21From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 30 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since closing my letter, herewith transmitted, yours of the 4th. of March transmitting a copy of the contract for the last loan has been delivered to me. A ratification of that contract by the President will be forwarded as speedily as possible after his return to the seat of Government which is expected to be in the first week of the next month. There is in a late letter from Messrs. Willinks...
22Enclosure: Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard to William Short, 21 July … (Hamilton Papers)
We have your respected favor of 15 Instant, in consequence of which We have confirmed to Messr. Hogguer Grand & Co. our having received your Order to pay them f500,000.—.—. on account of the U.S. and our readiness to fulfill it. They will apply to us for the Money so soon as they shall be authorized by the Commissaries of the Treasury; When We will endeavor to fix the Exchange at a just and...
23From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 1[–2] August 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last letter to you, yours of the 4th. of May has come to hand. Pursuant to instructions recently received from the President of the United States, I am at liberty to authorise you “to open at your discretion loans at such times and places and for such sums as you may find advisable within the limitations of the respective laws authorising the loans” and which have been transmitted to...
24Enclosure: Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard to William Short, 25 August … (Hamilton Papers)
We had the pleasure to address you the 22nd. Inst. and now come to reply particularly to your respected favors of 12 & 14 ditto. We must confess to you Sir, that your sticking to reduce the Charges We fixed with you for the Five per Cent Loans of the United-States, after We had placed them upon the very lowest footing, is truly surprizing to us, more especially as It is striving to recede from...
25From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 2 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last to you of the first of August I have received your several letters of the 3d. 5. 10 & 19th of June. Most of the points mentioned in those letters will find sufficient answers in my several communications of the 9th & 24th of May, June 25 & 30th & the 1st of August, all of which having gone, by duplicates at least, and some by triplicates, I take it for granted have gotten or will...
26Enclosure: Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard to William Short, 8 September … (Hamilton Papers)
We have before us your respected favors of 28 Ulto. and 3d Instant, the latter rendering that Justice to our Views, in the Conduct of the last Loan for Six Millions, which they merit, and that Circumstances are fast developing the extreme Propriety of, since the probable Acceptance of the French Constitution by the King, greatly augments the hopes and expectations of People here, in a rapid...
27From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 3 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I acknowlege the receipt of your letters of the 26th and 27 of July. The fall which you announce in the price of the effects of the United States was certainly artificial. The cause ere this will have been better ascertained to you. ’Tis open to various conjectures. I have thought it adviseable to drop a line to our Bankers in Holland (of which a copy is inclosed) merely to mark my attention...
28From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 1 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have barely time by this opportunity to inform you That I have directed the Treasurer to draw for One Million of florins on account of the last loan of six millions and towards the close of the present month shall direct him to draw for another million. I calculate that the whole amount of the loan will have been received before the second set of draughts are presented. I remain with great...
29From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 30 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letters of the 23rd. and 31st. of August and 3d of September remain unacknowledged. Mine to you of the 1st. of August 2nd. September and 3rd. of October will much abrige what is necessary to be said at this time. The prices of the public debt here rendering it questionable whether it be any longer the interest of the United States to prosecute the idea of purchases with monies borrowed at...
30From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 21 January 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Treasury Department, January 21, 1792. Letter listed in dealer’s catalogue. Letter not found. ] LS , sold by Stan V. Henkels, Jr., October 11, 1927, Lot 170.
31From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 28 January 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
You will find herewith duplicate of my letter of the 30th of November last—Since which I am without any of your favours. It is with sincere pleasure, I embrace the opportunity of congratulating you on your appointment to the Hague as Minister Resident. This will afford you a better opportunity of watching and appreciating the course of Circumstances. You will consequently be obliged less to...
32From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 14 February 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your several favours of Sept. 23d. Oct. 10th. & Dec. 1st. It appears to me probable that your movement towards Antwerp produced the appearance of a four per cent loan, and I hope from it in the result good effects. Inclosed you will find a copy of a letter of the same date with this to the Commissioners in Holland. You will easily comprehend the motives which dictated the turn...
33From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 5 March 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last of the 14th ultimo I have the pleasure of your two letters of the 8th & 12th of Novemer. The reimbursement of the Spanish Debt will be perfectly acceptable, but there will be matter for regret, if before this reaches you the sum claimed by the Farmer’s General has been paid to them. There is certainly a million of livres in the pecuniary transactions between the United States and...
