29401To Alexander Hamilton from William Allibone, 28 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Philadelphia, September 28, 1791. Encloses estimates for “the Present quarter” and for “one year comencing the 15th of August.” Reports that the navigational aids in the Delaware River “are now in good order.” ALS , RG 26, Lighthouse Letters Received, Vol. “A,” Pennsylvania and Southern States, National Archives. Allibone was superintendent of lighthouses, beacons, buoys, public piers, and...
29402From Alexander Hamilton to Benjamin Lincoln, 28 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
The law making provision for the reduction of the public debt requiring that an account of the purchases should be laid before Congress within the first fourteen days of each session, and as I am informed that only a part of the purchases made by you, yet appears on the books of the Treasury, I am to request that you will without delay have this business completed and all such stock as may...
29403From Alexander Hamilton to Thomas Mifflin, 28 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I am very sorry that the absence of the Comptroller of the Treasury, in consequence of ill health, renders it impossible to complete at this time the adjustment of the purchase, which is the subject of your Excellency’s letter of the 26th instant. Immediately after his return, which will probably be in about ten days, the most particular attention will be paid to the business. I observe with...
29404From Alexander Hamilton to ———, [30 September 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
If you can conveniently let me have twenty dollars for a few days, be so good as to send it by the bearer. I have just put myself out of cash by payment of Major l’Enfants’ bill. James A. Hamilton, Reminiscences of James A. Hamilton (New York, 1869), 7. James A. Hamilton does not identify the addressee beyond saying that he was a “friend” of H. According to James Hamilton, the letter was...
29405To Alexander Hamilton from Nathaniel Hazard, [30 September 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Wolcott going sooner than I expected, gives me little Time. The Council of Appointment met Yesterday, & appointed Willett Sheriff again. The Governor it is thought, gained Webster. Miles Hughes, tried for it. I negotiated for him, with I. Roosevelt; Tillotson we suppose was for Willett. Peter Schuyler was sick at Home. Miles’s Practice I apprehend is not large. Mel. Smith & N. Lawrence...
29406From Alexander Hamilton to William Seton, 30 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, September 30, 1791. Letter listed in dealer’s catalogue. Letter not found. ] ALS , sold at Parke-Bernet Galleries, May 12, 1947, Lot 261.
29407Treasury Department Circular to the Supervisors of the Revenue, 30 September 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Increasing embarrassments concerning the seizure of spirits for want of being accompanied with Certificates render it necessary that the ideas communicated in particular cases should be made general. I therefore make them the subject of this Circular letter. A disagreable dilemma presents itself. This is either to forbear seizures for want of marks and certificates, which will materially...
29408From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [30 September 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor respectfully to submit to the President of the United States a contract entered into by the Deputy Collector of Wilmington in North Carolina with James McStephens & Henry Toomer for the stakage of the shoals of Cape Fear River. The sum stipulated to be paid, not being considerable, the fixing of new sets of stakes being a part of the business, as...
29409To Alexander Hamilton from ———, [September–October 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
I have had the honor to transmit to you a sketch, which you appeared to desire of the arrangements necessary for the execution of the plan chalked out in your prospectus. I confined myself to class the objects with which you propose to begin the business on each of these heads. I might have entered into more particular details, and given, if not an exact estimation, at least an Idea of the...
29410To Alexander Hamilton from William Playfair, [September–December 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
I must once more request your Pardon for the liberty which I again take of writing to you about the affairs of the Sioto but they are in So extraordinary a State and the Interests of Such a Number of Individuals are at Stake that I hope you will excuse me. I have written to Mr Dewer by this Same Packet and have Entered into the affair at great length but as it would be very improper to trowble...
29411To Alexander Hamilton from Oliver Wolcott, Junior, [September 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
Observations on the question, whether it is expedient for the Bank of the United States to operate by Departments? It is first necessary to determine, whether any limitations in the constitution of the Bank of the United States, render it improper for the Corporation to operate by departments. A fair construction of the law must decide this point. The only limitation in the act of...
29412Enclosure: Plan for Establishing Departments of the Bank of the United States, [September 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
Plan for establishing departments of the Bank of the United States, submitted to the Secretary of the Treasy. by Oliver Wolcott. 1st. The Directors of the Bank of the United States shall appoint directors for each Department. 2d. The Directors for each department shall choose one of their number for President of the directors of each respective department. 3d. The Directors of the Bank of the...
29413From Alexander Hamilton to John Davidson, 1 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Treasury Department, October 1, 1791. “By a circular instruction of March 30 1790 you have been directed to transmit all paid draughts of the Treasurer to this office. A deviation from this rule has taken place in your remitting draughts to the Treasurer. You will in future adhere to the Instruction.” Copy, RG 56, Letters to and from the Collectors at Bridgetown and Annapolis, National...
29414To Alexander Hamilton from Meletiah Jordan, 1 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Your circular Letter of the 14th. of April I have but very recently received which will apologize for so late an answer. As you have been good enough to give me liberty to disclose my sentiments to you on the subject, You will I hope pardon the freedom of my answer to your Circular. I will answer as particularly respecting myself as possible. The salary of fifty dollars a year commences but...
29415To Alexander Hamilton from Meletiah Jordan, 1 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Frenchman’s Bay [ District of Maine ] October 1, 1791 . “… I am sorry to observe that the last Quarter has been so unproductive of profit to the Revenue. The unusual demand of Lumber from the different parts of the State has drained the Country so much as to prevent Foreign Vessels loading. You will observe a manifest difference between the Account Current and Abstracts of Duties on tonnage...
