1To John Adams from Stephen Higginson, 4 July 1789 (Adams Papers)
Since I had the honour of seeing you at your own house, I have been so unwell, & so much occupied with my private Business, when able to attend to it, that I have not had an opp y of writing to you, as you requested & I engaged to do. Nor can I now do more than just to inform you, that, as the British are coming fast into their old practice, of taking from hence the Rum necessary for their...
2To John Adams from Stephen Higginson, 10 August 1789 (Adams Papers)
I never yet have had occasion to solicit an appointment either for myself or my friends, nor do I love to interest myself in matters of the kind; but, when there is an appearance of danger from any proposed appointment, it seems to me to be the duty of every good Citizen, to give such information as appears to be material. upon this ground only I shall now take the liberty of stating to you,...
3To John Adams from Stephen Higginson, 21 December 1789 (Adams Papers)
I intended myself the honour of a little conversation with you, before you went to Congress, as to the trade of this State. We are suffering very much for want of a proper inspection of Our exports. that We now have, under the State Laws, is, as to most Articles, worse than none—it serves to conceal & encourage frauds of every kind in preparing Our exports for market. We surely can supplant...
4To John Adams from Stephen Higginson, 1 March 1790 (Adams Papers)
Since I had last the honour of writing to you, the vacancies in our supreme Court have been filled up; & the event has proved, that you knew better the character of our Chief than many of Us did, who expected different persons from those who have been appointed. there was however, We are told, a severe struggle between his inclinations & his fears. certain it is, that one person of the...
5To John Adams from Stephen Higginson, 24 March 1790 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging letter of the 14 instant I have received, & thank you for the friendly intentions you therein express. I did not mean to request any activity on your part, in the case alluded to; nor was I aware, that any expression I used would convey an Idea of that kind—the intention you intimate, is all I wish for, or should have tho’t would have been proper for me to ask.— It is cheering to...
6To John Adams from Stephen Higginson, 5 September 1795 (Adams Papers)
I mention’d to mr. Pickering, Secretary at War, the Letter from your Son, which I saw, & recommended his reading it with attention, as I thought the information it contained would be very useful to him in Judging of political questions &c which might fall in his way. he writes me that he enquired for it & found it had been returned a few days before, & no copy of it was retained. Mr. Woolcot &...
7To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 27 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Your Letter of the 9th instant I rec’d; and sensible of the utility of the information you request, I shall give you what Aid I can, and shall readily communicate with you upon the important Subjects you mention, as health and leisure will permit. We have now arrived to that period, as I conceive, when every thing national should assume the appearance of System and Stability; and I am happy to...
8To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, [11] November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
In my last Letter I suggested, that a good Officer might, for want of support, be borne down by the combined ⟨w⟩eight of people in trade. Since then, there has a case arisen ⟨i⟩n point. in the port where I mentioned your having a ⟨g⟩ood Collector, such persons have been appointed Inspectors, as were wholly unfit for the Office, by the influence of people in Trade. One of them has been already...
9To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 6 May 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I have been confined several Weeks by the fashionable disorder called the influenza, which has made sad work here. My Eyes were so affected by it, that I have wrote but little & read less. By the papers, & letters I have received, you must have had an unpleasant time of it too for several Weeks. I sympathised with you, & felt the force of various passions at different times, which must have...
10To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 20 May 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Since I had last the pleasure of writing to you, I have learnt with uneasiness, that some gentn. in Congress have had an Idea of stopping the progress of the funding System, with a view to compell an assent to the assumption of the State Debts. This Idea demands a very careful & cool attention before it be practised upon. The situation of things is to me critical & important. Shd. the question...
11To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 23 February 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Boston, February 23, 1791. Wishes to obtain a position in the executive branch of the government, but will not accept a post that pays less than two thousand dollars. Congratulates Hamilton on the success of Hamilton’s “measures & projections.” Has heard that Hamilton plans “to establish deposits of Cash here & in york, at least, to exchange the Notes of the Proposed Bank.” Approves of this...
