4051From Alexander Hamilton to Vicomte de Noailles, 5 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I observe that the French Regulations as well as those of several other countries adopt a fixed measure for the pace ( pas ) without regard to the velocity, which in the French code is two feet French . As the measures differ in different European establishments, I have been causing experiments to be made in order to discover if practicable, a standard in nature relatively to the medium sise...
4052From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 21 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of 15th is received. I have no doubt that an offence, committed on board a public ship of war, on the high seas, is committed within the jurisdiction of the nation, to whom the ship belongs. How far the president of the US. would be justifiable in directing the judge, to deliver up the offender, is not clear. I have no objection to advice and request him to do it. I am quite of your...
4053To John Adams from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 20 August 1797 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here on Friday evening from Litchfield where I had been detained much longer than I expected, having left my father & brother, as I presume, in a fair way of recovery from Sickness. I have recd. two Letters, soliciting appointments, which I deem it my duty to transmit for consideration. Mr. Borland was recommended as a Candidate for an Inspectorship at the time a vancancy happened by...
4054From Alexander Hamilton to Samuel Hodgdon, 29 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
The following is an extract of a letter from Major Rivardi dated the 8th. May instant— “I am in daily expectation of the troops and Officers from Detroit, & hope they will bring Cloathing with them for the Infantry several men being destute of it.” Not Having very good information of the State of that affair, no exact account of the supplies that have been sent to that place—I send you the...
4055To John Adams from Abigail Fellows Cunningham, 11 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I beg leave to congratulate you on your safe Return to your peaceful Retreat. may nothing disturb you. I think, it is almost, an unpardonable sin, for any one to trouble you, with unnecessary addresses, or impertinance when you are overwhelmed, with the Ardous cares and perplexities, of saving, States and Nations and Empires, which is enough to Set any King becide him self, if he had not God,...
4056From Alexander Hamilton to William Donnison, 2 January 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the sixteenth of December, and am much obliged to you for the information which it contains relative to the merits of Major Walker— W— ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
4057To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 29 August 1800 (Madison Papers)
Before the reciept of your last favor, mr. McGehee had called on me, and satisfied me that the entry of nails delivered in Aug. & left blank was really of nails charged in July & not then delivered. The misconception on my part arose from imperfect entries made on the reports of mr. Richardson who generally delivered out the nails. I am chagrined at it’s having been the cause of my holding the...
4058To George Washington from James McHenry, 21 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is a list of the names of the persons appointed from Virginia, for the Cavalry and Infantry. It distinguishes, 1st Those who have accepted. 2. Those who have declined & 3d Those who have not been heard from. I sent your letter to McAlpin. But as the Spring vessels have not yet arrived by which the gold thread is expected, of course your uniform is not yet finished. I intended sending...
4059From George Washington to James McHenry, 6 June 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly favoured with your letters of the 11th, 19th and 21st of last month, with their inclosures. Referring to my letter of the 13th ultimo for the reasons which prevented my having a personal knowledge of such Characters in Virginia, as may be proper to be selected for Officers in the eventual or provisional Army—and having shewn therein the difficulties which would arise from the...
4060From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 5 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your private letter of June 27 & approve the alterations in the proclamation alluded to in it. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
4061To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 19 August 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received this morning your letter of the 17th inst. Mr Jones is without your letter of the 4th to Mr Monroe, and the want of it delays the publication. With respect to the papers inclosed to you by Mr. Tillery. I wrote to McKee on the 25th of July ulto. “I will state to you briefly the difficulty which prevents any final determination at present on the two propositions which respect the...
4062To George Washington from Lawrence Augustine Washington, 23 August 1797 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the pleasure to see you, I have become engaged to be married to a young lady near Winchester. Her name is Wood. The daughter of Mr Robt Wood. She has been brought up in the habit of domestic œconomy & industry & to consider the true excellence of a farmers wife to consist in a minute attention to the œconomy of her family & a continued reguard to her husbands domestic interests....
4063From Alexander Hamilton to Joseph Cross, 17 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received your letter of the eighth of this month, and would thank you to inform me when you received obtained your furlough, and from whom. With consideration I am, Sir ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
4064From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 31 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the honor to send you the arrangement which has been proposed by General Wilkinson and approved by me; subject to a negative from your Department, previous to his Departure. This mode has been adopted to accelerate his return. In a few instances, transfers of Officers from one Regiment to another are made in order to avoid as much as possible the separation of Officers from men. But...
