31From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [15 June 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The post of today brought me a letter from you. From some recent information which I have obtained here, I have scarcely a doubt that the plan of the French is—1 to take all enemy property in our Ships contrary to the Treaty between the two Countries 2 to seize and carry in all our vessels laden with provisions for any English Port. Among this all that they choose to think enemy property will...
32From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 16 June 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
It appears to me material under our present prospects to complete the three frigates without delay. They may be useful with reference to the Algerines—they may be useful to convoy our vessels out of the reach of pickeroon privateers hovering on our Coast. I know you want money but could not the Merchants by secret movements be put in motion to make you a loan. I think something of this kind...
33From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [26 June 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I learn from a Gentleman of character that a prize brought into Boston by a French Privateer is about to be sold. This being in direct breach of our Treaty with G Britain how does it happen? Though no particular law passed, the Treaty being the law of the land, Our custom houses can & ought to prevent the entry & sale of prizes, upon Executive instruction. If any thing is wanting to this end...
34From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [7 July 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have had some conversation with some influential Members of the Bank of New York who are disposed to do all that shall be found possible. But I wish to know without exaggeration the least sum that will be a material relief to you & when & how the payments will be desired. Yrs. ALS , Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford. For an explanation of the contents of this letter, see H to Wolcott,...
35From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [8 July 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received your letter of the 6th. The idea of selling Bank Stock is the worst of all & can only be urged on a plan of private speculation. Acquiescence may tempt the Bank to oppress hereafter for speculation purposes. I have talked to some Directors of the Bank of New York conformably to your first suggestion, respecting the deposit of Stock & it will not be expedient to change...
36From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [15 July 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The application for a loan from the Bank of New York though powerfully supported by some of the leading directors labours; owing to the jealousy & narrowness of certain ones who see in it a plan to increase the active capital of the Branch Bank & put them in its power. Unluckily the President suddenly went off to R Island with his wife & some sick Children. I pursue the affair & I hope still...
37From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [28 July 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have not lost sight of the negotiation with the Bank though it labours & I have thought it best to let it lie bye till the President returns. Mc.Cormick is violent against it & plays on little jealousies, & what is still more efficacious private interests; representing the consequent inability of the Bank to accommodate the Merchants, many of whom from the unfortunate issue of some late...
38From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 30 July 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I had written you a short line previous to the Receipt of your letter of the 26th to which indeed I can add nothing material. It will, as things stand, be imprudent to push the point of a further loan till the President arrives —for though a majority of the Directors are well disposed to the thing, they are afraid of McCormick’s clamours and want the sanction of the President to controul &...
39From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [3 August 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 1st. I deplore the picture it gives and henceforth wish to forget there is a Bank or a Treasury in the U States, though I shall not forget my regard to individuals. I do not see one argument in any possible shape of the thing for the sale of Bank Stock or against that of the other stock, which does not apply vice versa & I shall consider it as one of the most...
40From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [5 August 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The Bank of New York is willing to make the loan of 324 000 Dollars to you (I mean the exact sum of about this amount, if you desire it, which one of the laws you mentioned authorises to borrow) on these terms to advance all but two hundred thousand Dollars when you please—to advance the two hundred thousand Dollars, by way of reloan, when that sum, payable in October, becomes due. The term of...
41From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 27 October 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 17th instant found me at Albany attending the Supreme Court. I have no copy of the Treaty with G B at hand, but I am well satisfied from memory that the true interpretation of that Treaty, enforcing in this respect the true Rule of neutrality, forbids our permitting the sale of a prize taken & brought in by a French National Ship, equally as if by a Privateer —and that the...
42From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [1 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote you a line from Albany expressing an opinion from Memory , that our Treaty with G B prohibitted the sale of prizes made by French National Ships. Being just returned to Town I have looked into the article which relates to the point & I fear that opinion was wrong. In a day or two I will write you more particularly. Adets late communication demands a very careful & well managed answer....
43From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [3 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have more carefully examined our Treaty with G Britain & I return to the opinion given you from Albany. My hesitation yesterday arose from the terms of the 24th article which were confined to privateers , a word that has an appropriate sense, meaning ships of private persons commissioned to cruise . But the following article contains the equivalent one to that with France, upon which we...
44From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [9 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I received yesterday your letter of the 6th & immediately wrote some additional letters to the Eastward enforcing what I had before written. Pensylvania does not surprise me. I have reconsidered the opinion given to you on the 3d, & see no reason to change it. The reasoning which leads me to the conclusion has not been sufficiently explained. I will therefore be more particular. The articles...
45From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 22 November 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I thank you for your Note sending me Adet’s letter. The present is in my opinion as critical a situation as our Government has been in—requiring all its prudence all its wisdom all its moderation, all its firmness. Though the thing is now passed, I do not think it useless to say to you that I was not well pleased with the Secretary of State’s answer to Adets note communicating the order...
