1Indenture: William Constable, Ann Constable, Alexander Hamilton, and Gouverneur Morris, [20 October 1802] (Hamilton Papers)
This Indenture made the twentieth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two Between William Constable of the City of New York in the State of New York Gentleman and Ann his wife of the first part and Alexander Hamilton and Gouverneur Morris of the same State Esquires of the second part. Whereas by a certain agreement entered into and made before Mr. Lewis Fevot...
2Indenture: James Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont, Gouverneur Morris, and Alexander Hamilton, [4–5 September 1802] (Hamilton Papers)
This Indenture made the fourth Day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two Between James Donatianus Le Ray de Chaumont of the first Part, Gouverneur Morris of the second Part and Alexander Hamilton of the third Part. Whereas it hath been agreed by and between the Parties of the first and second Part that the said Party of the second Part shall pay to the said...
3To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 26 March 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
By unavoidable Incidents this Letter is delayed beyond the usual Time for which I assure you I am extremely sorry. Your Favor gave great Pleasure as well to the Committee as to several Members of the House who are much pleased with your judicious Caution to distinguish between what you sport as your private Opinion and the weighty Sentiments of the General. No Circumstance could have more...
4Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Thomas Jefferson, 1 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
My last was of the tenth of July. Mr: Livingston, who is on his way to America, presents an opportunity of writing, which must not be neglected, altho’ I am engaged at present in Examination of the account received from the Commissioners of the Treasury. I have already mentioned to you, Sir, that the whole of this account is open, and I must now observe that I do not find myself particularly...
5Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 30 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 30, 1792. “My last was of the twenty third. I am now favord with yours of the same Date. I receiv’d Yesterday the Account from the Commissioners of the Treasury and as I suppos’d it contains a Credit for the Antwerp Payments at the Current Exchange. From the Letter which accompanies it however I observe that the Commissrs. meant a different Thing, but the Clerks in extracting from...
6To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 10 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I din’d the Day before Yesterday tête a tête with the Russian Minister Count Woranzow who is a very sensible and well inform’d Man. In the Course of an Interesting Conversation after Dinner your Name was Mention’d and he exprest a Desire to see your various Reports to Congress. These he means to transmit to his Brother who is the Minister of Commerce in Russia in Order to undeceive him with...
7Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to the Commissaries of the French Treasury, 6 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the second instant did not reach me until yesterday afternoon. I am afraid that the delay may be attended with some ill consequence, however I have given the necessary directions for payment of one million, six hundred and twenty five thousand bank florins to Messrs. Hoguer Grand and company, which at the exchange you have mentioned, is equal to six million of livres. I hope...
8Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 6 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 6, 1792. “My last was of the thirtieth of July since which I am without advices from you. I have agreed with the Commissioners of the Treasury for the present and in Consequence I pray you will give our Bankers an order to pay to Messrs. Hoguer Grand and Company the Sum of one Million six hundred and twenty five thousand florins banco and desire them at the same Time to send me a...
9Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 20 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 20, 1792. “Yours of the seventh was long in coming probably mine of the 9th. was equally delayed. You will find by it that I had agreed with the Commissioners as to a pretty considerable Payment on that Day. The Events of the tenth ought not I think to make any Change in that Disposition. I think your Reasoning is good as far as it goes and if the Powers to me had been sufficient...
10To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 11 March 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
I have your two Letters of the 27th. of Feby. and the 4th. Instant. I thank you for them. In Reply to what you tell me in the Close of the former I can only say that your Talents if not your Birth entitle you to the Rank of an American Citizen. To be born in America seems to be a Matter of Indifference at New York, an advantage in New England, a Disadvantage in Pensilvania. You say I am not....
11Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Thomas Jefferson, 16 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I shall send herewith a Packet containing my Correspondence with the Commissioners of the Treasury, relative to our Debt, and in the same packet you will find a Letter from Mr. Cathalan to you relative to a Riot at Marsielles &c. I have already had occasion to mention to you, Sir, that I did not find myself authorized to go into the Settlement of the account finally with the Commissioners of...
12To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 11 May 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Kingston, New York, May 11, 1777. On May 12, 1777, Hamilton wrote to Morris: “I have received the pleasure of your favour of yesterday’s date.” Letter not found. ]
13To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 4 March 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just now written to the President to communicate some Intelligence lately receiv’d from Paris. This I have done in Abstract but my Correspondent has written to me as follows: “The Government here are highly displeas’d with ours. You may easily guess the Reason. It is come to a very serious State. A Fleet is to be sent to our Shore with a new minister. A definitive Answer must be given...
