51To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 13 August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
The Brigantine Hawke, Robert Hathaway, Master, arrived at this Port the 28th February last from Havre de Grace, having on board sundry articles of Merchandize, the duties on which amounted to sixty one dollars and eighty four Cents agreeable to the enclosed abstract. The Brigantine Hawke was registered ninety eight tons, but some circumstance induced the Surveyor of this Port to remeasure her,...
52To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 7 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, November 7, 1789. “With this letter, I inclose my Weekly return.… You will … greatly facilitate the Work and insure uniformity therein (I presume in every other Office as well as mine) if you will please to order printed forms to be furnished.… It may be consistent for me to mention that no appointments of Officers in the Department of the Customs reached this place before Saturday...
53To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 28 May 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Inclosed are, A , a copy of my letter to the Surveyor of the port respecting a French Privatier and her prize lately arrived; B , a Copy of the Surveyors report and, C , a translation of the French Commission in possession of the commander of the Privateer. As the laws of Congress, which govern the conduct of the Officers of the customs have no reference to the present case, and as we have...
54To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 18 December 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, December 18, 1789. Acknowledges receipt of Hamilton’s circular letter of November 30. Discusses difficulty of reconciling exemption of tonnage charges and fees for vessels of less than twenty tons with Section 23 of “An Act for Registering and Clearing Vessels, Regulating the Coasting Trade, and for other purposes.” Again asks “ Whether two thirds of a Dollar be payable to the...
55To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 10 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
In consequence of your communication of the 3d Instant I have resolved for the present to postpone the disposal of my Stock in the funds. I would not offend against the most rigid construction of the most unjust Law while it is in force. It cannot be doubted that some sensible and liberal Member of the Legislature will take to himself the merit of repealing an act replete with injustice,...
56To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 4 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
By The Act making further provision for the payment of the debts of the United States, it is, by the second section “enacted that an addition of ten ⅌ Centum shall be made to the several rates of duties above specified and imposed, in respect to all goods, wares, and Merchandize which, after the said last day of December next, shall be imported in ships or Vessels not of the United States,...
57To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 2 December 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, December 2, 1789. “Your private letter of the 25 Ulto. by the post, came safe to hand. The Words in my Letter, which you have taken Notice of, were intended merely as a reason for the appology which a deviation from the mode of remittance prescribed required; I regret that they escaped me, because they conveyed an allusion which was not designed as a reference to ‘any expression of...
58To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 14 December 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your instructions respecting the Brige. Trimmer and she shall be dispatched accordingly. What you say of disbursements of money actually made may make it necessary to inform you that in the case of the Brig Trimmer, and in others similar thereto (where the matter of illegality was duly reported without reserve, and manifestly without any intention of evading the law) the custom...
59To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 20 February 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Inclosed is a list of bonds taken for duties on Merchze pts. of the payments whereof have been postponed, according to law, upon the Merchandize being exported for drawbacks. The certificates of the landing of these goods in foreign ports are not yet returned, and the bonds ought to be put in suit; but as the ⟨–⟩ Sales of part of them at foreign markets have come to hand and I have good...
60To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 9 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, May 9, 1791. “I transmit you a copy of a report of the Surveyor of this district respecting a compari[s] on of Dycas’s Hydrometer with the Substitute. This is the first report which I have received upon the subject, and in consequence have directed the Surveyor to discontinue the use of the Substitute.” ADfS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives. This...
61To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 8 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your Letter (Circular) of the 22d. ulto., and am to inform you that, from Cape Henry to the extreme branches of the Susquehanna, all inclusive, there is not, that I ever heard of, a single Light House, Buoy, Beacon or other artificial object for navigators to be governed by. Consequently there is no superintendant; no Expence. The pilots of the Chesapeak for this State are...
62To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 23 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Your circular letter of the 2d. October Inst came to hand the 20th. and I will observe the contents as timely as possible. The difficulties that have occurred in the Execution of the laws respecting the Customs have been infinite, and present themselves daily. The System itself is the most complicated and embarrassing of anything that has employed my attention and the Want of Official forms...
63To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 4 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have, this day, received, under cover, a letter from you to Messrs. Elliot & Williams, which I shall forward by the first opportunity. This day, also, I have received a letter from Mr. E. Williams, dated “Fort Washington May 3d. 1791.” informing that he was preparing to leave that Country, and expected to be in Hagarstown in all this month, June. He also informs that he will forward in the...
64To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 26 November 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, November 26, 1793. “… Inclosed is a copy of a letter received from the Captain of the Revenue Cutter respecting the Lieutinant. I wait your instructions how to proceed or what proceeding there are to be in that most disagreeable business.…” Copy, RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives. This letter from David Porter, captain of the Maryland revenue cutter...
65To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 8 February 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 2d Instant commiting to me the direction of the future movements of the Revenue Cutter; But you have not yet informed me how the hands ⟨are to⟩ be subsisted. I think that it would be cheapest and best to supply them as on board merchantmen. Any bargain with the Captain might be the cause of discontent among the crew, and to draw rations on shore would be...
66To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 6 February 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, February 6, 1790. Will “cheerfully execute the pleasure of the President respecting the payment of pensions to Invalids in this State.” Transmits “Account Current against the United States, with Bond account; both accompanied with Notes to explain the circumstance of their disagreeing from the Weekly returns heretofore transmitted.” ALS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore...
