To Alexander Hamilton from Jeremiah Wadsworth, 26 August 1787
From Jeremiah Wadsworth
Hartford August 26 1787
My Dear Sir
I recd your favor this day with the inclosed Copy of a letter said to be circulating in this State.1 Some time since a Paragraph in the New Haven Paper hinted at such a letter, & appeared to be written to scare the antifederal Party or alarm them—and I believed it was well intended as it seemed to be meant to prepare them to comply with the doings of the convention, least worse befell them—but the close of this letter appears to be calculated for other purposes. Wetmore2 has always associated with Men who wished well to America & a good Government. He is half Brother to the Spirited federal Writer in our papers who Signs him self Cato,3 and if he has really written or circulated the letter in question I am quite at a loss to know his intentions. I have communicated this matter to Col Humphry4 in confidence who is on his way to New Haven (where Wetmore lives tho formerly of Stratford) he will enquire carefully into ye matter & write you. He has lived in the same house with Wetmore & can easily fathom him—Wetmore is naturally sanguine has some tallents & I believe is enterprizing—but ⟨fickle⟩. Who the Active people in this business are I have Yet to learn as it certainly has not circulated hereabout. But from Humphry you may expect to know all that is true in Wetmores neighborhood. I have always been Humphrys friend—but a nearer acquaintance with him Convince me he is a Man of great integrity and several talents as would wear well in any employment of consequence. If he comes to New York I wish you to be more Acquainted with him.
I am dear Sir Your very Hum set
Jere Wadsworth
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
2. Hezekiah Wetmore. See H to Wadsworth, August 20, 1787.
3. William P. Beers, Wetmore’s half-brother by his mother’s marriage after his father’s death to Samuel Beers of Stratford, Connecticut. The “Cato” articles appeared in The New-Haven Gazette, and the Connecticut Magazine on November 30, 1786; January 25, February 8, March 9 and 15, 1787.
4. David Humphreys, aide-de-camp to General Washington during the Revolution and post-war diplomat, was at this time residing in Connecticut where, in 1786, he had been elected a member of the Assembly.