To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, c.16 June 1796
From Alexander Hamilton
[New York, c.16 June 1796]
Sir
I have received information this morning of a nature which I think you ought to receive without delay—A Mr Le Guen, a Frenchman, a client of mine and in whom I have inspired confidence, and who is apparently a discreet and decent man, called on me this morning to consult me on the expediency of his becoming naturalized, in order that certain events between France and the U. States might not prejudice him in a suit which I am directed to bring for him for a value of 160,000 Dollars1—I asked him what the events to which he alluded were—He made me the following reply under the strictest injunctions of confidence. “I have seen a letter from St Thonax2 to Mr Labagarde of this City—informing him that a plan was adopted to seize all American vessels carrying to any English Port provisions of any kind to conduct them into some French Port, if found to be British property to condemn them, if American, to take them on the accountability of the Government—adding that he must not thence infer that it was the intention to make war upon the U. States—but it was with a view to retaliate the conduct of Great Britain, to keep supplies from her, and to obtain them for themselves, and was also bottomed on some political motives not necessary to be explained. That it was also in contemplation when Admiral Richery arrived, if the Ships could be spared to send five sail of the line to this Country.” Fearing he said that this might produce a rupture between the two Countries he had called to consult me on the subject &c.3
I asked his permission to make the communication to you—He gave me leave to do it, but with the absolute condition that the knowlege of names was on no account to go beyond you and myself. I must therefore request Sir that this condition be exactly observed4—He has promised me further information.
I believe the information, as well because the source of it under all the circumstances engages my confidence, as because the thing appears in itself probable—France wants supplies and she has not the means of paying & our Merchants have done creditting.
It becomes very material that the real situation should as soon as possible be ascertained & that the Merchants should know on what they have to depend. They expect that the Government will ask an explanation of Mr Adet & that in some proper way the result will be made known.
It seems to become more and more urgent that the U. States should have some faithful organ near the French Government to explain their real views and ascertain those of the French—It is all important that the people should be satisfied that the Government has made every exertion to avert Rupture as early as possible.5 Most respectfully & Affect. I have the honor to be Sir Yr Obed. serv.
A. Hamilton
ALS, DLC:GW; copy, in GW’s writing, DLC:GW; copy, DLC: Hamilton Papers. GW docketed the ALS: “without date But recd the 23. June 1796.” The cover of the ALS was addressed to GW at Philadelphia, which he had left for Mount Vernon on 13 June (see GW to David Humphreys, 12 June). Secretary of the Treasury Oliver Wolcott, Jr., then at Philadelphia, began a letter to Hamilton on 17 June: “I have your Letters of the 15th. & 16th. instant—that for the President will go on by the next mail” ( 20:230–33). The dating presumes that Wolcott referred to this letter. GW enclosed the copy in his writing in a letter to Secretary of State Timothy Pickering dated 24 June (see also GW to Wolcott, same date). He wrote at the top of that enclosure: “Copy—(given in confidence, and to be returned to G.W.).” He wrote at the bottom of the same copy: “This letter has no date; but came by the Post of Wednesday, to Alexandria, under cover from The Secretary of the Treasury.”
1. The merchant Louis Le Guen (c. 1757–c.1830), a native of St. Malo, France, came to New York in 1794. At the July 1796 term of the New York Supreme Court of Judicature, Hamilton instituted action in Le Guen’s suit against Isaac Gouverneur, Jr., and Peter Kemble. For the cases involved in the dispute among these men over the handling of goods that Le Guen brought to New York, see 2:48–164. Le Guen’s applications for citizenship apparently never succeeded (see Le Guen to Hamilton, 13 July 1799, in 23:263–65; and Le Guen’s petition to Richard Peters, sworn on 31 Aug. 1810, when he resided in Philadelphia, in DNA: RG 21, Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania).
2. Hamilton placed an asterisk here to reference a marginal note that reads “Santhonax.” Léger Félicité Sonthonax, formerly among the French commissioners governing Saint Domingue, recently had returned to the island as one of several special agents sent to reassert French control.
3. The letter from Sonthonax has not been identified, but “A CITIZEN” sent to John Fenno a different summary of what was surely the same letter. Fenno printed it in his Gazette of the United States (Philadelphia) for 20 June. That summary expanded on the political motives and explained that merchants “who have so zealously supported” the Jay Treaty “should see that there are two sides to the question, and that by temporizing with our enemy, they will not enjoy that full exemption from the inconveniences of war which they have promised themselves. It is also essential that we should support our friends in America, by fulfilling their predictions of evil from the treaty.” The French republic did not desire “a final rupture” with the United States, “and we have no fears that it will come to an open breach with us. Notwithstanding the coalition between Pitt and Washington, we are well assured by our confidential friends that the attachment of the American people to the French nation will oblige the government to be passive, and that if its folly should prompt it to a r[u]pture with us, there will be more to put on the tri-coloured cockade, than to join the standard of the hypocritical Washington.” A copy of that newspaper, with a manicule directing attention to “A CITIZEN’s” letter, is in DLC:GW.
The recipient of the letter most likely was Peter Delabigarre (d. 1807), a New York City merchant.
Admiral Richery’s fleet remained on station at Cadiz, Spain, until August 1796, and then operated off Newfoundland before returning to France that November.
Joseph de Richery (1757–1799), a career officer in the French navy, had been promoted to admiral in early 1796.
4. On the copy of this letter in his writing, GW rendered as blanks all the names and the sum involved in the lawsuit.