1From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 4 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Altho’ I have but little expectation (from the information which I have received from your Sister, Mrs Ogden) that this letter, with a copy of my last to you, will reach London before you will have embarked for America, I have determined, nevertheless, to take the chance of it, and accordingly have put it under cover to Mr Pinckney. Hitherto the business of the Session, tho’ slow in its...
2From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 22 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I am become so unprofitable a correspondent, and so remiss in my correspondencies, that nothing but the kindness of my friends in overlooking these deficiencies, could induce them to favor me with a continuance of their letters; which, to me, are at once pleasing, interesting, and useful. To a man immerced in debt, and seeing no prospect of extrication but by an Act of Insolvency, (in my case...
3From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 25 June 1794 (Washington Papers)
(Duplicate) (Private) My dear Sir, Mount Vernon 25th June 1794 The sole object of the enclosed letter, was to evince to you, that notwithstanding your recall, you held the same place in my estimation that you did before it happened. I expected to have got the letter into Colo. Monroes hands before the Vessel in which he was, had left Potapsco River; but a fresh & fair wind coming up, prevented...
4From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 19 June 1794 (Washington Papers)
(Private) My dear Sir, Baltimore June 19th 1794. The difficulty (under existing circumstances) of knowing what to write to you, had determined me to write nothing, but to let the matter rest altogether upon the public communications from the Secretary of State. Coming to this place, however, (on a flying visit to Mount Vernon) and finding the Vessel on which Mr Monroe is on board had not left...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 3 October 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Duplaine, Vice-Consul of France at Boston, having by an armed force, opposed the course of the laws of this country within the same, by rescuing out of the hands of an officer of justice a vessel which he had arrested by authority of a precept from his court, the President has thought it necessary to revoke the Exequatur by which he had hitherto permitted him to exercise his functions...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 11 September 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
My late letters to you have been of Aug. 16. 23. and 26: and a duplicate of the two first will accompany this. Yours lately received are Apr. 4. 5. 11. 19. May 20. and June 1. being Nos. 26. to 31. I have little particular to say to you by this opportunity which may be less certain than the last.—The North Western Indians have refused to meet our Commissioners unless they would agree to the...
7From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 1 September 1793 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be presented to you by Mr Lear, whom I beg leave (if he should go to France) to recommend to your civilities. He is a person who possesses my entire friendship & confidence; and will not be found unworthy of your acquaintance, as he will have it in his power to give you an acct, which you may rely on, of the true Situation of things in this Country. Mercantile pursuits have...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 26 August 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed papers should have been annexed to the documents of my letter of Aug. 16. but were omitted by inadvertence. They are therefore now inclosed to you separately. I have the honor to be with great esteem & respect Dr Sir your most obedt. servt. Mr. Genet’s answer to the address of the citizens of Philada. do. lately to do. at New York. The above contain his declaration that France did...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, [23] August 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The letter of the 16th. instant, with it’s documents accompanying this, will sufficiently inform you of the transactions which have taken place between Mr. Genet, the Minister of France, and the government here, and of the painful necessity they have brought on, of desiring his recall. The letter has been prepared in the view of being itself, with it’s documents, laid before the Executive of...
10IV. Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 16 August 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of June 13th. I enclosed to you the copies of several letters, which had passed between Mr. Ternant, Mr. Genet, and myself, on the occurrences to which the present war had given rise within our ports. The object of this communication was to enable you to explain the principles on which our government was conducting itself towards the belligerent parties; principles which might not...
