211From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 20 April 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 18th. instant. The money paid me for you shall be placed to your Credit in the Office of Discount & Deposit as you desire. The British Ministry are as great fools, or as great rascals, as our Jacobins—else our Commerce would not continue to be distressed as it is by their Cruisers, nor would the Executive be embarrassed as it now is by the new proposition....
212From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 6 June [1797] (Hamilton Papers)
You some time ago put a question to me, which through hurry, I never answered— viz whether there can be any distinction between the provision in the Treaty with Great Britain respecting British debts and that respecting spoliations , as to the power of the Commissioners to re judge the decisions of the Courts . I answer that I can discover none . I am of opinion however that in the exercise of...
213From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [25 September 1801] (Hamilton Papers)
I send you some extracts from a pamphlet lately published, in reply to one written by a Gentleman of my acquaintance ( not by me as has been by some conjectured) from which I have taken out some leaves which I send you. At the request of this Gentleman I trouble you to give me some explanation respecting the suggestions which are made particularly in respect to Col Pickering, General Miller...
214From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 3 October 1795 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the and thank you for the information. As to Randolph, I shall be surprised at nothing—but if the facts come out, his personal influence is at all events damned. No colouring will remove unfavourable impressions. To do mischief he must work in the Dark. What you say respecting your own department disquiets me; for I think we shall for the present weather all...
215From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [5 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of March 31. I hope nothing in my last was misunderstood. Could it be necessary I would assure you that no one has a stronger convinction than myself of the purity of the motives which direct your public Conduct or of the good sense and judgment by which it is guided. If I have a fear (you will excuse my frankness), it is lest the strength of your feelings, the...
216From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [15 June 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The post of today brought me a letter from you. From some recent information which I have obtained here, I have scarcely a doubt that the plan of the French is—1 to take all enemy property in our Ships contrary to the Treaty between the two Countries 2 to seize and carry in all our vessels laden with provisions for any English Port. Among this all that they choose to think enemy property will...
217From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 22 June 1795 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 18th instant. I will reply to one or two points now and to the rest hereafter. With regard to the measure of receiving Dutch bonds here to be exchanged, as is usual, it has different sides. To do it may be in some measure necessary to effectuate the main object; as there may be many individuals who from circumstances might not think themselves safe in...
218From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [9 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I received yesterday your letter of the 6th & immediately wrote some additional letters to the Eastward enforcing what I had before written. Pensylvania does not surprise me. I have reconsidered the opinion given to you on the 3d, & see no reason to change it. The reasoning which leads me to the conclusion has not been sufficiently explained. I will therefore be more particular. The articles...
219From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 14 August 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
When you were last in Town I promised to communicate to you the outline of a project by which I think you may enter upon a career of business beneficial to yourself and friends. My almost constant attendance at Court ever since you were here has retarded its communication, which I shall now make. Let a commercial Capital be formed to consist of 100 000 Dollars divided into shares of 1000...
220From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 16 December 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
It is now, my Dear Sir, ascertained that Jefferson or Burr will be President and it seems probable that they will come with equal votes to the House of Representatives. It is also circulated here that in this event the Fœderalists in Congress or some of them talk of preferring Burr. I trust New England at least will not so far lose its head as to fall into this snare. There is no doubt but...
221Enclosure: James McHenry to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 22 July 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Have our party shewn that they possess the necessary skill and courage to deserve to be continued to govern? What have they done? They did not (with a few exceptions) knowing the disease , the man and his nature, meet it when it first appeared, like wise and resolute patriots: they tampered with it, and thought of palliations down to the last day of the late session of Congress. Nay their...
222From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 22 April 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
My absence from New York to attend the Court here has put it out of my power to answer sooner your letter of the 13th instant. The characters which occur to me as proper to be considered for Collector are these— Benjamin Walker —This Gentleman you know as well as I do. He is every way qualified and fit, and had he remained in the place of naval officer he might, qualified as he is, have looked...
223From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 22 November 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I thank you for your Note sending me Adet’s letter. The present is in my opinion as critical a situation as our Government has been in—requiring all its prudence all its wisdom all its moderation, all its firmness. Though the thing is now passed, I do not think it useless to say to you that I was not well pleased with the Secretary of State’s answer to Adets note communicating the order...
224From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 10 April 1795 (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote you a few lines by the last Post. I sit down to fulfil my promise then made. The fulfilment of our foreign engagements under the existing circumstances is no doubt a perplexing task—But I hope it will not be found impracticable to effect enough to preserve character and credit. Every thing must be done to this end, though with considerable sacrifices, provided you do not go so far as...
225Enclosure: John Adams to James McHenry, Timothy Pickering, Oliver Wolcott, Junior, and Charles Lee, 24 January 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
The President of the U S. requests the Secy of State, the Secy of the treasury, the Secy of War and the Atty. general to take into consideration the state of the nation and its foreign relations especially with France. These indeed may be so connected with these, with England Spain Holland and others that perhaps the former cannot be well weighed without the other. If our Envoys extraordinary...
226From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 13 October 1795 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 6 instant. I am of opinion that the Commissioners to be appointed under the 7th article are competent to grant relief, in all cases of captures or condemnations of our property, during the present war and antecedent to the Treaty, which were contrary to the laws of Nations and in which there is adequate evidence (of which they are to judge bona fide ) that...
227From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 1 July 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you the enclosed. If any good use can be made of it you will do it. I have been in Massachusettes, New Hampshire & Rhode Island. There is little doubt of Fœderal Electors in all. But there is considerable doubt of a perfect Union in favour of Pinckney. The leaders of the first class are generally right but those of the second class are too much disposed to be wrong. It is essential to...
228From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [December 1800] (Hamilton Papers)
Your last letter, My Dear Sir, has given me great pain; not only because it informed me that the opinion in favour of Mr. Burr was increasing among the Fœderalists, but because it also told me that Mr. Sedgwick was one of its partizans. I have a letter from this Gentleman in which he expresses decidedly his preference of Mr. Jefferson. I hope you have been mistaken and that it is not possible...
229From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 3 August 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have two days since written to Mr. Adams a respectful letter on the subject I heretofore mentioned to you. Occupations at Court prevented its being sooner done. But I wait with impatience for the statement of facts which you promised me. It is plain that unless we give our reasons in some form or other—Mr. Adam’s personal friends seconded by the Jacobins will completely run us down in the...
230From John Adams to Benjamin Stoddert, 20 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
Questions 1. Among the three Criminals under sentence of death is there any discrimination in the essential Circumstances of their Cases which would would justify a determination to pardon or reprieve one or two and execute the other? 2. Is the Execution of one or more, so indispensably demanded by public Justice and by the Security of the public Peace, that Mercy cannot be extended to all...
231Enclosure: Further Measures Adviseable to Be Taken without Delay, [5 June 1798] (Hamilton Papers)
Further measures adviseable to be taken without delay I To authorise the President to proceed forthwith to raise the 10000 men already ordered. II To establish an academy for naval & military instruction. This is a very important measure and ought to be permanent. III To provide for the immediate raising of a corps of Non Commissioned officers (viz) serjeants & Corporals sufficient with the...