1From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 7 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I think it probable you will have learnt, through other channels, before this reaches you, my appointment as Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. In this capacity the debt due from us to France will of course constitute one of the objects of my attention. Except with regard to a few laws of immediate urgency, respecting commercial imposts, and navigation, the late session of...
2From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 29 May 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I am honored with your letters of the 28th & 30th, which did not come to my hands ’till the 27th instant. The conduct you have prescribed to yourself in regard to the negociations concerning the Debt of the United States, appears to be very prudent and judicious, and such as will give the United States a convenient election of the measures to be pursued in future. Previously to the receipt of...
3From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 29 August 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
You are already apprised of the loan which was commenced in the united Netherlands, by Messrs. Wilhem & Jan Willink and Nicholas & Jacob van Staphorst and Hubbard, with a view on their part to the service of the United States, and that the same has been submitted to our Government for their acceptance. On due consideration of the circumstances of that Loan and the views with which the above...
4From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 1 September 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Two Acts of the Legislature of the fourth and twelfth of August, of which I inclose you copies, authenticated according to law, empower the President to cause to be borrowed on their behalf Fourteen Millions of dollars; subject to certain restrictions and qualifications: to be applied in payment of such part of our foreign debt as shall have become due, and to a new modification of the...
5Enclosure: Commission to William Short, [1 September 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
To all to whom these presents shall come Whereas, by an act passed the fourth day of august in this present year entitled “An Act making provision for the Debt of the United States” it is among other things enacted, That the President of the United States be authorised to cause to be borrowed on behalf of the United States, a sum or sums not exceeding in the whole Twelve Millions of Dollars,...
6From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 10 September 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
This will be delivered to you by Benjamin Walker Esquire, Naval officer of the Port of New York who has leave of abscence for a twelvemonth. As he has thoughts of visiting Paris he has requested me to make him known to you which I do with pleasure as he is a man of worth. He was during a part of the late War Aide du Camp to General Washington. I remain with much esteem & consideration Sir,...
7From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 13 April 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have recently received your letters of the 2d. December and the 25th. of January. The others to which they refer have not yet come to hand. The manner in which you have proceeded, as detailed in your letter of the 2d. of December, is entirely satisfactory to me and I doubt not will be equally so to the President, when known to him. He is now absent on a journey through the Southern States....
8From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 9 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since mine to you of the 13th. of April, I have received your several letters of the eighteenth and thirtieth of December, the fifteenth of January, the seventh, seventeenth and twenty second of february. Thanking you for the copious information they contain, I assure you, that the further developement of the business has increased my satisfaction with the course you have pursued. The issue of...
9From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 24 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
The President of the United States has signified to me his pleasure, that I should revoke that part of your instructions which confines you to opening loans for no greater sum, at a time, than one million of dollars and which restrains you from opening a subsequent loan till the one preceding has received his approbation; and has also instructed me to authorise you to open each future loan for...
10From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 25 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I received two days since your letter of the 11th. of March last. Mine to you of the 13th. of April & of the 9th & 24th of May (of which copies are herewith sent) will have informed you of my opinion, concerning the negotiation for the transfer of the debt due to France, will have removed the impediments to your progress on the business committed to you, and will have apprised you of my views...
11From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 30 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since closing my letter, herewith transmitted, yours of the 4th. of March transmitting a copy of the contract for the last loan has been delivered to me. A ratification of that contract by the President will be forwarded as speedily as possible after his return to the seat of Government which is expected to be in the first week of the next month. There is in a late letter from Messrs. Willinks...
12From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 1[–2] August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last letter to you, yours of the 4th. of May has come to hand. Pursuant to instructions recently received from the President of the United States, I am at liberty to authorise you “to open at your discretion loans at such times and places and for such sums as you may find advisable within the limitations of the respective laws authorising the loans” and which have been transmitted to...
13From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 2 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last to you of the first of August I have received your several letters of the 3d. 5. 10 & 19th of June. Most of the points mentioned in those letters will find sufficient answers in my several communications of the 9th & 24th of May, June 25 & 30th & the 1st of August, all of which having gone, by duplicates at least, and some by triplicates, I take it for granted have gotten or will...
14From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 3 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I acknowlege the receipt of your letters of the 26th and 27 of July. The fall which you announce in the price of the effects of the United States was certainly artificial. The cause ere this will have been better ascertained to you. ’Tis open to various conjectures. I have thought it adviseable to drop a line to our Bankers in Holland (of which a copy is inclosed) merely to mark my attention...
15From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 1 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have barely time by this opportunity to inform you That I have directed the Treasurer to draw for One Million of florins on account of the last loan of six millions and towards the close of the present month shall direct him to draw for another million. I calculate that the whole amount of the loan will have been received before the second set of draughts are presented. I remain with great...
