101Continental Congress Motion on the Provisional Peace Treaty, 19 March 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
Resolved that as Congress are desirous of manifesting at all times the most perfect confidence in their ally, the Secretary for foreign affairs be directed to Communicate to the Minister P. from the Court of France to these states the separate article of the provisional treaty between The United States and His Britannic Majesty and that he inform the Commissioners from these states for making...
102From Alexander Hamilton to Philip Schuyler, 18 March 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, March 18, 1783. On May 4, 1783, Schuyler wrote to Hamilton : “Your several favors of the 18th & 25th March and 2d. ult. were delivered me.” Letter of March 18 not found. ]
103Continental Congress Report on the Memorial of Thomas Wiggins, 18 March 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia ] March 18, 1783 . A memorial of Thomas Wiggins, a Canadian merchant and Indian trader near Detroit during the American Revolution, was read in Congress on February 4, 1783, and referred to a committee consisting of Hamilton, Richard Peters, and Samuel Osgood. Wiggins, whose aid to the American cause had occasioned imprisonment and the seizure of his property by the British,...
104Alexander Hamilton and William Floyd to George Clinton, [17 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
We have the honor to inclose Your Excellency the provisional articles agreed upon between the United States and Great Britain, which are upon the whole as advantageous as could have been expected. Whether the negotiations terminate in a general peace or not, important and it is to be hoped, useful consequences will flow from what has been done. The acknowlegement of our independence by Great...
105From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 17 March 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
I am duely honored with Your Excellency’s letter of the 4th. and, 12th. instant. It is much to be regretted though not to be wondered at, that steps of so inflammatory a tendency have been taken in the army. Your Excellency has in my opinion acted wisely. The best way is ever not to attempt to stem a torrent but to divert it. I am happy to find You coincide in opinion with me on the conduct...
106From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [17 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, March 17, 1783. Letter not found. ] “List of Letters from General Hamilton to General Washington,” Columbia University Libraries. Two letters from H to Washington on March 17, 1783, are listed. One letter is printed in PAH Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). , III, 290–93.
107To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 17 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am duely honored with Your Excellency’s letter of the 4th and 12th instant—It is much to be regretted though not to be wondered at, that steps of so inflammatory a tendency have been taken in the army—Your Excellency has in my opinion acted wisely—The best way is ever not to attempt to stem a torrent but to divert it. I am happy to find You coincide—in opinion with me on the conduct proper...
108From Alexander Hamilton to Brigadier General John Cadwalader, [14 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
Though disagreeable to appear in any manner in a personal dispute, yet I cannot in justice to you refuse to comply with the request contained in your note. I have delayed answering it to endeavour to recollect with more precision the time place and circumstances of the conversation to which you allude. I cannot however remember with certainty more than this, that sometime in the campaign of...
109Continental Congress Motion that the Duties Imposed by the United States be Coexistent with the Public Debt, [11 March … (Hamilton Papers)
A motion was made by Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Wilson to strike out the limitation of 25 years and to make the revenue co-existent with the debts. “Notes of Debates in the Continental Congress,” MS, James Madison Papers, Library of Congress. On March 6, 1783, Congress took up a committee report on the means of restoring the public credit and securing from the several states adequate funds for...
110Continental Congress Motion on the Appointment of Collectors, [11 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
A motion was made by Mr. Hamilton & Mr. Wilson to strike out the clauses relative to the appointment of Collectors, and to provide that the Collectors shd. be inhabitants of the States within which they sd. collect should be nominated by Congs. and appointed by the States, and in case such nomination should not be accepted or rejected within days it should stand good. “Notes of Debates in the...
111Continental Congress Report on the Memorials of Pelatiah Webster and William Judd, 6 March 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
The Committee to whom was committed the report of the Grand Committee on the memorial of Pelatiah Webster & William Judd in behalf of the deranged officers of the lines of Massachusettes & Connecticut submit the following resolution: That the accounts of the officers who have retired on half pay at different periods of the war [or their representatives] be settled on the same principles with...
112Alexander Hamilton and William Floyd to George Clinton, [5 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton having transmitted Your Excellency the late proceedings of Congress for carrying the 8th. article of the confederation into execution, by which the legislature will see the part we acted in this affair. They will not be at aloss for our motives; and we hope will not disapprove them. Our opposition to the first plan proposed was founded principally on this consideration that it...
113From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [5 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of writing to your Excellency lately on a very confidential subjec⟨t⟩ and shall be anxious to know as soon as c⟨on⟩venient whether the letter got safe to han⟨d⟩. The bearer Shattuck thinks he can poin⟨t⟩ out the means of apprehending Wells & Knowle⟨ton⟩ the two persons whom Your Excellency was authorised to have taken into custody. I hav⟨e⟩ desired him to call upon you to...
114Continental Congress Remarks on Robert Morris, [5 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
This motion produced … lengthy & warm debates. Mr. Lee & Mr. Bland on one side disparaging the Administration of Mr. Morris, and throwing oblique censure on his character.… On the other side Mr. Wilson & Mr. Hamilton went into a copious defence & Panegyric of Mr. Morris, the ruin in which his resignation if it sd. take effect wd. involve public credit and all the operations dependent on it;...
115To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 5 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to your Excellency lately on a very confidential subject and shall be anxious to know as soon as convenient whether the letter got safe to hand. The bearer Shattuck thinks he can point out the means of apprehending Wells & Knowl ton the two persons whom Your Excellency was authorised to have taken into custody. I have desired him to call upon you to disclose the...