4065From George Washington to James Keith, 13 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
(Private) Dear Sir, Mount Vernon 13th Mar. 1798 A few days ago I received the enclosed letter and Papers from Mr Lear, but before I execute the Deed to the President of the Potomack Company alone, I wish to be informed from you (as one of the Directors) whether this would be agreeable to the letter of the Resolutions, on which the measure is founded —and if not strictly so, whether the Act of...
4066To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 15 July 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
The french still maintain themselves in switzerland tho’ unless soon and strongly reinforced they will be driven out of it. The success of the Allies has been almost uninterupted in Italy, from whence according to present appearances the Enemy must be in a short time be totally expelled. Thus far the Coalition has performed Prodigies—but the confederates are not without mutual Jealousies,...
4067From Alexander Hamilton to James Cochran, 31 January 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Letter Not Found. ( LS , sold at Anderson Galleries, October 19, 1926, Lot No. 159). Letter not found.
4068From John Adams to John Marshall, 30 September 1800 (Adams Papers)
The enclosed letter from Mr. William Rogers of N York, requesting to be Consul at Bourdeaux I pray you to file with others, aiming at the same object. I am Sir with much respect, MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
4069Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 October 1800 (Adams Papers)
I have not written to you since you left Me, but as I know you must feel anxious to hear, I write tho it will but add to your apprehensions; my own Health has mended, tho the Weather has been so wet and unpleasent that I have not dared to venture out, not even to See my dear sister in her sickness and distress. she is very low with the fever confined to her Bed. Katy Gannet taken down, &...
4070Memorandum to Thomas Mann Randolph, 30 October 1799 (Jefferson Papers)
the above is the standard we use. Th:J. will be obliged to mr Randolph to have them made & shod as quick as possible, as his corn is suffering much for want of being got in. Oct. 30. 99. MS ( DLC ); written on scrap of paper, entirely in TJ’s hand. Not recorded in SJL . TJ here canceled “4¼.” TJ here canceled “2¼.
4071Formation and Disposition of a Regiment of Infantry, [December 1799–March 1800] (Hamilton Papers)
In conformity with the establishment by law and until a definitive arrangement shall be prescribed by authority of the President of the UStates the following formation and disposition of a Regiment of Infantry are to be observed. A Regiment will consist of Batalions Divisions Companies Platoons sections and squads. A Batalion is composed of five Companies. A division will comprehend two...
4072From John Adams to Richard Brearse, 31 October 1798 (Adams Papers)
An Address so animated with public Spirit as that of so respectable a Grand Jury the 26 of October from so respectable a Grand Jury transmitted to me At their desire by the Chief Justice of the State, could not fail to command my affectionate Gratitude. We have indeed heard enough of hollow professions of Friendship while We have felt real War the Depredations, Insults and Cruelties of real...
4073To John Jay from Timothy Pickering, 8 June 1797 (Jay Papers)
The manner in which you have noticed my letter to General Pinckney, at its first publication, and recently in your letter of the 27th ult. has given me the truest satisfaction; while the reproaches of the whole body of democrats, of French Devotees , excite no other sensation than that of regret for the mischief their lies and misrepresentations produce thro’ the country. I am well informed...
4074From George Washington to Roger West, 19 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
Sometime ago the Servant who waits upon me, named Christopher (calling himself Christopher Sheels) asked my permission to marry a Mulatto girl belonging to you. As he had behaved as well as servants usually do, I told him I had no objection to the union, provided your consent (which was necessary) could be obtained. This I presume happened⟨,⟩ because I understand they are married. I was in...
4075To Thomas Jefferson from Van Staphorst & Hubbard, 10 July 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
We are honored with your esteemed favor of 8 May, inclosing Letters for General Kosciuszko & the Baron de Geismar, which have been carefully forwarded, and to the former We likewise transmitted duly accepted, the Bill to his order sent us by Mr. John Barnes of Philadelphia. Messs: Danl. Ludlow & Co. of Newyork advise us to have received from you Two Hundred Dollars, that We place to the Credit...
4076To John Adams from John Barry, 8 May 1798 (Adams Papers)
Having had the honour of being admitted into your pressence, and informed you of matters that was my duty to do—As I am disappointed of getting to serve in the revenue department have applied to the Secretary at War to serve my Country once more, either by Sea or Land; but no encouragement, hope your Excellency will condecend to speak to the Secretary at War on the business and will do the...
