61To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 6[–10] August 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
No satisfactory Opinion can yet be formed concerning the termination of the negotiations for Peace. Even those who are supposed to have the best information are without confidence—on the one Hand peace may be concluded sooner than any one thinks probable, on the other the negotiations at Lisle and montebello may be suddenly broken off, and France again engaged with austria as well as England....
62To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 20 April [1796] (Hamilton Papers)
The Petitions of the Merchants and others will be printed today, and it is said they have been signed by almost every Merchant & Trader in the City —Pettit, Barclay, & some few others are exceptions. A counter Petition has been very industriously carried through the City and its Suburbs; and though very few merchants, Traders, or principal mechanicks have signed it, it will shew a long...
63To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 24 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Averse to any connexion with the war beyound what may be permitted by the laws of strict neutrality, we are pleased to see the Proclamation. I have no precedents with which to compare it, but I could have wished to have seen in some part of it the word “Neutrality,” which every one would have understood and felt the force of. Having anxiously considered the point respecting which we conversed...
64To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 16 December 1795 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you Dunlap of this Morning, in it you have the foreign intelligence. Fenno Dunlap & others have erroneously stated that Mr Warder brought the Ratification of Great Britain—no official Dispatch has been received. Rutledge was negatived yesterday by the Senate. From present appearances the address to the President by the House will pass without a Debate. The Draft has been by agreement in...
65To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 15 July 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
The french still maintain themselves in switzerland tho’ unless soon and strongly reinforced they will be driven out of it. The success of the Allies has been almost uninterupted in Italy, from whence according to present appearances the Enemy must be in a short time be totally expelled. Thus far the Coalition has performed Prodigies—but the confederates are not without mutual Jealousies,...
66To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 29 April 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
Unless greater attention is given to the procuring of the requisite evidence in the Cases of Capture than has yet been done, we shall ultimately meet with serious Losses, and give occasion to much Complaint. The Sufferers depend on the Government, and the Government on the Sufferers, and thus that wh. shd. be done is omitted. I inclose to you a copy of notes wh. Mr. Gore & I made this morning...
67To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 27 June 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
Lord Malmesbury will leave London in three or four Days for Lille where the conferences between this Country and France are to be held. Opinions fluctuate concerning the Probability of peace. A Struggle evidently exists in France between the Directory & the Legislature, in the latter of which Bodies it is supposed there is a sincere desire of Peace. Some late proceedings in the Legislature, or...
68To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 8 April 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
By Dr. Romayne I send you a pamphlet lately written upon the interesting subject of the public credit of this Country. The author is a member of parliament an old & practical Banker, Brother to the president of the Bank of England, and for many years much conversant with the great money operations of the Country. When you have read it I wish the favour of you to send it together with the other...
69To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 12 May 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
It will not surprise you to hear that an open Scism, accompanied by mutual reproaches took place between our Envoys before they separated. Mr. Gerry remains at Paris; and there is a strong opinion that great pains will be taken to persuade him to consent to a public reception, in order to deceive and mock his Country with overtures of an insidious negociation. Marshall & Pinckney left Paris...
70To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 19 December 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
The same uncertainty continues to perplex us concerning the Recommencement of the war. One day we are told that Naples has really begun & that Austria is on the way to support her; the next, that Naples is kept back by Austria to whom the Directory have made the most Advantageous offers. It is certain that france feels the change that has within the last six months taken place in Europe and is...
71To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 17 September 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I am charmed with the military appointments; in the main they are quite what they should be—such chiefs ought to give Glory as well as Security to their Country, and they will do both, if the occasions offer. You see that I relapse into my former strain. I know not what you and others whose Sentiments I respect may think, but I must unsettle all that is best settled in my opinions of the...
72To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 9 September 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
We have this day accounts from Paris, which tho~ very important and interesting, are not unexpected. The Breach between the Councils and the directory has for some time destroyed all Prospect of a reconciliation between them; and either an organized civil war, in consequence of the different sides adopted by the several armies, or a Measure like that which has happened, had become...
73To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, [31 July 1798] (Hamilton Papers)
You will believe that I have been much gratified with the late intelligence from home. France has calculated all her plans on our decisions, and the expectation that her friends if not more numerous, would be more active, and possess greater energy, than the friends of our Government—or rather she has believed that our Government like that of every country, that she has succeeded to overturn...
