Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-12-06
THEHAMILrON PAPERS.

THE HAMILTON PAFEhS.
Under this title, varied occasionally,
in order to stimulate curiosity, with
the addition of the word" Mysterious,
a thousand words alike malicious and
unfoundcd, have for weeks past been
circulating through some OF the news
papers ofthe Union, concerning the ma
ture Of certain papers belonging to the
late Gen. Hamilton, and entrusted for
saer keeping by his executor, MIR. PEN
dleton, also deceased, to Mr. Rufus
King
The polluted source from which these
rumors took rise, and the reflection that
the papers in question, were actually
the objects Of Chancery suit, have
hitherto restrained me from entering
into any explanation Of their import,
or of the manner in which they came
/. into my fathers possession. The rel
rerated and aggra, ated attacks, how
ever, upon his character and motives,
e which my silence may have given
encouragement, and perhaps currency,
have afer much hesitation, and only
upon the advice of friends whose OPT
Mons am not at liberty to disregard,
Compelled me TO deviate from my first
intention.
In order, therefore, that it may be
fully understood what the papers Claim
ed by Mrs. Hamilton really are, sub
Join the specification of them, as made
in the bill filed in her name in the
Court Of Chancery, against Mr.. King
After the ordinary preamble, the bill
sets forth that Nath. Pendleton as one
OF Gen HIS executors, took possession
Of all his papers, and
"That among the said papers belonging to,
"and which were written and received by the
9" said Alexander Hamilton, there was a very
extensive, voluminous and important cor
"iespodence held and continued tor many
"years between the said Alexander Hamilton
and George Washington, late President OF
"the United States of America, and particu-
I" larry divers letters and copies and drafts OF
letters and papers written and sent by the
{" said Alexander Hamilton to the said George
Washington; and also divers original letters
sand drafts and copies of original letters and
"papers written and sent BY the said George
Washington to the said Alexander Hanil-
"'on, between the first day of May, in the
",ear 1896, and the FIRST of December ofthe
"saine wear, relating or referring, amcng o.
I" they things, to certain document, writing,
or address, which was printed and publish
"ed in the United States Of America, COM
-. n
"drSss to the people of the United States;
switch address bears date the 18th day OF
Sept. 1796-together with another paper or
document, or other papers and documents,
ain the hand writing OF the said Alexander
&c rtamilton, or in the handwriting ofthe said
Alex. Hamilton and the said Geo. Washing
"ton, or partly in the hand writing oft the SAID
'" Alex. Hamilton and of some other person to
ssyour oratrix unknown, which said paper, or
document,or papers or documents,are refer
"red to, in the said letters or CORE pondence
"held between the said Alex. Hamilton and
-"the said Geo. Washington, between the
:" dates last aforesaid, or form part thereof,
and appertain to the said paper or publica-
cation called the Farewell Address"
The papers herein described were,
As the bill goes on to say, deposited for
"safe-keeping," in the hands OF Rufus
King, by tie said Nathaniel Pendleton,
where they have ever since remained.
From this extract it results, that The
"HamiIion papers, are nothing more
nor less than a series Of strictly conf
Dental letters between Hamilton and
Washington, referring chiefly to the
Farewell Address, with drafts, or CO.
pies oil papers relating thereto. Thus
much Tor the truth, OF the innumer-
able falsehoods TO which the disc ussion
Of this subjec, has given rise,.l will
only notice in order to refutc, one, and
even that one notice on accoun, a.
lone of the name OF Mr.. Secretary Bar
bour, which has been vouched as au-
thority fort Briefly, then, II has been
insinuated that one OF the motives oil
Mr.. K. for withholding these papers
was, that he feared they would, if pub
lishsd, compromit his character and
political principles; and it is partIcu-
larry intimated, that they might deyei-
ope tine scheme in which he, MIR. h
is said TO have concurred and to have
been concerned in the year Seventeen
hundred and eighfy7sir, for inviting
Prince Henry Of Prussia to eli athrone
in this country In confirmation OF
this VERY absurd monarchical conspi-
racy, of which Baron Steuben, who
had left royal court to fight among
and With Us, the battles Of freedom,
is made the confidential agent, il is adj
ded, that in the year lSl7-lS, on the
discussion Of the pension bill, MIR. Sec