Title: Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 20 September 1792
From: Morris, Gouverneur
To: Short, William

Paris, September 20, 1792. “I have receiv’d your two Letters of the eleventh and the fourteenth. I certainly do not mean to withdraw myself from any Situation in which either Duty or Propriety may bid me to remain. This is a general Maxim, which will I hope govern me thro Life. I proceed now to take up again the Payment made on Account of our Debt. I did hope that there was an End of our Correspondence on that Subject; and when you reflect that Observations respecting the Legality of a Government should not be committed to Post Offices subject to it’s Inspection, you will be sensible how disagreable it is to me to be forced into such Questions, and that too about an Affair which is done and which cannot be altered unless for the worse. If you will read over my Letter of the twenty third of July, you will see that my Doubt as to the Power of treating for the Debt with the Government of this Country is not new. Recollect also, that I never saw your Instructions. I proceed to state the Facts. On the thirtieth of July (having receivd on the Evening of the twenty ninth a Copy of the Account from the Treasury) I inform’d the Commissaries that the United States had Money at Amsterdam, and desired them, in order to avoid unnecessary Delay, to fix a Rate at which they would be willing to receive it: that if that Rate were convenient I would write in Consequence to make the Payment to their Agent, and if not that I would take Measures to pay them here. On the same thirtieth of July, I wrote to you that I would that Day write &ca. It was Post Day and therefore the Letter to you was first written, and of Course could not contain a Copy of the other. From a similar Cause, my Letter to you of the sixth of August preceeded that of the same Date to the Commissaries. I tell you ‘I have agreed with the Commissioners of the Treasury (for the present) and in Consequence I pray you will give our Bankers an Order to pay to Messieurs Hoguer Grand and Company the Sum of bf 1.625.000.’ Immediately after, I wrote to the Commissaries ‘I have given the necessary Directions for Payment of bf 1.625.000 to Messrs. H. G. & Co. which at the Exchange you have mention’d is equal to 6 000 000₶. I hope that my Letters may arrive in Season to prevent any other Appropriation, and you will of Course cause the above Sum of 6.000.000₶ to be carried to the Credit of the United States this Day, saving always the Right of Counter Entry should the Payment not be compleated instanter at Amsterdam.’ Here ended my Agency. After the Solicitude which you had exprest, I could not doubt that you would cause immediate Payment to be made. I wrote however on the ninth as follows ‘In my last of the sixth I requested you to cause bf 1.625.000 to be paid to Messieurs Hoguer Grand and Company which I now confirm.’ On the tenth a Revolution in the Government took Place. Now observe, that if in Consequence of my Letter of the sixth you had paid the Sum mention’d, no questions could afterwards arise in the Contingency you suppose that the present Government should be overturn’d and it’s Acts annulled. On the twenty third of August I wrote to you, ‘It occurs to me that Hoguers House may feel themselves embarrass’d about this Payment, and therefore may not incline to receive the Money, but if they do all is strait as to us.’ This Letter was in Answer to yours, of the seventeenth, in which you express your Fears that what the Commissaries may do posterior to the King’s Suspension will be regarded as illegal. On the twenty first you mention to me the Kind of Receipt which you had desird from Mr Hoguer viz that the Money was paid on Account of the Debt due his Christian Majesty and to be held at his orders; And you tell me that you suppos’d he would be glad of such a Clause, to have saved him from the Orders of the new unconstitutional Ministry. In mine, of the twenty seventh of August, I tell you that I am quite tranquil as to future questions because that ‘what was done was done by consent both of King and Country so that all is well done.’ And I express to you my Doubt whether Hoguer would give the Receipt which you had desird. On the twenty eighth of August you inform me that you have still Difficulties respecting the Receipt, Hoguer proposing one Thing and you another, viz that which you had before directed. On the fourth of September you inform me that you shall direct the Payment to be made, taking Hoguer’s Bill on the Commissaries for the Amount. This was accordingly done on the fifth of September, One Month after my Letter of the sixth of August. Such are the Facts. I now proceed to consider these Facts under the Hypothesis, first that the present Government should continue; and in that Case there is now no Difficulty, but if the Money had been accepted by Hoguer on the Terms you held out, I think the Difficulty would have been great. Secondly, if the present Government should be overturn’d: & here two possible Cases occur, first that their Acts should be deem’d valid, secondly that they should be annulled. In the first Case there is still no Difficulty. In the second Case there would (as I have already said) have been none, had the Payment been readily made; and the Questions which may here-after arise have been created in Amsterdam. First you will observe that the Receipt you requir’d was as inconsistent with the late Government as it is with the present. By the Laws and Constitution, such as they existed on the ninth of August, the Debt from the United States was to the Nation and not to the King of the French, much less to his most Christian Majesty. Consequently it could in no wise be consider’d as the Completion of a Transaction which I had begun, but was a new & a different Transaction. And as I, acting without Authority from our Government, could only be considerd in this Behalf as the Agent of you who possess’d that Authority, it would follow perhaps that by your Act mine was suspended, if not annull’d. The Receipt which you ask’d was not given, and therefore the question above stated may not perhaps be stirred; but at length instead of a Receipt, or of a Payment without a Receipt and which could have been establish’d by the Books of our Bankers, you have taken a Bill on the Commissaries. Certainly a question may be raisd on this Ground, whether that be the Payment which I had stipulated. Thus you will see my dear Sir that while you were doubting of the Legality of the present Government, you chang’d the Form of what had been done with the former Government, and gave it the Air of a Payment to those whose Authority you denied. And then you desire me to do certain other Things, respecting this same Transaction, with those same Persons whose Authority you still deny. Now I will not enter into any Question respecting the Competency of the present Government. The Corner Stone of our own Constitution is the Right of the People to establish such Government as they think proper. In this Country Reason may perhaps say one Thing and Force another; but putting all that aside, I think it proper to adhere to the original Nature and Form of the present Payment. First because the Exchange is much more favorable than that which now rules, and secondly because (as is above hinted) there is a Difference of one Month’s Interest on the Sum paid of 6.000.000₶. I must before I close this too long Letter inform you that the present Ministers of this Country complain much of your Intention to place the Sum in question out of their Reach, which Conduct they consider as evincing a hostile Disposition.…”


Title: Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 21 September 1792
From: Short, William
To: Morris, Gouverneur

The Hague, September 21, 1792. “I answered by the last post yours of the 12th. recd. that day & since that I am without hearing from you. The commissaries have acknowleged in their letter to our bankers the reciept of the draught for 1,625,000 florins, & say they will credit the U.S. therefore. I flatter myself however they mean for the value of the florins viz 6,000,000 livres & not the florins themselves—but as this value was settled by you & remains only between you & them I hope & trust you will see that it is done—for you will easily see the difference here-after of being credited at present for the florins instead of the livres. I am anxious to learn this from you expressly—there is no time to be lost & you certainly after having carried the business to that stage cannot think of leaving it in that embarassment from any new discovery made in the nature of your powers. You must necessarily have too full a conviction of the impropriety of such a proceeding & the disadvantage which would result to the U.S. there from. It is therefore merely by way of supererogation that I write to the commissaries of the treasury this evening to require that it shd. be done if by any unaccountable circumstance, you should persist in dropping the business there as a part of your last letter might be construed to indicate. The times are now so pressing that it might be unsafe to await your answer, before writing to the commissaries, with whom you know I have ceased all correspondance, since your arrival at Paris & taking up that business which I really thought with you an appendage of your mission. I in-close you the letter open for your perusal & shd. as I still flatter myself the object of it have been settled by you, then you may suppress it or return it to me as you think proper—it is written I repeat it only by way of precaution which I flatter myself may be useless. I shall never cease lamenting the fair opportunity which has been allowed to pass—but at present it is indispensable to make the best use of the case as it stands—& which will certainly suffer if you have abruptly withdrawn your ministry, as might be apprehended from yr. late letter if it were possible to suppose you wd. leave such a business unsettled.”


