To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 19 January 1793
From Alexander Hamilton
Treasury Departmt 19th Jany 1793.
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor to transmit herewith to the President of the United States three provisional Contracts made by the Collector of Washington in North Carolina, for the stakage of the shoals, sounds &c. within that State, north of the District of Wilmington, accompanied with a letter from the Commissioner of the Revenue relative to the subject.1
The Secretary, from considerations suggested by the Commissioner, and relying on the care that will hereafter be taken to reduce the terms as far as shall be found practicable, respectfully submits to the President the ratification of the present Contracts.2
Alexandr Hamilton
Secy of the Treasury
LB, DLC:GW.
1. The three contracts, all dated 10 Dec. 1792, were signed by the collector of Washington, N.C., Nathaniel Keais, with, respectively, Green Parker and Walter Hanrahan, John Bragg and John Wallace, and John Wallace and John G. Blount (DNA: RG 26, Lighthouse Letters Received, Lighthouse Deeds and Contracts). In his letter to Hamilton of 2 Jan. 1793, Tench Coxe enclosed the three contracts and observed that although “the sums are larger [than] heretofore, it may be because they are for a whole year, which has not been the Case in the former Contracts. . . . the immediate necessity of the Case appears to operate strongly in favor of the acceptance of the Contracts” ( 13:442).
2. On 21 Jan., Tobias Lear wrote Hamilton, “By the President’s command T. Lear has the honor to return to the Secretary of the Treasury, three contracts made by the Collector of Washington in North Carolina for the stakeage of the shoals, sounds &c. in that State; which Contracts are ratified by the President” (DLC:GW).