To Alexander Hamilton from Tench Coxe, [1 January 1794]
From Tench Coxe1
[Philadelphia, January 1, 1794]
Mr. Coxe has the honor to inform Mr. Hamilton that an offer was made to him last Night of one dollar ⅌ Acre for two parcels one on Snow Valley run a water of Mahantango—& the other in Nescopeack—in all about 8500 As. belong to Church & Coxe—of the land purchased for Mr. Church & himself (Mr. C.) last Spring. The payment will be prompt. Mr. Coxe intends to accept the offer for his part, and wishes to be informed by three OClock, if it will be agreeable to Mr. Hamilton that the part belonging to Mr. Church should also be sold.
Mr. Coxe finds that he has not a copy of the Corn Law of G Britain,2 but he thinks Mr. Vaughan3 or Mr. Bond4 could lend it to Mr. Hamilton.
AL, Papers of Tench Coxe in the Coxe Family Papers at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
1. For an explanation of the contents of the first paragraph of this letter, see the introductory note to Coxe to H, February 13, 1795 (, XVIII, 262–69). See also the references cited in Coxe to H, April 13, 1793, note 3 (printed in this volume).
2. H may have wanted a copy of the “Corn Law” for his “View of the Commercial Regulations of France and Great Britain in Reference to the United States,” which is dated 1792–1793 in , XIII, 395, but which may have been written in 1794.
There were, of course, numerous “Corn Laws,” but this is presumably a reference to “An Act for regulating the Importation and Exportation of Corn, and the Payment of the Duty on Foreign Corn Imported, and of the Bounty of British Corn exported” (31 Geo. III, C. 30 [1791]). See also “An Act for indemnifying all Persons who have been concerned in advising and carrying into Execution an Order of Council respecting the Exportation of Wheat and Wheat Flour, for preventing Suits in consequence of the same, and for making further Provisions relative thereto; and also for authorizing his Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Corn, Meal, Flour, Bread, Biscuit, and Potatoes; and to permit the Importation of Corn, Meal, or Flour, on Low Duties” (33 Geo. III, C. 3 [1793]).
3. This may be a reference to John Vaughan, a Philadelphia wine merchant and importer.
4. Phineas Bond was the British consul at Philadelphia.