Title: Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 23 September 1792
From: Morris, Gouverneur
To: Short, William

Paris, September 23, 1792. “I have receivd yours of the eighteenth. Mine of the twentieth will have communicated to you the Reasons for leaving the Transaction to which you refer on it’s Original Ground. If any Question should here-after be raised respecting it, our Answer is that you compleated what was begun, or rather paid a Bill drawn: for, the Form differing, the substance of the Transaction was that of a Bill on the Commissioners or Bankers of the United States at Amsterdam. And the Difference of Form arose meerly from the Circumstance that (considering myself as your Agent) desird you to give an order which I was not authorizd to give. But the Sum was the Same it was paid to the same Persons and for Account of the same Persons. So much for that. The Settlement of Depreciation I consider as purely optional in us, and of Course should the Government of this Country, in whatever Hands it may be, think proper to quibble about this last Payment we have still the Staff in our own Hands. As to the Observation you make about certain Items in the Account. I had already, on receiving it, conveyed to the Commissaries my Idea that a considerable Part thereof was a double Charge and desir’d them to make an Enquiry, which they promis’d to do. I wrote also to Colo. Hamilton to the same Effect. As to the Charge of so much due for an Advance by the Farm, I am persuaded that unless this Ballance has been discharg’d in America, since the Organization of our new Government, it still remains due to Somebody. The questionable Articles therefore with the Interest amount to about two Millions; but as we have still certain Installments which will fall due, any Errors can be rectified at Leizure. I come now to the Idea you express of making an Adjustment with the Commissaries and taking up our Obligations. Since you affix so much Importance to these Evidences of our Debt, I am led to pay more Attention to them than I otherwise should do. Before any Step be taken however it may be well for you to consider the State of Facts. The Obligations are for large Sums, and therefore large Sums are needful to acquit them. Each is payable by Installments, and therefore the first Point is to pay up those Installments, and then to discharge the Ballance on one Obligation. Now a previous Point is to adjust the Value of those Payments, for you know that your Ideas differ very much from those entertained by Monsieur de Claviére. If the Commissaries attach the same Importance to the Obligations which you do, they will of Course be as tenacious as you are desirous of them; and then you must (before you can get them) come to a Settlement with the Ministry. How far it may be in your Wish to do so, you alone can determine, but before any one Step be taken, it is necessary to look forward to all the subsequent and consequent Steps, for it will not do to begin and then to stop short by reason of those Circumstances which are naturally to be expected.…”


Title: Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to William Short, 24 September 1792
From: Morris, Gouverneur
To: Short, William

Paris, September 24, 1792. “My Letter of Yesterday was written in the Idea that the Business to which it alludes is present to your Recollection but as that may not be the Case I now add in Explanation that there are three Obligations one for 18 Millions
one for 10 Millions
one for  6 Millions
together 34 Millions

The first two are payable by Installments of which one Half are due on the thirty first of December 1791. The last is payable by Installments of which the first is due on the first of January 1797. If we admit the Articles which you object to, and here remark that an Objection by you will not alone justify the Commissaries, the Amount of the principal and Interest due the first Day of the present

Year will be about
28.000.000₶

Deducting our Payments to the first of April (without allowing for Depreciations), which amount to about
24.500.000₶

  There was due a Ballance of
3.500.000₶

  Add six Months Interest on what remains
  500.000₶

  And you have for what is due the 1 July
4.000.000₶

  deduct the Remittences in April May and June nearly
  850.000

  Remains due about
3.150.000

  Add what Remains of the 4 p % Debt Principal
 5.000.000

                    Total
8.150.000

  Deduct Payment last made
 6.000.000

                    remains
 2.150.000

Thus you see that without touching the Question of Depreciation, nor that of the objectionable Articles which together exceed 3,000,000₶ there is still a large Sum to be paid before you can take up the Obligation you wish, even admitting the Amount to be settled quite on your Terms. But you will remember that there are two Sides to every Question and two Parties at least to every Contract or Bargain.”


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from William Short, 25 September 1792
From: Short, William
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Sir
The Hague Sep. 25. 1792

