61To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 5 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday after the departure of the Post I received your letter of the 3d. I have since seen the answer to Adet. I perceive in it nothing intrinsically exceptionable but something in the manner a little epigrammatical and sharp. I make this remark freely, because the Card now to be played is perhaps the most delicate that has occurred in your administration—And nations like Individuals...
62From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [4 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have lately been honored with two letters from you, one from Mount Vernon the other from Philadelphia, which came to hand yesterday. I immediately sent the last to Mr. Jay & conferred with him last night. We settled our opinion on one point—(viz) That whether Mr Adet acted with or without instruction from his Government in publishing his communication, he committed a disrespect towards our...
63To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 4 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
I have lately been honored with two letters from you, one from Mount Vernon the other from Philadelphia, which came to hand yesterday. I immediately sent the last to Mr Jay & conferred with him last night. We settled our opinion on one point—(viz.) That whether Mr Adet acted with or without instructi[o]n from his Government in publishing his communication, he committed a disrespect towards our...
64From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [3 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have more carefully examined our Treaty with G Britain & I return to the opinion given you from Albany. My hesitation yesterday arose from the terms of the 24th article which were confined to privateers , a word that has an appropriate sense, meaning ships of private persons commissioned to cruise . But the following article contains the equivalent one to that with France, upon which we...
65From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [1 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote you a line from Albany expressing an opinion from Memory , that our Treaty with G B prohibitted the sale of prizes made by French National Ships. Being just returned to Town I have looked into the article which relates to the point & I fear that opinion was wrong. In a day or two I will write you more particularly. Adets late communication demands a very careful & well managed answer....
66From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 27 October 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 17th instant found me at Albany attending the Supreme Court. I have no copy of the Treaty with G B at hand, but I am well satisfied from memory that the true interpretation of that Treaty, enforcing in this respect the true Rule of neutrality, forbids our permitting the sale of a prize taken & brought in by a French National Ship, equally as if by a Privateer —and that the...
67From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [26 October 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote you yesterday by Mr. Rensselaer. Since that I received yours of Friday last which gave me much pleasure. I was consoled to hear that you & our darling little ones were well—though I shall be anxious till I rejoin you lest there should be a relapse or some new attack. Your father is really better and as I hope in no present danger. His breaking out looks less & less like mortification &...
68From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, 25 [October] 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
The extreme hurry in which I have been My Dear Eliza since my arrival here has prevented my writing to you. This serves merely to inform you that my health is as good as when I left you & let me add that your father is much better than he was & the rest of your family in good health. I need not add that I am impatient to be restored to your bosom & to the presence of my beloved Children. Tis...
69From Alexander Hamilton to Benjamin Walker, 15 October [1796] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York ] October 15 [ 1796 ]. “Troupe & I have conferred. We think, considering the magnitude of the concerns, the diversifications of it into sub-branches—the ability of parties &c.—We may reasonably expect each of us as a Retainer for each of your principals £50. that is to To Hamilton NY Curry For Pulteney £50 For Horneby 50 Same to Troupe £100 = 250 Ds. We shall consider this as a...
70From Alexander Hamilton to Théophile Cazenove, [12 October 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, October 12, 1796. ] “I have received two letters of the 6th & 10th of October from Judge James Wilson respecting certain tracts of land … to which I reply That some of the conditions in the Contracts between Mr. Wilson & the Holland Company not being yet fulfilled they are not at present obliged nor prepared to make the elections which those contracts reserve to them.… I cannot...
71From Alexander Hamilton to Nicholas Low, [12 October 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton will thank Mr. Low if not inconvenient for the loan of 100 Dollars for a few days. AL , The Sol Feinstone Collection, Library of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia. Low, a New York City merchant and land speculator, had been a director of the Bank of New York and of the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures. In 1796 he was a director of the New York Office of...
72Account with Archibald Drummond, 4 October 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
Col: Hamilton To Archibd Drummond, Dr. 1795 Decr. 22d. 1 large slate 4/6 £ “ 2 Pencils 2/6 1 Copy 2/0 11.6 1 Ashes Grammr. 2/6 24 1 Espinasses 1.18 . 4 papers ink powdr.
73From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Wadsworth, 29 September 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
Permit me to introduce to your acquaintance and recommend to your Civilities the bearer of this, Mr. Hoffman, our Atty General who goes to Connecticut on the question of the Connecticut Gore. He will wish to engage the assistance of one of your Lawyers; will you assist him with your advice? Yrs. Affectly ALS , Blumhaven Library and Gallery, Philadelphia. Wadsworth, a friend of H for many...
74From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, [24 September 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
At length, Dear Angelica our apprehensions are realized and your coming is deferred. But though life is too short to render it agreeable to lose even a winter in the passage from hope to enjoyment in any thing which materially interests us—yet if you do really come in the Spring and bring with you Mr. Church it will afford us consolation, because it will leave less ultimately at hazard and may...
75From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, 21 September 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
Some time since Mr. McCormick spoke to me about the case of his Kinsman Mr. Pitcairn whom Mr. Monroe had prevented from exercising the functions of Consul. I can, in justice, inform you that this Gentleman is well considered in our City and that his political principles have been understood to be very friendly to the French Revolution; nor have we any doubt that his sentiments towards our own...