11From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 25 July 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, July 25, 1793. On October 17, 1793, Morris wrote to Hamilton and acknowledged the receipt of “yours of the 25th. of July.” Letter not found. ]
12From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 13 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have before me your letters of the 28th of December 1792.—6th &10th of Jany & 14th of Feby 1793. To do any thing more at present than acknowledge the receipt of these letters, and thank you most cordially for the information—& opinions contained in them is out my power (especially as notice of the opportunity is short); for you will readily believe, my dear Sir, that, what with the current...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 13 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The insulated state in which France is placed with respect to all the world almost by the present war, has cut off all means of addressing letters to you through other countries. I embrace the present occasion by a private individual going to France directly, to mention that since the date of my last public letter, which was April 24. and which covered the President’s proclamation of Apr. I...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 13 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
It has long since been observed that of the three millions of livres given by the court of France to aid us in the commencement of our revolution, one million was unaccounted for by the hands into which it was paid. The date of the paiment is fixed to have been the 10th. of June 1776. but to whom it was paid has never been known. Suspicions are that it was to Beaumarchais; and that with this...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 1 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof Majr. Jackson formerly of the army, and afterwards of the President’s family, is already too well known to you to need any recommendations from me. Yet a sense of his merit will not permit me to forbear mentioning that your attentions to him will confer an obligation on me. The circumstances of the times too may perhaps render the attentions of your office necessary for him,...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 24 May 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof, Mr. Barnes, is, as I understand, the representative of the company concerned in the steam navigation of the late Mr. Rumsey, was the attorney of Mr. Rumsey here, and goes now to Europe to secure the benefit of his discoveries to those entitled to them. In times like these he may need your protection as a stranger, and at all times would merit it as a man of worth and...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 8 May 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof Doctor Edwards, a citizen of the US. proposing to visit Paris, I take the liberty of presenting him to you as a gentleman of talents, information and worth. He will do ample justice to any attentions you may shew him and merit any services you can render him. His objects being health and information, it is uncertain what stay these may induce him to make in Paris. Should he...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, Thomas Pinckney, and William Short, 26 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The public papers giving us reason to believe that the war is becoming nearly general in Europe, and that it has already involved nations, with which we are in daily habits of commerce and friendship, the President has thought it proper to issue the Proclamation of which I enclose you a copy, in order to mark out to our citizens the line of conduct they are to pursue. That this intimation,...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 24 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Robert Leslie a watchmaker of this city goes to establish himself at London. As his curiosity may lead him to Paris, I take the liberty of asking your patronage of him, so far as may be necessary to enable him to see what may be serviceable to him in his way. He is without exception one of the greatest mechanics I have ever known in any country, he is modest, and of pure integrity, and...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 20 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my letters of the 12th. and 15th. of the last month, which went by Mr. Dupont, I have received one from Mr. Pinckney wherein he informs me that being unable to procure us a Chief Coiner in England he had written to you to desire you to engage Mr. Droz, whom he understood to be employed at Paris, not much to his satisfaction. We shall be glad, very glad, to receive Droz. But this matter...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 8 April 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
My letters of the 12th. and 15th. of Mar. with your newspapers and laws were to have gone in the care of a gentleman bound to London. The papers and laws being bulky, he had sent them on to New-York, being still here himself. In the mean time Mr. Dupont’s departure for France directly takes place. Of course I deliver to him the letters beforementioned and the present one. Whether we shall be...
22From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 25 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
(Private) My dear Sir, Philadelphia March 25th 1793. It was not ’till the middle of February that I had the pleasure to receive your letter of the 23d of October. If you, who are at the fountain head of those great and important transactions which have lately engrossed the attention of Europe & America, cannot pretend to say what will be their event—surely we, in this distant quarter, should...
23From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris and Thomas Pinckney, 15 March 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The President has seen with satisfaction that the Ministers of the United States in Europe, while they have avoided an useless commitment of their Nation on the subject of M. de la Fayette, have nevertheless shewn themselves attentive to his situation. The interest which the President himself, and our Citizens in general take in the welfare of this gentleman, is great and sincere, and will...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 12 March 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Nos. 8. to 13. inclusive have been duly received. I am sensible that your situation must have been difficult during the transition from the late form of government to the reestablishment of some other legitimate authority, and that you may have been at a loss to determine with whom business might be done. Nevertheless when principles are well understood, their application is less...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 30 December 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of Nov. 7. since which I have recieved your Nos. 8. and 9. I am apprehensive that your situation must have been difficult during the transition from the late form of government to the re-establishment of some other legitimate authority, and that you may have been at a loss to determine with whom business might be done. Nevertheless when principles are well understood their...
