31Enclosure: James McHenry to Anthony Wayne, 27 August 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I here transmit the arrangement of the legion and Cavalry which you will please to have promulged and carried into execution. You will perceive by adverting to the table of Regiments and Rank that the President has been guided by the rule of Seniority and that the Officers with a few exceptions remain attached to the Men which they have been accustomed to command. For example the First Sub...
32To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 30 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter of the 23 in the order of the mail, and yesterday yours of the 27th. With respect to the former I have made no use of the quoted paragraph and hesitate between shewing it to the Bishop or the principal himself. Altho I think I may trust the Bishop, and am certain that it would be communicated yet if I shew it to the latter it may be in less danger of getting abroad and...
33To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 3 January 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
You may think I have neglected you from my long silence, but I can assure you I have never forgot you. Having withdrawn myself from every thing of a public nature, this has led me to endeavour to reduce my pleasures as much as possible to a small compass, and this to neglect many correspondents for whom I entertain the liveliest affection. That I love and esteem you, I know you will believe...
34To George Washington from James McHenry, 11–12 August 1796 (Washington Papers)
I received the inclosed letter from Mr Hendricks on the 9th and that from Mr Clymer the 6th inst. One of these gentlemen you will perceive thinks another negotiation indispensible to prevent war; the other, that an augmentation of the regular force is absolutely necessary to the preservation of peace. Both, of course, meet in the opinion, that there is serious ground to apprehend hostility on...
35To George Washington from James McHenry, 30 August 1790 (Washington Papers)
I am much to blame. I have neither congratulated you on your recovery from a dangerous illness, nor yet sympathized with you in those many and perplexed labors in which you have been involved during the late important session of Congress. I will tell you the truth. Every sorrow and consideration whatever has been swallowed up or diminished in the depth of affliction I felt on the loss of my...
36To George Washington from James McHenry, 25 January 1791 (Washington Papers)
Mr McHenry begs the President will do him the honor to accept a small parcel of asparagus sent by the stage. It is carefully packed up in dry earth, and if delivered according to directions Mr McHenry hopes it will be found to have lost but little of its vegetable properties ALS , DLC:GW . Tobias Lear replied to McHenry on 31 Jan. 1791: “The President of the United States has received Mr...
37To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 18 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
We have scattered in air the long string of amendments that had been proposed to be incorporated into our constitutution by those who were no friends to the U.S.’s constitution, so we remain a free people and a tolerably virtuous people. There are three or four bills before the house and to come before the house in which I feel an interest and which will detain me here perhaps two weeks. I...
38To George Washington from James McHenry, 5 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
private. I made a visit yesterday to Chevr Freire, and to-day he called to let me know, that his secretary had seen Mr Listons Secretary, who told him that Mr & Madam Liston would set out for Mount Vernon on friday, and that he and Madam Freire would follow on the 18th inst. Seeing that these ministers will avail themselves of your politeness, may it not be proper to be a little more...
39To John Adams from James McHenry, 27 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to submit to the Senate reports on the petitions of Mary Hibborn and Michael Van Hleeck. With the greatest Respect I have the honor to be / Sir / Your most obedt servant DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
40To George Washington from James McHenry, 16–17 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
private. I have just reced your private letter of the 13th inst. I am sorry and vexed, that what I said in my letter of the 7th should have conveyed an idea that the least avoidable delay had taken place in the arrangements for the Algiers frigate; nothing like which was intended. But the inclosed papers will shew you that every thing has been done which the case required. You will see by Mr...
41To George Washington from James McHenry, 18 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
The annexed packets contain the most essential letters received since my last. No. 1. Gen. Wilkinsons letters of the 11th, 16, 17th ulto. I have not thought it necessary to send the continuation of his charges which came by the same mail. No. 2. Is copy of a letter to Major Gen. Wayne resulting from Gen. Wilkinsons information relative to Fort Miamis. No. 3. A dispatch from Mr Seagrove and...
42To George Washington from James McHenry, 27 June 1796 (Washington Papers)
I have the honour to inclose you Adjutant General Beckwiths answer to my dispach to Lord Dorchester of the 10th of last month. I inclose, likewise, copy of the orders for the evacuation of the posts of Fort Miamis—Detroit and Michilimackinac the originals of which will leave this to-morrow morning at 5 o’clock by express. Capn Lewis delivered the orders requiring the evacuation of Oswego &...
43To George Washington from James McHenry, 17 July 1792 (Washington Papers)
The letter you did me the honor to write which I had not received when I had the honor to see you was handed me the day after. It has the Philadelphia post mark of the 11th and was they tell me overlooked by the post-master here or rather his assistant when my letters were called for. I thought it proper to mention this particular to you that the cause of its detention might not be...
44To Thomas Jefferson from James McHenry, 14 December 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
If I may intreat you to take the trouble to read the inclosed memorial you will see how greatly I have been injured by the French marine minister’s non-compliance with an engagement with the late house of John McHenry & Co. It gives me sensible pain to be obliged to make use of this mode of solicitation for attaining so clear a piece of justice, but I do it because I know of no other likely to...
45To George Washington from James McHenry, 8 October 1796 (Washington Papers)
The situation of the Garrison at West Point has for some time past attracted a considerable share of my attention. I had scarcely entered upon the duties of my Office, before I discovered those materials that soon after gave occasion to the Court of Inquiry upon the Commandant, and produced the Resignation of Capt. Wadsworth (a very valuable Officer) which followed that event. You will...
