To Alexander Hamilton from Robert Morris, 6 June 1798
From Robert Morris1
Philadelphia, June 6, 1798. “In a letter which I wrote to you on the 27th of October last you will find it Stated that Doctor Craigie stood indebted to me in the Sum of $6,250 which it was my wish that you should receive in discharge of the debt I owed you. Sometime after you wrote2 that Mr. Johnson3 Agent of Doctr Craigie informed you that this Claim was Assigned by me to Colo Ogden, and as I had not with me at that time my Books and Papers I yielded to that information supposing that it must be so. I have however just discovered that my Claim was founded, that it Still exists, and my intention still continues that you shall have this Money.…”4
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. This letter concerns Morris’s efforts to pay the balance of a debt which he owed to H and which had been assumed by Morris’s son Thomas. For information concerning this debt and the transactions discussed in this letter, see the introductory note to H to Morris, March 18, 1795. See also Morris to H, March 31, June 2, 23, 30, July 18, 20, 1795; June 17, 27, 27–30, November 19, December 8, 1796; June 2, 10, September 9, October 2, 27, November 23, December 21, 1797; January 17, February 7, 17, 1798.
2. H’s letter has not been found, but see Morris to H, November 23, 1797.
3. Seth Johnson was a New York merchant and speculator.
4. In the remainder of this letter Morris explains in detail why he thinks both that Andrew Craigie did in fact owe him $6,250 and that Craigie’s bond could be used to pay Morris’s debt to H. See Morris to H, October 27, November 23, 1797.