67To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 6 July 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 21st. of June did not come to hand before the fourth Instant—sometime after the heat of the season, and habitual indisposition had obliged me to quit Baltimore. If it is not too late to mention a successor to the Collector of Annapolis, I would name Robert Denny, formerly an Officer in the Maryland line, and who served me four or five years as deputy in the Office which I...
68To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 10 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
According to the advice of Physicians, and the importunity of some of my friends, I left Baltimore and business with an intention of going to the Sweet Springs for the recovery of my health, which is much impaired and am thus far on my Journey. I have here the honor of recieving your letter of the 4th instant with the papers relating to the seizure of Messrs. McRea and Morrisons goods. I...
69To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 14 February 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
In answer to remarks of the Comptroller, on my account Current, ending the 30th September last, I have had occasion to reply at some length. There will not probably be any essential difference between the final Opinion of the Comptroller and my own, on the subjects of his remarks, unless it may be on a charge for the rent of a publick warehouse. On that subject I had the honour to address you...
70To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 12 December 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have very lately received a letter which has a reference to your circular of the 5th. of August; and upon reperusing the latter I discover that I have been very remiss, but I hope not censurable, for not replying to some parts of it sooner. My attention to the previous parts, and a supposition that I was not immediately concerned in the latter, produced in my mind, a temperory suspension of...
71To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 27 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Ceresville [ Maryland ] July 27, 1792 . “I this day received your letter of the 19 Instant. That my disposition has ever been correspondent to your Wish, for the maintanance of harmony and cordiality, in the department over which you superintend, the whole tenor of my conduct will uniformly evince. I do not even except the instance which has occasioned you the trouble of expostulating; for,...
72To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 20 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your favor of the 9th relieved me from some degree of anxiety. I confess that, although I should not have any great objection to its being known that I had presumed to write in defence of the Character of a deceased friend, I would not that my private letter to you on the subject should fall into hands that might magnify my strictures on the conduct of some of the Members of Congress into a...
73To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 16 December 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I cannot discover by the acts of the Legislature that Collectors have any legal jurisdiction, or controul, over the Officers of the revenue cutters; or that they have, necessarily, any agency in that establishment further than to receive the reports of the Officers and to respect them as authentic documents whereby to ascertain the Cargoes of inwardbound vessels. I therefore conclude that the...
74To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 26 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
In my letter of the 23d. Instant I took the Liberty to inclose a sketch of Journal entries as I now make them in my office for the purpose of keeping the public accounts. As that sketch was done in some haste, a further explanation may be necessary to its recommendation. A thousand causes combine to render the adjustment of the duties on a Cargo of Merchandize imported, immediately after the...
75To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 5 June 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
A desperate state of ill health has for a considerable time detached me from the duties of my Office as Collector, but it fortunately happened, upon the receipt of the law laying the Embargo on the 28th of March, that I was able to attend to its immediate execution; I can therefore the more fully of my own knowledge answer your letter of the 26th Ultimo. All the Vessels belonging to the French...
76To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 28 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
A necessary attention to my health required my leaving Baltimore, for a time, and occasions my writing to you from the vicinity of Frederick town. I have just received your letter, dated the 18th Inst: relative to certain communications by the Commissioner of the Revenue, comprehending a letter from me of the 3d. of May last, to the Surveyor of the district of Baltimore. It is matter of very...
77To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 5 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your official letter respecting the punctual collecting of duties shall have my particular attention. The advantages expected from your eventual agreement with the bank of Maryland have not been realized by the merchants, owing I understand, to some want of concert among the directors; But I have reason to expect that all will be settled this Week. I am much gratified by your intimation that...
78To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 26 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Your circular letter came to hand last evening. I do not apprehend, Sir, that you allude to any illegal, or improper receiving of duties in this office. The laws of Congress, according to my comprehension of their meaning, have always been adhered to here, with the utmost possible exactness; But as my conception of some parts of the “act to provide more effectually for the Collection of the...
79Enclosure: [Estimate of Emoluments of Collectors Office], [2 February 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
Upon a presumption the propriety of which ought to be admitted, that the Importations of the 10th. of August to 31 Decmr. are equal to half the business of the Year at this port, a just estimate of the emoluments of the Collectors Office will appear thus. in addn. 6.51 The Gross amount of duties is 56,995.62½ 57,002.13½ Deductions on UStates bottoms 3,268.98. } 293.34
80Enclosure: [Abstract of Fees and Compensations Received and Paid], [2 February 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
To the Collector and the Naval Officer D. C to 12 September 1789. 233.23⅓ 17 October 364.26⅔ 3d. Decemr. 547.53⅓ 31 do. 273.26⅔ 709.15 } Dols. Cents 709.15 1,418.30 Surveyor to 24 August 9.66⅔ 2. Septr. 14.00.
81Enclosure: Account Statement, [23 May 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
Fees from the 1 January to the 31 March inclusive 274.18 Commission as allowed in a/c at the Treasury 90.30 364.48 Fees from 1st April to the 30 June inclusive 427.62 Commission allowed in a/c at the Treasury 294.36 721.98 Fees from 1st July to the 30 Septr. inclusive 298.30 Commission—in a/c at Treasury 62.15 360.45 Fees from 1st October to 31 Decemr. inclusive 337.14 Commission—in a/c at...