1From Alexander Hamilton to Simeon Baldwin, 1 May 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, May 1, 1802. “Capt. Du Buisson who has obtained a decree of restitution of his vessel & cargo tells me that there are some obstacles, which he cannot explain, to his receiving the moiety of the proceeds reserved for the Captors, and remaining as he understands it in deposit with you. As he has solicited my aid which I have promised, you will oblige me by explaining as early as may...
2From Alexander Hamilton to James A. Bayard, 6 April 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
Amidst the humiliating circumstances which attend our country, all the sound part of the community must find cause of triumph in the brilliant display of talents which have been employed though without success, in resisting the follies of an infatuated administration. And your personal friends will not have much reason for mortification on account of the part you have performed in the...
3From Alexander Hamilton to James A. Bayard, [16–21] April 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 12th inst. has relieved me from some apprehension. Yet it is well that it should be perfectly understood by the truly sound part of the Fœderalists, that there do in fact exist intrigues in good earnest, between several individuals not unimportant, of the Fœderal Party, and the person in question; which are bottomed upon motives & views, by no means auspicious to the real...
4From Alexander Hamilton to William Beekman, 15 June 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
You will remember that a considerable time since I gave you an opinion on a variety of matters arising upon your uncles Will. For this I have received no compensation; never that I remember having presented an account. I will therefore thank you to send me fifty Dollars for this service. As I am building I am endeavouring to collect my outstanding claims. With esteem I am Sir Yr Obed ser ALS...
5From Alexander Hamilton to Aaron Burr, 22 June 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
Your first letter, in a style too peremptory, made a demand, in my opinion, unprecedented and unwarrantable. My answer, pointing out the embarrassment, gave you an opportunity to take a less exceptionable course. You have not chosen to do it, but by your last letter, received this day, containing expressions indecorous and improper, you have increased the difficulties to explanation,...
6From Alexander Hamilton to Aaron Burr, [1 April 1802] (Hamilton Papers)
Your Protegé Buisson has addressed to me the inclosed letter. Why he did not immediately write to you I cannot tell unless it be that he is conscious he has used your politeness sufficiently, and imagines an intermediary to be hereafter necessary. Perhaps you may be able to decipher his wishes from the letter; which I confess is beyond my skill. But I understand from him in conversation that...
7From Alexander Hamilton to Aaron Burr, 10 October 1803 (Hamilton Papers)
I distinctly recollect (as was once before verbally explained between us) that just before you made a payment of Two thousand Dollars on your Bond, Winships Mortgage was returned to you, as the mean by which the money was to be procured. I think it was sent to you by Le Guen himself. It is to be presumed, that Winship has had since some intimation from the possessor of his mortgage, and that...
8From Alexander Hamilton to Aaron Burr, 20 June 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
I have maturely reflected on the subject of your letter of the 18th instant; and the more I have reflected the more I have become convinced, that I could not, without manifest impropriety, make the avowal or disavowal which you seem to think necessary. The clause pointed out by Mr. Van Ness is in these terms “I could detail to you a still more despicable opinion , which General Hamilton has...
9Assignment of Debts and Grant of Power of Attorney to John B. Church, [9 July 1804] (Hamilton Papers)
Know all Men by these Presents, That I Alexander Hamilton of the City of New York Counsellor at law, in consideration of one Dollar to me in hand paid by John B Church Esquire, (the receipt whereof is hereby acknowleged) have bargained sold assigned and conveyed and hereby do bargain sell assign & convey to the said John B Church all and singular the debts due owing and payable to me: which...
10From Alexander Hamilton to John B. Church, 9 July 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, July 9, 1804. Nathaniel Pendleton described the seventh item on a list of ten, which were given to him after Hamilton’s death, as a “Letter to John B. Church inclosing an assignment of some debts.” Letter not found. ] See “List of Papers Given to Nathaniel Pendleton,” July 19, 1804 . See “Assignment of Debts and Grant of Power of Attorney to John B. Church,” July 9, 1804 .
