his having said, that ‘he would appeal from the President to the people;’ we are authorized to assure the public, that Mr. Jay and Mr. King will shortly proceed to lay before them, a particular statement of the evidence and circumstances relative to that transaction.”

2AH and RK replied the following day, 27 Nov. 1793: “We have received your Letter of the 26th instant. We take to day to revise it and tomorrow ^or the day after^ we expect to hand it to some Printer for publication with our Certificate.” LS, in hand of AH, NNC (EJ: 05625). For their certificate of 29 Nov., published with JJ and RK’s statement of 26 Nov. 1793, see the notes to that document.

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