61From Alexander Hamilton to the Agents of the State of New York for Managing the Controversy with the Commonwealth of … (Hamilton Papers)
The Agents of the State of New York } for managing the controversy with the Commonwealth of Massachusettes 1785 For my services in examining the controversy collecting testimony and drawing brief for the hearing. The time spent in this business I cannot precisely determine but to the best of my recollection and Judgment it must have exceeded in the whole five weeks say however 35 days at £3.4...
62From Alexander Hamilton to Daniel Morgan, 18 November 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, November 18, 1788. On November 18, 1788, Hamilton wrote to George Washington : “I will make no apology for asking you to take the additional trouble of forwarding the inclosed to … General” Daniel Morgan. Letter not found. ]
63From Alexander Hamilton to Walter Livingston, [18 November 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton requests the favour of Mr W Livingston to lend his name to the enclosed. AL , New-York Historical Society, New York City. Livingston, a New York City lawyer, served as Commissioner of the Treasury from 1785 to 1789. The enclosure has not been found, but at the bottom of H’s letter Livingston wrote: “Nov. 18–88 The note enclosed was for £300 payable in 30 days drawn by himself in...
64From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [18 November 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Your two last letters have duly come to hand & the Count De Moustier has delivered me the watch you committed to his charge. Your obliging attention to this matter claims my particular acknowlegements. I will make no apology for asking you to take the additional trouble of forwarding the inclosed to the General. I take the liberty of passing it through you that you may by perusing the contents...
65To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 18 November 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your last two letters have duly come to hand & the Count De Moustier has delivered me the watch you committed to his charge. Your obliging attention to this matter claims my particular acknowledgements. I will make no apology for asking you to take the additional trouble of forwarding the inclosed to the General—I take the liberty of passing it through you that you may by perusing the contents...
66From Alexander Hamilton to Theodore Sedgwick, [9 November 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Your last letter but one met me at Albany attending Court; from whence I am but just returned. Yours of the 2d. instant is this moment handed me. I am very sorry for the scism you hint at among the Foederalists; but I have so much confidence in the good management of the fast friends of the constitution that I hope no ill consequences will ensue from that disagreement. It will however be...
67From Alexander Hamilton to Theodore Sedgwick, [9 October 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I thank you My Dr. Sir for your obliging congratulations on the event towards effecting which your aid as a joint labourer was so essential. I hope experience may show that while it promotes the interest of this place it will not be incompatible with public good. We are making efforts to prepare handsome accommodations for the session of the new Congress. On the subject of Vice President, my...
68From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Olney, [6 October 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Your different favours have duly come to hand for which I thank you and for the trouble you have so obligingly taken to urge forward your delegation. Happily the affair has terminated to our wishes. But My Dear Sir I cannot refrain from being particularly anxious for the accession of your state to the new system. Tis very important to the whole Union & particularly to the Northern part of it...
69From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, September 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
Your Excellency’s friendly and obliging letter of the 28th Ulto. came safely to hand. I thank you for your assurance of seconding my application to General Morgan. The truth of that affair is, that he purchased the watch for a trifle of a British soldier, who plundered Major Cochran at the moment of his fall at York Town. I should be deeply pained my Dear Sir if your scruples in regard to a...
70To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, September 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s friendly and obliging letter of the 28th Ulto came safely to hand. I thank you for your assurance of seconding my application to General Morgan. The truth of that affair is, that he purchased the watch for a trifle of a British soldier, who plundered Major Cochran at the moment of his fall at York Town. I should be deeply pained my Dear Sir if your scruples in regard to a...
71From Alexander Hamilton to Richard Morris, 8 September 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, September 8, 1788. Sends a petition to “The Honorable Richard Morris, Esq., Chief Justice of the State of New York on behalf of the estate of Philip Livingston.” Document not found. ] DS , sold at Parke-Bernet Galleries, April 4, 1939, Lot 241; DS , Columbia University Libraries. This document is printed in Goebel, Law Practice , I, 257-58.
72John H. Livingston, Thomas Jones, Alexander Hamilton, and Brockholst Livingston to Richard Morris, 8 September 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, September 8, 1788. Petition by the administrators of Philip Livingston’s estate to Morris, Chief Justice of the State of New York, to examine and to settle a claim made by Livingston’s estate against the estate of Philip Skene, a Tory whose lands had been confiscated by New York State. DS , Columbia University Libraries. This document is listed as a “document not found” in PAH Harold...
73From Alexander Hamilton to Elbridge Gerry, [6 September 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I am a member of a Committee, to whom the Baron De Steuben’s application to Congress founded upon a certain statement supported among other testimonials by a certificate from you, has been referred. Among the papers committed to us is the copy of a written report made by the Committee appointed to confer with the Baron at York Town. As this report is of a nature to create difficulties in the...
74From Alexander Hamilton to Stephen Lush, 31 August 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, August 31, 1788. Writes concerning a litigation between William Duer and John McCrea. Asks Lush to represent Hamilton’s client, William Duer, before the Court of Chancery in Albany. ALS , Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston. Lush was an Albany lawyer.
75From Alexander Hamilton to William Livingston, [29 August 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
The Baron De Steuben informs me that he expects to set out this day on a visit to your legislature to endeavour to procure some arrangement respecting the place at Hackensack some time since granted to him by your state upon certain conditions. My anxiety for the Baron’s situation induces me to take the liberty of asking your friendship to him as far as may consist with considerations of...
