From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, [13 February 1798]
To James McHenry
[New York, February 13, 1798]
My Dear Sir
Yours of yesterday with its inclosure are come to hand & will be attended to as speedily as possible.
I take the liberty to trouble you with the inclosed to receive the amount (which though the accumulated interest on all my Stock from the beginning of the funding system will be short of 200 Dollars). When received, pay yourself one hundred, our friend Lewis1 seven, & deliver the rest to Wolcott who has lately been paying for some books for me.
This idea, drawing my attention to this little object, as the sum is not worth retaining, has induced me to make sale of the principal to Le Roy Bayard & McEvers.2 While at the Notary’s & not having previously consulted them, I put your name in the power to transfer the Stock.3 This power they will send you. Pray comply with it & excuse this almost indecorum on my part.4
Yrs. truly
A H
James Mc.Henry Esq
ALS, Montague Collection, MS Division, New York Public Library; copy, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. William Lewis was an attorney in Philadelphia who had been a judge of the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 1791 and 1792. See H to James McHenry, August 17, 1797.
2. Herman LeRoy, William Bayard, and James McEvers. An entry in H’s Cash Book, 1795–1804, for February 14, 1798, reads: “Cash Dr to Stock received of Le Roy &c for the amount of my three ⅌ Cents 411.55” (AD, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
3. DS, Charles Roberts Autograph Collection of the Haverford College Library, Haverford, Pennsylvania.
4. In the margin opposite this paragraph McHenry wrote:
| “recd at the Bank of U.S. | 144 48 |
| N. A. B. | 24 8 |
| 168 56 | |
| Paid Mr Woolcot | 40 20 |
| Lewis | 7 |
| Self | 100 |
| 147 20 | |
| Balance sent | 21 36 |
| 168 56.” |
The following entries appear in H’s Cash Book, 1795–1804: “Mar 24. 1798
| Cash Dr. to Stock received of J Mc.Henry for interest on my 3 ⅌ C Stock from the commencement of the funding system to this day | 168.65 |
| “Expences Dr. to Cash paid for drs. sometime since at Philadelphia | 100 |
| paid Lewis | 7 |
| 107. | |
| “April 1 | |
| Library Acct. for paid toward Enciclopedia | 40.20” |
(AD, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).