31From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [21 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I did not understand by your letter of the 17th. of November whether you meant or not to authorise the immediate commencement of the sale of Stock. If you think this measure will become indispensable, it may be well to anticipate the execution; though indeed sales of Stock are at this juncture nearly impracticable. Yet I imagine it will be agreeable to the Bank to have permission to...
32From Alexander Hamilton to Stephen Higginson, 20 December 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, December 20, 1796. On January 12, 1797, Higginson wrote to Hamilton : “Your Letter of 20 of last month I have received.” Letter not found. ]
33From Alexander Hamilton to William Cooper, [16 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter with a Post note of a thousand dollars on account of the Mortgage of the lands formerly Holkers in which Mr. Church is interested. The papers respecting this affair in my possession will be looked up & sent to Mr. Laurance by Mondays Post. This letter will serve you as a Receipt. Yrs. truly ALS , from a typescript furnished by an anonymous donor. Cooper, the founder...
34From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, 16 December 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received, my dear Sir, your several letters of the 25 of August 10 & 11th. of Septr. You know my sentiments towards you too well to ascribe my delay in answering them to any other cause than the imperiousness of avocations with which I could not dispense. Public opinion, taking the Country at large, has continued since you left us to travel on in a right direction, and, I trust, will...
35From Alexander Hamilton to Herman LeRoy, William Bayard, and James McEvers, 16 December 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, December 16, 1796. Discusses the Holland Land Company’s interest in Robert Morris’s proposed negotiations with the Seneca Indians. ALS , Gemeentearchief Amsterdam, Holland Land Company. These documents were transferred in 1964 from the Nederlandsch Economisch-Historisch Archief, Amsterdam. LeRoy, Bayard, and McEvers were partners in a New York City mercantile firm which represented...
36[From Alexander Hamilton to the Citizens of New-York], [13 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The [New York] Argus. Greenleaf’s New Daily Advertiser , December 27, 1796. In reprinting this handbill signed by “A True American,” the Argus stated that on December 13, 1796, “three thousand of the following hand-bill were slily pushed under the knockers and doors of the citizens under cover of the darkness of the night.” The Argus suggests, but does not categorically state, that H wrote...
37Federal Republican, [12 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
For the Minerva. To the Citizens of New-York. Fellow Citizens, Elections in Republics are always of importance. The approaching one may with truth be said to be peculiarly so. No one can doubt that the steady and prosperous course of our government, hitherto is very much owing to the well deserved weight and influence of the excellent and beloved patriot, who now fills the presidential chair,...
38The Answer, [8 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
For The Minerva. The French republic have, at various times, during the present war, complained of certain principles, and decisions of the American government, as being violations of its neutrality, or infractions of the treaty made with France in the year 1778. These complaints were principally made in the year 1793, and explanations, which, till now, were deemed satisfactory, were made by...
39From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [6 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The President of the Bank of New York called upon me yesterday and manifested considerable anxiety about the State of the Bank. It seems the course of things lately, and their large accommodation to the Government, have produced a heavy ballance against them in favor of the Office of Discount at this place, which has lately called for 100000 Ds in specie & it is apprehended may speedily call...
40From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Wadsworth, [1 December 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have lately received a line from you. I had been apprised of the machination to cheat us into Mr Burr but I have no apprehension of its success. My chief fear is that the attachment of our Eastern friends to Mr. Adams may prevent their voting for Pinckney likewise, & that some irregularity or accident may deprive us of Adams & let in Jefferson. Judge Tichener in passing through informed me...
41From Alexander Hamilton to Stephen Higginson, 28 November 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, November 28, 1796. On December 9, 1796, Higginson wrote to Hamilton : “Your Letter of 28 of last month I received.” Letter not found. ] Higginson, who had commanded a privateer during the American Revolution and had been a delegate to the Continental Congress from Massachusetts in 1782 and 1783, was one of Boston’s wealthiest merchants and a prominent Federalist.
42From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 22 November 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I thank you for your Note sending me Adet’s letter. The present is in my opinion as critical a situation as our Government has been in—requiring all its prudence all its wisdom all its moderation, all its firmness. Though the thing is now passed, I do not think it useless to say to you that I was not well pleased with the Secretary of State’s answer to Adets note communicating the order...
43From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [19 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I duly received your letter of the 12th. instant. My avocations have not permitted me sooner to comply with your desire. I have looked over the papers & suggested alterations & corrections; and I have also numbered the paragraphs I. II. III &c in the order in which it appears to me eligble they should stand in the Speech. I thought upon full reflection you could not avoid an allusion to your...
44From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [11 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
My anxiety for such a course of things as will most promise a continuance of peace to the country, & in the contrary event a full justification of the President, has kept my mind dwelling on the late Reply to Mr. Adet & though it is a thing that cannot be undone, yet if my ideas are right the communication of them may not be wholly useless for the future. The more I have considered that paper...
