Alexander Hamilton Papers
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From James Duane, John Jay, and Robert R. Livingston to Alexander Hamilton and Samuel Jones, 9 June 1785

From James Duane, John Jay, and Robert R. Livingston
to Alexander Hamilton and Samuel Jones

[New York] June 9, 1785

At a meeting of the agents appointed by the state of New York to manage their controversy with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts1—it is agreed that a general retaining fee be given to Alexander Hamilton and Samuel Jones2 Esqrs. as Counsellors and Solicitors on the part of this State that the brief already prepared together with the necessary papers be put in their hands—That they compleat the said Brief with as much expedition as possible—That they collect every necessary evidence from the records and order three copies to be made of such Brief for the use of the agents and Counsellors who are to attend the trial3

Jas. Duane

John Jay

Robt. R Livingston

Copy, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California; copy, New-York Historical Society, New York City.

1For information on this controversy, see “Notes on the History of North and South America,” December, 1786.

2Jones, a resident of Oyster Bay, Long Island, had recently been elected to the New York Assembly. He was a partisan of Governor George Clinton.

3The brief drawn up in this controversy is in H’s writing. Jones apparently also served as counsel, for in the James Duane Papers, New-York Historical Society, there is an account from Jones against the agents of the State of New York. In Luther S. Livingston, ed., American Book-Prices Current (New York, 1911), 812, there is an entry which reads: “Autograph Postscript, 8 lines, signed, to a copy of an agreement between the Agents of New York and Alexander Hamilton and Samuel Jones as Counsellors in the Controversy with Massachusetts.” This document has not been found.

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