From Alexander Hamilton to Clement Biddle, 10 August 1792
To Clement Biddle1
Philadelphia August 10, 1792
Dear Sir
I had concluded to offer you the Agency for providing all such supplies for the War Department as are not objects of direct contract with the Treasury. The compensation about 800 Dollars a year. But it occurred to me, that you were engaged in the business of broker; and hence an apprehension has been excited, lest a connection of the kind contemplated with this department should be misinterpreted and misrepresented by those, who are too much disposed to malign and calumniate. I have not however made any other appointment willing to apprise you of my intention before I did it—as I could not know your future plans of business. I trust you will be persuaded in every event of the friendship & esteem with which I am Dr. Sir
Your Obedient servt.
A Hamilton
Clement Biddle Esq
ALS, Independence National Historical Park Collection, Old Custom House, Philadelphia.
1. Biddle, a Philadelphia merchant and United States marshal for the District of Pennsylvania, was also a notary public and broker. Biddle had had extensive experience in supplying the Army, for he had served as commissary general of forage under General Nathanael Greene from July, 1777, to June, 1780, and in September, 1781, he had been appointed commissary general ofthe Pennsylvania state militia. During 1792 he was the contractor for rations issued to recruits at Philadelphia, as well as for rations issued by the state of Pennsylvania to militia raised for the protection of the frontier.