From John Jay to Alexander Hamilton, 26 November 1793
To Alexander Hamilton
N York 26 Nov 1793
Dr Sir
^Mr. King & I^ we have written this Day to you & General Knox To that Letter and its Enclosures I refer you.
All Men are under moral obligations to support the ^[important?]^ ^the Cause of^ that Truth interesting to the Reputation or Property of Individuals— I presume therefore that the President will permit you to use ^all^ the Evidence of the Fact in Question, which may be in his Possession or power, and consequently give you access to such Documents as may ^perhaps be^ in the office of foreign affairs as may relati^ve^ to it.
To Mr Genet I had no personal Attachment or aversion I have never seen his Face. His Improprieties excited my ^our^ Indignation only as they affected our Country, Governt. and the President, for whom I have invariably ^we both^ entertained the most cordial Respect, Esteem and attachment. These motives directed my ^our^ Conduct relative to that Man, and they who support virtuous Men and virtuous Measures by honest Means, have Reasons to expect reciprocal^ will I am sure recieve from him every proper Degree^ of attention.
I am persuaded that your motives and Feelings on the occasion were similar with mine, and I should be cannot admit of a Doubt of your ^therefore that will^ recievinge from the President on this occasion all that [illegible every Mark of that Sensibility and love of Truth & Justice ^by^ which he
is distinguished and which prudence may permit ^may be proper for him^ to manifest—
It know that you and Mr. is generally understood that you and Mr. Jefferson are not perfectly pleased with each ^other^, but surely he has more Magnanimity than to desire that you may be injured by the suppression of Truth ^be influenced by that Consideration to suppress^ Truth, or what is the same thing by refusing his Evidence or ^his^ Testimony to it— Whatever therefore may be your Situation relative to each other I advise you to apply to him in full Confidence that his Conduct will be that of a Man of Honor ^him^ Men may be hostile to each other in politics and yet be incapable of sacrificing Honor or betraying or deserting the Cause of Truth or of such Conduct.1
Dft, NNC (EJ: 05645). , 15: 412–13. See also RK to AH, 26 Nov. 1793, ibid., 413–14.
1. Dallas, to whom Genet had originally stated his intention to appeal from the president to the people, equivocated about it. Although TJ considered authenticating the accuracy of the accusation against Genet, he ultimately refused to do so. See , 27: 529–32. Thereafter, AH and Knox anonymously and without authorization, quoted the key passage from TJ’s report to GW of 10 July in which TJ had reported that “Mr. Dallas mentioned some things, which he had not said to me, and, particularly, his declaration that he would appeal from the President to the People.” Their statement was published in the American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia), 17 Dec. 1793, under the notice that its printers had received the statement “from an authentic source, with permission to make the source known to any party concerned, who may desire it.” For TJ’s full Memorandum of a Conversation with Genet of 10 July 1793, see , 26: 463–67.