27001To Alexander Hamilton from David Forman, 7 November 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
Middle Town Point [ New Jersey ] November 7, 1786 . “I wrote you from Auburn (near Philada) on the 18th. ult.” Asks when “the Monies from Robt. Cocks would probably be Recd. &c.” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Letter not found.
27002From Alexander Hamilton to Philip Schuyler, 20 November 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York ] November 20, 1786 . “I have received your letter.… Your cause against Ten Eyck was set down for hearing in October term; but the Chancellor when last in town on account of his public engagements would not attend to my special business in his Court. If he is here in January term it will be brought on.… We have been Innoculating Angelica and Alexander. The first as before has...
27003From Alexander Hamilton to John Chaloner, [22 November 1786] (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter with the draft on Mr Ray which I presented immediately. He would not accept it payable in specie. I did not protest because by your letter it appears to be an affair of accomodation and that you retain the money in your hands. Nor do I now return the draft because Mr. Ray tells me endeavours are making to turn paper into specie for the payment of it; if these do not...
27004From Alexander Hamilton to John Chaloner, [1 December 1786] (Hamilton Papers)
I send you the bill drawn on Mr. Ray protested as you desire in your last. You will be so good as to send forward the Specie by the first opportunity as the Packet sails in a short time. Yr Obed serv ALS , Historical Society of Pennsylvania. See H to John Chaloner, November 22, 1786 .
27005To Alexander Hamilton from Francis Upton, 6–7 December 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
London, December 6–7, 1786. Asks if Hamilton received Upton’s “letters of December and June last.” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. See Upton to H, December 6, 1785 and June 5, 1786 .
27006To Alexander Hamilton from John Chaloner, 13 December 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
Yours of the 1st Inst covering Mr Whites Bill & Protest I reced the 10th Inst since which no Oppo has offerd by which I could send you the money. I shall embrace the first. Did the money I sent you by Mr Lawry come safe to hand? Our Assembly is now on the subject of the Bank & a proposition before them to restore the old Charter. Mr Morris is opposed to any alteration least it should...
27007To Alexander Hamilton from John Chaloner, 16 December 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my last the Assembly has adopted the Report of the Committee and have ordered a Bill to be brot in to Restore the Charter of the Bank restricting its duration and Capital; the time and sum is not yet mentioned. This displeasing a number of Stockholders has occasioned a petition to be preferd to the House praying that the Bank may be organized and put on a similar footing with respect to...
27008To Alexander Hamilton from Jacob Hardenbergh, 16 December 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
New Brunswick [ New Jersey ] December 16, 1786 . Wishes to retain Hamilton as an attorney in an ejection suit against a tenant. ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
27009To Alexander Hamilton from Thomas McKean, 26 December 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
Philadelphia, December 26, 1786. Requests Hamilton to collect a debt of £50 owed McKean by Richard Dowdle. ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. McKean was chief justice of Pennsylvania.
27010From Alexander Hamilton to Stephen Lush, 31 December 1786 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, December 31, 1786. The catalogue description of this letter states that Hamilton alluded “to the necessity of his attending the legislature of New York in January.” Letter not found. ] ALS , sold at Anderson Galleries, January 10, 1908, Lot 105. Stephen Lush of Troy, New York, had been active in the Revolution. After the war he entered into business in Albany and was elected a...
27011From Alexander Hamilton to James Duane, [1786] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, 1786. ] Encloses draft of a certificate and asks Duane “to affix the seal of the Corporation” of the City of New York to the draft. ALS , New-York Historical Society, New York City. Duane was mayor of New York.
27012From Alexander Hamilton to Cornelius Hendrickson, [1786] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, 1786. ] “Mr. Laurence Kortright of this City has requested me to write to you concerning a suit in Chancery which has been depending between Mr Cornelius P. Lowe and himself on a matter in which the estate of his brother to which You are an Executor is concerned; and in which suit Mr. B Livingston of this place and myself were employed as Council for Mr. Kortright. I send you...
27013Introductory Note: Notes on the History of North and South America, [December 1786] (Hamilton Papers)
These Notes, which Hamilton divided into two parts entitled “Notes on the History of North America” and “Notes on the History of South America,” were prepared for a brief which he used in a case involving a land controversy between Massachusetts and New York. Some students of Hamilton have mistakenly assumed that these notes were prepared while Hamilton was a student in 1773 at the school...
27014Notes on the History of North America, [December 1786] (Hamilton Papers)
Purchase Vol 5 Page 809 § 2 } 50. 60 —— The Map of Sebastian Cabot cut by Clement Adam relateth that John Cabot a venetian and his son Sebastian set out from Bristol and discovering the land called it Prima Vista and the Island before it St Johns. But (says Purchase) Cabot discovered all along the Coast as far as Florida. Idem 814. 815 § v In 1607 Henry Hudson discovered those parts to the...
27015Notes on the History of South America, [December 1786] (Hamilton Papers)
Rob. H of A B 2d P 73— Christopher Columbus, a subject of Genoa , the first discoverer of America. Idem P. 83–84–86 After Different applications to the Genoese, to the King of Portugal, England & various disappointments he at last undertakes the 95 voyage in the service of Spain & in 1492 set out on his voyage. 102 Idem 111. 112— Octr. 12. 1492 discovered land—the Island of San Salvador—&...
