To Alexander Hamilton from William Seton, 5 March 1793
From William Seton1
New York 5 March 1793
Permit me My dear sir among the great number of your friends who rejoice at the Triumph you have gained to assure you that no one more sincerely feels the pleasure than myself; I never doubted the result, but the infamous manner of the attack gave us all uneasiness & particularly from its being so near the close of the Sessions.2 I hope your Health has not suffered from the confined close attention you have been obliged to pay to get rid of these varlets.
All the Letters you have enclosed to me have been duly forwarded, those for General Schuyler3 delivered as he was in Town. My friend in London writes me that he is very attentive to the delivery of the Letters for the Minister.4
Distress for Money is universal, and Usury prevailing. The great fall of Stocks is much to be lamented, for notwithstanding the low rate of Exchange, Foreigners will draw & are almost the only purchasers much to the loss of our own Citizens.
Our Specie is draining from us very fast for operations to the Southward & every week we get more & more into the power of the Branch,5 the vast sum of Duties payable this month will still make this worse, however there is no help for it we must bear up as well as we can.6
I am with the sincerest esteem & respect Dear sir Your Obliged Obed Hule Servt
Wm Seton
Alex. Hamilton Esqr
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. Seton was cashier of the Bank of New York.
2. For H’s “Triumph,” see the introductory note to “Report on the Balance of All Unapplied Revenues at the End of the Year 1792 and on All Unapplied Monies Which May Have Been Obtained by the Several Loans Authorized by Law,” February 4, 1793.
3. Philip Schuyler, H’s father-in-law.
4. Seton sent the letters that H had written to Thomas Pinckney, the United States Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain, to Joseph Hadfield, a London banker and businessman, for delivery to Pinckney.
5. See Seton to H, January 22, December 20, 1792.
6. H endorsed this letter “Answered the 22d.” Letter not found.