All the letters which I have had the honor of writing to you for some time will I think have been uniform in shewing you my anxiety on two subjects, namely the settlement of the depreciation to be allowed on the payments which I had had made to the French government since the receipt of your letter of Sep. 2. 91. relative thereto & the retardment of the sums accumulating in the hands of our bankers at Amsterdam destined for France.
I trust Sir you will have seen, that under the circumstances in which I was placed & which I have taken the liberty of so often tracing to you, it was dictated both by a sense of duty & delicacy to have pursued the line I did from the month of January last, the time of my return from Amsterdam to Paris, until Mr. Morris’s arrival there in May & I should perhaps be without anxiety on the subject at present if I did not find from your late letters recieved here that it is the intention that this part of the business should continue to be conducted by me & therefore fear that you may think I ought to have understood it in this manner (notwithstanding the Presidents instructions & other irresistible reasons) & of course place on me the blame, which I should certainly in that case deserve for having allowed to pass so favorable an opportunity of making the settlement advantageously for the U.S.
Every circumstance relative to these two subjects has been successively & repeatedly communicated to you as it occurred, with a minuteness which I was often afraid would be fastidious. I will at present therefore ask leave to take them up only from the time of Mr. Morris’s arrival at Paris.
I then supposed & so did he that the arrangement of the indemnity to be allowed for depreciation was within the line of his mission. I accordingly put him as fully as I could in possession of the subject— feeling however peculiarly anxious, as it had been formerly confided to me, that it should be settled advantageously for the U.S. & agreeably to the President. I urged Mr Morris to lose no time—stating to him the various reasons which occurred therefore. I mentioned to him the causes which had induced me to delay this settlement. He seemed fully disposed to enter on the business & sensible of the propriety of despatch; mentioning however two causes of short delay, that is to say his having not then been formally installed in his functions & his desire to recieve another letter from the Sec. of State explanatory of the one then in hand relative to the subject of depreciation.
The settlement of the indemnity on the payments already made, being thus considered as placed in Mr. Morris’s hands, by our government, necessarily gave him the direction in some measure of those to be made—because being more safe for the U.S. & more agreeable to France to recieve the florins in Amsterdam than in bills of exchange remitted to Paris, it became necessary to settle with the French government previously at what rate they would credit the U.S. in livres for these florins—which of course was fixing the depreciation or indemnity to be allowed. Accordingly when I left Paris for this place the business stood thus—As to depreciation on former payments, to be settled by M. Morris, the most expeditiously possible—As to future payments I was not to order any until he should advise me of his having settled on what footing they should be recieved.
Thus the whole business was in fact placed necessarily in his hands & I became merely a passive agent. Still my desire that no time should be lost (as it became every day more sensible from the situation of affairs in France, how precarious the government which had created & lived on the assignats, was growing) made me take on myself to write from hence to M. Morris urging him with a frequency & importunity which nothing but my desire to see the business conducted advantageously for the U.S. could authorize. Every letter gave me reason to hope that the next would enable me to direct our bankers to pay the monies wch. had been so long detained were accumulating daily in their hands & augmenting my anxiety.
At length on the sixteenth of August I recieved here, after my return from Amsterdam, two letters from M. Morris of the sixth & ninth, mentioning that he had agreed with the commissaries of the treasury for a payment of 1,625,000 florins—which he accordingly desired I would direct Messrs Willinks & Van Staphorst to pay to the French bankers at Amsterdam. I recieved at the same time an account of the King’s suspension. It struck me that a payment under these circumstances would be improper & dangerous—but recieving a letter the day after from M Morris, of the 13th. viz. three days posterior to the suspension, in which no hint of a counter-order was given, I directed the bankers to make the payment, taking the precaution to have mentioned in the reciept that it was on account of the debt due by the U S to France & to be held at the disposition of his Most Ch. Maj. I concieved that this would be rescuing us from a reproach after the resurrection of a Monarch in France & at the same time would entitle us to take credit for the payment & thereby avoid an interest on that amount to France. I did suppose also that the French bankers would be satisfied to give a reciept of that kind for various reasons. It proved otherwise & they refused recieving the money except with the stipulation as mentioned to you in my last—or on giving a draught on the treasury as they had been accustomed to do.
My own opinion being that such a payment would be improper if it was to be placed at the disposition of the usurpers in France—& the refusal of the French bankers to recieve it otherwise unless locked up by my stipulation in their hands—occasioned a delay during which I recieved several letters from M. Morris. They were so uniformly positive as to the propriety of the payment that I determined to give up my opinion, which was borne down by the weight of his—by the consideration of the long delay to which these payments had been already subjected—of the sums which were accumulating—of the probability of the time which might elapse before such an order of things should be established in France as would authorize payments to be made them—of the advantage of stopping the interest on six millions of livres (which was the sum M. Morris afterwards informed me we were to have credit for) by a payment of 1,625,000 florins. After weighing well & with anxiety the circumstances & seeing that there was only my individual opinion in opposition to them I could not avoid yielding it—& accordingly on the 4th. of this month directed the payment to be made to the French bankers at Amsterdam & the same day gave notice of it to Mr. Morris. The determination being once taken it became urgent that it should be carried into execution without delay. The payment was made the next day—& the draught of the French bankers on the French treasury endorsed by ours to the commissaries in the usual form was remitted by them, for greater security to M. Morris. The second of the draught they sent to me to be forwarded likewise to him. This was all that could be done here. Reconverting these florins into livres & seeing that they were properly carried to the credit of the U S which was an essential part of the arrangement, lay unavoidably between M. Morris & the commissaries—no other person being privy to the arrangement, & the French bankers being of course unable to express the draught in livres, or any otherwise than in Florins, which indeed was the term M. Morris had desired should be used.
I mentioned that M Morris’s letters posterior to the suspension had been uniform as to the propriety of this payment—mine to him had as uniformly expressed my fears & doubts. In that which I recieved from him the 4th. inst. & after which I immediately gave orders for the payment—he observes “Now as to future questions I am quite tranquil—what was done was done by consent both of King & country so that all is well done let whichever of them get the better which fate or fortune may chuse.” On the 14th. I recd. from him a letter of the 9th acknowleging the reciept of mine of the 4th. (announcing to him the orders I had given for the payment) in which he says “As the six millions are I suppose paid it is not necessary to dilate on that subject” & then goes on to say that on examing his powers more minutely he had found that “the management of what relates to the debt was committed entirely & of course conclusively to you” (me). On the 18th. I recieved from him a letter of the 12th., acknowleging the receipt of mine of the 7th. inclosing him the second of the draught in which he says “I had previously sent to the commissaries of the Treasury the letter from the bankers at Amsterdam. I certainly have taken no step in respect to that payment since my first letter to you desiring that it might be made & certainly I shall not take any for the very good reasons which I am sure will suggest themselves to you & which of course I will not enumerate.” I have chosen to repeat M. Morris’s own expressions because being now to write to you, & having recieved no letter from him of a later date, I cannot know whether he means from thence that he should be considered as not being the author of this payment, as simply sending the draught to the commissaries without seeing that the U.S. were credited therefore in livres would seem to indicate, unless the arrangement wch. he had made with them was such as to effect this purpose previously & therefore render his interference after the reciept of the draught unnecessary. Being unacquainted with the manner in which the arrangement was made I can not know how the matter stood. I hope however & trust that he will see too clearly the importance of this step for the interest of the U.S. not to consummate the measure which he had begun & which being only between him & the commissaries could properly be effected only by him.
All my letters have been uniform on that head & since recieving his of the 9th & 12th I have urged him that whatever scruples he may have as to other measures not to neglect this which was now only within his reach—& which a short time would probably put beyond even his, as the present order of things could have but a momentary existence. Fearing that it might even be too late if I awaited to learn what he had done, I took on me to write to the commissaries of the treasury by way of supererogation & in-closed my letter open in my last to him, to be used in the case he had not taken previous arrangements for having the U.S. credited for six millions of livres & persisted in not doing it. My letter to the commissaries was merely to desire they would state the account including this payment according to their agreement with M. Morris. A short time will shew what has been done & I could have wished to have saved you the trouble of these details—but in its present uncertain state I could not avoid informing you of them as far as they are known to me, & shewing that nothing has been left un-done by me to alter my obedience to the will of the President & my zeal for carrying into execution whatever I learn to be his wish.
I have already had the honor of mentioning to you that your letter of the 14th. of June, which shewed that it was his intention that this business should remain with me was not recieved until the 17th. of August, after the arrangement with the commissaries had been made by M. Morris, & after I had learned the King’s suspension. It was evident that the only thing which could be done then, was to complete the measure begun previous to that suspension, & that no new one could be adopted until there should be a change in France.
I cannot convey to you an idea of my regret at the opportunity of settling the depreciation of the assignats with the government which created them, having been thus lost, better than by referring to the uniform contents of my past letters on the subject. The proper way of treating it seems to me at present to be this. Instead of converting the assignats into a given sum (by deducting that which might be considered as the amount of depreciation at the time of each payment & having this given sum carried to the credit of the U.S.) to have the whole nominal sum of assignats paid, carried to their credit & here-after when the business shall be taken up & the debt paid, to pay over & above a given sum in lieu of depreciation. The U.S. may then come forward & offer this indemnity which will be considered at that time as a free gift—& in the mean time they stop the interest on the nominal sum paid instead of the sum reduced by deducting for depreciation at the time of payment. Although this would have been a much more fixed & proper mode of settlement & more agreeable also to the U.S. as I learn from your letters, yet the other may be made to secure its advantages also—a future government will unquestionably be much less scrupulous as to the depreciation of assignats & will use various arguments that this could not, yet there will be several to oppose to them also, resulting from the manner in which the U.S. recieved the loan from them—& also from the delays to which they have been subjected from the situation of affairs in France, notwithstanding they have had so large sums lying dead in the hands of their bankers at Amsterdam.
In order that this subject may be brought on in the manner the least liable to question & the most advantageous for the U.S. it seems to me to be desired that the bonds or reciepts of the U.S. constituting this debt & now in the French treasury, should be with drawn as far as they have been extinguished by our payments. It is certain that interest here-after can be claimed only on such as remain in the treasury. Suppose that to be 15. or any other number of millions, all we pay here-after over & above that by way of indemnity will be much more within our discretion & appear a much more spontaneous generosity than if the whole number of bonds remained & were subjected to a future discussion both of interest and indemnity. I have therefore repeatedly & warmly pressed this on M. Morris. The only difficulty which occurred to me arose from a belief that it was expressed in the reciepts constituting this debt (which however were never sent to me as promised in your letter of Sep. 1. 1790.) that the payments should be in equal portions on each reciept until the whole were paid—of this however I was not sure & supposed the difficulty even if it existed might be got over. As soon as I found M. Morris determined to consider his powers as not enabling him to act I begged him to give his instrumentality to this measure in consideration of its advantage to the U.S if it appeared to him in the same light it did to me—& that if he had any scruples he might consider it as my act & under my responsibility.
For his guide I informed him that the charges made in the account of the commissaries relative to the Farmers-general &c. were not [to] be considered, some being questionable & others certainly improper—that the original debt of 34. millions alone with the interest was to be taken into view & I forwarded the statement in-closed in your letter of June 23d. shewing what interest & what part of the principal was exigible. I intreated him after applying the several payments made formerly by Mr. Grand of Paris—by the bankers at Amsterdam—by deWolf at Antwerp—& lastly the six millions agreed for by him, towards extinguishing the interest & principal due; to extend the surplus to the remaining part of the debt at 5. p. cent & withdraw the bonds of all the principal thus extinguished, in the manner & under the responsibility, if he chose it, as above-mentioned. Should this be done it will be putting the subject certainly on the best vantage ground within our scope at present—& I hope notwithstanding his last letter that this which I have written to him since will induce him as I there mention to give that instrumentality which his geographical position & the present situation of France put within his reach alone.
To avoid confusion in these lengthy details I have postponed mentioning your letter of July 25th. which I had the honor of recieving here on the 10th. inst. You were very right Sir in supposing that no mode of applying the data there mentioned, could be contemplated by which the U.S. were to be subjected to loss. I rather suppose you will have misunderstood the quotation of the exchange there mentioned. I have not the paper of that day before me—but it must have meant that 36 was the course of the exchange with Amsterdam—& not that the exchange was 36 p. ct below par. The 36 which was probably the number there marked (& to which I think the exchange had risen for a few days about that time) after having been for a few days also as low as 26½—means that 36 half sous of Holland were equal to three livres of France. The par is about 54 of these half sous to the petitecu of three livres—of course the gain at Amsterdam was 28 on 54. The rate of depreciation which you mention if quoted as in most of the papers did not probably state 60. p. cent—but 100 livres in silver for 160 in assignats—which of course did not mean 60 on an hundred—but sixty on an hundred & sixty.
I have had however formerly the honor of mentioning to you that from the beginning of the circulation of assignats the progress of depreciation & fall of exchange did not continue precisely the same—several causes contributed to render the advantage of the exchange proportionally less; or in other words to raise the price of specie on particular occasions nearer to the amount of the fall of exchange than it had been in the beginning—a moment of considerable emigration for instance among the ignorant provincial noblesse when many chuse to carry out specie rather than depend on bills, not being accustomed to that kind of remittance & not having confidence in the bankers supposed to be deeply concerned in stock jobbing—a moment of ill humour among the people which prompted them to ill treat & in some instances, execute those concerned in selling the specie. Still I believe in adopting this rule the U.S. would find advantage—& certainly a very considerable one as explained in the beginning. After the fluctuation took place I mentioned to the commissaries that I did not think that that standard taken alone would form a really just measure of depreciation—as it would in fact be making the U.S. pay for the police of Paris not being sufficiently energetic to prevent a mob hanging a moneylender—& indeed no person can doubt that the want of efficacious protection to those concerned in that kind of commerce did raise considerably the price of that article—since they were obliged to take into the account not only the risk of the assignats but the risk of their lives.
The U.S. have in my opinion a perfect right in making up the real depreciation of the assignats to France, which is the term I used with them (& not the course of exchange with which they have nothing to do) to measure it by the price (in the market) of the articles of French production. This would be the most advantageous standard for the U.S. & indeed would secure to them almost the whole gain upon the exchange. It is the standard I should have proposed if the government had been in existence, at the time of learning from you the will of the President as to my ministry—& fortified by that mark of his confidence I should have considered it my duty to have devoted myself to any responsibility however dangerous rather than that so favorable an opportunity for settling this business honorably & advantageously for the U.S should have been lost. On recieving your letter of Sep 2: 91. relative to this business I desired the Minister & the commissaries, as I had then the honor of informing you, to consider of some means proper for settling it on a basis that should be equally just for both parties—& was then obliged to leave Paris for Antwerp & Amsterdam. The price of specie would be the most advantageous standard they could have any pretext for proposing—& in fact a compromise between the two standards would be what they could not object to if the U.S. should find it proper to consent thereto, & thus give up in part the advantage arising from the standard of the price of articles of French production alone. In either case there would be a considerable gain.
The statement which I recieved from the bankers the 5th. inst. was as follows—Cash on hand & 1000 bonds to be delivered 5,730,000 florins. Interest between this & the first of March next, together with the late payment of 1,625,000 florins to France and f123,750 of your draughts, they state at 2,670,000 florins—leaving a balance of 3,060,000 florins disponible. For accuracy however you may add 30,000 florins to this balance, as they by error had considered one of the 4. p. cent loans as a 5. p. cent one. The interest on the Antwerp loan of 2,050,000 florins should be deducted as I shall not open a loan there so long as matters remain in this present situation. This will give you Sir a full idea of the cash on hand.
I have also given orders to the bankers to proceed in procuring bills to pay off the debt, which your letter of March 5. 92. told me the reimbursement of would be acceptable. They have procured as many as a rise in the exchange (which they say will be momentary) has allowed them. In the mean time I am expecting an answer which will instruct me, to whom these bills should be addressed.
The letters which I have had the honor of writing to you since my arrival here (you have acknowleged the reciept of those from Paris except one short one of a line, merely to announce to you the opening of the second 4. p. cent loan) have been dated June 28 Aug. 6. 30. Those which you have done me the honor to write to me, as mentioned as low down as July 25.—have been successively recieved.
I have now only to ask pardon for interrupting your more important occupations by so long a letter & to beg you to be assured of the sentiments of profound respect & perfect attachment with which I have the honor to be
Sir Your most obedient   & most humble servant
W. Short
The Honble.
Alexander Hamilton Secretary of the Treasury


