To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 18 February 1800

From James McHenry

War Dept. 18 Febry 1800

Dear Hamilton

I have received your letter of yesterday informing me of your return to New York. What I suggested might happen has been realized.1 The Senate yielded to the supposed momentum of public opinion, or some other agent as powerful, and passed the bill from the House of Representatives to suspend further inlistments for the twelve Regiments & 6 companies of cavalry.2 A feeble attempt was made in Senate to augment (by an amendment to the bill) the complement of men on the old, to the war, establishment.3 It failed altho I had been led to believe it would have succeeded.

I inclose my last weak effort for the military academy and the army.4 I will not be surprized however at the session’s closing without any thing being done. The navy is to ingulph every thing and it is certain should we give to it all our money—it cannot give us in return adequate protection. Both establishments are indispensible, I mean the military and naval. Some however think one of them sufficient, and that to run down the one is to receive funds for the other. You find by my report, that I have pursued a different course, and presumed both necessary.

Adieu. Yours truely & affecy

James McHenry

ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; ADf, James McHenry Papers, Library of Congress.

1. See McHenry to H, January 25, 27, 1800.

2. On February 11, 1800, by a vote of twenty-one to ten, the Senate passed “An act to suspend in part an act, entitled ‘An act to augment the Army of the United States, and for other purposes’” (Annals of Congress description begins The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States; with an Appendix, Containing Important State Papers and Public Documents, and all the Laws of a Public Nature (Washington, 1834–1849). description ends , X, 45). John Adams signed the bill on February 20, 1800 (2 Stat. description begins The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America, I (Boston, 1845); II (Boston, 1850). description ends 7).

3. On February 7, 1800, Uriah Tracy, for the committee appointed on January 27, 1800, reported the bill to the Senate. On February 10 the bill was amended, but on February 11, 1800, the amendment was rejected by a vote of seventeen to fourteen (Annals of Congress description begins The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States; with an Appendix, Containing Important State Papers and Public Documents, and all the Laws of a Public Nature (Washington, 1834–1849). description ends , X, 33, 43, 44, 45).

4. See McHenry to Harrison Gray Otis, the chairman of the Committee on Defense, January 31, 1800, which was communicated to the House of Representatives on February 13, 1800 (ASP description begins American State Papers, Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States (Washington, 1832–1861). description ends , Military Affairs, I, 142–44). See also McHenry’s report to Adams, January 5, 1800, which Adams communicated to Congress on January 14, 1800, in a letter dated January 13, 1800 (ASP description begins American State Papers, Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States (Washington, 1832–1861). description ends , Military Affairs, I, 133–41).

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Source Project: Hamilton Papers
Title: To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 18 February 1800
Author: McHenry, James
Recipient: Hamilton, Alexander
Date: 18 February 1800

Reference

Cite as: “To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 18 February 1800,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-24-02-0179. [Original source: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, vol. 24, November 1799 – June 1800, ed. Harold C. Syrett. New York: Columbia University Press, 1976, pp. 236–237.]

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