45From Alexander Hamilton to Robert Morris, [10 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, November 10, 1796. On November 19, 1796, Morris wrote to Hamilton : “I … find your letter of the 10 Inst.” Letter not found. ]
46From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [10 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have been employed in making and have actually completed a rough draft on the following heads “ National University, Military Academy, Board of Agriculture, Establishment of such manufactories on public account as are relative to the equipment of army & navy, to the extent of the public demand for supply , & excluding all the branches already well established in the country.—The gradual &...
47Draft of George Washington’s Eighth Annual Address to Congress, [10 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
That among the objects of labour and industry, Agriculture considered with reference either to individual or national welfare is first in importance may safely be affirmed without derogating from the just and real value of any other branch. It is indeed the best basis of the prosperity of every other. In proportion as nations progress in population and other circumstances of maturity this...
48From Alexander Hamilton to Tench Coxe, [10 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I beg the favour of you to let me know what if any thing has been settled with Messrs. Wheelen & Miller or whereabouts that affair is. I expect with certain[ty] Mr. Church early in the spring, and should be grieved to have to inform him of an unsettled state of this business. I am Sir Yr. very hum. servant ALS , Papers of Tench Coxe in the Coxe Family Papers at the Historical Society of...
49From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [9 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I received yesterday your letter of the 6th & immediately wrote some additional letters to the Eastward enforcing what I had before written. Pensylvania does not surprise me. I have reconsidered the opinion given to you on the 3d, & see no reason to change it. The reasoning which leads me to the conclusion has not been sufficiently explained. I will therefore be more particular. The articles...
50From Alexander Hamilton to ———, [8 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
Our excellent President, as you have seen, has declined a reelection. ‘T is all-important to our country that his successor shall be a safe man. But it is far less important who of many men that may be named shall be the person, than that it shall not be Jefferson. We have every thing to fear if this man comes in, and from what I believe to be an accurate view of our political map I conclude...
51From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Wadsworth, 8 November 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
A few days since I wrote you my opinion concerning the good policy of supporting faithfully Pinckney as well as Adams . The following extract of a letter from Mr. Wolcott of the 6th instant serves to confirm it— “The Fœderal Ticket is lost in this State. There are still hopes that Mr. Adams will be elected but nothing more. I hope Mr. Pinckney will be supported as the next best thing which can...
52From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Wadsworth, [6 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I perceive you are an elector. In this state we support unanimously John Adams and Thomas Pinckney; on the principle of taking a double chance against Jefferson , deeming it far more important that be shall not be the President than who of the two men, Adams and Pinckney, shall be the President. The Government and the national interests will be perfectly safe in the hands of either of these...
53From Alexander Hamilton to Hall and Stimpson, 5 November 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, November 5, 1796. On the back of a letter from Hall and Stimpson, dated October 24, 1796 , Hamilton wrote: “Answered Nov 5, 1796.” Letter not found. ]
54From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [5 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
Yesterday after the departure of the Post I received your letter of the 3d. I have since seen the answer to Adet . I perceive in it nothing intrinsically exceptionable—but something in the manner a little epigrammatical and sharp . I make this remark freely, because the Card now to be played is perhaps the most delicate that has occurred in your administration. And nations like Individuals...
55From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [4 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have lately been honored with two letters from you, one from Mount Vernon the other from Philadelphia, which came to hand yesterday. I immediately sent the last to Mr. Jay & conferred with him last night. We settled our opinion on one point—(viz) That whether Mr Adet acted with or without instruction from his Government in publishing his communication, he committed a disrespect towards our...
56From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [3 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I have more carefully examined our Treaty with G Britain & I return to the opinion given you from Albany. My hesitation yesterday arose from the terms of the 24th article which were confined to privateers , a word that has an appropriate sense, meaning ships of private persons commissioned to cruise . But the following article contains the equivalent one to that with France, upon which we...
57From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [1 November 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote you a line from Albany expressing an opinion from Memory , that our Treaty with G B prohibitted the sale of prizes made by French National Ships. Being just returned to Town I have looked into the article which relates to the point & I fear that opinion was wrong. In a day or two I will write you more particularly. Adets late communication demands a very careful & well managed answer....
58From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 27 October 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 17th instant found me at Albany attending the Supreme Court. I have no copy of the Treaty with G B at hand, but I am well satisfied from memory that the true interpretation of that Treaty, enforcing in this respect the true Rule of neutrality, forbids our permitting the sale of a prize taken & brought in by a French National Ship, equally as if by a Privateer —and that the...
59From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [26 October 1796] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote you yesterday by Mr. Rensselaer. Since that I received yours of Friday last which gave me much pleasure. I was consoled to hear that you & our darling little ones were well—though I shall be anxious till I rejoin you lest there should be a relapse or some new attack. Your father is really better and as I hope in no present danger. His breaking out looks less & less like mortification &...
60From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, 25 [October] 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
The extreme hurry in which I have been My Dear Eliza since my arrival here has prevented my writing to you. This serves merely to inform you that my health is as good as when I left you & let me add that your father is much better than he was & the rest of your family in good health. I need not add that I am impatient to be restored to your bosom & to the presence of my beloved Children. Tis...