When our common Liberties are invaded, our dearest Rights in Danger, and a whole Continent loudly called upon to defend and secure themselves against high handed Oppression: the Confidence reposed in us as Delegates of your respectable County is a distinguished Honour, which excites our most affectionate Esteem and demands our most grateful Acknowledgments. While we lament that our Talents are...
The polite and respectful terms in which you are pleased to communicate your approbation of our conduct, in an important office, demand our most sincere and grateful acknowledgments. Honoured by the united suffrages of our fellow-citizens, and animated by a sense of duty, and the most cordial affection for our oppressed country, however unequal to the delicate and arduous task, we undertook it...
The Undersigned, Agents of the State of New York on the one and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the other Part, having mutually agreed under the Direction of Congress that the Honorable Robert Hanson Harrison of the State of Maryland Esqr., the honorable John Rutledge of the State of South Carolina Esqr., the Honorable George Wythe, the honorable William Grayson, the honorable James...
4To John Jay from James Duane, 27 August 1784 (Jay Papers)
I feel the disappointment in being deprived of the pleasure of your own and M rs . Jays Company! I now send my Judgem t in M rs Rutgers’s Cause, & entreat you to peruse ^ it ^ and to give me your candid opinion whether the publication of it is likely to produce any politick advantage and whether my decisions will stand a Scrutiny— Yours most respectfully & Affect ly ALS , NNC ( EJ :
5To George Washington from James Duane, 10 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I intended to have done myself the Honour of seeing your Excellency yesterday Evning but was so long detaind in Congress that I coud not collect some Information which was necessary to be laid before you. I expect Mr Peters has furnished you with such papers as will give you a State of the Post At Fort Pitt & the plan of Operations suggested by General McInTosh. I gave a Verbal direction to...
6To George Washington from James Duane, 28 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I found myself so much indisposd this morning that it was imprudent to go abroad; which will I hope apologize for my not meeting the Committee of Conference at your Excellency’s Quarter’s as was proposed. General Knox has paid me a Visit and given me an opportunity of comparing his Remarks with the propositions of the Board of war. I am not sufficiently master of the Subject to decide; & must...
7To George Washington from James Duane, 3 October 1789 (Washington Papers)
I want words to express, as I ought, my grateful acknowledgements for the high honor of your communication this day enclosing my Commission as district Judge. Happy in seeing, thro many difficulties, the first object of my wishes accomplished by the establishment of our national government, I aspired after no personal emoluments or promotion; but was contented to contribute the little in my...
8To John Jay from James Duane, 20 December 1788 (Jay Papers)
I set off in a hurry which alone prevented my calling upon you for which I had a variety of motives. One was to explain the reasons which induced me to transmit to you a State of facts on a subject which I thought somewhat interesting, and the more so as it ^had^ produced a Visit from three reverend Doctors the evening before I commenced my Journey— Their object was to prevent a flame which...
9To George Washington from James Duane, 7 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
It is with great Pleasure that I find your Excellencys arrival at Newburgh announced in the publick Papers. The Circumstances of my Family prevent me from paying you my Respects at present: but the visit shall only be deferred till the Impediment is removed. I long, my Dear Sir, to see you: to congratulate you on the glory which you have acquired the last Campaign: and to felicitate with you...
10To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 17 February 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
I am now on a Visit to the General from ⟨Kingston,⟩ where the Legislature is convened. The British King’s ⟨speech to⟩ his Parliament and his Secretary’s Letters to the Lord ⟨Mayor⟩ of London, which we had the pleasure of meeting here afford us the fairest prospect of a speedy Peace. I have but one anxiety remaining and that respects a better Establishment of our General Government on a Basis...
11To John Jay from James Duane, 22–24 August 1778 (Jay Papers)
I have the Pleasure to acquaint you that M rs . Duane is in a great Degree restord to her Health; or rather that she has got the better of her nervous Complaint which entaild upon her Weakness & Lowness of Spirits and called for my utmost Care and Attention to prevent its ill Effects. That greatness of Mind and disinterested Love of her Country—to you I will boast—which have enabled her to...
12To George Washington from James Duane, 17 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am honourd with your Favour of the 3d Instant & have communicated it to my Colleagues. when I wrote to your Excellency respecting the Exchange of Citizens in the power of the Enemy, I did not Attend to the distinction between Civil and military Prisoners: but conceivd your Authority competent in all Cases. I cannot think it adviseable to leave the negociation of the Exchange even of Citizens...
13To John Jay from James Duane, 31 July 1795 (Jay Papers)
Among your numerous and respectable friends none can participate with more sensibility in events which concern your happiness than myself. I felicitate with you on your safe arrival, on the success of your arduous mission, and on the distinguished manner in which you have been elected to the chief seat of this government. May every blessing attend you in your domestic concerns and your public...
14To George Washington from James Duane, 26 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
We have Intelligence from Charles Town which leaves it in our possession as lately as the 3d or 4th Inst. and we may from the Silence of the Enemy at New york extend our Hopes to the 10th or 12th. The best and most direct account is to our Friend Mr Jones from Gen Woodford. He has this moment promised me to communicate it to your Excellency which he will do much better than I can from my...
15To George Washington from James Duane, 10 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
I reflect with the utmost sensibility on the frequent instances I have experienced of your attention and benevolence, and particularly in the manner in which you was pleased to confer on me the office of Judge of this district. It manifested a mark of your esteem which I shall always prize as a distinguished honor. The disorder which I contracted by a sedentary habit, the effect of close...