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to William Ellery, [26 September 1792]
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Ellery, William

[Philadelphia, September 26, 1792. On October 9, 1792, Ellery wrote to Hamilton and referred to “your letter of the 26th of the last month.” Letter not found.]


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Henry Lutterloh, [26 September 1792]
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Lutterloh, Henry

[Philadelphia, September 26, 1792. On the back of a letter which Lutterloh wrote to Hamilton on September 9, 1792, Hamilton wrote: “Answered Sep. 26. 1792.” Letter not found.]


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to David Ross, 26 September 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Ross, David

Sir
Philadelphia September26. 1792

I have this day seen a publication in the Maryland Gazette of the 20th instant, signed by you, in which among other things, you state Mr Mercers having brought a charge of a very serious nature against me. I allude to the fifth ground of objection, stated by you, to his reelection.
I have written to Mr Mercer a letter of which a copy is in-closed. Allow me at the same time to ask of you to revise your recollection of what was said by him, in relation to me, and to favour me with the result, stating as accurately as possible his precise expressions, and giving as much particularity as you can to the whole matter.
I feel myself indebted to you for the favourable sentiments you have so openly expressed of my character and principles; and I pledge myself to you and to every friend of mine that the strictnest scrutiny into every part of my conduct, whether as a private citizen or as a public officer, can only serve to establish the perfect purity of it, and to prove incontestibly that it has never deviated from the most exact line of the most scrupulous probity. Arraigned, as I appear to have been, I feel myself justifiable in making this strong declaration in my own favour.
According to the statement you have made of Mr. Mercers assertions, they amount to a gross and wicked slander; as a thorough investigation shall evince.
I have not only never bought nor sold, nor been concerned directly or indirectly in the buying or selling of Stock or Certificates since I have been in my present office (except as will be presently explained) but I do not now recollect, that I ever sold a certificate, in my life, or was ever interested in any sold by any other person; and all the buying of Certificates (except as here-after mentioned) in which I now recollect to have ever had any interest or concern was for the purpose of paying for a share in two several tracts of land, in the purchase of which I became interested. This too was a considerable time prior to adoption of the present constitution.
The exceptions above made relate wholly to purchases of the public Debt, on account of the United States, by the Commissioners of the sinking fund. As one of that board, I have had an official concern in directing those purchases, the immediate agents of which, by appointment of the board, have been Samuel Meredith Treasurer of the United States, William Seton Cashier of the Bank of New York, Benjamin Lincoln Collector of Boston, and William Heth Collector of Bermuda Hundred all men of exemplary reputation for integrity. As Secretary of the Treasury, it fell to my lot to instruct those Agents in the details of their purchases, in conformity to law; but the actual execution of the business was with them.
I add, though it is extraordinary and disgustful, that any occasion should have called for such a declaration on my part, that I never had directly or indirectly, any species of interest in any stock or Certificate, which has been purchased by either of those Agents, or in any manner, by the authority of the above-mentioned Commissioners; and that what Mr Mercer is stated to have said in reference to it is gross misrepresentation.
You are at liberty to make any use of this letter you may think proper, not including its insertion in a News Paper; which I should not think compatible with the decorum of my situation.
With real esteem & regard   I have the honor to be Sir   Your obed serv
P S   To avoid Cavil, I think it well to add that while in practice as a lawyer, long before my appointment to my present office I received a small payment in Indents on account of a fee for one of my Clerks which completes the whole of my certificate transactions.


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 26 September 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Washington, George

Sir,
Treasury Departmt. Septr. 26th. 1792.

The Post of yesterday brought me your letter of the 21st instant, with the Proclamation enclosed, which was immediately published through the Secretary of State’s Office in Brown’s Federal Gazette; and means will be taken to accelerate a general circulation of it.
I have the honor to be with the highest respect & truest attachment.
Sir,   Your most Obedient and humble servant
Alexander Hamilton


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, [27 September 1792]
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: McHenry, James

[Philadelphia, September 27, 1792. On September 30, 1792, McHenry wrote to Hamilton: “I received … yours of the 27th.” Letter not found.]


Title: Treasury Department Circular to the Commissioners of Loans, 27 September 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Commissioners of Loans

Sir,
Treasury DepartmentSeptember 27th. 1792

The Comptroller of the Treasury being absent, I have found it necessary to avoid an interruption of the public business, to direct Mr Henry Kuhl his principal Clerk to countersign the warrants of transfer until his return; you will therefore regard his signature (a specimen of which is here enclosed) as authentic and enter the warrants thus countersigned on your Books as in the other case. The Comptroller on his return will announce it to you which will terminate the object of this instruction.

I am Sir, with consideration   Your obedt Servant
Alexander Hamilton


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from George Clymer, [28 September 1792]
From: Clymer, George
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Sir
[Pittsburgh, September 28, 1792]

The last article in the order of my instructions was as I conceived to be the first on my arrival here—for as my reception should be so might be my success in every of my objects. I therefore obtained a meeting with several of the principal characters, and the better to gain their confidence made a full disclosure to them of my whole business. They all of them gave assurances that the town of Pittsburgh had no representation whatever in the committee which sat there on the 21 August, nor as they believed the County of Allegany at large, and that the town had not been at all in sentiment with the committee. I observed that as the proceedings of the committee stood published to the world it appeared otherwise, and as Pittsburgh was well known through the Union as the capital of the western Country the more effect it gave to those proceedings; but as the town took in reality no part therein a publick disavowal of them would be honourable to it and well thought of by government. They replied that as individuals such declaration would not well become them, but that they would take measures to assemble the inhabitants on the occasion—And there is a call for them accordingly for tomorrow evening. I have recommended to some of the Gentlemen that if the attempt at something beyond it has a chance of provoking an opposition the end of which might not be foreseen, to confine themselves simply to a disavowal of the proceedings in question on the score of having had no part therein.
Understanding that Mr Cannon, their chairman was not a man of the strongest mind I requested General Wayne to send for him under pretence of consulting him about supplies &c—and by this means obtained a private interview with him. I represented to him his particular predicament as the chairman in a light so strong as thoroughly to frighten him. He asked my advice. I then hinted that a publick declaration that having now had time to reflect on the business of the Committee he disapproved of it, and of the part he had had in it, engaging my honour in that case to represent him favourably to government, which having its choice of objects might pass him by in a prosecution. He promised to give the matter a very serious consideration and if he does not soon fall into bad hands some fruit may be expected from it. A desertion in one set up as a leader would I conceive go further to break the measures of this seditious confederacy than even the most successful prosecution. Why I make any present mention of this Affair is that if it should be thought well of, any process with respect to him might be suspended for a little while until the part he takes shall be known.
Captain Faulkener’s deposition is just finished and comes under cover—as will that of some others. It being represented to me on all hands that I cannot venture to shew my self in Washington I have written to the judge of the district (state) Court to take depositions—and have named the persons to him who may be examined.
I had written this length for the post when I was honoured with yours of the 21st. This in some measures confines my measures to the Washington transactions and gives a new designation to the witnesses who are now to proceed to York instead of Philadelphia. These additional instructions I shall pay due regard to. In my passage upwards through the different Counties I had the most satisfactory assurances of a pretty general acquiescence in the Excise—the people of the Country having had time to compare its lightness with the heaviness of a tax in any other form. I believe that some examples being made to justice that but little difficulty will attend its execution. I should however make some exceptions here—several gentlemen friends to the government having told me that the scarcity of specie in this Country will always make a natural difficulty in the collection even when opposition ceases—the distillations being very extensive indeed.
I have the honour to be   Sir   Your most obedt servt
Geo Clymer
Pittsburgh Sept. 28. 1792.
Secretary of the Treasury.