4077To George Washington from William Strickland, 16 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
The object of the present letter is little more than to acknowledge the receipt of his of July 15. sorry to find the seeds I gave him have not grown—tho conveyed in a box in the Cabbin—have experienced the difficulty of conveying seeds across the Atlantic. Hope Mr Smith will find an opportunity to wait upon him—he will find him capable of communicating much that is valuable. Mr Parsons has...
4078From John Adams to United States Senate, 20 December 1799 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Copeland Parker Esq. of Virginia to be Surveyor and Inspector of the Revenue for the Port of Norfolk in that State in the place of Daniel Bedinger resigned. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
4079To Alexander Hamilton from Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 5 [October] 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Your favour of the 26th. ultimo did not reach me till last Evening. I should have the greatest pleasure in meeting you at Trenton for the purpose you mention; but Mrs: Pinckney’s health & very depressed spirits will not permitt me to quit her at present, and it is impossible for her in her actual situation to accompany me there. She is certainly better since her arrival at this place, but the...
4080To Alexander Hamilton from William Paterson, 20 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Wemyss, who lives about ten miles from this place, is a gentleman worthy of your notice. In 1766 he entered an ensign of a company in the 40th. British regiment of foot, and was afterwards a lieutenant and captain in the same regiment. In 1778 he was made a major, and in 1787 a Lt. Colo. of the 63 regiment. He was employed in this country during our revolution-war, and distinguished...
4081To John Adams from Samuel Smedley, 9 February 1801 (Adams Papers)
The Office which I had more particularly in view when I had the Honor of addressing my letter to you of the 30, of April last, is now become vacant. the Collector of the Customs for the District of New Haven, I am informed, is no more. there will be many applicants for this Vacant Office. Senators and Representatives will be intreated for their interest by the Several Applicants, their...
4082To Thomas Jefferson from James Thomson Callender, 14 March 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
I hope You will excuse the freedom I took last week of Sending you some Examiners, and a number of the Republican. I now inclose a Continuation. Some errata! This is to be printed again in Staunton , and perhaps in the national magazine and the friend of the people , which will soon go on again, having been only interrupted by that Idle thing the press. And so I am firing through five port...
4083From John Adams to United States Senate, 2 March 1799 (Adams Papers)
I inclose the copy of a letter of the 6th ult. from Governor St. Clair, and the copy of the certificate therein mentioned, of the nomination of ten persons, of whom five are to be selected to constitute the Legislative Council for the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio. I have accordingly selected, and now nominate, Jacob Burnet, James Findlay, Henry Vanderburg, Robert Oliver and David...
4084From Alexander Hamilton to John W. Livingston, Jr., 2 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I presume, by this time, your health is sufficiently established I have received your letter of the twenty eighth of April. By this time, I hope, your health is so far established as to permit you to join your corps. If so not, you will do it without delay inform me of your situation. ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
4085From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 16 December 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
Having lately recieved from Count Rumford , one of the managers of the Royal institution of Great Britain a prospectus of that institution, with a letter expressing their desire to cultivate a friendly correspondence with the American Philosophical society, I have now the honor of forwarding them for the society. the application of science to objects immediately useful in life, which seems to...
4086To John Adams from Edward Hand, 21 June 1798 (Adams Papers)
At a period so momentous as the present, when it but too plainly appears that we must either submit to be dictated to by a foreign Power, or resort to Arms for the Defence of all that can be held dear to Freemen; the Officers of the Militia of Lancaster County, feeling themselves happy under the Influence of a Government of their own Choice, mild and equal in it’s Operation, And perfectly...
4087From John Adams to United States Senate, 21 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Edward White of Georgia to be Surveyor and Inspector of the Revenue for the Port of Savannah, Thomas Swepson, to be Surveyor and Inspector of the Revenue for the Port of Suffolk in Virginia vice John Driver deceased. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
4088From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 20 March 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter, you did me the honour to write me, on the 22d of this month. Your congratulations “on the preference given” by my fellow Citizens, in the Choice of the first Magistrate of the Union, and the Expressions of your Confidence are Very obliging. I am not apprized of any reasonable objection to the Measure Suggested, of offering Scites for houses to the Ministers of...
