1To Alexander Hamilton from Jonathan Lawrence, Junior, 4 May 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
The father of his Country being now Invested with the full powers of his Office, I presume he will therefore very soon make the necessary Arrangements in the Revenue, let me entreat you therefore my Dear friend to exert yourself for me, with the President, the Number of Applicants I find are so very many, that it will be necessary to be early for fear of disappointments. Excuse me my Dear Coll...
2From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [5 May 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
In conformity to the intimation you were pleased to honor me with on evening last I have reflected on the etiquette proper to be observed by the President and now submit the ideas which have occurred to me on the subject. The public good requires as a primary object that the dignity of the office should be supported. Whatever is essential to this ought to be pursued though at the risk of...
3To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 5 May 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I beg you to accept my unfeigned thanks for your friendly communications of this date—and that you will permit me to entreat a continuation of them as occasions may arise. The manner chosen for doing it, is most agreeable to me. It is my wish to act right; if I err; the head & not the heart, shall, with justice , be chargeable. With sentiments of sincere esteem & regard I am Dear Sir Your...
4To Alexander Hamilton from Jonathan Lawrence, Junior, 6 May 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I have been at a stand whether to forward to you the Enclosed, or not, for fear you might Imagine me troublesome. Necessity has at length over Come my delicate feelings, and I have concluded to transmit it to you, with an Anxious hope that you will Interest yourself in behalf of Old Servant to his Country, who has sacrificed health and fortune to Serve his Country and now finds himself reduced...
5From Alexander Hamilton to Walter Livingston, 18 May 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
The interview between us yesterday was altogether unexpected. I thought it proper to be candid. But I trust you will consider what I said as confidential. I mean to consult mutual friends; and to act agreeably to the most scrupulous delicacy. My final determination shall be communicated. If Whatever may be the issue it shall not be my fault, if it causes any interruption of that friendly...
6To Alexander Hamilton from Philip Schuyler, 20 May 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter by last nights post is come to hand, but not that relative to the Election in the Southern district. If there is a majority of 300 in our favor in the Southern district, indeed if the votes there are ballanced, we have every reason to conclude that we shall be victors. We have Accounts here that at the poles in some parts of Westchester and Orange the tickets for Governor Lieut...
7James Barcklay to Alexander Hamilton and Balthazar De Haert, 22 May 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Brookhaven [ New York ] May 22, 1789 . “The Cases between Wells, and Wickham, & myself have been long enough in Court to have been determined, yet by fraudulent delays I know not how they stand.… I mean not to direct, but to desire proper care to be taken to prevent fraudulent tricks and delays, so that I may have my Money which they mean to cheat me out of.…” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of...
8To Alexander Hamilton from Samuel Loudon, 22 May 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Tho’ you may have no predilection to serve one printer more than another, as all of them, may have been obliging to you—yet, give me leave to mention a few Arguments, which I shall offer to convince you that my claims are better founded than some others, now candidates for the public printing. 1. I have one of the best offices in this City—consequently, having good hands, can do Printing work,...
9From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [28 May 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
I am miserable My beloved angel that I cannot yet come to you; but this abominable business still detains us & will do it for some days. I would willingly endure the fatigue of a journey to visit you, if it were but for a minute; but such is my situation and the expectation of those for whom I act, that I cannot get away for an hour. It cannot however much longer keep me from my beloved; and...
10To Alexander Hamilton from Robert Smith, 31 May 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, May 31, 1789. Acknowledges receipt of a letter from Hamilton enclosing “a Bond from Mrs. Hammond of Baltimore to Thomas & Richard Lee of Leeds bearing date the 20th. Sepr. 1788.” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Smith was practicing law in Baltimore at the time this letter was written. In 1801, he was appointed Secretary of the Navy by Thomas Jefferson. Letter not found....
11To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, [4 June 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, June 4, 1789. Letter not found. ] “List of Letters from G— — Washington to General Hamilton,” Columbia University Libraries.
12To Alexander Hamilton from Susanna, Ruth, Joseph, Nelly, and John Cockle, 12 June 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, June 12, 1789. Authorize Hamilton to “become security to Mr Robert Boyd for a Certain Sum of money left us as a Legacy by our late Grand Father John Cockle of Jamaica on Long Island.” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. At the bottom of the letter is a bond in the writing of H and signed by John Cockle.
13To Alexander Hamilton from Josiah Crane, 12 June 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, June 12, 1789. “… [During the American Revolution] I Lodgd. at piramus in New Jersey. Early the Next morning we were Alarmd. by a party of the British, where I narrowly Escapd. with my life, and was Deprived of all I had in the World Except a few Loan office Certificates.… I am now A Ruind. man, and if my Country Shoud. not think that I merit Some Little Relief for the Support of my...
14To Alexander Hamilton from Morgan Lewis, 24 June 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I am informed the Inhabitants of New York have it in Contemplation to make Mr King one of our Senators. Under this Persuasion I have thrown it out in Conversation to several of the Country Members & have found it very generally disapproved of, so much so, that I am satisfied it cannot at present be accomplished. I am afraid, too, it would interfere with the Appointment of Genl. Schuyler, in...
15To Alexander Hamilton from William Hull, 29 June 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Newton [ Massachusetts ] June 29, 1789 . Requests Hamilton to accept “Mr. Charles Jackson, Son of General Michael Jackson,” as a law clerk. ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Hull, after service in the American Revolution, practiced law in Newton, Massachusetts.
16Eulogy on Nathanael Greene, [4 July 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
Eulogium on the late Major General Greene There is no duty that could have been assigned to me by this Society, which I should execute with greater alacrity than the one I am now called upon to perform. All the motives capable of interesting an ingenuous and feeling mind conspire to prompt me to its execution. To commemorate the talents virtues and exploits of great and good men is at all...