I shall now either bring the depositions with me or send them on to York instead of transmitting them to Philadela.


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 28 September 1792
From: Jay, John
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Dr. Sir,
New York 28th. Sepbr. 1792

On Monday the 17th. inst. I set out for Sussex in New Jersey with design after dispatching some private business I had there to proceed from thence on my Circuit. On the 19th. I found myself with a slight inflamation on one eye & some flying Rheumatic pains, to which not suspecting any thing serious I paid little attention. By the 25th. my Eyes were so much inflamed that it was with difficulty I read your letter which I received that morning. Throughout the course of the day those symptoms attended with a little fever increased & convinced me that I was not to be well in a few days. Under these circumstances it appeared to me best if possible to return home. I set out the next day, the weather was favorable, & I arrived with much pain the day before yesterday. Not withstanding bleeding & physick, both inflamation & Rheumatism continue obstinate. As my eyes would not permit me to answer your letter I’ve sent it to Mr. King. Judge Cushing does not appear yet. It wd. be a sad thing if he also shd. be laid up. Respecting the duration of my confinement I can as yet form no conjectures. The moment I regain sufficient health for the purpose I shall again proceed on my circuit.
Yours sincerely


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from Thomas Smith, 28 September 1792
From: Smith, Thomas
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Philadelphia, September 28, 1792. States “The amount of Stock remaining on the Books of this Office subject to Interest for the Quarter ending the 30th Septr Inst is … twenty seven thousand Six hundred & ninety eight dollars Nine Cents.”


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Benjamin Lincoln, 29 September 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Lincoln, Benjamin

Treasury Department, September 29, 1792. “I have duly received your letter of the 14th Instant, purporting a request from Mr Thomas …: however grateful it might be to me, to promote the plan undertaken by Mr Thomas, I cannot dispense with the law to do it.”


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Olney, 29 September 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Olney, Jeremiah

Sir,
Treasury DepartmentSeptember 29th 1792

I am to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th of August last, relative to seven Puncheons of Foreign Spirits entered at the Custom House in Providence by Arnold Rhodes, Master of the Sloop Bacon from Washington in North Carolina.
I have therefore to request, that you will concur with the Supervisor of Rhode Island (who has been instructed for that purpose by the Commissioner of the Revenue) in making an immediate examination into the matter in question, and if it shall appear to your mutual satisfaction, that there are no other unfavorable circumstances than a deficiency of particular certificates; you are hereby authorized to release the Spirits, transmitting however to this Office, a joint opinion on the Subject, respectively subscribed by yourself and the said Supervisor.
I am with consideration   Sir Your   most Obedient Servant
Alexander Hamilton
Jeremiah Olney Esquire
Collector of Providence


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Olney, 29 September 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Olney, Jeremiah

Sir
Treasury DepartmentSeptember 29th 1792.

The Attorney for the District of Massachusetts will prosecute in the case of the Sloop Polly of Sandwich, which, as I learn from your letter of the 18th Ultimo, was licensed at your Office.
It is probable he will have occasion for the license bond, which I request you will forward to him upon his application.
I am, Sir,   Your Obedt Servant.
Alexander Hamilton
Jeremiah Olney Esqr.
Collr Providence.


Title: George Washington to Thomas Mifflin, 29 September 1792
From: Washington, George
To: Mifflin, Thomas

Sir
United States, Septr. 29th. 1792.

Inclosed you will find the copy of a Proclamation, which I have thought proper to issue, in consequence of certain irregular and refractory proceedings, which have taken place in particular parts of some of the states, contravening the law therein mentioned.
I feel an entire confidence, that the weight and influence of the Executive of (Pensylvania) will be chearfully exerted, in every proper way, to further the object of this measure, and to promote, on every occasion, a due obedience to the constitutional laws of the Union.
With respect, I am, Sir   Your Excellency’s Obedt servt
Excellency
Thomas Mifflin Esqr
Governor of the Common~ of Pensyla


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from William Samuel Johnson, 30 September 1792
From: Johnson, William S.
To: Hamilton, Alexander

New York, September 30, 1792. “… My Son Robert Charles Johnson … has now taken his Passage on Board a Ship bound to Bristol which proposes to Sail on Sunday next. His sole Object ⟨i⟩s Instruction & Improvement, & as I wish him to Travel as ad⟨v⟩antageously as may be, & am persuaded no Name in this Country can be a more valuable recommendation to him than yours, I beg the favour of Letters of Introduction for him.…”


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 30 September 1792
From: McHenry, James
To: Hamilton, Alexander

My dear Hamilton.
[Baltimore] Sunday 30th Septr. 1792

I received your letter of the 23 in the order of the mail, and yesterday yours of the 27th. With respect to the former I have made no use of the quoted paragraph and hesitate between shewing it to the Bishop or the principal himself. Altho I think I may trust the Bishop, and am certain that it would be communicated yet if I shew it to the latter it may be in less danger of getting abroad and produce the same effect. I shall as far as in my power resist the New York project. I think it full of danger to the public. Is Adams to be supported?
I wish your letter of the 27th had arrived on Thursday. The notification could then have appeared in Goddards paper of last friday and would have had time to have circulated in Anne Arundel & Prince George’s Counties, (Mercers district). Now it cannot appear till tuesday next, and the election begins to-morrow and ends on thursday, so that it will scarcely be heard of till after the election. I have greatly retarded my recovery by the part I have taken in this business. The first Valerius I wrote a little before I was taken ill and that published in last fridays paper under a depression of spirits and great debility. I have also employed Major Hopkins of Anne Arundel County, who is under considerable pecuniary obligations to me to circulate hand bills which contains popular charges against Mercer and fixes upon him some false-hoods. But after all I only don’t despair of his being defeated. I am not able yet to go abroad, except walking a little in my garden.
An express arrived yesterday from Hagers Town that Gen William’s life was dispaired of. Should he die I must intreat you to remember Mr. Purviance who is naval officer and of course the natural heir to his office. You know or may have heard that he was one of the first merchnts in this Town, is qualified to discharge its duties, has never shrunk from the right cause and has a very numerous & young family to maintain. These circumstances make me desirous that he should in the event of the generals death succeed him: and then you would have an opportunity to serve me by Mr. Salmons taking Mr. Purviances place. It is impossible to get a man better qualified than Mr. Salmon for either office. He is popular, a man of honor and a respected judge in our criminal and orphans courts. If neither can be appointed I request that I may hear from you before you determine upon a successor. The office nets perhaps better than £ 2000 ⅌ annum—possesses vast influence, and ought not to be given away lightly or without due consideration of character.
By Fenno’s Gazette of the 26 it appears to me that the writer in Dunlap’s paper or the Attorney General quotes a letter written to him subsequent [to] the adoption of the constitution by Virginia and nine States. I think so because it seems a reply to the arguments used in that body in support of the constitution in the form it issued from the convention. The letter in question quoted by Judge Pendleton and pushed out of view by Mr Maddison that writer has withheld. That is the evidence upon which the charge rests. Explanations of Mr. Jefferson likes or dislikes when the thing was out of his reach does not do away the advice offered in his concealed letter.
I flatter myself that Maryland will at least elect five or six federal representatives out of her eight.
Yours most sincerely & affetionately
James McHenry
Since writing the above I learned from the printer that Mr Ross was in Town and sent to him to come out. He has not received your letter, and is here to get a reply published for the polls in answer to a justification of Mercers which appeared in Greene’s last paper. I have seen neither; but Ross tells me the charge against you is not denied. You will have Greene no doubt on Tuesday. I wish Ross had as much ability as he has honesty and good intentions. Mercer circulated that the President wished that he should be elected. This has been traced, the President has denied it and of course the lie has lodged where it ought.
Farewel, God bless my dear Hamilton.
Yours affectionately
James McHenry


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to John Daves, 1 October 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Daves, John

Treasury Department, October 1, 1792. “I enclose you a letter for Captn Cooke. … I have … concluded to alter the station of the Revenue Cutter from New Bern to Wilmington. The Collector of that port will of course have to perform the duties which were heretofore committed to you relative to the Said Cutter.”


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from Meletiah Jordan, [1 October 1792]
From: Jordan, Meletiah
To: Hamilton, Alexander

[Frenchman’s Bay, District of Maine, October 1, 1792. On November 17, 1792, Hamilton wrote to Benjamin Lincoln: “The Collector of Frenchmans Bay in his letter to me dated October the 1st.” Letter not found.]