76From Alexander Hamilton to John Chaloner, 28 August 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, August 28, 1788. Has checked on the validity of John Holker’s title to lands in New York State and finds that “the chain of title appears to be complete.” ALS , Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. See Chaloner to H, August 20, 1788 .
77From Alexander Hamilton to Ezekiel Forman, 28 August 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, August 28, 1788. On the envelope of the letter that Forman wrote to Hamilton on August 23, 1788 , Hamilton wrote: “Ansd. Aug 28. 88.” Letter not found. ]
78From Alexander Hamilton to Samuel Broome, [16 August 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I have this moment received your letter of the thirteenth instant, and am sorry that the rules of propriety in respect to my situation, as a member of Congress, will not permit my acting in the capacity you wish. My situation for some time past has prevented my acknowleging one or two of your favors, which have been duly handed to me. I recollect that one of them contains an inquiry concerning...
79From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [13 August 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Capt Cochran of the British navy has requested my aid in recovering a family watch worn by his brother, who fell at York Town, (and now in the possession of _____ _____). In compliance with his request I have written the letter herewith (to_____ _____) which I take the liberty to convey through you, in hope that if you see no impropriety in it, you would add your influence to the endeavour to...
80To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 13 August 1788 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Cochran of the British navy has requested my aid in recovering a family watch worn by his brother, who fell at York Town, (and now in the possession of —— ——). In compliance with this request I have written the letter herewith to —— —— which I take the liberty to convey through you, in hope that if you see no impropriety in it, you would add your influence to the endeavour to gratify...
81From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Olney, [12 August 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
We have a question of very great importance depending in Congress, in which the vote of your state would be decisive. It relates to the place of meeting of the future Congress—Six states and a half prefer New York five and a half Philadelphia. When your delegates were here they voted with us on the intermediate questions; but when the final question came to be put Mr. Hazard’s scruples...
82Certificate by Ezra L’Hommedieu, Egbert Benson, and Alexander Hamilton of a Statement by Abraham Yates, Junior … (Hamilton Papers)
We do certify that Mr Yates has delivered to us a Paper subscribed by him (of which the preceeding is a Copy) as declaritive of his Principles on which he will vote in Congress in the affirmative on the final Question on the Ordinance for putting the new Constitution for the United States into Operation. DS , in the handwriting of Ezra L’Hommedieu, Abraham Yates Papers, MS Division, New York...
83New York Ratifying Convention. Circular Letter to the Governors of the Several States, 26 July 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
Poughkeepsie, New York, July 26, 1788. “We the members of the Convention of this State, have deliberately & maturely considered the Constitution proposed for the united States. Several articles in it appear so exceptionable [to a majority of us], that nothing but the fullest confidence of obtaining a Revision of them by a general convention, and an invincible Reluctance to separating from our...
84New York Ratifying Convention. First Speech of July 24, [24 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Ham[ilton]—Was in hopes this Morning of Unanimity when this Motion was first mentioned. Thot more favourably of it than the other one but since thinks otherwise. Has taken advice with men of character—they think it will not do. Proposed to read a Letter— reads it—supposes this adoption—conditional—and would viciate the business &ct. Himself wrote favourably for it. The terms of the...
85New York Ratifying Convention. Second Speech of July 24, [24 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
[Matthew] Adgate—This business has been effected by degrees. This has heretofore been conceived to have been a Mode that would bring us in. Gent[lemen] now say we cannot—but if we May does not doubt we shall —they must violate the old Confedn. Ham[ilton]—Adg[at]e intimates that they have come down to our Ideas. This is not so—yet we are willing to go as far as we can and be received. The...
86New York Ratifying Convention. Remarks, [23 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Ham[ilton]—thinks we ought to proceed on the report—& if any gent[leman] wishes to introduce an amend[men]t he has a right to do it. Gilbert Livingston MS Notes, MS Division, New York Public Library. For a discussion of the debates on July 23 and of the decisions made by the Convention on that date, see “New York Ratifying Convention. First Speech of July 24 .”
87From Alexander Hamilton to Nathaniel Chipman, 22 July 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
Your brother delivered me your favour which I received with pleasure as the basis of a correspondence that may be productive of public good. The accession of Vermont to the Confederacy is doubtless an object of great importance to the whole, and it appears to me that this is the favorable moment for effecting it upon the best terms for all concerned. Besides more general reasons, there are...
88From Alexander Hamilton to James Madison, [22 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you by the last post since which nothing material has turned up here. We are debating on amendments without having decided what is to be done with them. There is so great a diversity in the views of our opponents that it is impossible to predict any thing. Upon the whole however our fears diminish. Yrs. Affecly I take the liberty for certain reasons to put the inclosed under cover...
89New York Ratifying Convention. First Speech of July 22, [22 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Hamilton objects because there is no security in it—the people are excluded from chusing perhaps your best man— [Melancton] Smith would rather have him elected for 8 yrs & not eligible again—Mov[e]d for it—Jay seconded his Mot[io]n. Ham[ilton]—opposes—a temptation for an avaritious man—to plunder & make the best of his time—has not the motive to please— [Melancton] Smith Much may be said on...
90New York Ratifying Convention. Second Speech of July 22, [22 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Ham[ilton]—among other reasons ag[ains]t it— mentions the probability of having the appointments better thro[ugh] the states, as the senators represent all the states— Gilbert Livingston Papers, MS Division, New York Public Library. H was opposing an amendment which provided “That the Congress appoint in such manner as they may think proper a Council to advise the President in the Appointment...