27016New York Assembly. Remarks on the Petition of John Maunsell, [16 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton could see no reason why this petition should not be treated as well as others; it was customary to commit, but it did not follow that the prayer must be agreed with, no, if the committee think it improper they will say so; for his own part he did not feel himself alarmed at such an application. The legislative power of granting he should not now give an opinion on, he observed...
27017New York Assembly. Remarks on the Answer to Governor George Clinton’s Message to the Legislature, [17 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Several propositions were now canvassed in a desultory manner, for getting over the motion for amendment; and it was agreed, that the committee should rise and report; they had made some progress, which was agreed to; but first Mr. Hamilton said he would reserve himself on this subject until it came again properly before the house; when he hoped to be enabled to use such argument as would...
27018New York Assembly. Motion for Leave to Bring in a Bill for Dividing the Manor of Livingston, [18 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton moved for leave to bring in a bill, for dividing the District of the Manor of Livingston. Ordered , That leave be given accordingly. Mr. Hamilton according to leave brought in the said bill entitled, An act for dividing the district of the Manor of Livingston , which was read the first time, and ordered a second reading. New York Assembly Journal Journal of the Assembly of the...
27019New York Assembly. First Speech on the Address of the Legislature to Governor George Clinton’s Message, [19 January … (Hamilton Papers)
Col. Hamilton’s Speech in the House of Assembly, delivered on the 19th instant, and which appeared in our paper of the 20th, being represented as not doing sufficient justice to his Arguments; we have obtained of him a revision of the same, and with the highest pleasure present it to the Public. Mr. Hamilton —This now leads us to examine the important question presented to us by the proposed...
27020New York Assembly. Second Speech on the Address of the Legislature to Governor George Clinton’s Message, [19 January … (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton, I am sorry sir that I have to address you a second time, when I have already taken up so much of your attention, but as it is universally allowed to be a question of great importance, I trust I shall be excused for entering into a further discussion. I said in setting out in my former arguments, that the question was improperly stated, that it was put upon a wrong ground, that it...
27021New York Assembly. Address of the New York Legislature to Governor George Clinton, [20 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
We the Representatives of the People of the State of New-York in Assembly, beg leave to assure your Excellency, that the several important matters mentioned in your Excellency’s Speech, and communicated in the papers that accompany it, shall, in the course of the Session engage our most serious attention. With dispositions truly fœderal, we shall take into consideration the different acts of...
27022New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [23 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
The house then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the election bill, on the paragraph enabling the inspectors to take aside any ignorant person, and to examine him privately touching his ballot. A small debate arose. Mr. Hamilton, thought it was very apparent, if the clause prevailed in the house, that it would tend to increase rather than prevent an improper influence. For...
27023New York Assembly. Motion that a Committee be Appointed to Consider a Letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, [23 … (Hamilton Papers)
Resolved , That it is the opinion of this Committee, that a Committee be appointed to consider and report on the letter from the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to his Excellency the Governor, and the papers accompanying it, together with the act of the Legislature entitled “An act relative to debts due to persons within the enemies lines;” passed the twelfth of July, one thousand seven hundred...
27024New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [24 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
A debate arose upon the clause, authorising the inspector or any other person to require the person offering himself to poll, to take an oath of abjuration of ecclesiastical as well as civil obedience. Mr. Hamilton declared the constitution to be their creed and standard, and ought never to be departed from; but in the present instance it was proper first to examine and inquire how far it...
27025New York Assembly. Motion on an Act for Regulating Elections, [24 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
A clause in the bill, ordering the judges of election for governor and lieutenant governor, to destroy the whole ballots of every district where there was an excess of even one vote. This was shewn by Mr. Hamilton to be a very great injustice to the district, as it was in the power of the clerk or any officer, by putting in an additional ballot, to set aside the votes of 500 persons; he...
27026New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [27 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton observed they were going on dangerous ground. The best rule the committee could follow was that held out in the constitution; which it would be safest to adhere to without alteration or addition. If we once depart from this rule, there is no saying where it will end. To-day, a majority of the persons sitting here from a particular mode of thinking disqualify one description of...
27027New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [29 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton thought the subject was nearly exhausted, from what had been said on a former occasion. He insisted strongly upon the distinction drawn by the constitution, he thought this clause did not comport with what was there held out. The requisite and constitutional qualifications to be required of electors, was there precisely ascertained, they are to possess certain estates and swear...
27028New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [30 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton, the more he thought upon this subject, the more clearly he discovered its mischievous tendency, for nothing was more evident to him than that it put every unlettered person greatly in the power of the inspector—and when we consider the great number of which this class of men consist in some places of one half or one third of the whole district, it is easily perceivable that...
27029New York Assembly. Motion for Leave to Bring in a Bill, [3 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the charter of the Corporation for the relief of Widows and Children of Clergymen in communion of the Church of England, in America. Ordered , That leave be given accordingly. Mr. Hamilton, according to leave, brought in the said bill, entitled An act to amend the Charter of the Corporation for the relief of the Widows and Children of...
27030New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act Concerning Wrecks at Sea, [3 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton was not satisfied with the punishment of fines and imprisonment to be inflicted on those persons who despoil’d the distressed of their property; persons cast away, were objects of commiseration, and every person who was so callous as to add to their misfortune, deserved more severe punishment. In England it was made death without benefit of clergy, this he thought too severe, and...