76From Alexander Hamilton to John Steele, 20 September 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, September 20, 1796. On September 23, 1796, Steele wrote to Hamilton : “I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 20th. inst.” Letter not found. ] On July 1, 1796, when Congress was not in session, Timothy Pickering informed John Steele, a Federalist member of the House of Representatives from North Carolina from 1789 to 1793, of his appointment as comptroller of the...
77From Alexander Hamilton to Phineas Bond, 15 September 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
Two days since a letter was delivered to me with a declaration of the bearer that it came from Mr. Lyston. On opening the cover, I found nothing except a letter from Capt Cochran (which though not addressed would appear to have been written to some public agent of Great Britain) and a declaration of David Wilson and Thomas Marshall respecting the ship Eliza . The superscription of the packet...
78From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, [12 September 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter transmitting me a draft on H & S Johnson & Co. for 857 Dollars & 14 Cents on account of Kinloch’s debt to Mr. Church. Lest I should not see you here give me leave to request information in whose care the affairs of Mr. Church have been left by you—& whether any thing more has been done with Mrs Cattle’s alias Bowman’s note. The above bill has been accepted. I...
79From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 8 September 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 6th. by the bearer. The draft was sent forward by Post on Tuesday. I shall prepare a paragraph with respect to the University & some others for consideration respecting other points which have occured. With true respect & attachment I have the honor to be Sir Yr. very obed serv ALS , MS Division, New York Public Library. For background to this letter, see...
80From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 5 September 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I return the draft corrected agreeably to your intimations. You will observe a short paragraph added respecting Education . As to the establishment of a University, it is a point which in connection with military schools, & some other things, I meant, agreeably to your desire to suggest to you, as parts of your Speech at the opening of the session. There will several things come there much...
81To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 5 September 1796 (Washington Papers)
I return the draft corrected agreeably to your intimations. You will observe a short paragraph added respecting Education. As to the establishment of a University, it is a point which in connection with military schools, & some other things, I meant, agreeably to your desire to suggest to you, as parts of your Speech at the opening of the session. There will several things come there much...
82From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 4 September 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your two late letters, the last but one transmitting me a certain draft. It will be corrected & altered with attention to your suggestions & returned by Monday’s or Tuesday’s post. The idea of the university is one of those which I think will be most properly reserved for your speech at the opening of the session. A general suggestion respecting education will very fitly come...
83To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 4 September 1796 (Washington Papers)
I have received your two late letters, the last but one transmitting me a certain draft. It will be corrected & altered with attention to your suggestions & returned by Monday’s or Tuesday’s post —The idea of the university is one of those which I think will be most properly reserved for your speech at the opening of the session. A general suggestion respecting education will very fitly come...
84From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [May–August 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, May–August, 1796. ] “I have been applied to for an opinion concerning the Georgia Claim.… I will thank you for the Report of the Attorney General on that subject, to Congress.…” Copy, Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford. This is a reference to the claims of the Georgia Yazoo land companies which were organized in 1795. For information on these land grants and their revocation,...
85From Alexander Hamilton to Stephen Van Rensselaer, 25 August 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, August 25, 1796. “I embrace with pleasure the opportunity of making you acquainted with Mr. Adet Minister P: of the French Republic, for whom it is unnecessary for me to ask your particular attentions as they are equally due to his public and personal character. I will only add that I shall take a particular interest in whatever you may do to render his visit to Albany agreeable to...
86From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [10 August 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
About a fortnight since, I sent you a certain draft. I now send you another on the plan of incorporating. Whichever you may prefer, if there be any part you wish to transfer from one to another any part to be changed—or if there be any material idea in your own draft which has happened to be omitted and which you wish introduced—in short if there be any thing further in the matter in which I...
87Enclosure: Draft on the Plan of Incorporating, [10 August 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The strength of my desire to resume a private station had led, previous to the last election, to the preparation of an address to declare it to you, which it was my intention to have published in the year 1792 early enough to have made the knowlege of it general in due time for that Election. But mature reflection on the very critical and perplexed posture of our affairs with foreign nations...
88To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 10 August 1796 (Washington Papers)
About a fortnight since, I sent you a certain draft. I now send you another on the plan of incorporating. Whichever you may prefer, if there be any part you wish to transfer from one to another any part to be changed—or if there be any material idea in your own draft which has happened to be omitted and which you wish introduced—in short if there be any thing further in the matter in which I...
89From Alexander Hamilton to Richard Hatfield, 9 August 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, August 9, 1796. “I have in my hands two bonds one from Joseph Lyon of White Plains, in WestChester for £ 82.10 dated the 9th of Feby 1770—the other from Joseph Lyon and Daniel Lyon dated the 2nd. of may in the year 1768 both to General Schuyler.… As well from finding your name mentioned in the matter as from the belief that you are more likely than any other to know the situation of...
90From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [5 August 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The Bank of New York is willing to make the loan of 324 000 Dollars to you (I mean the exact sum of about this amount, if you desire it, which one of the laws you mentioned authorises to borrow) on these terms to advance all but two hundred thousand Dollars when you please—to advance the two hundred thousand Dollars, by way of reloan, when that sum, payable in October, becomes due. The term of...