11From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, [April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
Situated as I am at this moment I am obliged to confine myself to very general hints respecting the paper of the 15 of April. As to the first head—I think it will be adviseable that the Speech should be confined to the foreign Affairs of the Country giving the primary & prominent place to those with France. This will make the main business the more striking. Domestic matters may follow in...
12From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, [1 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 30th. with the statement inclosed. I do not believe that its publication would have any influence upon the question of a rupture with France; but yet, as it seems that those who surround the President are not agreed in the matter—as an opinion is industriously circulated that too much fuel has been added by the publications of the Government—as it is...
13From Alexander Hamilton to Uriah Tracy, 1 April 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, April 1, 1797. On April 6, 1797, Tracy wrote to Hamilton : “I thank you for your Letter of the 1st. inst.” Letter not found. ] Tracy was United States Senator from Connecticut and the state’s attorney for Litchfield County.
14From Alexander Hamilton to Barent Bleecker, [5 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
The fourth & last installment of the purchase money of the Cosby Manor Lands has become due. It is 1655 Dollars & 50 Cents of which your ¼ is 413. Dollars & 87 Cents. I beg the favour of you to lose no time in forwarding this Sum to me. With esteem Yr very hum ser ALS , Detroit Public Library. For an explanation of the contents of this letter, see the introductory note to Philip Schuyler to...
15From Alexander Hamilton to William Loughton Smith, 5 April 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received My Dear Sir Your letter of the with your little work accompanying it, which I shall read with the interest I take in the author, the first leisure hour. I have cast my eye over it and like very much the plan. Our affairs are indeed very critical. But I am sorry to find that I do not agree with several of my friends. I am clearly of opinion for an extraordinary mission and as...
16From 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...
17From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [8 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I thank you, My Dear Sir, for your letter of the 6th. of February. The intelligence that the Directory have ordered away our Minister is every way unpleasant. It portends too much a formal Rupture as the only alternative to an ignominious submission. Much public feeling has been excited. But the Government, I trust and believe, will continue prudent and do every thing that honor permits...
18From Alexander Hamilton to William Loughton Smith, [10 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last to you I have perused with great satisfaction your little work on our Governments. I like the execution no less than the plan. If my health & leisure should permit, I would make some notes, but you cannot depend on it, as I am not only extremely occupied but in feeble health. I send you My ideas of the course of Conduct proper in our present situation. It is unpleasant to me to...
19Enclosure: [Notes on Conduct with Great Britain], [10 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
It must be acknowleged by all who can comprehend the subject that the present situation of the UStates is in an extreme degree critical, demanding in our public councils a union of the greatest prudence with the greatest firmness. To appreciate rightly the course which ought to be pursued it is an essential preliminary to take an accurate view of the situation. That the preservation of peace...
20From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [13 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
The post of today brought me a letter from you. I am just informed that an order is come to the Custom House not to clear out any Vessel if armed , unless destined for the East Indies. Under the present circumstances I very much doubt the expediency of this measure. The excesses of France justify passiveness in the Government and its inability to protect the Merchants required that it should...
21From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [16 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
We arrived here last Evening well and shall proceed immediately on our journey. I forgot my brief in the cause of Le Guen against Gouverneur which is in a bundle of papers in my armed Chair in the Office. Request one of the Gentlemen to look for it and send it up to me by the post of Tuesday. Beg them not to fail. Adieu My beloved. Kiss all the Children for me. Yrs. ALS , Mr. George T....
22From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [19 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I informed you My Darling by a letter which will go by post of my arrival here in good health and finding your family well. But this morning your papa has an attack of the Gout, not particularly severe, one indeed which in a different situation would give no uneasiness—but as his strength has been of late somewhat diminished, it is impossible not to feel anxiety about him. On the whole I...
23From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [22 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
The consideration for the candidates in the better part of the community stands nearly thus. Clarkeson , ver Plank , Fish = Walker , Burrall , Giles ,
24From 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...
25From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [23 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
Lest my Dear Eliza any circumstance should have prevented your departure before this reaches you, I conclude to drop you a line to tell you your Father is considerably better at the same time considering the delicate state of his health generally I am very desirous you should come up as he is. Yrs. Most Affec ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. For background to this letter, see H to...
26Petition to the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the City of New York, [24 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, April 24, 1797 ] “The Memorial of Sundry Inhabitants of the City of New York and the vicinity thereof Respectfully Sheweth That your Memorialists have learnt … that the Corporation of the City of New York have purchased a lot of Ground situate in the Seventh Ward … which they intend to Convert into a Potters Field for the interment of the bodies of such persons as may die of...