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to William Short, 1[–15] October 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Short, William

Sir,
Newark, N.J. Oct. 1.[–15] 1792

On my arrival here, upon an excursion of a few days, I find the intelligence of a suspension of the King of France, and of a new revolution in that country. I take it for granted, that after such an event, no further payments will have been made to France. It is now impossible to calculate anything concerning the affairs of that country, and of course the validity, as well as the utility to itself of future reimbursements would be questionable. This letter serves for the present barely to convey this idea.
With much consideration   & esteem, I am, &c.
A.H.


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 1 October 1792
From: Washington, George
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Sir,
Mount Vernon Octobr. 1st. 1792.

Your letter of the 22d. ulto., with it’s enclosures, came duly to hand.
Lest any material disadvantage should result from delay, I have signed the Act which has been drawn by the Commissioner of the Revenue & approved by you, for arranging allowances to the Supervisors &c. and now forward it; but I would rather, if this is not likely to be the case, have it retained in your hands until my arrival in Philadelphia, as I wish for some explanations, which I have not the means of obtaining from the want of the former Act of the 4th. of August; a copy of which I requested might be returned to me, but from a misconception of my meaning, a copy of my letter was sent in lieu thereof. I now request a copy of the Act of the 4th. of Augt. & of the present one also.
Before any nomination, or appointment of a Keeper of the Lighthouse on Cape Henry takes place, it would be proper to examine the List of Applicants (& I think there are several) who have applied to me for this Office, & is to be found among my papers by Mr. Lear. If the person recommended by Colo. Parker is intemperate in drinking, it is immaterial whether you can recollect his name or not; for, with me, this would be an insuperable objection, let his pretensions & promises of reformation be what they may. I have been once taken in by the fair promises of Major Call to refrain, & the strong assurances of his friends that he would do it; but will not, knowingly, trust again to the like from any one.
I have, by this Post, directed the Attorney General to attend the Circuit Court in York Town, & see that the Indictments are legally presented & properly supported.
I am &c
G: Washington


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from Thomas Marshall and William Pearce, 3 October 1792
From: Marshall, Thomas,Pearce, William
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Sir
Paterson [New Jersey] Octr. 3d: 1792

Having taken into Consideration your kind request of this Morning, we respectfully Submit the following to your Approbation, but first we beg to be Understood that we entertain bothe Esteem and Friendship for Major L’Enfant and Col: Cummings whose behaviour since their Appointment has every way Satisfied and pleased us, and nothing herein is meant in the most distant manner to glance at them.
In An Undertaking like this the Masterly Completion of the Machinery depends very much upon a Judicious Selection of Tools and Materials, which Nought but a Knowledge of the Purposes to which they are meant to be apply’d can enable the Purchaser to give Satisfaction to the Workmen or do Justice to the Society; peculiar Applications require peculiar properties, for that Tool or Material which may be prime in the first Stage, becomes, (very often) totally useless in the Second.
The Training up youth in the Different Branches of the Manufactory we consider Politic and Reqisite; in many of the Different Stages of our respective Businesses a Stout Boy, by a Twelvemoths Instruction wou’d be able to Stand in the Shoes of an Adult person, and in a Country like this where Wages are so exceedingly high, a Material Saving wou’d Eventually acere to the Society if Apprentices were taken under certain Regulations.
As the Payment of Wages carries an Amazing Influence with it over the minds of the people employ’d, we respectfully Submit to you, to permit us to send our Account Book, to Col Cummings, every Saturday Morning, for his Examination, and Scrutity, and if the Account shou’d appear to him right and Just, that he may send us the precise Sum of that Weeks Wages to be by us paid to our respective Tradesmen.
Mahogany, Iron, Wire, Scantling &c of peculiar properties being now wanted, some of which we shall one of us be obliged to go to Mount Hope, Andover, and Pompton for, likewise to York, our Salaries will not admit of Journeys being taken without our Actual Reimbursement of our unavoidable Expences, a Standard to go by is what we wish and of whom we are to draw Stipulated Sums for those Outgoings, the Iron is now wanted, and the Men Cannot work in the Morning as they ought to do for want of Stoves, these regulations we respectfully Submit to your Determination, and are Sir
Your Most Obedt. Humble Servts.

Thomas Marshall and Wm. Pearce
Honble. Alexander Hamilton Esqr.


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from George Clymer, [4 October 1792]
From: Clymer, George
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Sir
[Pittsburgh, October 4, 1792]

Not one of the expectations mine by last post might have raised has been realised. Cannon undoubtedly fell into bad hands for ’tho he still avows to me his disapprobation of the Proceedings of the 21 August into which he was as he says unwarily drawn, no publick recantation has come from him. Neither has any thing favourable turned up here. The people I mentioned were content with calling a Town-meeting at which many of themselves appeared, and nothing was proposed. They then made a new promise, and talked of signing a disavowal individually which they said would have a better effect. A postponement succeded on hearing of a new meeting intended here of the Countey Committee. And all the satisfaction I have is to find them out—that they greatly want sincerity or spirit or both, still professing friendship to the federal government. This new assembling of the Committees was it seems projected on the first rumour of my being here and runners dispatched to bring together a numerous band of the chieftains of opposition from all quarters. Their deliberations, if I can call them so, were open, for nothing was done but the repeated readings of a petition to Congress—agreed to without dissent. I have not had a sight of this piece, but I am told it contains a declaration of their readiness to contribute their share to the public exigencies, a complaint of the peculiar hardship of the Excise, prays for an abolition of it and the substitution of a direct tax. This they know will be refused, and is only a device to keep up the mad temper of the people.
Mr Addison the circuit judge has affected to mistake the nature of my application—this together with his constitutional objection to take any part in the business have disappointed me in that quarter. Or rather I would say has not disappointed me for my expectations from any Washington magistrate could not be great, ’tho of necessity obliged to resort to him. Indeed had he been willing to the business little could have been done. The few well disposed people there being all afraid to say more than that they saw an undistinguished mob at Falkener’s house. One person supposed to be as well informed as any there I sent Captain Falkener for but he could testify to nothing more, and I have sent him back. So that the whole amount of the testimony collected after the daily and hourly pains taken by General Nevil and my self—is that of Falkener who declares to the threats uttered against him by two of the County Magistrates some time previous to the riot—and that of one Peter Myers now one of Falkener’s Soldiers but who at the time of the riot was in the charge of his house at Washington—his deposition identifies two of the mob, one of them of sufficient consideration to be prosecuted. Falkener and Myers have the Commander in chiefs order to proceed tomorrow for York, which I am fearful they cannot reach before the 10th—Falkener having spent a much longer time at Washington in search of evidence than I expected or intended. I shall in-close their depositions to the judge of the circuit Court at York together with some others ’tho they mean little. Falkener’s deposition also identifies the persons of the Committee of 21 Augt. as well as one Mr. Tannehils’ which I send with it. Perhaps these latter testimonies may be still useful there, for I can hardly persuade my self that the laws have left the Commonwealth defenceless in a part where she may be attacked as successfully as by force of arms. If so, great will be my chagrin in losing my first and principal object.
You have under cover Addison’s letter to me, and I have taken the liberty to accompany it with a copy of my reply to him.

Two of General Nevil’s collectors have been with me. They complained of having led a dog’s life among their neighbours, proposed to resign, but Nevil fearing the very bad effects of that step I have been obliged to offer them at the rate each of one hundred dollars for such time as they may continue during the current year, beyond what they may in possibility get of the ordinary emoluments of office.
In coming here I left the escort of horse behind me at Bed-ford but this new stirring of the waters of bitterness yesterday, has it is supposed encreased the personal risque of the revenue Officers and General Wayne has without any application of mine ordered a party to attend me in the morning.
I have the honour to be   Sir   Your most obedt hum st
Geo Clymer
Pittsburgh Oct. 4.
1792.
Secretary of the Treasury


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from Sharp Delany, 4 October 1792
From: Delany, Sharp
To: Hamilton, Alexander

[Philadelphia] October 4, 1792. “Mr Thomas Lea of this City Merchant has informed me of his address to you respecting a quantity of Rum shipped by him for Dublin, and there refused by the Consignee and the whole returned without his knowledge and greatly to his damage. I informed Mr Lea of the necessity of having your opinion & instructions on this subject.… I in-close Mr Lea’s state of the Case and have taken every proof on Oath from him & the Captain.”