16From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 30 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letters of the 23rd. and 31st. of August and 3d of September remain unacknowledged. Mine to you of the 1st. of August 2nd. September and 3rd. of October will much abrige what is necessary to be said at this time. The prices of the public debt here rendering it questionable whether it be any longer the interest of the United States to prosecute the idea of purchases with monies borrowed at...
17From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 21 January 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Treasury Department, January 21, 1792. Letter listed in dealer’s catalogue. Letter not found. ] LS , sold by Stan V. Henkels, Jr., October 11, 1927, Lot 170.
18From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 28 January 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
You will find herewith duplicate of my letter of the 30th of November last—Since which I am without any of your favours. It is with sincere pleasure, I embrace the opportunity of congratulating you on your appointment to the Hague as Minister Resident. This will afford you a better opportunity of watching and appreciating the course of Circumstances. You will consequently be obliged less to...
19From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 14 February 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your several favours of Sept. 23d. Oct. 10th. & Dec. 1st. It appears to me probable that your movement towards Antwerp produced the appearance of a four per cent loan, and I hope from it in the result good effects. Inclosed you will find a copy of a letter of the same date with this to the Commissioners in Holland. You will easily comprehend the motives which dictated the turn...
20From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 5 March 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last of the 14th ultimo I have the pleasure of your two letters of the 8th & 12th of Novemer. The reimbursement of the Spanish Debt will be perfectly acceptable, but there will be matter for regret, if before this reaches you the sum claimed by the Farmer’s General has been paid to them. There is certainly a million of livres in the pecuniary transactions between the United States and...
21From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 21 March 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
As the discharge of the arrears of interest and instalments of principal of the French debt, which are due, may have occasioned your power to borrow for that object to be suspended, until you can obtain a loan at a rate of interest and Charges sufficiently reduced, it is my wish, that as soon as it shall be proper after the receipt of this letter you would proceed to borrow the sum of three...
22From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 2 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I am to acknowlege the receipt of your several letters of the 22d of November 23d 28th and 30th of December. The accomplishment, thus early, of a loan at 4 per Cent exceeds expectation as much as it does credit to your exertions. The intelligence of it was received with great satisfaction by the President as well as by myself, and has given no small pleasure to the public at large. You will...
23From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 10 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
My last letter to you was of the 2nd instant. It is proper that you be informed that a sum of eight thousand, three hundred and twenty five Dollars was paid here on application of Mr. de Ternant the Minister of France to himself and twenty two thousand Dollars to Mr. de la forest the Vice Consul General on the 21st. of February last, and the sum of one hundred thousand Dollars on the 12th. of...
24From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 16 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The fluctuation of the price of the Stocks in the United States is a circumstance that cannot have failed to attract your attention nor to excite a temporary feeling in the minds of foreigners. Tho’ I doubt not it will be well explained by the Agents of those Citizens of other Countries who have vested their Monies in our funds, I think it necessary that some ideas should be communicated to...
25From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 7 May 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The President having ratified the three last loans, namely one of six millions of florins at five per Cent interest; one of three Millions at four per Cent and that which has been negociated at Antwerp, I herewith transmit you the instrument of ratification concerning the latter. The two former I have thought best to enclose directly to the Commissioners in Amsterdam under an impression that...
26From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 14 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your two letters of the 26th of January and 24th of March have come to hand since mine to you of the 7th of May. For an answer to the first I believe I need do nothing more than refer you to former communications. On the latter some observations arise. You will consider any suggestions which you may find in my letters concerning a rule for adjusting the value of the payments to France rather...
27From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 23 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
After closing my letter to you of the 14th. instant, the Comptroller, to whom I had submitted for examination the statement of the French Treasury transmitted by you, made some communications to me on that subject, of which copies are here enclosed for your information. My own observations upon it must necessairly be reserved for another opportunity, as Mr. Pinkney who will take charge of my...
28From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 30 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have before me your letter of the 22nd. of April last. As I doubt not the details of the projected mangement will leave sufficient latitude, as to time, to avoid embarrassment to the Treasury, it cannot but be satisfactory. A bill has been drawn in favour of the Secretary of State on our Commissioners for One hundred and twenty three thousand, seven hundred and fifty Guilders, which,...
29From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 25 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letters of the 25th of April and 14th of May have duly reached me; since the receipt of that of the 22nd of April which was acknowleged in mine of the 30th of June. In consequence of your letter of the 14th of May I have directed drafts on the Commissioners for five hundred thousand Guilders, and as soon as these are sold, I shall cause further drafts to be made to the extent of [five...
30From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 4 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last to you of the 25th Ultimo, I have received a letter from our Commissioners at Amsterdam, informing me of their having recently instituted another loan for the United States, of three millions, at four per Cent interest, to be dated the first of June last. I have concluded to destine the money arising from this loan towards payment of the debt due to France, and you will...