1To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 26 March 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
By unavoidable Incidents this Letter is delayed beyond the usual Time for which I assure you I am extremely sorry. Your Favor gave great Pleasure as well to the Committee as to several Members of the House who are much pleased with your judicious Caution to distinguish between what you sport as your private Opinion and the weighty Sentiments of the General. No Circumstance could have more...
2To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 11 May 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Kingston, New York, May 11, 1777. On May 12, 1777, Hamilton wrote to Morris: “I have received the pleasure of your favour of yesterday’s date.” Letter not found. ]
3To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 May 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the Pleasure of your two Favors within two Days of each other and am very happy to find that our Form of Government meets with your Approbation. That there are Faults in it is not to be wondered at for it is the Work of Men and of Men perhaps not the best qualified for such Undertakings. I think it deficient for the Want of Vigor in the executive unstable from the very Nature of popular...
4To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 24 May 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
Kingston [ New York ] May 24, 1777. Has no news of the destruction of stores at St. Johns. Speculates on future course of the war and discusses need for maintaining health of troops. ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. This letter was written by Morris in his capacity as a member of the New York Committee of Correspondence.
5To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 4 July 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
Your Letter gave me the Pleasure of knowing with Certainty what might be depended upon among the numerous Reports circulated Thro the Country with Relation to the Several movements of the Enemy. That Howe wishes to draw you to a General Action is highly Probable because certainly he hath no other Means of conquering the Country, but the time when he wishes to Engage must depend upon a General...
6To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, [18 July 1777] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Saratoga, New York, July 18, 1777. On July 22, 1777, Hamilton wrote to Morris: “Your favour of the 18th ⟨from Saratoga reached me⟩ yesterday.” Letter not found. ]
7To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 27 January 1784 (Hamilton Papers)
I arrived here on Thursday Evening, after a mighty disagreable Ride, and a mighty whimsical Accident in crossing the Delaware, the Particulars of which I shall reserve till we meet. As I promised to write you the Politics and News of Philadelphia, I will do it this Day; for the Snow Storm rages so incessantly that I can’t go abroad. This you will say bodes a long Letter, and I fear you will...
8To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 30 June 1784 (Hamilton Papers)
This is rather a late Period to acknowlege yours of the seventh of April. I have lived in the constant Intention to answer it & I now execute my Purpose. But why not sooner? Procrastination is the Thief of Time says Doctor Young. I meant to have written fully on the Subject of the Gold. But I waited some Informations from Annapolis on the Probability of a Mint. I afterwards intended a long...
9To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 13 June 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
I am to acknowlege yours of the 19th. of May which reached me a few Days since. Matters are not going so well in this State as the Friends of America could wish. If indeed the Debates in Convention were alone attended to a contrary Inference would be drawn for altho Mr. Henry is most warm and powerful in Declamation being perfectly Master of Action Utterance and the Power of Speech to stir...
10To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 31 January 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I did expect that in congratulating you, which I do most sincerely, upon your Appointment, I should have communicated a Matter which would have administred much Ease and Convenience to the Affairs of your Department. I learn this morning that these Expectations are frustrated from a Quarter and in a Manner which would excite my Surprize had I not long since acquired the Habit of wondering at...
11To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 28 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have lately been compelled to take some of your three per Cent Stocks in order to cover Part of a large Debt very disagreably circumstanced and to replace a Portion of heavy Advances have sold it again and am bound in heavy Penalties to have the Transfer immediately made. This Stock consists of the Arrearage of Interest to the last Day of the last Year on $382.878..60 Cts of liquidated Debt...
12Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to George Washington, 27 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the Honor to enclose a Letter and sundry Papers relating to it from Messieurs Schweizer Jeanneret & Co. I have referred these Gentlemen to Mr. Short telling them that it is most fitting in many Respects that they should apply to him. As it is possible however that this Business may come before you, I think it a Duty to convey some Observations which occur to me, and which may not...
13To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 21 March 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
A Vessel just going to New York presents me an Opportunity of saying that I thank you for your Exertions to effect my Appointment. I know you too well my good Friend to make long Speeches on that Subject. I shall acknowlege the Services of my Friends properly on proper Occasions and till then be silent. In patronizing this Appointment you have incurred more Trouble than you was perhaps aware...
14To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 6 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
A friend ask’d me some Days ago to calculate for him the true Value of our public funds. I did so and you will find in answer to the Queries No: 1. 2. & 3 the result of my first Enquiries. But my Mind being once in this Train I determined on greater Accuracy at the Expence of a little more Attention, and the Questions I propounded to myself with the Answers are contained in the enclosed Paper...
