To Alexander Hamilton from David Wolfe, 16 June 1791

From David Wolfe1

New York 16th June 1791.

Sir

Mr. Walcot2 informs Mr. Anspach by letter that Colo. Pickering late QMG was Consulted by you with respect to the Debts of his department & that Colo. Pickering expressly stated “that in all cases where printed Certificates3 had been issued he consider’d the Claim for payment in specie as extinguished.” And in Consequence of the aforesaid Consultation &c. payment of a number of Certificates have been refused at the Treasury office.

This I conceive to be unjust for the following reasons—

1st	because they are included in the Estimates in the Treasury Office under the term specie Certificates signed by Col. Pickering
2d	because Colo Pickering has paid in specie at Divers times, principal & Interest of those certificates to the Amount of Several thousand dollars as may appear by his Accounts render’d at the Treasury Office

More reasons might be added if necessary, But those are sufficient to prove that Colo. Pickering has not heretofore considered the Claim of printed certificates for payment in specie as extinguished.

Your examining into these matters and directing the payment of the Certificates held by Mr. Graham4 will abate the Censure now reflected on the Treasury Department.

I am sir Your Obt servant

David Wolfe

Colo. A. Hamilton

Copy, in Wolfe’s handwriting, The Sol Feinstone Collection, Library of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia.

1. In PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). description ends , VIII, 485, this letter is listed as a “letter not found.”

Wolfe had been assistant deputy quartermaster general at Claverack, New York, during the American Revolution.

For background to this letter, see H to Timothy Pickering, November 19, 1789 (PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). description ends , V, 528–29); Pickering to H, November 19, 25, 1789, August 28, 1790 (PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). description ends , V, 527–28, 558; VI, 576–77); H to Peter Anspach, December 5, 1789, December 2, 20, 1790 (PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). description ends , VI, 6–7; VII, 174, 372); Anspach to H, December 30, 1789, January 20, July 2, December 7, 1790, January 24, 1791 (PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). description ends , VI, 38, 192, 478; VII, 198–200, 450–51); “Report on Additional Sums Necessary for the Support of the Government,” August 5, 1790 (PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). description ends , VI, 520–42); H to Wolfe, July 12, 1791 (PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). description ends , VIII, 547). For correspondence subsequent to the letter printed above, see Wolfe to H, September 8, 1792 (printed in this volume); John Campbell to Pickering, August 29, 1792, and enclosures, Wolfe to Pickering, January 31, 1792, Pickering to Wolfe, March 18, 1792 (all ALS, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston); Oliver Wolcott, Jr., to Pickering, January 25, 1793 (LS, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston). See also Hugh Hughes to H, November 21, 1790 (printed in this volume).

2. Oliver Wolcott, Jr.

3. Certificates were issued in lieu of specie by the quartermaster general’s department during the American Revolution. They were originally handwritten notes; but subsequently printed forms were used. Continental Army officers issued these certificates to individuals from whom supplies were impressed for the Army.

4. William Graham, Wolfe’s attorney. For payments which Wolfe received after the letter printed above was written, see “Report on the Receipts and Expenditures of Public Monies to the End of the year 1791,” November 10, 1792 (PAH description begins Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). description ends , XIII, 96).

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Source Project: Hamilton Papers
Title: To Alexander Hamilton from David Wolfe, 16 June 1791
Author: Wolfe, David
Recipient: Hamilton, Alexander
Date: 16 June 1791

Reference

Cite as: “To Alexander Hamilton from David Wolfe, 16 June 1791,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-26-02-0002-0291. [Original source: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 26, 1 May 1802 – 23 October 1804, Additional Documents 1774–1799, Addenda and Errata, ed. Harold C. Syrett. New York: Columbia University Press, 1979, pp. 612–613.]

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