16To George Washington from James Duane, 2 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I receivd with infinite pleasure your very friendly favour by Lt Col. Smith. I shall have occasion to give you some Information on passages of it which you ought to know but I have already trespassed on my Health to assist our new Minister. I have just got rid of a Violent Inflamation in my Throat and find myself at an extinguishd fire an hour after midnight. The provision you wished is made...
17To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 23 May 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
The Marquiss de la fayette handed me your favour of the 14: Instant which woud have been sooner answerd had not my Time been fully employd. you will learn the difficulties of constituting a Commitee plenipo . from another Channel; tho’ a little Reflection upon human nature and a republican Government, might have brought them fully to your View without Assistance. What is not committed Congress...
18To George Washington from James Duane, 22 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
A Resolution which lately passed—and which I have long had at Heart—makes it necessary that I should inform your Excellency that the foreign dispatches last received, and which were referred to a Committee of which I was Chairman, are returned into the Secretary’s Office, and ready for your Excellency’s perusal whenever it suites Your Convenience. With the most perfect Esteem and Respect, I...
19To George Washington from James Duane, 16 December 1784 (Washington Papers)
I entertained the pleasing hope of meeting you at this place; on no better authority indeed than report; and yet I feel the disappointment in proportion to my affection for your Person, my gratitude for your publick Services, and the kind attention with which you have always indulged me. Be pleased to take in good part the Address which I have the honor to transmit with the Freedom of our City...
20To George Washington from James Duane, 27 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
I beg Leave to recommend the enclosed papers transmitted by Governour Clinton to your Excellency’s Attention—As you have full power to conduct the Exchange of Prisoners it is needless to lay them before Congress. Permit me to request your Excellency to favour Governour Clinton with the Directions you may think proper to give on this Subject. I have the Honour to be—for myself and the Delegates...
21To George Washington from James Duane, 16 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour has been presented to the Committee of Conference. I beg you will do me the Justice to believe that my Zeal for the publick good—and may I be permitted to add—my Respect and Affection for your Excellency, will never suffer what you have at Heart to languish for Want of my best Exertions: Yet must I ask for Allowances for your Representatives, who are too much incumberd with a...
22To John Jay from James Duane, 16 May 1776 (Jay Papers)
Yesterday, my dear Friend, was an important day, productive of the Resolutions of which I enclose you a Copy. I shall not enter into particulars; the Resolution itself first passed and then a Committee was appointed to fit it with a preamble—Compare them with each other and it will probably lead you into Reflections which I dare not point out. I hope you will relieve me soon as I am impatient...
23To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 10 August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, August 10, 1791. On the back of Hamilton’s letter to Duane of August 4, 1791 , is the endorsement: “Answered 10th.” Letter not found. ]
24To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 24 September 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I called upon you within the time limited to give you my answer on the Communication which in expressions so honorable you was pleased to make me this morning. As you was abroad I am deprived of the pleasure of a personal Interview. Warmly attached to the Constitution from the clearest conviction that the happiness of my Country depends on it’s successful administration, I think I ought to...
25To George Washington from James Duane, 9 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
I need not tell you, my dear General, what I felt on the critical Arrival of Count de Grass’ Squadron. Accept my warmest Congratulations. The most decisive advantages may reasonably be expected from this generous & formidable Cooporation: but I will not anticipate. The Financier has relieved my Solicitude for the New York Line. A Month’s Pay however inadequate to their Claims will raise their...
26To John Jay from James Duane, 25 May 1776 (Jay Papers)
I conclude, my dear Sir, that the late Resolution of Congress recommending the Assumption of Government will induce you to give your Attendance for a few days at our own Convention— If this shoud be the Case it will [be] of Advantage to you to be informed of the Temper and proceedings of the Neighbouring Colonies on this great Revolution. You recollect the Maryland Instruc t . which, upon any...
27To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, 10 September 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
Accept my Thanks for your Favour of the 28 Augt and your obliging assurances that you will comply with my Request, unless my anxiety for the Events of the Campaign had been very great I should not have been so unreasonable as to impose this Burthen on any of my much respected Friends at head Quarters; well knowing that they of all others have the least Leisure. I find the British Reinforcement...
28James Duane to Robert R. Livingston, John Jay, Gouverneur Morris, and Robert Yates, 19 April 1777 (Jay Papers)
We arrived in this City on Wednesday afternoon. If you talk seriously to its Inhabitants you’l find them full of the Expectation of ^ a Visit from ^ Gen l Howe’s but examine their Conduct and the Appearance of everything about you, & you cannot but conclude that they are in a State of the most perfect Tranquility and Security. Talk to them about the scandalous depreciation of the continental...
29James Duane: Journal of Proceedings of the New York Agents for the Settlement of the New York–Massachusetts Lands … (Jay Papers)
Trenton December 1784 At a Conference at M r . Jays on Fryday Evening the 10th Dec r present all the Agents from New York & M r Wilson The List proposed by Massachusetts was taken into Consideration. They name Gentlemen from Virginia alone from from It is observable ^ was observed ^ that while we have [
30To Alexander Hamilton from James Duane, [7 May 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
Be so good if in your power to acquaint me of the issue of our friend the Baron’s afair in the house of Representatives? I know you will pardon my Sollicitude as I embark in the morning for the North. I am affectionately your’s ALS , New-York Historical Society, New York City. Baron von Steuben had petitioned the House of Representatives for compensation for his services during the American...