1To John Adams from William Ellery, 22 January 1778 (Adams Papers)
I received a few days since a Letter from my good friend William Vernon Esqr., One of the members of the Navy Board in the Eastern department; in which he informed me that he was about to send his son, William, to France; with the View of placing him in a good, reputable, mercantile house; either in Nantz, Bourdeaux or Rochelle, and desired that I would obtain Letters recommendatory of him to...
2To John Adams from William Ellery, [ca. 6] March 1790 (Adams Papers)
Engaged as you are in public business, and this State not having shown a disposition to join the Union I did not wonder, although I could not but regret, that my letter should remain so long unanswered.— I wish that our affairs now afforded a prospect of a speedy accession.— Before you receive this letter you will have heard of the proceedings of our Convention.— They met, framed a bill of...
3The Commerce Committee to the Commissioners, 28 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
You will receive this by Thomas Read Esqr who was Captain of the Frigate Washington but is now Commander of the Armed Brigantine Baltimore. This Brigantine was intended for A dispatch Vessel, but now hath A Cargo on board of Forty Nine hhds. of Tobacco which was all she coud take in and accomodate her men. We have addressed her to John Danl. Schweighauser Merchant in Nantes, and have directed...
4The Commerce Committee to the Commissioners, 16 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
This will be accompanied with a Contract entered into between John Baptist Lazarus Theveneau De Francy Agent of Mr. Peter Augustine Caron De Beaumarchais representative of the House of Rodrigue Hortalez & Co. and the Committee of Commerce. You will observe that their Accounts are to be fairly stated and what is justly due paid. For as on the One hand Congress would be unwilling to evidence a...
5William Ellery and JM to the Committee of Congress at Washington’s Headquarters, 5 May 1780 (Madison Papers)
Printed text (John Sanderson, ed., Biography of the Signers to the Declaration of Independence [2d ed.; 5 vols.; Philadelphia, 1828], I, 388–89). Nothing is said there of its source except that it had “fallen into our hands.” References to the existence of the letter are made in Brant, Madison Irving Brant, James Madison (6 vols.; Indianapolis and New York, 1941–61). , I, 90; Burnett, Letters...
6To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 6 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
On the 3d. instant I recd. your circular letters of the 13th. & 25th of May last. I do not recollect that in any instance duties on goods brought into this district have been ascertained otherwise than on the actual landing thereof, and by the measuring, weighg. & gauging, where those operations are required by law. A particular attention will be paid to your direction in that respect. Your...
7To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 10 February 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] February 10, 1792. “On the third of this month the Sloop Hannah William Corey master from Martinico and destined for the District of Providence arrived in this District, but could not enter the first mentioned district on account of the ice.… Capt. Corey appeared at the Custom House for the first time & reported on the morning of the 7th. of this month. The reason of...
8To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 9 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] April 9, 1792 . “I have received your letter of the 21st. of this last month. As you are apprehensive that the expence of an hydrostatic balance for each of the Custom Houses would be found too great, I have no longer a wish for one. I have received two Thermometers covered with a common wrapper directed to me; but not attended by any letter. On the particular wrapper...
9To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 23 January 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] January 23, 1792 . “Yesterday I recd. your Circular Letter of the second of this month, and shall observe your directions.…” LC , Newport Historical Society, Newport, Rhode Island.
10To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 27 May 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Newport [ Rhode Island ] May 27, 1793 . “… Last saturday evening I recd. a letter from you dated containing directions for filling Sea Letters, and enclosing four of these Letters. The day before I received them, I received two Sea-Letters in a blank wrapper directed to me and freed Oliver Wolcott. It gave me great Satisfactn to receive your particular directions for filling Sea Letters, and I...
11To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 23 August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
This will be accompanied by a weekly return of monies recd. and paid, and the copy of an endorsment on Certife No. 22 granted Apl. 23d. 1791 at this Port. To your letter of the 10th of this month, requesting the particular circumstances that led to a remeasurement of the Brig Sally &c I would answer; that the property of said Brig having been transferred to Messrs Lyon and Lawrance citizens of...
12To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 16 December 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Newport, Rhode Island, December 16, 1793. “I received your private and confidential letter of the 20th. of Novemr. last on the seventh of this month, and should have answered it by the last post, but I wished for time to discover if I could whether a third person I had in view would accept if he should be appointed District Attorney. I have avoided taking any part in the contest for that...
13To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 7 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Newport [ Rhode Island ] November 7, 1791 . “I have received your Letter of the 26th. of October last, delivered the Gin taken into my Custody which was imported in the Bark Polly in Casks under legal capacity, and shall make similar communications where I discover any deviations from the requisitions of the Laws. I would be much obliged to you for an answer to my letter of the 14th. of last...
14To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 16 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] July 16, 1792 . “I have recd. your Circular of the 25th. of June and another letter of the 2nd. of July last, to which a due regard will be paid.…” LC , Newport Historical Society, Newport, Rhode Island. Letter not found.
15To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 28 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
This will be attended with my weekly return of monies recd. and paid. I have recd. your circular letter of the 11th. of this month respectg. the allowance for damaged goods, and shall pay due regard to your sentiments on that subject. The Brig Seven Brothers, by my direction, was at the public auction put up at five hundred Dollars. Colo. Topham, the former owner, with a number of others...