74To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 23 September 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
You will have no war! France will propose to renew the negotiation upon the Basis laid down in the Presidents Instructions to the Envoys —at least so I conjecture. If the negotiation is recommenced the most obvious precaution suggests the expediency of confiding it to hands above all suspicion. We see that we have nothing to fear from the arms of France; all her skill, and energy, &...
75To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 10 September 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I received this morning a Letter from Mr. Monroe dated Paris August 28. of which the following is an extract—“As soon as the order of this Government , as notified by the minister of foreign Affairs to Barthelemi the present Ambassador at Basle appeared in the Papers, for it was never notified to the foreign ministers here, I applied for information whether orders were issued for the Seizure...
76To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 7 May 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
As I know of no measure from abroad, which is capable of such extensive and injurious effects as the cession of Louisiana and the Floridas to France, it has been a subject of my unremitted solicitude and attention from the moment of our first suspicions concerning it. Its importance was fully and repeatedly developed to the Ministers of this Country before the conclusion of the Preliminaries,...
77To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 7 July 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
Buena parte has made the Debut of the campaigne by the easy tho important conquest of Malta. This Island has been supposed impregnable and therefore was the Depositary of great wealth removed there from Italy. It contained likewise an excellent arensal, two or three ships of the Line, and as many as 6.000 excellent Seamen. It was the maltese Seamen who made the fine campaign under Suffrein in...
78To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 6 August 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you two days ago by a private ship, as the Packet goes in a day or two I avail myself of the Opportunity to inform you that I have sent to the Secy of State my Resignation, and requested to be relieved in time to return home in April next. As there is reason to apprehend that we may be at war with all the barbary powers, as well as morocco I have asked for a Passage home in a...
79To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, [June–July 1793] (Hamilton Papers)
Not finding Philadelphia notes to remit, I have directed Specie to be sent to you, by the messenger of the Branch, who sets out tomorrow. Will not the late change of affairs in Holland enable you to proceed with a loan? On every account, it would be truly advantageous, if you had a handsome Sum to invest at this Time. The Bank you are sensible are disposed to do all in their power, but...
80To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 8 June 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
Since writing you a day or two past, I have had the pleasure to receive your Letter by the Packet, and am rejoiced to find my hopes confirmed by your Opinion that we shall not be wanting to ourselves in our Conduct towards France. Immediately on hearing of the proceedings of the Admiralty Judge of st. Domingo, I remonstrated to the Government against them, and was without delay answered that...
81To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 20 October 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 22. of august with an inclosure that has been delivered as directed. On that subject, things are here, as we could desire: there will be precisely such a cooperation as we wish, the moment we are ready. The Secretary of State will shew you my communications on this Subject, tho’ I have not a word from him respecting it; your outline corresponds with what had...
82To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 29 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Jay will be with you this week —you will therefore have an opportunity to converse with him respecting our very unpleasant situation. All the measures which have been pursued have been calculated to induce the Legislature to call a convention to revise the decision of the canvassers. So far as I am able to form an Opinion, a majority of the Assembly are Clintonians, and if so, will not...
83To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 8 March 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
On the 28 ulto. the Bank of England stopped payment in Specie. And since every Bank in Great Britain has followed the Example; the Directors say the Bank is more than Solvent, exclusive of their capital Stock invested in the Funds. Committees of the two House of Parliament, which have examined the affairs of the Bank, confirm by their Report the Declaration of the Directors, and Associations...
84To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 30 November 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
The Arch Duke having expelled Jourdan & Moreau from Germany the Parties are in respect to territory in this Quarter where they were when the campaign began. Buonaparte by the latest accounts from Italy is critically circumstanced, and it seems not improbable that he likewise will be compelled to retire from Lombardy. The mission of Lord Malmesbury remains undecided, and though the negotiation...
85To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 2 April 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
As Mr. Church is the bearer, I refer you to him for what it would take many Pages to relate, and will only say that notwithstanding the injuries we continue to receive from France I still hope, the same policy that has hitherto kept us out of the war, will continue to influence and decide our Government. How the new President will conduct himself in a situation thorny and embarrassing remains...