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from Jeremiah Olney, 4 October 1792
From: Olney, Jeremiah
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Providence, October 4, 1792. “I have been Honor’d with your favours of the 19th. and 24th. Ulto. in Reply to my Letters of the 8 & 13th Ulto.… I beg leave respectfully to answer, that as you have not been Sufficiently explicit with respect to a Refusal of Credit in Similar cases, I shall not think myself safe in doing it untill the Law is amended or I may Receive your further and particular instructions on this point.… If an action for damages should be commenced against me and it should be possible, that, upon Tryal I could not make it appear to the Satisfaction of the court that the Transfer was made with Intent to evade the law, Heavy damages might be Recovered, and I should Remain without Remedy.…”


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from William Heth, 5 October 1792
From: Heth, William
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Private
Berm[ud]a Hundred [Virginia] 5. Oct. 1792

Here am I, my dear Sir, at 8. OC. at night barrd & bolted up, in one end of a dreary Lumber House—after a fatiguing days work—with a smart fever upon me, and not a being on earth, to whom I can speak. And in case necessity Should oblige me to open the door, it is at all times, at the risque of being stab’d or shot, for sake of the cursed dross, contained in the Iron chest.
Really, my present situation is deplorable—and if I did not possess more than a common share of spirits—I should certainly run away from myself. On my return from Phila. I found one of my Clerks gone home sick, & the other, my Deputy, complaining; who, immediately made preparations to go up the country, & left me a few days after—I believe to be marryd, & not to return.
The extreme anxiety of my mind, & great fatigue which I experienced in coming from Phila—for on my arrival at Pet[ersbur]g I found I had beaten the stage which left Phila. the day I did, two Hours—brought on a bilious fever, which attacked me the 9th day after my return, & Just as the fall arrivals commenced. At that time, I was lucky enough to get Mr. J. Stewart to assist me, & the pressure of business being far beyond any thing ever before experienced here, I endeavord to bear up against the fever, til I fairly sunk under it, & was obligd to be carryd home. Mr Stewart having assisted some days last fall, he was well acquainted with the business of estimating of Duties, but totally ignorant of the other duties of the Office; my uneasiness therefore to return, brought me from home last Thursday, a few days sooner than I ought to have come out. The Consequence was a severe Cold, & hectic Cough, under which I now labor, with a fever every evening: and Mr Stewart, being obligd to leave me on Friday last in order to prepare to attend upon the assembly as one of the Clerks, I am now alone, & with well founded apprehensions of a relapse, and without being able to get any person qualified to do the business of this Office, to come to so miserable, & so unhealthy a place. Ever since my return, to get a person qualified for a deputy hath been my object, but to no purpose. Should I again sink under my indisposition, God knows what will be the consequence. The Goods already enterd & the Cargo’s expected, are beyond all conception. Duties to amount of 100,000 Dollars & upwards are already secured (but at Norfolk, I am told they are not so great as last fall—most of the vessels with large Cargos having come here).
One object of this long private address, is to prepare you for a petition wch. I expect will be presented to Congress to remove the Office to Petersburg—and which I suspect I must not only acquiesce in, but use my Interest with the Richmond Merchants to agree to. (It will be a measure much against my private inclinations & Interest). For the risque of keeping money here, is too great, & there is no getting a Man of respectability & Capacity to reside here. I offerd, in my late distress, nearly one half the emoluments of my Office to J Stewart—and as to moving here myself, it is impossible— because there is not a hut of any kind to be rented, or purchased, at, or near the place—so that, I must either continue to be a slave, banished from my family—ruin my Constitution entirely, & sink under the labors of a public office, or consent to its being removed.
The second Object, is to inform you that my quarterly accounts will not be rendered as hereto-fore, within a few days after the expiration of a quarter. There is not a single Manifest or entry recorded since the first of July last—every book is behind—& business strong. Yet from a mode of doing the business, which from what I have seen is peculiar to myself, I shall be able after one or two entries on gross estimates are adjusted, to inform you of the Amt of Duties on Impost and Tonnage to the 30th sept last and also of the Gross Value of Exports, sufficiently accurate for you to form estimates upon.
A late Hour, & great indisposition calls upon your friendship to excuse this scrawl. I know the sensibility of your feelings and am sure you will sympathise with
Dear sir   Your real & afft friend
W Heth
Col A Hamilton


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to William Irvine and John Kean, [6 October 1792]
From: Irvine, William,Kean, John
To: Kean, John,Irvine, William

[Philadelphia, October 6, 1792. On October 11, 1792, Irvine and Kean acknowledged the receipt of Hamilton’s letter of October 6, 1792. Letter not found.]


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Samuel A. Otis, 6 October 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Otis, Samuel A.

Treasury Department, October 6, 1792. Requests information for report ordered by the Senate on May 7, 1792.


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from William Polk, [6 October 1792]
From: Polk, William
To: Hamilton, Alexander

[October 6, 1792. On November 3, 1792, Tench Coxe wrote to Polk: “The Secretary of the Treasury has just sent to this office your letter to him of the 6th of October.” Letter not found.]


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Edmund Randolph, [6 October 1792]
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Randolph, Edmund

[Philadelphia, October 6, 1792. On October 17, 1792, Randolph wrote to Hamilton: “On my return home, I found your letter of the 6th instant.” Letter not found.]


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from Jean Baptiste de Ternant, 8 October 1792
From: Ternant, Jean Baptiste de
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Philade. 8 d’octobre 1792l’an 4e. de la liberté francoise

Par suite de ma lettre du 22 aout dernier je vous prie de vouloir faire payer au Consul general de la forest ou a son ordre la somme de 24,660 piastres au 15 du present mois, et celle de 19,961 au le. Nove. suivant.


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 9 October 1792
From: Ellery, William
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Sir,
Collector’s Off: Port of Newport [Rhode Island]Oct. 9th 1792.

In answer to your letter of the 19th and that part of your letter of the 26th of the last month which respects fictitious sales &c permit me to observe, that I had been seasonably informed by the Colle. of Providence District of the delinquencies of Mr. Arnold respectg. a certain bond, that I had reason to suspect that he intended to transfer his property in the Samuel to Stephen Dexter, and that Dexter would apply for an entry at the Custom House in Newport. This and the advice of the District Atty. occasioned the Statements in my letter of the 4th. of last month. It was his opinion that it would not be safe for me to refuse a credit to Mr. Dexter if he should ask for an entry, producing a regular bill of sale, offering to give bond and otherwise to comply with the Law, notwithstanding the sale might appear to be fictitious. Before I received your letter, the Samuel arrived in this Port, Mr. Dexter applied for an entry, produced a regular bill of sale of vessel and cargo & I entered them. Your opinion expressed in the letter of the 19th is “that if appearances of this kind continue the presumption of design to evade the law will be sufficy. strong to justify an Offe. in refusing the credit.” “If an action be brought against the Offe for such refusal, means must be taken to examine all the parties upon Oath, and in the event of damages against the Offe. if he appears to have acted with due caution, and upon sufficient ground of probability, it will be incumbent on the Government to indemnify him.” Such circumstances as would justify a refusal should I conceive insure an indemnification, but this is not needed I expect that it would be insured by your letter of the 19th. Your Letter of the 26th. would give greater encouragement to expectation, were it not for the clause which concludes its last sentence, “as I have already mentioned in my former letter” which reference connects what is expressed in this with your former letter. Considered in this view, let me ask what means could be legally used to compell the Plt. in a prosecution agst an Offe. for refusing credit to sustain an examination under Oath before a State Court? and I know not of any Law of the United States which restricts actions against Officers in such cases to federal Courts. Our State Courts never exercise such a power.
Due caution and sufficient ground of probability are general expressions which admit of great latitude of Construction, and I have remarked that when persons have not succeded in an undertaking, their want of success has been attributed to incautiousness, or to their not having proceded on probable ground. Good or ill success stamp applause or censure on conduct.
I did not conceive when I wrote my letter of the 4th that you was authorized by law to promise an indemnification to an Officer who on probable ground of collusion should refuse a credit, and in consequence thereof should be sued, and suffer damage; but to intimate that until a Law should be enacted which would assure to an officer indemnification in the event of damages against him, it ought not to be expected that he should refuse a credit; and thereby expose himself to injury, and that damages and probably heavy damages would in that case be recovered against him, I was then and am now, upon mature consideration, satisfied would be the event of such a prosecution. An Act of Congress insuring indemnification to Officers who acting by your advice or by the advice of the District attorney when there would not be sufficient time to obtain your advice, should any case be prosecuted and damages be recovered against them would free Officers from embarrassment, and would not I believe be disadvantageous to the Public. An Act of Congress if such an act could be framed which would prevent a delinquent obligor from availing himself of a fictitious sale, to obtain credit would put a stop to such unjustifiable conduct in future, and it appears to me that a Law confining suits against Officers of the United States to a federal Court might not be improper.
It is probable that an application may again be made to me for credit, by a vendee of Mr. Arnold; other wise I should not have troubled you with this letter.

I have expressed my sentiments perhaps with too great freedom. I trust they will be received with candour. In this confidence and with perfect consideration
I am   Sir   Yr. most obedt. servt.
Wm Ellery Co
A Hamilton Esqr
Secry Treasy.


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from Joseph Nourse, 9 October 1792
From: Nourse, Joseph
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Sir,
Treasury Dept. Registers Office9 Octr: 1792.