14To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 5 January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your favors of the 24th. and 26th of last Month. I am much oblig’d by both. The Convention with france will be ratified sub Modo . Such at least is my Opinion. I wish 1st to strike out the 2d & 3d Articles 2dly. to fix a Limitation of Time. The 2d Art. ⟨by⟩ suspending the Operation admits the Existence of former ⟨Tr⟩eaties. The Restitution of our Trophies stipulated by the 3d...
15Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 9 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 9, 1792. “I have yours of the fourth but this being Thursday I can but barely acknowlege it. In my last of the sixth I requested you to cause bf 1.625.000 to be paid to Messieurs Hoguer Grand et Compagnie which I now confirm. By a strange Fatality it happens that untill the present Hour I have not had the desired Meeting with the Minister of the Marine. Many appointments have...
16Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 23 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 23, 1792. “The last Post was gone before yours of the seventeenth reach’d me. Mine of the sixth was written the Instant I receiv’d that from the Commissioners of the Treasury which was previously necessary. It did not arrive till late and the consequent Hurry was the Cause why I omitted to mention as I intended that the Sum of Bank florins to be paid in Amsterdam was the...
17To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 17 October 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Moscow Livingston delivered to me yours of the 25th. of July. He says that you alone gave him an Idea of this Country like the Reality. His Astonishment proves that he did not beleive you and would you hear him you might in your Turn be astonished to find that your sound Understanding while it grasp’d the future Event had never contemplated the progressive Circumstances. I leave to others...
18To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 25 July 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the Honor to transmit to you on the twenty third of last April an Account of the payments made in Consequence of your letter of the 15th. of September 1792. Since which I have written to correct an Omission in that account of a payment made in Holland by my Order of the Amount due to the person who stands the twenty sixth in the list you sent me. On the fifth Instant and in Consequence...
19To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 11 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
In mine of the sixteenth of February I mentioned to you the Case of Colo. Laumoy and that I would write in Answer to his Applications that I am not authoriz’d to make payment but on Production of the Certificate. I do not know how I came to misunderstand you so egregiously as I find upon reading over your Letter to have been the Case. In the present State of the Business however I think it...
20To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 6 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
A friend ask’d me some Days ago to calculate for him the true Value of our public funds. I did so and you will find in answer to the Queries No: 1. 2. & 3 the result of my first Enquiries. But my Mind being once in this Train I determined on greater Accuracy at the Expence of a little more Attention, and the Questions I propounded to myself with the Answers are contained in the enclosed Paper...
21To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 21 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I receive this Instant a Letter from a very respectable Commercial House of Rouen Messieurs Le Couteulx and Company. By the bye before I mention the business I will tell you an Anecdote of them. Louis the fourteenth desirous of encouraging Commerce and breaking down the Barriers which Prejudice had raised against it, offered to this House which was even then of great Antiquity to give the...
22To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 February 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
My last was of the sixteenth of January of which I now enclose a Copy. It has so happened that a very great Proportion of the french Officers who served in America have been either opposed to the Revolution at an early Day, or felt themselves oblig’d at a later Period to abandon it. Some of them are now in a State of Banishment and their Property confiscated. Among these last there are a few...
23To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I this Instant receive your favor of the tenth. I thank you for it. The Aurora will have shewn you the Result of our Deliberations on the Convention at least of those which went to a Division worth noting. If it sticks in France it will be respecting Points on which the Vote was unanimous or nearly so. As to the Induction from the Words of the 2d Article that the old Treaties subsisted tho...
24Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 12 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 12, 1792. “I have receivd yours of the seventh. I had previously sent to the Commissioners of the Treasury the Letter from the Bankers at Amsterdam. I certainly have taken no Steps in Respect to that Payment since my first Letter to you desiring that it might be made and certainly I shall not take any for the very good Reasons which will I am sure suggest themselves to you and...
25Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Pierre Henri Hélène Marie Lebrun-Tondu, 20 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 20, 1792. “J’ai eu l’honneur de recevoir hier votre lettre du dix neuf. J’apprends par la Copie que vous avez eu la bonté d’y joindre de celle de Monsieur Maulde qu’il s’est élevé quelques Difficultés sur le paiement de la Somme de seize cent vingt cinq mille florins de banque dont je suis convenu avec Messieurs les Commissaires de la Tresorerie au Commencement D’Aout, et que...