27From Alexander Hamilton to Brockholst Livingston, 28 April [1797] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Albany ] April 28 [ 1797 ]. “The situation of General Schuyler & other family circumstances do not permit me to attend Court this day. Will you do me the favour to argue the motion for setting aside the Non suit & granting a new trial on the inclosed case? …” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Philip Schuyler, H’s father-in-law, was ill. See H to Elizabeth Hamilton, April 19 , 23,...
28From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 29 April 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
I now send you a cursory answer to certain questions. They are imperfect & probably will come too late. But court avocations and distress in the family have prevented any thing better. General Schuyler has been critically ill though now as I hope out of danger. My Brother in law Mr. Rensselaer has just lost a favourite Daughter one & the Eldest of two Children without a prospect of more. The...
29Enclosure: Answer to Questions Proposed by the President of the U States, [29 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
To The first. It is difficult to fix the precise point at which indignity or affront from one state to another ceases to be negotiable without absolute humiliation and disgrace. It is for the most part a relative question—relative to the comparitive strength of the parties—the motives for peace or war—the antecedent relations—the circumstances of the moment as well with regard to other...
30From Alexander Hamilton to William Hamilton, 2 May 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
Some days since I received with great pleasure your letter of the 10th. of March. The mark, it affords, of your kind attention, and the particular account it gives me of so many relations in Scotland are extremely gratifying to me. You no doubt have understood that my fathers affairs at a very early day went to wreck; so as to have rendered his situation during the greatest part of his life...
31From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, [11 May 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
On my return here I found your letter of the 29th . The sitting of a Court of Chancery and important business there have unavoidably delayed a reply. Now, it must be much more cursory than I could wish. As to the mission, in some shape or other, the more I have reflected upon it, the more has it appeared to me indispensable. To accomplish, with certainty, a principal object of it—the silencing...
32From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, 13 May 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Goodhue takes on with him a Boston paper, the printer of which states that he has obtained by a Ship just arrived, a London Paper of March 24th; mentionning in positive terms an account just received from the Emperor that in consequence of a combination between Prussia & France he is driven to the necessity of making an immediate peace for the safety of the Empire —that in consequence of...
33From Alexander Hamilton to Robert Morris, 22 May 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, May 22, 1797. On May 23, 1797, Morris wrote to Hamilton : “Your letter of yesterday is arrived.” Letter not found. ]
34From Alexander Hamilton to John Laurance, 1 June 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, June 1, 1797. On June 3, 1797, Laurance wrote to Hamilton : “I have received your letter of the first Instant.” Letter not found. ]
35From Alexander Hamilton to Robert Morris, 1 June 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, June 1, 1797. On June 2, 1797, Morris wrote to Hamilton : “Your letter of yesterday is this moment recd.” Letter not found. ]
36From 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...
37From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [8 June 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I thank, you My Dear Sir, for two letters lately received from you the last by Mr. Church. I feel very guilty for my negligence. But how can I help it? The public prints will inform you of the course of public proceedings hitherto. You will perceive that the general plan is analogous to what was done in the case of Great Britain, though there are faults in the detail. Some people cannot learn...
38From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [8 June 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your two letters of the 6th & 7. The last announces to me no more than I feared. Nor do I believe any sufficient external impulse can be given to save us from disgrace . This however will be thought of. I regret that you appear remote from the idea of a house tax simply without combining the land. I do not differ from your general principle. The truth is a solid one, that the...
39From Alexander Hamilton to William Loughton Smith, [10 June 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter of the ——. Though I do not like in some respects the answer of the house to the Speech; yet I frankly own I had no objection to see it softened down. For I think there is no use in hard words & in public proceedings would almost always unite the suaviter in modo with the fortiter in re . But I much regret that there is no prospect of the fortiter in re . I perceive...
40Account with John Barker Church, [15 June 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
Dr. John B Church Esquire in Account with Alexander Hamilton Cr 1796 1796 June 6 To Cash paid expences of my Clerk to Philadelphia to attend to execution of your Mortgage by Robert Morris 10. 16— April 8 By Ballance of Account rendered this day £570. 2. 8 20 To paid J Laurance your proportion of expence of surveys 113. 8— Aug 22 By this sum received of A Woodruff on account of Carney’s debt