116Continental Congress Motion on Abatements for States in Possession of the Enemy, 4 March 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
Whereas in the opinion of Congress it is essential to those principles of justice and liberality which ought to govern the intercourse between these states that in the final adjustment of accounts for the supplies or contributions of the states respectively towards the common expences in the course of the war equitable allowances should be made in favour of those states parts of which have...
117From Alexander Hamilton to George Clinton, 24[–27] February 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
In my letter of the 14th. I informed Your Excellency that Congress were employed in devising a plan for carrying the 8th article of the confederation into execution. This business is at length brought to a conclusion. I inclose for the information of the Legislature the proceedings upon it in different stages, by which they will see the part I have acted. But as I was ultimately left in a...
118Continental Congress Motion by Alexander Hamilton and Richard Peters, Regarding Lewis Morris, [25 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
Resolved That Lieut. Col Morris Aid de Camp to Major General Greene be allowed the Pay & Emoluments of a Lieut Colonel & that his Accounts be adjusted accordingly. D , Reel 163, Item 149, II, p. 224, Papers of the Continental Congress, National Archives. Peters was secretary of the board of war from 1776 to 1781 with a few interruptions and was elected to Congress from Pennsylvania on November...
119From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [24 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, February 24, 1783. The description of this letter reads: “Referring to a plan for carrying the 8th article of the confederation into execution, etc.” Letter not found. ] Luther S. Livingston, ed., American Book-Prices Current (New York, 1906), 717. See the first and second “Continental Congress. Motion on Evaluation of State Lands for Carrying into Effect Article 8 of the...
120From Alexander Hamilton to Samuel Hodgdon, [22 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
The bearer Abby Mot is a soldiers widow in great distress who wants to go to her friends in the Jerseys but has not the means. If you could find her a place in some public waggon going that way, you would do an act of charity. I am Sir Yr. Obed ser. ALS , Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, Buffalo, New York. Hodgdon was commissary general of military stores. In 1789 H paid Abby Mott’s...
121Memorial of Philip Thompson, 22 February 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, February 22, 1783. On the last page of a memorial of Philip Thompson to the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania Hamilton and Major General Alexander McDougall made endorsements. The paragraph by Hamilton reads: “I certify that the Memorialist was an active and zealous whig in the early periods of the contest and I have reason to believe the above representation is true....
122Continental Congress Remarks on the Utility of Permanent Funds, [21 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton enlarged on the general utility of permanent funds to the fœderal interests of this Country, & pointed out the difference between the nature of the Constitution of the British Executive, & that of the U.S. in answer to Mr. Lee’s reasoning from the case of Ship money. “Notes of Debates in the Continental Congress,” MS, James Madison Papers, Library of Congress. Congress on February...
123Continental Congress Report on a Letter from the Commander in Chief, 20 February 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
The Committee to whom were referred the letter from The Commander in Chief with its inclosures submit the following resolution Resolved that The Commander in Chief be informed that Congress always happy to receive his sentiments either on the political or military affairs of these states the utility of which they have upon so many occasions experienced have paid all the attention to his letter...
124Continental Congress Remarks on the Revenue and the Situation of the Army, [20 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
The conversation turned on the subject of revenue under the consideration of Congress, and on the situation of the army. The conversation on the first subject ended in a general concurrence (Mr. Hamilton excepted) in the impossibility of adding to the impost on trade any taxes that wd. operate equally throughout the States, or be adopted by them. On the second subject Mr. Hamilton & Mr. Peters...
125Continental Congress Motion and Remarks Against Limiting the Duration of the Proposed Impost, [19 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
A motion was made by Mr. Hamilton seconded by Mr. Bland to postpone the clause of the report made by the Come. of the whole, for altering the Impost, viz. the clause limiting its duration to 25 years, in order to substitute a proposition declaring it to be inexpedient to limit the period of its duration; first because it ought to be commensurate to the duration of the debt, 2dly. because it...
126Continental Congress Remarks on Appropriating the Impost Exclusively to the Army, [19 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton opposed the motion strenuously, declared that as a friend to the army as well as to the other Creditors & to the public at large he could never assent to such a partial dispensation of Justice; that the different States being differently attached to different branches of the public debt would never concur in establishg. a fund wch. was not extended to every branch; that it was...
127Continental Congress Motion that Debates on the Establishment of Funds Be Public, 18 February 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
Whereas it is the desire of Congress that the motives of their deliberations and measures (as far as they can be disclosed consistently with the public safety) should be fully known to their constituents: Therefore Resolved that when the establishment of funds for paying the principal & interest of the public debts shall be under the consideration of this house the doors thereof shall be open....
128Continental Congress Motion on Abatements for States in Possession of the Enemy, 17 February 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
Whereas it is in the opinion of Congress essential to those principles of justice & liberality which ought to govern the intercourse between these states that equitable abatements shall be made in favour of such states, parts of which have been for different periods in the course of the war in possession of the enemy, in the application of the rule prescribed by the confederation and on which...
129From Alexander Hamilton to George Clinton, 14 February 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
In a letter which I wrote lately to General Schuyler, I informed him of the import of the answer from Vermont, and what had been done with it in Congress. The Committee to whom it was referred have not yet reported; but I have little expectation of decision. Congress have been for some time employed on matters of the 1st. importance, devising a plan for carrying the 8th. Article of the...
130From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [13 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
Flattering myself that your knowlege of me will induce you to receive the observations I mak⟨e⟩ as dictated by a regard to the public good, I take the liber⟨ty⟩ to suggest to you my ideas on some matters of delicacy and importance. I view the present juncture as a very interesting one. I need not observe how far the temper and situation of the army make it so. The stat⟨e⟩ of our finances was...