46From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [6 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The President of the Bank of New York called upon me yesterday and manifested considerable anxiety about the State of the Bank. It seems the course of things lately, and their large accommodation to the Government, have produced a heavy ballance against them in favor of the Office of Discount at this place, which has lately called for 100000 Ds in specie & it is apprehended may speedily call...
47From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [21 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I did not understand by your letter of the 17th. of November whether you meant or not to authorise the immediate commencement of the sale of Stock. If you think this measure will become indispensable, it may be well to anticipate the execution; though indeed sales of Stock are at this juncture nearly impracticable. Yet I imagine it will be agreeable to the Bank to have permission to...
48From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [23 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you two days ago on the subject of obtaining an instruction from the Bank of the U States to the Direction of the Office here to prevent a speedy repetition of their call on the Bank of New York. This Bank has so large a proportion of its whole Capital in the power of the Office that if it be not tranquillized on the subject of demands from that quarter, it will be driven to such...
49From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 28 December 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I received yesterday your’s by Post, which I communicated immediately to the Directors of both Banks, that is, so much as concerned each party. It has been very consolatory to the Bank of New York & will do good. All will be well. Mr. Alexander McComb applied, while I was in Office, respecting some land he & Edgar had purchased of the Public and on which they had made a partial payment which...
50From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [17 February 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I groan My Dr. Sir at the disgraceful course of our affairs. I pity all those who are officially in their vortex. The behaviour of Congress in the present crisis is a new political phœnomenon. They must be severally arraigned before the Bar of the Public. How unfortunate that our friends suffer themselves by their passiveness to be confounded in the guilt. Yrs. truly ALS , Connecticut...
51From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [30 March 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
Every one who can properly appreciate the situation of our Affairs at this moment, in all the extent of possible circumstances, must be extremely anxious for such a course of conduct in our Government which will unite the utmost prudence with energy. It has been a considerable time my wish that a Commission extraordinary Madison Pinkney Cabot should be constituted to go to France to explain...
52From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [5 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of March 31. I hope nothing in my last was misunderstood. Could it be necessary I would assure you that no one has a stronger convinction than myself of the purity of the motives which direct your public Conduct or of the good sense and judgment by which it is guided. If I have a fear (you will excuse my frankness), it is lest the strength of your feelings, the...
53From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [13 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
The post of today brought me a letter from you. I am just informed that an order is come to the Custom House not to clear out any Vessel if armed , unless destined for the East Indies. Under the present circumstances I very much doubt the expediency of this measure. The excesses of France justify passiveness in the Government and its inability to protect the Merchants required that it should...
54From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [22 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
The consideration for the candidates in the better part of the community stands nearly thus. Clarkeson , ver Plank , Fish = Walker , Burrall , Giles ,
55From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 22 April 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
My absence from New York to attend the Court here has put it out of my power to answer sooner your letter of the 13th instant. The characters which occur to me as proper to be considered for Collector are these— Benjamin Walker —This Gentleman you know as well as I do. He is every way qualified and fit, and had he remained in the place of naval officer he might, qualified as he is, have looked...
56From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 6 June [1797] (Hamilton Papers)
You some time ago put a question to me, which through hurry, I never answered— viz whether there can be any distinction between the provision in the Treaty with Great Britain respecting British debts and that respecting spoliations , as to the power of the Commissioners to re judge the decisions of the Courts . I answer that I can discover none . I am of opinion however that in the exercise of...
57From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [8 June 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your two letters of the 6th & 7. The last announces to me no more than I feared. Nor do I believe any sufficient external impulse can be given to save us from disgrace . This however will be thought of. I regret that you appear remote from the idea of a house tax simply without combining the land. I do not differ from your general principle. The truth is a solid one, that the...
58From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [8 September 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received the inclosed letter which I send to you with only this remark that I have a good opinion of the writer . I know that the pretensions of the person recommended will be weighed in an equal scale & will have all the attention to which they are intitled. Yrs. truly ALS , RG 59, General Records of the State Department, Applications and Recommendations, 1792–1801, National Archives....
59From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [20 November 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
Give me leave to remind you of your promise to send me the documents and information which authenticate the situation of Mr. Beaumarchais as to the unaccounted for Million . Allow me also to mention to you another point. I hear there is a plan among the Directors of the Bank to transfer the management of their concerns from the House of Cazenove to that of Baring. When the arrangement was...
60From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [April 1798] (Hamilton Papers)
I thank you for your last letter. The opinion with regard to the conduct of the President is very important. As to our finances all will be well, if our councils are wise & vigorous; if not, all will go to ruin. I fear there is not among the friends sufficient capaciousness of views for the greatness of the occasion. I send the inclosed because it required correction. AL , Connecticut...