To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 10 May 1796
From Alexander Hamilton
New York May 10. 1796
Sir
When last in Philadelphia you mentioned to me your wish that I should re dress a certain paper which you had prepared—As it is important that a thing of this kind should be done with great care and much at leisure touched & retouched, I submit a wish that as soon as you have given it the body you mean it to have that it may be sent to me.1
A few days since I transmitted you the copy of a letter I had received from Mr G—— M——.2
It is rumoured, that Mr Pinckney Intertains a wish to return to this Country. Give me leave to make known to you, that in such an event, I have ground to believe it would not be disagreeable to Mr King to be the successor.3 I verily believe, that a more fit man for the purpose cannot be found and I imagine Mr King will in every event leave the Senate. Should you think well of his appointment, I presume he would be disposed by a previous resignation to make the way easy to his nomination by you. Considering the strong commercial relations of the two countries it is truly very important that each should have with the other a man able and willing to give fair play to reciprocal interests—From what I have seen of Mr Liston the present Minister of G.B. & from what Mr Pinckney and others say of him to me—I believe he will be found a well disposed intelligent and agreeable man.4 Very respectfully & affectly I have the honor to be Sir Your obedt Servant
A. Hamilton
ALS, NN: Alexander Hamilton Papers.
1. Hamilton had visited Philadelphia in February to argue a case before the Supreme Court. The paper was a draft for GW’s farewell address (see GW to Hamilton, 15 May, and the enclosure to that document; see also Madison to GW, 20 June 1792, enclosure).
2. See Hamilton to GW, 5 May 1796, and enclosure.
3. See Rufus King to Hamilton, 2 May, in 20:151–53.
4. Robert Liston, Great Britain’s new minister to the United States, arrived at New York on 2 May. Liston wrote Phineas Bond, British consul at Philadelphia, from New York on Monday, 9 May: “My intention was to have set out to-day; but the badness of the weather last night & this morning has determined me to defer my departure till to-morrow. And as the roads are likely to be a good deal spoiled by the rain, it will probably be thursday morning before I can have the pleasure of seeing you” (StEdNL: Liston Papers). Liston’s wife, Henrietta, described the trip from New York to Philadelphia in her journal entry dated 26 May. Apparently having reached their destination on Thursday, 12 May, she continued: “Congress had not risen when we arrived, & I felt great anxiety to see the President. Washington has made to himself a name remarkable in Europe, but of peculiar Magic in America. Mr. Liston was introduced by Mr. Pickering. … Mr. Liston delivered his Credentials on a Monday, & Tuesday being Levee day I accompanied him to the House of the President & was, by him [Timothy Pickering], presented to Mrs. Washington, she was seated in a Drawing room alone, & received me with much kindness, her figure, though short & fat, is not with out dignity, her face retains the marks of delicate beauty & her voice is melody itself.
“The Gentlemen from the Levee crowded to make thier Bows to her. …
“After the Levee was over the President came into the room, accompanied by Mr. Liston. Washingtons appearance & manners struck me extremely. Tall, Majestic & well proportioned, his face at the age of sixty three rather pleasing, particularly when he smiles. In his air & movements, there was a dignity which the general coldness of his address did not lesson; to me he was affable & kind & when we rose to take leave, requested to see us often without ceremony or reserve” ( 5–8; quotes on 7–8). Henrietta Marchant Liston wrote her uncle James Jackson from Philadelphia on 28 May regarding GW, “(or as He is called here the President,) I have only time to say that He has paid me every compliment in his power particularly an Invitation to visit him at his House in Virginia which We mean to do” (StEdNL: Liston Papers; see also GW’s first letter to James McHenry, 22 July, and n.2 to that document).