26Enclosure: Commissaries of the French Treasury to Gouverneur Morris, 16 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
En reponse Monsieur à la lettre que vous nous aves fait L’honneur de nous Ecrire le 14 de ce mois, nous avons celui dernier dire que les Etats unis de l’Amerique ont été Credités sous les Livres a la Tresorerie Pour la datte du 5 Septembre dernier a la Somme de L. 6,000,000. pour le produit des Bco. f 1,625,000. a raison de 34 ⟨–⟩ ⅌ 8d. remis le dit Jour par Mess. Wilhem & Jan Willink, &...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 7 November 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 15th. of Oct. since which I have recieved your Nos. 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. Tho’ mine went by a conveyance directly to Bordeaux, and may therefore probably get safe to you yet I think it proper, lest it should miscarry, to repeat to you the following paragraph from it. ‘We are informed by the public papers that the late constitution of France, formally notified to us, is...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 7 November 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Your private letter of Aug. 1. came duly to hand, and as soon as the Baltimore member arrives here, I will make enquiry after Made. de la Mariniere, and take measures for fulfilling your wishes. That also on the subject of Henri I have recieved, and was really glad to find that he was better provided for. The prospect of my want of him had changed, by a change in the disposition of the servant...
29Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 27 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Notwithstanding the immense length & prolixity of my letter of yesterday it wd. have been continued if I had not been interrupted & detained until the hour of the post. You desire me to consider well before hand as to the obligations, whether I would wish to come to a settlement previously with the ministry, in fixing the value &c. If as you suppose the obligations are only three, nothing more...
30Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 26 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
After more than four weeks interruption some of the French mails in arrear were recieved here yesterday & we had hoped therefore that this day, being the regular postday, would have brought us the rest—in this we have been disappointed, & of course conclude that the post communication with Paris is not yet freed from all its obstacles. I therefore send by the way of England my acknowlegement...
31From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 20 October 1792 (Washington Papers)
(Private) My dear Sir, Philadelphia Octr 20th 1792 . Although your letter of the 10th of June, which I have received, did not paint the prospects of France in the most pleasing colours; yet the events which have since taken place give a more gloomy aspect to the public Affairs of that Kingdom than your letter gave reason to apprehend. A thousand circumstances, besides our distance from the...
32From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 15 October 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly received your favor of July 10. No. 4. but no other No. preceding or subsequent. I fear therefore that some miscarriage has taken place. The present goes to Bordeaux under cover to Mr. Fenwick who I hope will be able to give it a safe conveyance to you. I observe that you say in your letter that ‘the marine department is to treat with you for supplies to S. Domingo .’ I presume you...
33Enclosure: Pierre Henri Hélène Marie Lebrun-Tondu to Gouverneur Morris, 27 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire le 20. de ce mois, pour m’annoncer que les difficultés élevées à la Haye par M. Short sur le païement de seize cent vingt cinq mille florins de Banque avoient été applanies le 9. du courant, et que vous espérez qu’il ne résultera aucon inconvénient d’un délai de quelques jours. Après avoir réfléchi sur le motif qui vous...
34Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 21 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 21, 1792. “I answered by the last post yours of the 12th. recd. that day & since that I am without hearing from you. The commissaries have acknowleged in their letter to our bankers the reciept of the draught for 1,625,000 florins, & say they will credit the U.S. therefore. I flatter myself however they mean for the value of the florins viz 6,000,000 livres & not the...
35Enclosure: Pierre Henri Hélène Marie Lebrun-Tondu to Gouverneur Morris, 19 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 19, 1792. “Je viens, Monsieur, de recevoir une lettre de M. Maulde, Ministre plenipotentiare de france à la haye, par laquelle il m’instruit de l’insinuation perfide que M. Short a faite à M. hoguer, Banquier à Amsterdam, en l’excitant à exiger une formalité, impraticable dans la circonstance, avant de remettre à la Trésorerie Nationale un fonds des 5. ous 6. cent mille...
36Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 18 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 18, 1792. “I answered in much haste & confusion in my last letter of the 14th. yours of the 9th. It would admit of a greater degree of developement, but it seems unnecessary in the present moment. I have recieved your letter of the 12th. in which you acknowlege the reciept of mine of the 7th & the only observation you make thereon is that you had previously sent to the...
37Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 14 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 14, 1792. “… I hasten merely to observe on that part of your letter in wch: you say that the observation cannot in any wise influence your conduct &c. Surely you do not mean after having carried the matter thus far & put it out of my reach to withdraw yourself from consummating the measure you adopted—under the idea now of being unauthorized—the measure itself never...
38From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 13 September 1792. (Hamilton Papers)
The Legislature at their last Session having made provision for the paying off the Debt due to foreign Officers, the Interest of which is payable at the house of Mr. Grand, Banker, at Paris; and the President having authorized me to carry that provision into effect, I have concluded to commit such part of the business as is to be transacted at Paris to your Management; not doubting of the...
39Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 7 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 7, 1792. “… In my last I informed you of Hogguer’s refusing to recieve the payment you had agreed for with the commissaries in any other than the mode he has hitherto practised; namely by giving a draught for the amount on the national treasury; & of my finally (after the rect. of your letter) directing our bankers to make the payment to him, not withstanding my own...
40Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 4 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 4, 1792. “… Hogguer refuses to accept the money any other way than as has hitherto been practised, viz by giving a draught or bill on the commissaries of the treasury for the amt.—or on a reciept where it shall be expressed that at my requisition he engages himself to hold the money until the King’s free consent can be obtained for its disposal. He refuses even giving a...
41Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 28 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 28, 1792. “I recd. by the last post your letter of the 20th. & this moment that of the 23d. This letter proves to me that nothing has been done with respect to the depreciation as the livres wch. you mention make the exchange if I do not miscalculate 32½ which I suppose was the exchange existing at the time of your arrangement—of course the depreciation was not taken into the...
42Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 21 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 21, 1792. “I hoped that the post of this day which has just arrived would have brought me a letter from you but it has not. I know therefore nothing further with respect to your arrangements with the commissaries than was contained in a simple paragraph, saying you had agreed with the commissaries for the present & desire one million &c. to be paid. Was the depreciation...
43Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 17 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 17, 1792. “The post of last tuesday brought here your two letters of Aug. 6. & 9. which shews that the first had been unfortunately too late for the post of that day. I was at Amsterdam when these letters arrived here & had directed such as arrived that day not to be sent to me, as I returned here the day after (wednesday). By a mistake however they were sent & crossed me on...
44Enclosure: The Commissaries of the French Treasury to Gouverneur Morris, 9 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Notre lettre du 2. de ce mois, Monsieur, ayant tardé à vous parvenir par des causes que nous ignorons, nous aurons attention pour que cet inconvenient ne se réprésente plus de vous faire porter celles que nous aurons l’honneur de vous ècrire. Les erreurs que vous croyez qui existent dans le compte que nous vous avons remis, donnent lieu à des recherches qui sont être faites; elles exigeront un...
45Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 7 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 7, 1792. “I was obliged to answer with much precipitation your letter of the 30th. ulto recd. here the 4th. inst—as the post sat out from hence immediately after the arrival of yours. I hoped to have learned from you by the post of to-day what had been decided on between you & the commissaries or at least what was the answer which you expected from them at the departure of...
46Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 4 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 4, 1792. “… As to the loans at Amsterdam, I told you we had a right to re-imburse them, at will & some have except precisely the one of which you speak —& wch. is one sui generis —it is however only of 2. millions of florins I think, & was made by Mr. Adams at an int. of 4 p. cent—with certain reimbursements & premiums by lottery wch. augment the interest to about 6.—& wch....
47Enclosure: The Commissaries of the French Treasury to Gouverneur Morris, 2 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Nous avons reçu, Monsieur, votre lettre du 30 juillet. Nous ferons volontiers recevoir à Amsterdam les ommes que les Etats unis sont dans l’intention de rembourser à la nation française à compte de leur dette, et nous en chargerons M M. Hoggeur Grand et Compe. les memes banquiers qui ont jusqu’à present suivi toutes les operations relatives à cet remboursement. A l’égard du taux du change...
48Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 23[–24] July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, July 23 [ –24 ,] 1792 . “In consequence of your letter of July 16. I have written to the bankers to desire them to furnish you the state of the payments they have made to France. I can inform you however in the mean time that they told me the statement made by the French treasury was just.… I in-close you two reciepts of the French agent at Antwerp which complete the payments made...
49Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 17 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, July 17, 1792. “The last post, (which brought your letter of the 9th.) arrived too late in the day for me to answer it, by the post of that day. I observe by it that you recd. a note from the minister desiring a rendezvous on the 6th. & that on the 9th. you had heard nothing further from him. He cannot have been collecting the accts. as you suppose for they were made out & stated...
50From Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 12 July 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 16th. of June. Your favor of Apr. 25. from London was received yesterday just in time to be put into the hands of the President before he set out for Virginia. I shall follow him tomorrow, and not return till the last of September. Consequently I shall probably not write to you again before that date. The public papers will be regularly sent to you during my absence...