34From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 21 March 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
As the discharge of the arrears of interest and instalments of principal of the French debt, which are due, may have occasioned your power to borrow for that object to be suspended, until you can obtain a loan at a rate of interest and Charges sufficiently reduced, it is my wish, that as soon as it shall be proper after the receipt of this letter you would proceed to borrow the sum of three...
35From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 2 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I am to acknowlege the receipt of your several letters of the 22d of November 23d 28th and 30th of December. The accomplishment, thus early, of a loan at 4 per Cent exceeds expectation as much as it does credit to your exertions. The intelligence of it was received with great satisfaction by the President as well as by myself, and has given no small pleasure to the public at large. You will...
36From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 10 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
My last letter to you was of the 2nd instant. It is proper that you be informed that a sum of eight thousand, three hundred and twenty five Dollars was paid here on application of Mr. de Ternant the Minister of France to himself and twenty two thousand Dollars to Mr. de la forest the Vice Consul General on the 21st. of February last, and the sum of one hundred thousand Dollars on the 12th. of...
37From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 16 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The fluctuation of the price of the Stocks in the United States is a circumstance that cannot have failed to attract your attention nor to excite a temporary feeling in the minds of foreigners. Tho’ I doubt not it will be well explained by the Agents of those Citizens of other Countries who have vested their Monies in our funds, I think it necessary that some ideas should be communicated to...
38From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 7 May 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The President having ratified the three last loans, namely one of six millions of florins at five per Cent interest; one of three Millions at four per Cent and that which has been negociated at Antwerp, I herewith transmit you the instrument of ratification concerning the latter. The two former I have thought best to enclose directly to the Commissioners in Amsterdam under an impression that...
39From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 14 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your two letters of the 26th of January and 24th of March have come to hand since mine to you of the 7th of May. For an answer to the first I believe I need do nothing more than refer you to former communications. On the latter some observations arise. You will consider any suggestions which you may find in my letters concerning a rule for adjusting the value of the payments to France rather...
40From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 23 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
After closing my letter to you of the 14th. instant, the Comptroller, to whom I had submitted for examination the statement of the French Treasury transmitted by you, made some communications to me on that subject, of which copies are here enclosed for your information. My own observations upon it must necessairly be reserved for another opportunity, as Mr. Pinkney who will take charge of my...
41From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 30 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have before me your letter of the 22nd. of April last. As I doubt not the details of the projected mangement will leave sufficient latitude, as to time, to avoid embarrassment to the Treasury, it cannot but be satisfactory. A bill has been drawn in favour of the Secretary of State on our Commissioners for One hundred and twenty three thousand, seven hundred and fifty Guilders, which,...
42From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 25 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letters of the 25th of April and 14th of May have duly reached me; since the receipt of that of the 22nd of April which was acknowleged in mine of the 30th of June. In consequence of your letter of the 14th of May I have directed drafts on the Commissioners for five hundred thousand Guilders, and as soon as these are sold, I shall cause further drafts to be made to the extent of [five...
43From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 4 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last to you of the 25th Ultimo, I have received a letter from our Commissioners at Amsterdam, informing me of their having recently instituted another loan for the United States, of three millions, at four per Cent interest, to be dated the first of June last. I have concluded to destine the money arising from this loan towards payment of the debt due to France, and you will...
44From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 16 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
You will herewith receive a Triplicate of my letter to you of the 25th Ultimo and a duplicate of one of the 4th instant. If the destination of the monies arising from the last loan, as mentioned in my former letter of the said 4th instant, has not already put it out of your power, it would be my wish that you reserve a sufficient sum for the purpose of discharging the debt due to foreign...
45From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 28 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
It has been represented to me by the accounting Officers of the Treasury that a regular account of all the monies which have been received by you from our Commissioners in Europe, or which have been paid by them by your direction, would be requisite in the examination and adjustment of the accounts of the said Commissioners. I have therefore to request that you will furnish me with an account,...
46From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 13 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Having been authorised by the President to take arrangements for paying off the debt due to foreign Officers, the interest of which is payable at the House of Mr. Grand, Banker at Paris; and having concluded to commit to Governeur Morris Esquire being on the spot the management of the detail as to the payment of interest (that of the principal being to be made here) I am to request that you...
47Enclosure: 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...
48Enclosure: 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...
49Enclosure: 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.
50Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 9 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 9, 1792. “I wrote to you a Note on the sixth mentioning the Application of the Minister of the Marine. I have not heard from him since. Probably he is collecting the Accounts for I told the Minister of foreign Affairs that I must have the past Accounts settled before I could undertake any Thing new. At any Rate I shall soon get this Business done unless there be another Over Set in...
51Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 16 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 16, 1792. “… I wrote to you on the ninth and it appears that while I was writing the Ministry resign’d to a Man. This Measure is connected with Circumstances which are not generally known and it was entirely unexpected. I did not know it till about seven oClock in the Evening for I had been at Home till six and then went by Appointment to the Minister of the Marine who was with the...
52Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 23 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, July 23, 1792. “I am favord with yours of the seventeenth.… The History you give of DeWolf proves clearly that his Hopes outrun his Judgment. You are however in a Position to see clearly and I am persuaded that however he may deceive himself he cannot deceive you. It appears to me a fortunate Thing that he cannot undertake for large Sums because his Operations will only stimulate the...
53Enclosure: 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...
54Enclosure: 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...
55Enclosure: 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...
56Enclosure: 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...
57Enclosure: 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...
58Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 27 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, August 27, 1792. “I wrote to you on the twentieth and twenty third. Yours of the twenty first is receiv’d. I mentiond to you in one of my preceeding Letters that I had receivd the Account of the Commissaries in which the several Payments are credited in Livres which is unavoidable in Book-Keeping. I have also told you that the last Payment was the Equivalent of six Millions. By the...
59Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 9 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 9, 1792. “Yours of the fourth Instant arrivd yesterday afternoon and I write now that I may be in Time for the Post of Tomorrow. I beleive the Delay of my Letter was not in this City. As the six Millions are I suppose paid, it is not necessary to dilate on that Subject. In Regard to the Extent of my Powers I will explain to you my Ideas thereon. At first I suppos’d that the...
60Enclosure: 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...
61Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 20 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 20, 1792. “I have receiv’d your two Letters of the eleventh and the fourteenth. I certainly do not mean to withdraw myself from any Situation in which either Duty or Propriety may bid me to remain. This is a general Maxim, which will I hope govern me thro Life. I proceed now to take up again the Payment made on Account of our Debt. I did hope that there was an End of our...
62Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 23 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 23, 1792. “I have receivd yours of the eighteenth. Mine of the twentieth will have communicated to you the Reasons for leaving the Transaction to which you refer on it’s Original Ground. If any Question should here-after be raised respecting it, our Answer is that you compleated what was begun, or rather paid a Bill drawn: for, the Form differing, the substance of the...
63Enclosure: 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...
64From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 1[–15] October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
On my arrival here, upon an excursion of a few days, I find the intelligence of a suspension of the King of France, and of a new revolution in that country. I take it for granted, that after such an event, no further payments will have been made to France. It is now impossible to calculate anything concerning the affairs of that country, and of course the validity, as well as the utility to...
65From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 16 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
There being a Vessel in port ready to sail for Amsterdam, I take the opportunity to enclose you triplicates of my letters of the 13th Ultimo and 1st instant, and to note to you that I have directed the Treasurer to draw upon our Commissioners at Amsterdam for one hundred thousand guilders, in addition to the sums mentioned in my letter of the 25th of July. This I have done in consequence of a...
66From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 5 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The last letter which I have had the pleasure of receiving from you is dated the 6th of August. By letters from Mr Morris to the Secretary of State, down to the 16th of that month, it appeared that he had, on the 6th, ordered a payment, to the French Treasury, of one million six hundred and twenty five thousand B. florins. But nothing is said which can enlighten me as to his opinion whether...
67From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 26 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last of the 5th. instant a triplicate of which is here inclosed I have received yours of the 30th of August last. I have only time to inform you that I have directed the sum of 1,250.000 florins to be drawn upon our Commissioners in Amsterdam immediately; which will leave a sum in their hands sufficient to face the Interest and other payments falling due up to the 1st. of March next...
68Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 12 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your favors of the twenty sixth and twenty seventh of last month to which I intended to reply this Day but I have been interrupted constantly since I left my Bed to the present Moment in which I have only Time for this Short Acknowledgement of your Letters. I regret it the less as I much fear that in the present Situation of Flanders even these half dozen Lines may miscarry....
69Enclosure: 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...
70From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 31 December 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Inclosed is duplicate of my letter of the 26th ultimo, mentioning, among other matters, that Treasury drafts had been directed upon the Commissioners in Amsterdam to the amount of 1,250,000 guilders. It will be proper to inform you that this sum has been reduced to 1,237,500 guilders, to be drawn in lieu of the sum first mentioned; and that a further sum of 24,750 guilders has since been...