15Enclosure: [From Gouverneur Morris], [6 April 1792] (Hamilton Papers)
Qu: 1. In what Time will an Annuity of 8 pay 100. Int: at 6 p %. Ansr. 23.7913 Years or 23 Years 288 Days. Qu: 2. What is the present Value of an Annuity of 8 for 23.7913 Years Int: at 4 p %. Ansr. 121.3342 Qu: 3. What principal Sum will in ten Years amount to 121.3342 Int: at 4 p %. Ansr. 81.96914 Qu: 4. In What Time will a quarterly Payment of 2 pay 100. Int: at 1¼ p % quarterly. Ansr:...
16To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 10 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I din’d the Day before Yesterday tête a tête with the Russian Minister Count Woranzow who is a very sensible and well inform’d Man. In the Course of an Interesting Conversation after Dinner your Name was Mention’d and he exprest a Desire to see your various Reports to Congress. These he means to transmit to his Brother who is the Minister of Commerce in Russia in Order to undeceive him with...
17To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 17 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Short just before he left this City left with me a memoire in Dutch respecting the Mint. I was to get it translated for you, but not having been able to find a Person acquainted with the Dutch and English languages, I have now determin’d to send you the Original which you will find here enclosed. I hope it may prove useful, and answer the end you had in view. I have transmitted to Mr....
18To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 21 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I receive this Instant a Letter from a very respectable Commercial House of Rouen Messieurs Le Couteulx and Company. By the bye before I mention the business I will tell you an Anecdote of them. Louis the fourteenth desirous of encouraging Commerce and breaking down the Barriers which Prejudice had raised against it, offered to this House which was even then of great Antiquity to give the...
19To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 25 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I transmitted on the sixteenth of last month Copies of my correspondence with the Commissaries of the Treasury to Mr. Jefferson, and on the seventeenth I inform’d you thereof. I now enclose to you my Correspondence on the same Subject with Mr. Short so that you may see exactly how that Matter stands and be able to act knowingly if called on to take any steps in relation to it. You will see...
20Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 28 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, June 28, 1792. “Yours of the eighteenth is just come to Hand & I have but an Instant to reply to it. The Changes of Administration and other Circumstances have prevented me from setling with the Commissaries. It will soon be done. I see in the Gazette that the Assembly has authorized the minister of the Marine to concert with me the Means of supplying their Colonies out of the Debt...
21Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 5 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 5, 1792. “I wrote to you on the twenty eighth and have since receiv’d yours of the same Date. I call’d on the Minister the Day before yesterday and he promis’d me to come to a Settlement of the Accounts in a few Days and to adjust at the same Time the Object of the late Decree. As the Affair is now left to the Responsability of the Executive I presume they will not longer delay it...
22Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 6 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 6, 1792. “The above is Copy of what I wrote yesterday. After the Post was gone I receivd a Letter from the Minister of the Marine praying an Interview in order to adjust the Business which he says was entamé in your Time.…” LC (extract), Gouverneur Morris Papers, Library of Congress. Jean de Lacoste served as Minister of Marine from March 15 to July 21, 1792.
23Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 9 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 9, 1792. “I wrote to you a Note on the sixth mentioning the Application of the Minister of the Marine. I have not heard from him since. Probably he is collecting the Accounts for I told the Minister of foreign Affairs that I must have the past Accounts settled before I could undertake any Thing new. At any Rate I shall soon get this Business done unless there be another Over Set in...
24Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 16 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 16, 1792. “… I wrote to you on the ninth and it appears that while I was writing the Ministry resign’d to a Man. This Measure is connected with Circumstances which are not generally known and it was entirely unexpected. I did not know it till about seven oClock in the Evening for I had been at Home till six and then went by Appointment to the Minister of the Marine who was with the...
25Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 23 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 23, 1792. “I am favord with yours of the seventeenth.… The History you give of DeWolf proves clearly that his Hopes outrun his Judgment. You are however in a Position to see clearly and I am persuaded that however he may deceive himself he cannot deceive you. It appears to me a fortunate Thing that he cannot undertake for large Sums because his Operations will only stimulate the...
26Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 30 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 30, 1792. “My last was of the twenty third. I am now favord with yours of the same Date. I receiv’d Yesterday the Account from the Commissioners of the Treasury and as I suppos’d it contains a Credit for the Antwerp Payments at the Current Exchange. From the Letter which accompanies it however I observe that the Commissrs. meant a different Thing, but the Clerks in extracting from...
27Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 6 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 6, 1792. “My last was of the thirtieth of July since which I am without advices from you. I have agreed with the Commissioners of the Treasury for the present and in Consequence I pray you will give our Bankers an order to pay to Messrs. Hoguer Grand and Company the Sum of one Million six hundred and twenty five thousand florins banco and desire them at the same Time to send me a...
28Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 9 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 9, 1792. “I have yours of the fourth but this being Thursday I can but barely acknowlege it. In my last of the sixth I requested you to cause bf 1.625.000 to be paid to Messieurs Hoguer Grand et Compagnie which I now confirm. By a strange Fatality it happens that untill the present Hour I have not had the desired Meeting with the Minister of the Marine. Many appointments have...
29Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 20 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 20, 1792. “Yours of the seventh was long in coming probably mine of the 9th. was equally delayed. You will find by it that I had agreed with the Commissioners as to a pretty considerable Payment on that Day. The Events of the tenth ought not I think to make any Change in that Disposition. I think your Reasoning is good as far as it goes and if the Powers to me had been sufficient...
30Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 23 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 23, 1792. “The last Post was gone before yours of the seventeenth reach’d me. Mine of the sixth was written the Instant I receiv’d that from the Commissioners of the Treasury which was previously necessary. It did not arrive till late and the consequent Hurry was the Cause why I omitted to mention as I intended that the Sum of Bank florins to be paid in Amsterdam was the...
31Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 27 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 27, 1792. “I wrote to you on the twentieth and twenty third. Yours of the twenty first is receiv’d. I mentiond to you in one of my preceeding Letters that I had receivd the Account of the Commissaries in which the several Payments are credited in Livres which is unavoidable in Book-Keeping. I have also told you that the last Payment was the Equivalent of six Millions. By the...
32Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 9 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 9, 1792. “Yours of the fourth Instant arrivd yesterday afternoon and I write now that I may be in Time for the Post of Tomorrow. I beleive the Delay of my Letter was not in this City. As the six Millions are I suppose paid, it is not necessary to dilate on that Subject. In Regard to the Extent of my Powers I will explain to you my Ideas thereon. At first I suppos’d that the...
33Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 12 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 12, 1792. “I have receivd yours of the seventh. I had previously sent to the Commissioners of the Treasury the Letter from the Bankers at Amsterdam. I certainly have taken no Steps in Respect to that Payment since my first Letter to you desiring that it might be made and certainly I shall not take any for the very good Reasons which will I am sure suggest themselves to you and...
34Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Pierre Henri Hélène Marie Lebrun-Tondu, 20 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 20, 1792. “J’ai eu l’honneur de recevoir hier votre lettre du dix neuf. J’apprends par la Copie que vous avez eu la bonté d’y joindre de celle de Monsieur Maulde qu’il s’est élevé quelques Difficultés sur le paiement de la Somme de seize cent vingt cinq mille florins de banque dont je suis convenu avec Messieurs les Commissaires de la Tresorerie au Commencement D’Aout, et que...
35Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 20 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 20, 1792. “I have receiv’d your two Letters of the eleventh and the fourteenth. I certainly do not mean to withdraw myself from any Situation in which either Duty or Propriety may bid me to remain. This is a general Maxim, which will I hope govern me thro Life. I proceed now to take up again the Payment made on Account of our Debt. I did hope that there was an End of our...
36Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 23 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 23, 1792. “I have receivd yours of the eighteenth. Mine of the twentieth will have communicated to you the Reasons for leaving the Transaction to which you refer on it’s Original Ground. If any Question should here-after be raised respecting it, our Answer is that you compleated what was begun, or rather paid a Bill drawn: for, the Form differing, the substance of the...
37Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 24 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 24, 1792. “My Letter of Yesterday was written in the Idea that the Business to which it alludes is present to your Recollection but as that may not be the Case I now add in Explanation that there are three Obligations one for 18 Millions one for 10 Millions one for 6 Millions together 34 Millions The first two are payable by Installments of which one Half are due on the...
38To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 24 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have receiv’d yours of the twenty second of June & am in the hourly Hope to hear farther from you. I need not tell you that it will give me Pleasure. Enclosd you will find the Copy of a Letter which I wrote to Mr. Jefferson the seventh of November 1791. This with some other Communications at the same Epoch he never acknowledged, I know not why, but I think the Paper enclosd in that Letter...
39Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Carmichael, 3 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Two Days ago I saw Mr. Le Couteulx, who told me that his friend had made application to the Spanish Court to obtain an assignment on the Debt from the United States in discharge of a Debt due to him; and that Mr. Gardoqui said the United States owed Spain above a Million of Dollars, being in part for advances made in America. This assertion struck me, and as I had formerly some knowledge of...
40Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to the Commissaries of the French Treasury, 30 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I did not receive until yesterday yours of the twenty eighth instant. I will proceed to the examination of the account enclosed in it immediately. We have money at Amsterdam; if you chuse to receive it there, be so kind as to inform me, and of the person to whom it is to be paid. It will be necessary in that case to fix a rate of exchange, and in order to avoid unnecessary delay, I pray you to...
41Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Thomas Jefferson, 1 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
My last was of the tenth of July. Mr: Livingston, who is on his way to America, presents an opportunity of writing, which must not be neglected, altho’ I am engaged at present in Examination of the account received from the Commissioners of the Treasury. I have already mentioned to you, Sir, that the whole of this account is open, and I must now observe that I do not find myself particularly...
42Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to the Commissaries of the French Treasury, 6 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the second instant did not reach me until yesterday afternoon. I am afraid that the delay may be attended with some ill consequence, however I have given the necessary directions for payment of one million, six hundred and twenty five thousand bank florins to Messrs. Hoguer Grand and company, which at the exchange you have mentioned, is equal to six million of livres. I hope...
43Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Thomas Jefferson, 16 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I shall send herewith a Packet containing my Correspondence with the Commissioners of the Treasury, relative to our Debt, and in the same packet you will find a Letter from Mr. Cathalan to you relative to a Riot at Marsielles &c. I have already had occasion to mention to you, Sir, that I did not find myself authorized to go into the Settlement of the account finally with the Commissioners of...
44Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Thomas Jefferson, 17 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
If I have not hitherto mentioned the Application made to me by the foreign Officers who have certificates whereof the interest is payable in this City, it has not been for want of sufficient cause, but because I did daily hope to have received some news on that subject. Many have spoken to me, written to me, and called upon me. I have given to all the general assurances that justice would be...
45To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 2 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I sent you on the twenty fifth of September my Correspondence with Mr. Short respecting the Debt of the United States to this Country. I now transmit a Letter from Mr. Le Brun with my Answer of the twenty seventh and twenty eighth of September which were not forwarded with my other Correspondence on that Subject to Mr. Jefferson. It is not necessary to make thereon any Comment. LC , Gouverneur...
46Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Pierre Henri Hélène Marie Lebrun-Tondu, 28 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
J’ai reçu hier ausoir le lettre que vous m’avez faite l’honneur de m’ecrire le 27. Il me semble que dans la multitude des affaires qui vous occupent, vous avez oublié Monsieur, ceque j’ai eu l’honneur de vous mander le premier du Courant sur le paiement qui vient de s’effectuer à Amsterdam; puisque vous supposez que Monseur Short à agi par mon impulsion. Au contraire, Monsieur, dans tout cela...
47To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 23 December 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have written to you on the seventeenth of August, twenty-first, and twenty-fifth of September, and second of November. If any of these Letters should be missing, be so kind as to mention it to me, excepting always that of the twenty-first of September, which was on a meer private Affair of a mercantile House at Rouen. I did hope that my last contain’d the End of all Correspondence with Mr....
48Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 12 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your favors of the twenty sixth and twenty seventh of last month to which I intended to reply this Day but I have been interrupted constantly since I left my Bed to the present Moment in which I have only Time for this Short Acknowledgement of your Letters. I regret it the less as I much fear that in the present Situation of Flanders even these half dozen Lines may miscarry....
49Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 14 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have already acknowleged yours of the twenty sixth and twenty seventh of last Month. I will now reply to them. And first I have just written to the Commissaries of the Treasury desiring a Copy of the Entry made in their Books of the Payment in question. Secondly I must inform you that my Reluctance has arisen from a Circumstance highly disagreable and which in my Situation you would have...
50To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 24 December 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you on the twenty fourth of October and have not since receivd any of your Letters. In that I acknowleged yours of the 22d of June. You will have seen from the public Prints the Wonderful Success of the french Arms arising from the following Causes. 1st. That the Enemy deceiv’d by the Emigrants counted too lightly on the Opposition he was to meet with. 2ly That from like...