4089To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 26 April 1798 (Madison Papers)
I wrote you last on the 19th. since which your’s of the 15th. is recieved. I well remember the recieving that which inclosed a letter to Muhlenburg, but do not exactly recollect how I sent it. Yet I have no doubt I sent it by my servant, that being my constant practice. Your note from Baily I shewed to Genl. Van Cortlandt who was going to N. York. On his return he told me he would pay the note...
4090To George Washington from Thomas Erskine, 15 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have taken the liberty to introduce your August & immortal name in a short sentence (see Page 58) which is to be found in the Book I send to you. I have a large acquaintance amongst the most valuable & exalted classes of men; but you are the only Human being for whome I ever felt an aweful reverence. I sincerely pray God to grant a long and serene evening to a life so gloriously devoted to...
4091From Alexander Hamilton to James Miller, 21 September 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
A letter from the Secy of War of the 6th instant has this paragraph. “I shall give directions to have delivered to the Quarter Master General to be forwarded to such persons and places as you may point out the Cloathing &c. for the two companies of the first Regiment which you prop ose raising in the states of Pensylvania and Delaware” I request that you will forward these articles to...
4092From John Adams to United States Senate, 22 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
I nominate Samuel Saxon of South Carolina to be commissioner of valuations in that State in the place of William Anderson deceased DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
4093To Alexander Hamilton from William Willcocks, 24 May 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the honor, ’tho’ with much regret, to inform you, that the recruiting-Service is still greatly impeded by circumstances which I cannot controul—Captain Kissam is in such ill health as almost to be despaired of—His only Lieutenant is the Paymaster, & Cloathier, of the Regiment, who of course cannot leave town—Lieut. Ladley of the 2d Regiment, who has volunteered his Services, is at...
4094John Quincy Adams to Charles Adams, 1 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you on the 14 of February a letter, which I am informed you have received, but to which no answer from you has yet reached me. Nor have I since it was written received a line from you. I must again repeat the request that you would give me immediate information concerning the property which I have entrusted to you. I have also to request that you would not draw upon Mess rs: Willing of...
4095From John Adams to Timothy Pickering, 22 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor 14th inclosing Mr Listons note of the 8th. I am ready to grant the usual exequatur to Mr. Barclay and Mr. Moodie as soon as I shall see their commissions. I know not that there has been any precedent of an exequatur given, without a sight of the commission. If there has I pray you to inform me of it. The common course, I believe is for the ambassador to present the...
4096From George Washington to John Greenwood, 7 December 1798 (Washington Papers)
What you sent me last answer exceedingly well; and I send the first to be altered & made like them, if you can. Your recollection of these—with the directions and observations contained in my two last letters—the latter especially—supercedes the necessity of being particular in this. I will however just remark that the great error in those (now returned to you) is, that the upper teeth & bars...
4097To Thomas Jefferson from Mann Page, 19 April 1797 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Hugh Mercer, the posthumous Son of the late Genl. Mercer, will do me the honour of forwarding this to you. I will shortly make known to you what have been his persuits in Science, and what is his Object in applying to you. His Education commenced with the Study of the Greek and Latin Languages, in which he made some Progress. His chief Attention has been to the Belles Lettres, in which he...
4098From John Adams to Maxwell Armstrong, 13 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received with great Pleasure your Address of the 16th of July, from your Committee. The Attachment, you express, to our Government, calculated to ensure Liberty and Happiness to its Citizens, is commendable. Your declaration, in plain and undisguised Language, that the measures which have been taken to promote a good Understanding, Peace and Harmony between this Country and France, are...
4099Enclosure: Schedule of Property, 9 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
Schedule of property comprehended in the foregoing Will, which is directed to be Sold, and some of it, conditionally is Sold; with discriptive, and explanatory notes relative thereto. In Virginia acres price dollars Loudoun County Difficult run 300 [$]6,666 (a) (a) This tract for the size of it is valuable, more for its situation than the quality of its soil, though that is good for Farming;...
4100From George Washington to James McHenry, 23 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Private My dear Sir, Mount Vernon 23d April 1799 Six days do I labour, or, in other words, take exercise and devote my time to various occupations in Husbandry, and about my Mansion. On the seventh, now called the first day, for want of a place of Worship (within less than nine miles) such letters as do not require immediate acknowledgment I give answers to (Mr Lear being sick & absent). But...