12To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 10 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
France having declared War against Britain &c, Questions may arise tending to involve us in their disputes. I know indeed that attempts will be made to procure Aid to France from us, on the grounds of policy interest & obligations from Treaties &c. Such an attempt may be made through the medium of our Legislature in their May Sessions; & very sound Assertions will be made which may not be...
13To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 21 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
The Event of a general War in Europe may give rise to some Questions which the Collectors will think necessary to be referred to you for decision. I will state a case that may soon arise. A Cargo of Sugars may be sent here from Hispaniola for Sale in an American Vessel. I may buy it & want to send it to market in the same Vessel without unlading or being at additional expence. But an Entry &...
14To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 28 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
In the present State of things new cases every day arise that require a referrence to you. It is a very desireable thing to have our Vessels & Our Seamen so guarded, as to prevent any interruption in Our Commerce that shall appear unreasonable & affrontive. There are men among us who will make the most of every injury done to our property, or insult offered to Our flag. I wish there were Sea...
15To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 26 July 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
We have here our french party & french politics as well as you; & they are taking measures here, as well as with you, to bring us to a serious point. They mean, I am satisfied, to force a decission on the Question of their right to fit out Privateers, to originate new expeditions in our ports to cruise on their Enemy. From the conduct & observations of the Consul here, & what We learn to be...
16To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 24 August 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I have thought that in the present state of things it may be useful for you to know what has been done here relative to the french Claims of a right to fit out privateers in our ports, & the feelings & conduct of people this way on that Subject. Upon inquiry I can not learn that you will have received any farther information than what the news papers will give you but from them you will not...
17To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 17 June 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Cabot has mentioned to me that Mr. Cox was enquiring relative to our Trade to Sweeden & intimated that Government wanted to get from thence a parcel of Copper & Iron. I have two Vessels now going to Gottenburg & will import any articles that may be wanted at the same advance or benefit as I shall get upon common Iron, if the articles can be got ready in time to come in them. Should the...
18To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 10 July 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
Boston, July 10, 1794. “I received your Letter of June 24, & have noted your observations relative to Copper & Iron for the Frigates. I believe the decision to resort to England for the Copper is right.… We have here had much experience, by trial, of the qualities of the Duck manufactured in this Town.… I have cloathed a number of Vessels with our Duck & it has certainly worn better than...
19To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 12 July 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
By a Vessel from Barbadoes I learn that Nat had finished his business there the 12 of last month & had sailed for martinico. If he meets with no obstruction at other places, he will make it Octr. before he can get home again. His communications to the Executive you will See & from thence collect much more than I know of his agency, he has stated to me his Doings in no Degree. A mr. Hutchins &...
20To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 9 December 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
Your Letter of 28 of last month I received, & communicated its contents to some of our Electors. a majority of them were at first inclined to throw away their Votes from Mr Pinckney lest he should rise above Adams; but your information as to Vermont; with some observations made to them shewing the danger of so doing decided all but three, who were determined upon interested & personal motives...
21To Alexander Hamilton from Stephen Higginson, 12 January 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
Your Letter of 20 of last month I have received. The election of Mr. Adams seems to be secured, but with an excess only of one vote, which is close work indeed. This, while it avoids the point I before stated to you, will involve another, I fear, more dangerous & difficult. The blind or devoted partisans of Mr. Adams, instead of being satisfied with his being elected, seem to be alarmed at the...
22To George Washington from Stephen Higginson, 17 March 1790 (Washington Papers)
I am induced, by various considerations of a personal nature, to offer myself as a Candidate for some office in the treasury department. that of Inspector, as proposed by the Secretary in his report, would be very agreable. persuaded, that proper qualifications can alone recommend me, I shall only observe, that I have too high a veneration for you, & too much regard to my own reputation, to...