29416From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Lee, 1 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
An enquiry was made at this Office, during your absence from Alexandria relative to the case of Teas arriving in your district not accompanied with certificates. In consequence of which I request that you would inform the Surveyor, that in all cases wherein the marking of the packages or other circumstances prove the Teas to have been imported since the first of April last, the production of a...
29417To Alexander Hamilton from Edmund Randolph, 1 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have done myself the honor of calling at your house and office, with a view to say a word to you, on the claim, which the holders of a certain description of certificates have set up. But being disappointed in meeting you, I beg leave to give you the result of my reflections on that subject. What degree of obligation lies upon the United States to gratify them, is at this time immaterial,...
29418To Alexander Hamilton from William Seton, 1 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Immediately upon the receipt of your Letter of the 30th. I informed the Commissioner of Loans that the Sum of 20,000 Dollars should be passed to the credit of his Account in Bank agreeably to your desire. I have the honor to be &c. LC , Bank of New York, New York City. Letter not found. John Cochran.
29419To Alexander Hamilton from William Seton, 1 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I am desired by the President and Directors to acknowledge the receipt of your Letters of the 21 & 24 Sepr —the first requesting a payment to be made of Ten thousand Dollars to Mr. De la Forest Vice Consul of France, which was immediately complied with & enclosed. I have the honor to transmit his receipt for the same. Your directions respecting ballancing the weekly Returns of the Treasurers...
29420To Alexander Hamilton from George Beckwith, 2 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Having received from Lord Dorchester, a copy of his Lordship’s answer to a late address from deputies of the confederated western nations of indians, I am induced to transmit to you herewith an authenticated copy of that paper for the information of the Executive Government, in the hope that it may have a tendency to dispel the remaining prejudices of individuals, and to promote the peace of...
29421From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, [2 October 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
Betsey according to your hint cries “Atlantic” and defies any thing that either of us can say or do. She consents to every thing, except that I should love you as well as herself and this you are too reasonable to expect. But I do not know how far I shall avail myself of her generosity if you do not mend your manners. You hurt my republican nerves by your intimacy with “ amiable ” Princes. I...
29422To Alexander Hamilton from Thomas Marshall, 2 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
At the particular desire of Coll. Duer I Yesterday visited the great falls of the Pasaic, Accompanied by a Monsieur Allon of this Town. I was requested not to make enquiries on the Spot, for fear of my design being discover’d, which being known Col: Duer thought wou’d Affect the Price of Land. I am fearful that it will be found Impossible to take the Necessary steps, however cautious the...
29423To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, [2 October 1791] (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 24th. ulto., (enclosing a letter from Govr. St. Clair, and sundry papers relating to the subject of the settlements which have been made under purchases from Judge Symmes) I have duly received. The Secretary of State, as well as I recollect, has already written both to Govr. St. Clair & Judge Symmes on this subject; but whether he has or has not, it can make no material...
29424From Alexander Hamilton to Henry Knox, 3 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I transmit you, as relating to your department, a letter just received by me from Lieutenant Colonel Beckwith forwarding a copy of a paper purporting to be a speech of Lord Dorchester, in answer to an address of the deputies of certain indian tribes. You will observe that the object of this communication is stated to be “the information of the executive government.” In conversation, a reliance...
29425From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Olney, 3 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Treasury Department, October 3, 1791. “As letters to and from the Treasurer now go free of postage, there is no longer a necessity for enclosing them to me. You will therefore in future transmit them directly to him.…” LS , Rhode Island Historical Society, Providence; copy, RG 56, Letters to the Collector at Providence, National Archives; copy, RG 56, Letters to Collectors at Small Ports, “Set...
29426From Alexander Hamilton to William Seton, 3 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I do not find among the papers of the office any return of the investment of the last fifty thousand dollars in purchases of the debt; though I have a confused recollection of having received it. I therefore request that it may be forwarded, if not yet sent, or a duplicate, if a return has already been made. I request also, that you will cause the requisite steps to be taken, for effecting a...
29427From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 3 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I acknowlege the receipt of your letters of the 26th and 27 of July. The fall which you announce in the price of the effects of the United States was certainly artificial. The cause ere this will have been better ascertained to you. ’Tis open to various conjectures. I have thought it adviseable to drop a line to our Bankers in Holland (of which a copy is inclosed) merely to mark my attention...
29428From Alexander Hamilton to Joseph Whipple, 3 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Another Thermometer will be sent on to you, but I request that you will enjoin on the Inspectors great care in the handling of it. The spare Hydrometer of which you are possessed may be delivered to the Supervisor of the Revenue for the District of New Hampshire for the use of the officers in his Department. It will be proper that, his receipt for the instrument be transmitted to the Treasury....
29429To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 3 October 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
There have lately been two importations of Horses from England into this port—two in each. It was customary, under the laws of this state, which were silent on the subject, to consider live Stock as neither goods, wares nor merchandize; and they were consequently admitted duty free. The Laws of Congress are silent also, and the custom is continued. But I am not confident enough to rely upon...
29430From Alexander Hamilton to Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, 3 October … (Hamilton Papers)
I have learnt with some surprise, through Mr. Short, that the price of the effects of the United States had undergone a sudden depression in the market of Amsterdam. This is so different from the tenor of the hopes I had built upon those expressed by you, and so contrary to all the calculations I can form on the natural course of the thing, that I cannot but be curious for a particular...