1. Duane is apparently responding to accounts of town meetings held in New York following the Senate’s ratification of the Jay Treaty. Handbills and announcements printed in New York newspapers called for a meeting of the citizens at noon on Saturday, 18 July, “for the purpose of joining our fellow citizens of Boston, who last Monday [13 July] unanimously adopted resolutions expressive of their detestation of the treaty with Great Britain” and “conjuring them to come forward like freemen, and declare the treaty a disgraceful one, ruinous to our commerce, &c.” Federalists led by AH sought to block such actions. On Friday evening a small group of merchants met at Tontine Hall with James Watson in the chair. AH and RK addressed them. The group developed a plan of opposition and distributed handbills challenging the town meeting to discussion and urging full attendance. In response to these notices a large crowd of both Republicans and Federalists assembled on Saturday at Federal Hall where AH, supported by RK, Josiah Ogden Hoffman, Richard Harison, and others, tried to address the crowd, but were interrupted by a call for selecting a chairman for the meeting. William Stephens Smith was elected chair. Republican Peter R. Livingston attempted to address the chair but was interrupted by AH, whereupon, following a procedural vote, Livingston was chosen to speak but could not be heard due to the “confusion” at the meeting. A motion was made to split the meeting so that those who disapproved of the treaty should go to the right and those who approved should go to the left. AH again attempted to speak but could not be heard over the hissings and hootings of the crowd. Some accounts further stated the AH was hit in the head by stones thrown by the crowd.

Brockholst Livingston then argued that since the treaty had already been published and was available to everyone, he presumed the assembly had already made up its mind and there was no need to procrastinate the object of the meeting, which was to express the group’s opinion on the treaty. He did suggest that if there were some present who had not reached a decision they could go to a nearby church where a treaty opponent would debate the treaty article by article with AH, but that effort failed. A group of about 500 then split off, proceeded to The Battery, formed a circle, and burnt a copy of the treaty in front of the governor’s house. AH introduced a resolution at the main meeting stating it was unnecessary to give an opinion on the treaty; it was noisily rejected by the crowd. A motion was then carried for appointing a committee to draft resolutions expressing disapprobation of the treaty. The meeting adjourned to await the report of the committee.

On Monday, 20 July, the citizens reassembled at noon and confirmed the selection of membership of the committee; Brockholst Livingston introduced resolutions opposing the treaty which were approved by the crowd, reportedly of 5,000–6,000 people, and immediately sent by express to GW. The conflicts at these meetings also resulted in a proposed duel between AH and Republican James Nicholson, which was ultimately averted. For accounts of the meetings and for the resolutions, see the Argus, Greenleaf’s New Daily Advertiser (New York), 17, 18, 20, 21, and 25 July 1795; William S. Smith, “To the Citizens of New York”, 18 July, broadside, DLC; PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett et al., eds., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (27 vols.; New York, 1961–87) description ends , 18: 485–89nn31–33; and RK to Christopher Gore, 24 July 1795, Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 2: 16–17. On the proposed duel, PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett et al., eds., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (27 vols.; New York, 1961–87) description ends , 18: 501–2; and PGW: PS description begins Dorothy Twohig et al., eds., The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series (19 vols. to date; Charlottesville, Va., 1987–) description ends , 18: 370–82. See also New–York Gazette, 20 July; Dunlap’s American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia), and the Philadelphia Gazette, both 21 July; Gazette of the United States (Philadelphia), 21 and 23 July; Aurora General Advertiser (Philadelphia), 22 July; New– Jersey Journal (Elizabethtown), 22 July; Connecticut Gazette (New London), 23 July; Albany Register, (24 July); Federal Intelligencer (Baltimore), 24 July 1795. These Accounts were later repeated in more distant newspapers, especially in New England.

2. Probably Henry Bowers Jr., whose daughter Mary Ann (1773–1828) married James Chatham Duane (1769–1842) in 1792. “Judge Chambers and his Lady” were JJ’s uncle John Chambers (1710–64) and aunt Ann Van Cortlandt Chambers, sister of JJ’s mother. JJ was the executor of their estate. Duane was the agent for the creditors of the loyalist Peter Dubois, former New York City Magistrate of Police under British occupation. Edward P. Alexander, A Revolutionary Conservative: James Duane of New York (N.Y., 1966), 36.

3. Philip Livingston, “The Signer” was the brother of William Livingston, SLJ’s father, and Duane’s father–in–law, Robert Livingston. Dr. Livingston was John Henry Livingston, LL.D., and Dr. Jones was Thomas Jones, physician, both of whom were married to daughters of Philip. A third administrator was Henry Brockholst Livingston. PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett et al., eds., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (27 vols.; New York, 1961–87) description ends , 26: 474–76. The other New York lawyers consulted were Richard Harison, John Cozine, and Josiah Ogden Hoffman.