46To George Washington from James McHenry, 4 April 1790 (Washington Papers)
About two years ago Mr Copeley an English manufacturer did himself the honor to pay his respects to you at Mount Vernon: Being about to return to his own country he wishes to renew his homage and respects, and has intreated me to recal him to your remembrance by another introduction. I pray you to excuse this liberty, and am with the greatest and most sincere respect Sir your most devoted and...
47To George Washington from James McHenry, 6 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
In conformity with your Commands of the 1st instant, I have transmitted to the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury, letters of which the inclosed is a Copy. In the mean while I shall turn my attention to the subjects on which you have desired my report, which I shall make as soon as the unavoidable duties of the Office will permit. With the greatest respect I am Sir Your most...
48To George Washington from James McHenry, 7 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
private. Since I had the honour of writing you, the Chevalier Freire’s Secry has called to inform me, that the extreme heat of the weather had induced Madam Freire, to induce Chevalier Friere to postpone the projected visit to Mount Vernon till September. You will not therefore I presume have the pleasure of seeing them. Mr Pickering has mentioned to me, that such of the materials as are not...
49To George Washington from James McHenry, 2 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
In compliance with the Presidents commands the Secretary of War lays before the President the points that have been submitted for consideration, in the Secretarys letters, bearing date the 8th & 10th of Octtober ulto. Will the President think proper, that detachments be made from West Point to complete the garrisons at Governors Island, Mud Island, Baltimore, Norfolk and Charlestown, to one...
50To George Washington from James McHenry, 3 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
I ought to have mentioned in the letter which I took the liberty to write to you a few days since what I had then chiefly in my mind abstracted from the personal consideration of health. I thought that perhaps it might come within your view at this juncture to send a commissioned person to Vienna to solicit the release of Mr la Fayette with powers to proceed to France on a like errand in favor...
51To George Washington from James McHenry, 10 October 1796 (Washington Papers)
In obedience to the Command of the President as conveyed in his letter to the Secretary of War dated 1. July Ulto requiring the opinion of the heads of departments upon certain charges exhibited against General Wayne by Brigadier General Wilkinson, as relative to “the measures necessary to be pursued to do justice to the public, the accused, and the accuser,” the Secretary of War submits the...
52To George Washington from James McHenry, 14 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
In the event of a new arrangement in the judiciary department I beg leave to suggest to your consideration the present chief justice of this State, at the same time I would remark (having had no conversation with Mr Chase) that I do not know whether he would incline to relinquish the office he now holds for one that would be attended with greater fatigue. Among the inducements I feel for...
53To George Washington from James McHenry, 5 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to request your Excellency attention to the inclosed draught of a letter to the Governor of Georgia. If it can be returned today it may go by to-morrows mail. With the greatest respect I have the honour to be Sir Your most obt st ALS , DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW . Jared Irwin (1750–1818), formerly a state senator from Washington County, had been elected governor by the Georgia...
54To George Washington from James McHenry, 13 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
Without pursuing any official form, (with which I cannot say I am yet acquainted), I take the liberty to submit the thoughts that have occurred to me on reading the letters you were pleased to put into my hands on saturday last. Were you to conform to the dictates of friendship and receive publicly into your family the son of Mr La Fayette, it might be productive of certain political...
55To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 3 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I did not receive your letter of the 26th till the morning of the 2d. I immediately after saw Gen. Williams and made such communication of your wishes as I thought most likely to be attended with success. You know his ambitious cast, and that he thinks he could be more serviceable at the head of a great department than collector of a district. I mentioned the death of the comptroller, and the...
56To George Washington from James McHenry, 8 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
As the cases of illegal captures under the British treaty ought to be determined by the laws of nations it has occurred to me that you might think mercantile less necessary than law knowlege in the persons to be appointed commissioners. If one of the judges of the supreme court of the U.S. could be spared and no objection interferes against such an appointment I suppose there would be no...
57To George Washington from James McHenry, 31 January 1796 (Washington Papers)
I received your favour of the 28th last night and had its contents immediately communicated to Mr Chase. He is extremely pleased with his appointment and I have strong hopes that its good effects as it respects the public will extend beyond the judicial department, but on this point it is unnecessary to be particular till I have the happiness to see you. He would have set out to-day at noon...
58To George Washington from James McHenry, 31 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
If you see no objection to the inclosed letter in answer to Mr Hawkins received to-day it may be sent by to-morrows mail. I have the honour to be Sir with sincere regard Your ob. st ALS , DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW . The ALS is docketed 31 May 1796, which matches the date on the letter-book copy. Neither the enclosed letter to Benjamin Hawkins nor the one to which it responded has been identified.
59To James Madison from James McHenry, 21 June 1789 (Madison Papers)
I was very happy to learn that you had dismissed the first reported bill for the collection of the revenue. In this State and perhaps in some of the others, the Laws were too much in favor of the officers at the expence of the revenue. Here, where the imports are so very considerable, instead of a naval officer and collector constituted to be checks upon each other, the whole power was lodged...
60To Thomas Jefferson from James McHenry, 23 October 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Fayetteville, Md., 23 Oct. 1791 . The recurrence of an indisposition that might be cured by a sea voyage has interested him in the possibility of a foreign appointment.—The prospect of war between France and other European powers, “and the claims for succours she may bring forward under the 11th article of the treaty of Alliance, in case of being attacked,” makes it necessary for the U.S. to...