16To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 13 February 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Newport [ Rhode Island ] February 13, 1792. “.… On the 11th. of this month I received a letter from the Surveyor of Pawcatuck in which he informs me that he had received the Thermometer, which I had forwarded to him, that on opening it he found the Glass broken, and should return it the first opportunity. It is unfortunate that the Thermometer for this Port, & Pawcatuck should have been broken...
17To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 30 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
My bondsmen as Commr of the Loan-Office have applied to me to know whether my bond had been cancelled. It was not in my power to give them positive information. If my accounts as Commr of the Loan-Office have been adjusted and found to be right as I presume they have, I wish that bond may be transmitted to me; unless it is cancelled, or it should be contrary to usage to deliver up bonds under...
18To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 20 September 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Newport [ Rhode Island ] September 20, 1790 . Wishes to suggest some changes in the provisions of the Coasting Act. Proposes that Section 11 be changed so that when a ship or vessel is sold or transferred “a production of such bill of sale to the Collector by the owner be made a condition of his receiving a new Certificate of Registry.” States: “By the 12th Sec: when the master of a registered...
19To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 5 January 1795 (Hamilton Papers)
Newport [ Rhode Island ] January 5, 1795 . “This will be accompanied by the Accounts of Walter Channing Agent for fortifics in this Port, and his letter to me relative to said Accts and the purchase of land for said fortifics….” LC , Newport Historical Society, Newport, Rhode Island. Ellery was collector of customs at Newport. DS , RG 217, Miscellaneous Treasury Accounts, 1790–1894, Account...
20To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 16 June 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] June 16, 1794 . “The Ship Fair American Benjamin Lee master bound from China to Newyork arrived here on the 12th of this month without a Manifest. I do not consider the Invoice exhibited a true copy of which goes with this Petition to be a manifest and thereby the master in my opinion has subjected himself to the Penalty in such case imposed by Law. He has petitioned...
21To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 21 July 179[4] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] July 21, 179 [ 4 ]. “I have recd. your letters of the 7th. & 8th. of this month. Edmund Valentine and Guilford Grinnell paid their penalties, the United States have been credited for their part thereof.… The Proceedings in the case of the Joanna Danl. Anthony master which you mention as returned, have not been yet received by the District Judge. In my letter of the...
22To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 1 June 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Newport [ Rhode Island ] June 1, 1790 . “I have received your letter of the 17th. of the last month, and … now transmit to you … four bundles of Indents … and another package of blank Loan-Office Certife.… I have no bills of credit, known by name of the New Emissions. I find by the News papers that an appropriation is made by law for discharging the demands which exist against the United...
23To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 4 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 16th of Septemr. on the 27th of the same month, and am much obliged for your answers to my several questions, and for the consent you have given respecting the sales of vessels of which may be condemned. If measures had not been taken the Sloop Betsy would not have sold so high as she did. I told the Council for the Ushers, that their case having been fairly...
24To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 10 February 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] February 10, 1794 . “By the last post I recd. your letter of the 31st. of Dece. last acknowledgg. the receipt of two duplicate Rects of the Bank of Providence No. 49. 53 amountg. to Fifteen thousand Dollars. Your letter too of the 23d. of Jany. last, concerning the forwardg. by the district Atto. of New york of the documents relative to the papers of the Enterprize...
25To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 21 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] November 21, 1791 . “On the 19th. instant I recd. your letter of the 10th. authorizing me to receive, in payment of Duties, the Notes of the Bank of Providence, payable in Specie on Demand, advising me that you have requested the President of that Institution to furnish me with checks, expressing your wish that I should ‘Transmit once in every week to the Bank of...
26To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 12 May 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] May 12, 1794 . “I have received your letter of the 25th. of April in answer I presume to mine of the first of that month.… I have also received your two letters of the first of this month. That which relates to the Transport Ship Britannia, I showed to our Governour, and he made no objection to her Departure.… Last Thursday a British Sloop of War called the Nautilus...
27To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 10 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Newport [ Rhode Island ] September 10, 1792 . “I have received your letter of the 6th. of August. The Construction of the Attorney General contained in the first paragraph, and which it is your desire should be practiced upon I think I understand; but the doubt in my mind which occasioned my stating a case, and raising a question thereon in my letter of the 30th of July last still remains.… I...
28To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 2 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] April 2, 1792 . “This letter will be accompanied by a weekly return of monies received and paid … and also a Statement of the case of the Brig Chance, and papers respectg. the same. I shall refrain from prosecuting Capt. Corey.” LC , Newport Historical Society, Newport, Rhode Island. The brig Chance was owned by John Innis Clarke and Joseph Nightingale, Providence...
29To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 1 September 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
I am informed that a Statemt. of the Case of James Smith master and owner of the Schooner Fox of and from Halifax in Nova Scotia burthen about 18 tons will by direction of the District Judge be transmitted to you by this Post. The Schooner Fox arrived at Bristol in this District on the 9th. day of the last month about eight or nine o’clock in the morng. without any Cargo. On the same day the...
30To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 10 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I recd. a letter from the Collr. for Providence last saturday in which he observes that he had received a letter from you referring him to a circular one dated the 6th. of February last, relative to notifying to other Collrs when a bond for duties is put in suit, and desires me to furnish him with a copy as soon as possible if I had received such an one, as he had not. I have not received any...