11From Alexander Hamilton to John B. Church, 28 June–10 July 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, June 28–July 10, 1804. Nathaniel Pendleton described the seventh item on a list of ten, which were given to him after Hamilton’s death, as a “Letter to John B Church inclosing an assignment of some debts.” Letter not found. ] See “List of Papers Given to Nathaniel Pendleton,” July 19, 1804 . See “Assignment of Debts and Grant of Power of Attorney to John B. Church,” July 9, 1804 .
12From Alexander Hamilton to John B. Church, [27–28 June 1801] (Hamilton Papers)
… or otherwise I have no data to judge. I can only say they were entrusted to persons whom all the world would pronounce equal to the task; and that I took the best of all precautions, to ensure their care as well as their fidelity, which was to connect their interest with yours. If the purchase from Mark shall not answer expectation, and has been attended with an additional burthen not...
13From Alexander Hamilton to George Clinton, 7 March 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
On Saturday last I sent you a letter of which the foregoing is a copy, to which I have as yet received no reply. Intending to leave this place for New York on Saturday next, it is important that I should receive an answer before that day. I have the honor to be Your Excelly’s Obed servt ADf , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. H to Clinton, March 2, 1804 .
14From Alexander Hamilton to George Clinton, 2 March 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
If our correspondence does not terminate with your letter of the 29th. of February, received yesterday, I wish it to be understood that it proceeds merely from the desire of removing all ambiguity from a transaction, in which my character may be materially interested. It is perhaps the natural inference from what you have stated, that nothing took place on your part, to sanction or corroborate...
15From Alexander Hamilton to George Clinton, 9 March 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of receiving, yesterday, your Excellency’s letter of the 6th instant. It is agreeable to me to find in it a confirmation of the inference, that you had given no countenance to the supposition of my agency or cooperation in the project, to which the story of Judge Purdy relates; and it only remains for me to regret that it is not in your power to furnish the additional clue, of...
16From Alexander Hamilton to George Clinton, 27 February 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
It is now a long time since a very ⟨odious⟩ slander has been in circulation to the prejudice of my character. It has come to my ears in more than one way, but always ’till lately without the disclosure ⟨of⟩ any source to which I could resort for explanation or detection. Within a few days, Mr. Kane of this City related to me a story as coming from Judge Purdy, in substance very similar to the...
17From Alexander Hamilton to William Cooper, 6 September 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
I congratulate you and myself on your victory over Brockholst. Whether your interest is much promoted by it or not is of small consequence—In the triumph of vanquishing such an enemy. That you know was your principal inducement and I know that you will be willing to pay well for it. I have been deliberating whether to charge you 200 or 100 pounds for my services in this cause. In fixing upon...
18From Alexander Hamilton to Jonathan Dayton, 30 March 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, March 30, 1802. Seeks Dayton’s aid for client soliciting “the interposition of our Government with the Court of Spain for obtaining restitution of a vessel & Cargo seized in South America.” ALS , Joseph Hopkinson Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
19Alexander Hamilton and Josiah Ogden Hoffman to Richard Varick, Jacob Radcliff, and Anthony Dey, 3 May 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
Having attentively considered the subject of your letter of the 19th April last, and the questions submitted to us, we shall now communicate the result of our reflections on the several questions in the order they are stated. Question 1. Have the Corporation of New York any title to the land under the water of Hudson’s River opposite to and adjoining Powles Hook? Answer. Comparing the...
20From Alexander Hamilton to John Dickinson, 29 March 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
I was not, My Dear Sir, insensible to the kind attention shewn me by your letter of the 30th. of November last. But till very lately the subject has been so extremely painful to me, that I have been under a necessity of flying from it as much as possible. Time and effort and occupation have at length restored the tranquillity of my mind, sufficiently to permit me to acknowlege the kindness of...
