To John Jay from Alexander Hamilton, 19 August 1800
From Alexander Hamilton
New York Aug 19. 1800
Dr Sir
I have occasion for a public purpose to allude to ^the reprobated^ instructions to our commissioners for making peace with Great Britain obliging them to act under the direction of the French Ministry.1 But though I have a general recollection of their tenor it is not precise enough for my object—I take it for granted your papers can afford the exact information. You will much oblige me by giving it to me without delay; being assured that you will in no shape be brought into view as the source.
I will also thank you for a copy of that letter which I wrote to you while Envoy to G[reat] Britain & which you told me you had shewn to Lord Grenville in which I express the opinion that unless an arrangement on solid terms can be made it will be better to do nothing or something of that import.2 I did not keep a copy. Yrs. respectfully & affect[ionately]
A Hamilton
ALS, NNC (EJ: 05637). Addressed: “His Excellency / Governor Jay / Albany”. Stamped: “New York / Aug / 21”. Marked: “7”. Endorsed: “Genl. Hamilton / 19 augt. 1800 / ansd.—25 26”. PAH, 25: 72–73. For JJ’s responses of 25, 26, and 27 Aug. 1800, see, below.
1. AH was responding to an alleged criticism by JA claiming that he was the leader of a pro-British faction in the United States. See AH to JA, 1 Aug. and 1 Oct. 1800, both ALS, MHi: Adams; PAH, 25: 51–52, 125–26.
For the document referenced by AH, see Instructions of the Continental Congress to the Ministers Plenipotentiary to Negotiate a Treaty of Peace, [15 June 1781], , 2: 469–71.
2. AH is here referring to a letter that he sent to JJ on 6 May 1794, for which see , 5: 631–36. In his reply, JJ mistakenly sent the letter that AH wrote to JJ dated 4 June 1794. For this letter, see , 6: 15–16. See also JJ to AH, 27 Aug. 1800, note 3, below.