17To Alexander Hamilton from Robert Troup, [12 July 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
I arrived here on Friday night. I can do no business with the court of errors so anxious is the Legislature to adjourn. It is generally thought that the appointmen⟨t⟩ of Senators will be completed tomorrow or next day at farthest after which nothing will keep the members together except some Indian business which has just turned up. When our friends met it seems they judged it most prudent to...
18From Alexander Hamilton to Rufus King, [15 July 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter by the last Post but one. I immediately sat about circulating an idea, that it would be injurious to the City to have Duane elected—as the probability was, that some very unfit character would be his successor. My object was to have this sentiment communicated to our members. But a stop was put to my measures, by a letter received from Burr, announcing that at a general...
19To Alexander Hamilton from John Adams, [21 July 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr Charles Adams, my second son, the Bearer of this Letter, I beg leave to introduce to you. He took his degree at our University of Cambridge this year, and is destined to the Study of the Law. I wish to get him into some office in New York, and should give the Preference to yours. But there are two Contingencies, one possible the other probable in the way. The first is that Congress may...
20Promissory Note from William Duer, [29 July 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
Forty days after Date I promise to pay to Alexander Hamilton on order for Value received the Sum of Two thousand Specie Dollars. ADS , New-York Historical Society, New York City. Duer, financier and merchant, had been appointed secretary of the Board of Treasury in March, 1786. He was soon to serve under H as Assistant to the Secretary of the newly organized Treasury Department. H’s signature...
21To Alexander Hamilton from Samuel Jones, [5 August 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
The Duties to be collected are imposed only upon Goods imported into the United States after the first of August. Consequently no Goods imported on or before that Day are charged with those Duties. And I am of Opinion that all such Goods may be carried to and landed at any other Port of the United States Duty free. The Act regulating the Collection of the Duties requires the Master or Person...
22Enclosure: Wilhelm and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard to Thomas Jefferson, 13 … (Hamilton Papers)
We had the honor to remit Your Excellency £169,718.16 the 10th. Inst. in 23 Bills of Exchange and now inclose 110,281. 4 in 22 Do. ⅌ inclosed List. together £280,000 for accounts of the United States; being the Amount requisite for payment of the Arrears of Interest due to Foreign Officers and for completing the Article of Medals; The Receipt whereof We request Your Excellency’s...
23Receipt from John Murray, 15 August 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, August 15, 1789 . On this date Hamilton wrote and Murray signed a receipt which reads as follows: “the above account is in consequence of directions given me by Mr. Hamilton from motives of Charity to provide for the burial of Abbe Mott & the amount is now paid to me by him Aug 15. 1789.” DS , in writing of H, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Murray was a New York City merchant....
24Enclosure: Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 27 August 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I am honoured with your favor of June 19. informing me that permission is given me to make a short visit to my native country, for which indulgence I beg leave to return my thanks to the President, and to yourself, Sir, for the expedition with which you were so good as to forward it after it was obtained. Being advised that October is the best month of the autumn for a passage to America, I...
25To Alexander Hamilton from Richard Harison, [September 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
The Subject which you have mentioned was in a great Measure new to me. However I cannot hesitate as to the Validity of a Bond given to the United States, the People of which I think form one great Body politic for all the important Purposes of Government. The Constitution speaks of “Controversies to which the United States Shall be a Party” as forming a Branch of the Judicial Power; and I can...
26From Alexander Hamilton to Samuel Jones, [September 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
I Are the duties recoverable on goods imported between the first of August and the time the custom house was organised in a state recoverable? II May vessels arriving in any port leave that port without paying or securing the duties prior to the expiration of 48 hours and go where they please or not? III May they only go prior to the same period to another state? IV May they after that period...
27Alexander Hamilton’s Nomination by George Washington for the Office of Secretary of the Treasury of the United States … (Hamilton Papers)
New York, September 11, 1789. On this date Washington submitted to the Senate the following nominations for the Treasury Department: “Alexander Hamilton (of New York) Secretary. Nicholas Eveleigh (of So. Carolina) Comptroller. Samuel Meredith (of Pensylvania) Treasurer. Oliver Wolcott Junr: (of Connecticut) Auditor. Joseph Nourse (in Office) Register.” LS , RG 46, First Congress, 1789–1791,...
28Schedule III: A Statement of the Anticipation of Monies on the Public Credit, 11 September 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
The Register having accurately stated the account of warrants drawn by the late Commissioners of the Board of Treasury on the Treasurer of the United States, and having examined the amount of monies actually received by the said Treasurer, certifies, that the excess of warrants drawn beyond the said Treasurer’s actual receipts, amounts to the sum of One Hundred Eighty-nine thousand, Nine...
29Appointment as Secretary of the Treasury, [11 September 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
Know Ye, that reposing special Trust and Confidence in the Patriotism, Integrity, and Abilities of Alexander Hamilton of the City of New York in the State of New York, Esquire, I have nominated, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, do appoint him Secretary of the Treasury of the said United States, and do authorize and empower him to execute and fulfil the Duties of that...
30Conversation with Comte de Moustier, [13 September 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
Projet de M. hamilton, pour liquider les arrérages de la dette tant domestique qu’Etrangére des Etats Unis. Observations de M. de Moustier à ce sujet. Le 13. de ce mois, M. Hamilton à qui j’avois été faire la veille mon compliment sur sa nomination à la place de Secretaire du Departement des Finances, vint chés moi et m’entretint du projet qu’il avoit de proposer que le Congrès fit un emprunt...