26To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 17 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Short just before he left this City left with me a memoire in Dutch respecting the Mint. I was to get it translated for you, but not having been able to find a Person acquainted with the Dutch and English languages, I have now determin’d to send you the Original which you will find here enclosed. I hope it may prove useful, and answer the end you had in view. I have transmitted to Mr....
27To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 29 October 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
My friend Colo. Hamilton will thank me for procuring him the acquaintance of Mr. DeVolney the Gentleman who will deliver this Letter. A Splendid reputation in the literary world will command his ready admittance to all good Company his agreable qualities will render him a desireable guest and a valuable acquaintance. LC , Gouverneur Morris Papers, Library of Congress. Constantin François...
28To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 20 May 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
You have annexed Copies of my Letters of the eleventh and twelfth of last month since which I have received from Amsterdam the receipts of Col. Laumoy which are lodged with Mr. Grand. I learn at the same Time that the Creditors of the United States have consented to postpone the reimbursement due to them in June so that the Difficulties in that quarter are removed to my no small Satisfaction...
29To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 31 August 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed you have a Letter for you I have this Instant received from Leray. I must add a word respecting that same Bill of Exchange. I have agreed to pay to Mr. Tillier whatever the Company shall owe him and Thereby confirm what I have said to you upon that Subject but it is upon the express Condition that the Bill in Question be deposited, in your Hands if you please, so that I may be possest...
30To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 24 December 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you on the twenty fourth of October and have not since receivd any of your Letters. In that I acknowleged yours of the 22d of June. You will have seen from the public Prints the Wonderful Success of the french Arms arising from the following Causes. 1st. That the Enemy deceiv’d by the Emigrants counted too lightly on the Opposition he was to meet with. 2ly That from like...
31To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 25 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I transmitted on the sixteenth of last month Copies of my correspondence with the Commissaries of the Treasury to Mr. Jefferson, and on the seventeenth I inform’d you thereof. I now enclose to you my Correspondence on the same Subject with Mr. Short so that you may see exactly how that Matter stands and be able to act knowingly if called on to take any steps in relation to it. You will see...
32Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 14 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have already acknowleged yours of the twenty sixth and twenty seventh of last Month. I will now reply to them. And first I have just written to the Commissaries of the Treasury desiring a Copy of the Entry made in their Books of the Payment in question. Secondly I must inform you that my Reluctance has arisen from a Circumstance highly disagreable and which in my Situation you would have...
33To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 31 January 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I did expect that in congratulating you, which I do most sincerely, upon your Appointment, I should have communicated a Matter which would have administred much Ease and Convenience to the Affairs of your Department. I learn this morning that these Expectations are frustrated from a Quarter and in a Manner which would excite my Surprize had I not long since acquired the Habit of wondering at...
34Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 24 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 24, 1792. “My Letter of Yesterday was written in the Idea that the Business to which it alludes is present to your Recollection but as that may not be the Case I now add in Explanation that there are three Obligations one for 18 Millions one for 10 Millions one for 6 Millions together 34 Millions The first two are payable by Installments of which one Half are due on the...
35Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 28 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, June 28, 1792. “Yours of the eighteenth is just come to Hand & I have but an Instant to reply to it. The Changes of Administration and other Circumstances have prevented me from setling with the Commissaries. It will soon be done. I see in the Gazette that the Assembly has authorized the minister of the Marine to concert with me the Means of supplying their Colonies out of the Debt...
36To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 January 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I shall transmit herewith Copy of what I had the Honor to write to you on the twenty third of last Month. I have since after much difficulty or rather many difficulties adjusted the Mode of payment on Certificates to foreign Officers. Messieurs Grand and Company could not be prevail’d on to deal in Specie because it might have exposed them to Plunder and personal Danger. Similar Feelings would...
37To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 12 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you Yesterday and mentioned the affair of General Laumoy. A View of that Gentlemans very disagreable Situation and the sincere Desire of releiving him from it have suggested to my Mind an Expedient and I have in Consequence written the Letter to our Bankers in Amsterdam of which a Copy is enclosed and by which he will be I hope enabled to receive his Due. For his Capital however he...
38To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 18 May 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
In the list I sent you of payments made by our Bankers here I did not include the Sum of bf. 5997. paid by the Bankers at Amsterdam on the 12. April 1793 and which at the then agio of 1½ p % amounted to f. 6086.19. as you will find by their account being for No. 26. in your list sent me amounting to livres 13327.14.10 equal to Dollars 2468. 1. The party to whom this payment was made writes me...
39Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 5 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 5, 1792. “I wrote to you on the twenty eighth and have since receiv’d yours of the same Date. I call’d on the Minister the Day before yesterday and he promis’d me to come to a Settlement of the Accounts in a few Days and to adjust at the same Time the Object of the late Decree. As the Affair is now left to the Responsability of the Executive I presume they will not longer delay it...
40To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 23 June 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
The annexed is Duplicate of what I had the Honor to write on the twentieth of May. For your better understanding of it I will here add a short explanation of the Plan I had formed and would have carried into Effect. It was to open a loan for Stg £300000 of which the Interest of 4p% was to be paid here annually and the Capital at the End of fourteen years. For the Interest one of the first...
41To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 23 April 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
In Conformity to the directions contained in your letter of the 13 Sepr. 1792 sundry payments have been made. I pray your Reference to that list while you examine the enclosed note of those payments. The numbers refer to the order in which the names stand on your list. Moreover as I transmit the Sums both in Dollars and livres I think there will be no difficulty in making the needful Entries....
42To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 28 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have lately been compelled to take some of your three per Cent Stocks in order to cover Part of a large Debt very disagreably circumstanced and to replace a Portion of heavy Advances have sold it again and am bound in heavy Penalties to have the Transfer immediately made. This Stock consists of the Arrearage of Interest to the last Day of the last Year on $382.878..60 Cts of liquidated Debt...
43To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 22 February 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
You Must pardon me for telling you I am sorry that you opposed sending a Petition to Congress against the Repeal of the Law of last Session for amending the judicial System. It will stop I suppose any such actions which might have come on from the Eastward and thus leave our Enemies to conclude against us from the Silence of our friends. Moreover it will enable your personal Enemies to say...
44Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 6 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 6, 1792. “The above is Copy of what I wrote yesterday. After the Post was gone I receivd a Letter from the Minister of the Marine praying an Interview in order to adjust the Business which he says was entamé in your Time.…” LC (extract), Gouverneur Morris Papers, Library of Congress. Jean de Lacoste served as Minister of Marine from March 15 to July 21, 1792.
45Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to the Commissaries of the French Treasury, 30 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I did not receive until yesterday yours of the twenty eighth instant. I will proceed to the examination of the account enclosed in it immediately. We have money at Amsterdam; if you chuse to receive it there, be so kind as to inform me, and of the person to whom it is to be paid. It will be necessary in that case to fix a rate of exchange, and in order to avoid unnecessary delay, I pray you to...
46To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 30 June 1784 (Hamilton Papers)
This is rather a late Period to acknowlege yours of the seventh of April. I have lived in the constant Intention to answer it & I now execute my Purpose. But why not sooner? Procrastination is the Thief of Time says Doctor Young. I meant to have written fully on the Subject of the Gold. But I waited some Informations from Annapolis on the Probability of a Mint. I afterwards intended a long...
47Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to George Washington, 27 May 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the Honor to enclose a Letter and sundry Papers relating to it from Messieurs Schweizer Jeanneret & Co. I have referred these Gentlemen to Mr. Short telling them that it is most fitting in many Respects that they should apply to him. As it is possible however that this Business may come before you, I think it a Duty to convey some Observations which occur to me, and which may not...
48To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 13 June 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
I am to acknowlege yours of the 19th. of May which reached me a few Days since. Matters are not going so well in this State as the Friends of America could wish. If indeed the Debates in Convention were alone attended to a contrary Inference would be drawn for altho Mr. Henry is most warm and powerful in Declamation being perfectly Master of Action Utterance and the Power of Speech to stir...
49To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 May 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the Pleasure of your two Favors within two Days of each other and am very happy to find that our Form of Government meets with your Approbation. That there are Faults in it is not to be wondered at for it is the Work of Men and of Men perhaps not the best qualified for such Undertakings. I think it deficient for the Want of Vigor in the executive unstable from the very Nature of popular...
50Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Thomas Jefferson, 17 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
If I have not hitherto mentioned the Application made to me by the foreign Officers who have certificates whereof the interest is payable in this City, it has not been for want of sufficient cause, but because I did daily hope to have received some news on that subject. Many have spoken to me, written to me, and called upon me. I have given to all the general assurances that justice would be...