21From Alexander Hamilton to Victor Marie Du Pont de Nemours, [30 January 1804] (Hamilton Papers)
I send you three Notes on account of my bond each for 800 Ds as agreed. On Saturday I took the bond in the Country & forgot to bring it to Town with the calculation; so that ⟨I m⟩ust defer the completion of the arrange⟨ment⟩ to my return from Albany. But you may consider it as done & in⟨form⟩ your correspondents accordingly. Yrs. with gre⟨at⟩ regard ALS , Mr. Henry Francis du Pont, Winterthur,...
22From Alexander Hamilton to Victor Marie Du Pont de Nemours, 12 May 1804 (Hamilton Papers)
I now send you my bond with condition for the payment of One thousand & Twenty seven Dollars & seventy Eight Cents; which sum is thus composed— Ballance of principal and interest beyond my notes Ds. 60.23 Difference between simple & compound Interest 967.55 Ds 1027.78 The statement delivered to you some time since will explain this result. The Bond bears interest only from the first of...
23From Alexander Hamilton to the Editor of the Evening Post, 10 August 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
Finding that a story long since propagated under circumstances, which it was expected would soon consign it to oblivion, (and by which I have been complimented at the expence of Generals Washington and La Fayette) has of late been revived and has acquired a degree of importance by being repeated in different publications as well as in Europe as America—it becomes a duty to counteract its...
24An Address to the Electors of the State of New-York, [21 March 1801] (Hamilton Papers)
To the Electors of the State of New-York Fellow-Citizens! We lately addressed you on the subject of the ensuing election for Governor and Lieutenant-Governor—recommending to your support Stephen Van Rensselaer and James Watson . Since that we have seen the address of our opponents, urging your preference of George Clinton and Jeremiah Van Rensselaer. The whole tenor of our address carries with...
25Promissory Note to Theodosius Fowler, 21 August 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, August 21, 1802. “… Alexander Hamilton … shall pay to … Theodosius Fowler … the sum of One thousand four hundred and fifty one Dollars lawful Money aforesaid on or before the eighteenth day of May next with lawful Interest for the same from the eighteenth day of May last then the Obligation to be Void.…” DS , New-York Historical Society, New York City. For information on the contents...
26From Alexander Hamilton to Albert Gallatin, 6 August 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, August 6, 1802. On August 13, 1802, Gallatin wrote to Hamilton : “I had the honor to receive your letter of the 6th instt.” Letter not found. ]
27From Alexander Hamilton to Samuel Gouverneur, 9 December 1803 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, December 9, 1803. Gives opinion concerning the effect of the French arrêt of June 20, 1803, on neutral shipping. ALS , The Huntington Library, San Marino, California. Gouverneur was a New York City merchant. For the full text of this letter and a discussion of its contents, see Goebel, Law Practice Julius Goebel, Jr., and Joseph H. Smith, eds., The Law Practice of Alexander Hamilton:...
28From Alexander Hamilton to Archibald Gracie, [23 March 1804] (Hamilton Papers)
I have perused the Bill & am of opinion that the prohibition will extend only to Associations or Companies of which the primary and essential purpose or end is, to issue notes make discounts &c, in other words, to operate as a Bank, and not to Commercial companies which may incidentally transact such business. Yet there is some degree of Ambiguity on the subject and questions may arise. The...
29From Alexander Hamilton to John B. Graves, 9 June 1803 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, June 9, 1803. Gives his opinion concerning Graves’s legal questions and states: “Having myself lands in the vicinity of those of Mr. Scriba, I have occasionally received some information concerning the latter.… Some of my lands are now selling to settlers at the rate of three Dollars per acre.” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. This letter was written in reply to Graves to...
30From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, 14 October 1803 (Hamilton Papers)
I arrived here this day, in about as good health as I left home though somewhat fatigued. There are some things necessary to be done which I omitted mentioning to you. I wish the Carpenters to make and insert two Chimnies for ventilating the Ice-House, each about two feet Square & four feet long half above and half below the ground—to have a cap on the top sloping downwards so that the rain...