I have the Honor to enclose certifyd Copies from the Treasury Books of an Acct. depending betwixt His Mo: Catholic Majesty and the United States, for Monies recd. on Loan. I cannot find that this Loan has been recognized on the Journals of Congress in a like Manner with the french and Dutch Loans. It is founded on a settlemt made by the late Comr. for settling the foreign Accts. entitled Loans from the Court of Spain. This money was paid to the Hon: James Gardoqui and has been regularly accounted for by him, having been expended in the purchasing of Cloathing and in the payt. of Bills of Exn. drawn by order of Congress. The principal

Cts.

sum recd. was
Drs. 174.011

To which add Interest thereon to the 31 Dec: 1792
 99.007:89

Total Amt. of Principal & Int. as ⅌ Statement
273.018.89

Altho’ there is no Recognition of this Debt on the Journals of Congress, by a Copy of the Original Contract or otherwise, yet in all the Estimates made by the late Government the annual Appropriations have been made for the payment of its Int. and in the various Reports from Committees of Congress it has been noticed as an Existing Claim due from the united states.
There is an Acct. opened in the Treasury Books under the Title of Don Carlos Dildephonso Rico Hombre D’Espagne a Copy of which I in-close. This I have understood from Mr. Lee is to be viewed as a Gratuity and not as a Loan.
I have the Honor to be sir with Real Respect   Your mo: ob: & Mo: hb: Serv.
J. N.


Title: Enclosure: [From Joseph Nourse], [9 October 1792]
From:
To:

Dr: His mo: Catholic Majesty in A/c with the united states
Cr:

By Int. on 17,892 dollars from 1 January 1781 to 31 dec. 1792 is 12 years @ 5 p.c.

1781
January 1. for so much recd. of the Court

17.892.

Feb: 28 & March 6.
do

32.000.

April 28
do

9.036.

May 9
do

14.000.

June 22
do

12.000.

Aug. 18
do

12.000.

Dec: 23
do

51.083.

1782
March 21
do

26.000.

174,011.

By Int. on 17,892 dollars from 1 January 1781 to 31 dec. 1792 is 12 years @ 5 p.c.
10.735.20

do
on 32,000 do.
from 28 Feby.
1781 to do
is 11.10.3
@ do
18.946.67

do
on 9,036 do.
from 28 April
1781 to do
is 11. 8.3
“
5.274.76

do
on 14,000 do.
from 9 May
1781 to do
is 11. 7.22
8.151. 9

do
on 12,000 do.
from 22 June
1781 to do
is 11. 6.9
6.915.

do
on 12,000 do.
from 18 August
1781 to do
is 11.4.13
6.821.66

do
on 51,083 do
from 23 decr.
1781 to do
is 11. 0. 8
28.152.40

do
on 26,000 do
from 21 March
1782 to do
is 10. 9.10
14.011.11

99.007.89
99.007.89

Dolls
273.018.89

Treasury Dept.
Registers Office 9th. Octo: 1792


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to James Watson, 9 October 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Watson, James

My Dear Sir
Philadelphia October 91792

I was very glad to find your name on the list of Directors of The Manufacturing Society. I trust it will be in your power to give a portion of your time and attention to it; from which I am persuaded it will profit.
When I was last at New Ark, I thought I perceived something like an intention to bring forward Mr. Samuel Ogden as Superintendant of the Manufactory. To you I do not scruple to say that in my judgment it would be fatal to the Society.
1 Mr. Ogden is without exception one of the most opiniated men I ever knew. On this particular subject he seems to think there is nobody, but himself, who has a single rational Idea. In one week, he would drive L’Enfant off the ground. Already he has affirmed that L’Enfant knows nothing of Water works, when it is well known that he was regularly bred to this, as a part of his profession. He is by Trade what is called in France a civil Engineer that is an Artist acquainted with Mechanics generally; particularly in reference to Architecture Aqueducts Canals &c &c including necessarily a knowlege of Hydraulicks. This is the mans profession, & from my knowlege of him I rely that he will undertake nothing which he is not able to execute solidly and well. I should therefore deem it a misfortune that any thing should happen to deprive the Society of his Services.
2 Mr. Ogden is generally what may be called a Projector & of course not a man of sound views.
3 He has a multiplicity of other affairs and s[c]hemes on hand and would not be a totus homo to the Institution.
4 He is extremely disliked by all the persons who are to be at the head of the particular branches of the Manufactory which has proceeded from his overbearing and excessive pretensions.
5 He is a man too much addicted to hospitality and conviviality, and does not possess those habits of minute attention regular disapline & strict œcononomy which are essential to such an undertaking. He is particularly deficient in the talent of making the most of the labour of a number of hands. On this last point I speak from the most authentic information founded on experience. This in especial confidence.
You are however at liberty to make known my opinion & the reasons of it substantially to Walker, Clarkson, Le Roy—& with somewhat more of caution to Rickets.
Yours with sincere esteem & regard
A Hamilton
James Watson Esqr


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to the President and Directors of the Bank of the United States, [10 October 1792]
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: President and Directors of the Bank of the United States

[Philadelphia, October 10, 1792. On January 2, 1793, Hamilton wrote to the president and directors of the Bank of the United States and referred to “my letter to you of the 10th of October last.” Letter not found.]


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from George Clymer, [10 October 1792]
From: Clymer, George
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Sir
[Pittsburgh, October 10, 1792]

It remains, to compleat the several objects which I stand instructed on, that I state to you the condition of the westermost Survey of my district.
The Survey includes in it five Counties—Washington, Fayette, Westmoreland, Allegany and Bed-ford. The temper and disposition of the first four of these Counties with respect to the Excise may be understood generally from what I have already wrote, but there are shades of difference between them to be remarked, proceeding from the character and views of individuals who have obtained influence among the people.
Washington—This county is the most repugnant to the law and furnishes the most examples of violence. Bradford a lawyer who prosecutes in the state courts under the attorney general, and Marshal, once county lieutenant now register, are the great leaders. The justices of the peace and clergy also are among the most outrageous.
Fayette—Scarce more moderate than the former ’tho occasion has not ministered to as many acts of violence. Smilee and Gallatin both members of the state assembly are the professed leaders.
Westmoreland—Engaged in the general opposition, ’tho the father of all the disturbances of the Western Country has to save his own character given it in this County a particular direction. He has accordingly kept his people of Westmoreland out of Combinations and Committees, thinking it more adviseable to hand a petition around the county to be signed individually. An Officer however has no better treatment here than in other counties.
Allegany—has taken no decided part—it has proceeded to no violences yet afraid to run counter to the general spirit. I do not know any professed leader of opposition nor yet any one of sufficient Courage to advocate the Law. Consequently, ’tho an officer should have nothing to fear from combination, yet he would not be protected from individual insult.
It may seem strange that among so numerous a people as inhabit these Counties, none are to be found willing to support the government of the United states—in Truth, the whole mass, under Finley and Smiley, being once thoroughly corrupted and disaffected to it would now at best, the Excise out of the question, be but perfectly indifferent to it. Individuals there are, undoubtedly, who think rightly, but all their men of distinction are either sordid shopkeepers, crafty lawyers or candidates for office, not inclined to make personal sacrifices to truth or honour. There is besides no small reason to suspect an infusion of state jealousy. It may be said too, in general, that the duties of Citizenship are but poorly understood, or regarded where the moral sense is so greatly depraved as it is in this Country, by the intemperate use of the favourite drink. He must be inattentive indeed who does not make this observation.
Bed-ford—the last in the Survey—the duty here has not been yet collected, not so much from any opposing spirit as from some other causes, for under the influence of Mr. George Woods, and Mr. Espy and some of their friends of the town of Bed-ford, this County is well attached to the federal government. But the County, ’tho of great extent, is very thinly inhabited and poor, ’tho Collector has not found security, and General Nevil would perhaps have as much to fear from the ferocious spirit of the people of Washington for pretending to execute the law in Bed-ford as in that County, and Bed-ford interposing a great barrier has kept the contagion from travelling easterly. Particular attention must however be immediately paid to Bed-ford, as it is in the passes of that County we must expect to stop the contraband liquors of the other four Counties.
In estimating the demandable revenue of the four Counties, General Nevil goes upon the Supposition of fifteen hundred Stills yielding annually five hundred gallons each. And Marshall, in the last Committee, spoke of twelve hundred as the number of the Stills, and forty three thousand dollars as the Sum of the duties; there is however no certainty in this matter, for the law not being executed there are of course no authentic documents.
I am Sir   With the greatest consideration and respect   Your most obed st
Geo Clymer
October 10. 1792
Secretary of the Treasury.


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Sharp Delany, 10 October 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Delany, Sharp

Sir
Treasury Department October 10th 1792

If a vessel bound to a foreign port, is by distress of weather, compelled to put into any port of the united States, where upon due examination such vessel is found to be unfit to proceed on her voyage, so as to render the transferring of her cargo to another vessel necessary, I am of opinion, that the Tonnage duty is not to be demanded. But an entry must be made of the cargo and the duties paid or secured, and the proceedings for drawing back the duties must be as in other cases of reexportation.
I am Sir   Your obedt Servant
Alexander Hamilton
Sharp Delany Esqr
Collector Philadelphia


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 10 October 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth

My Dear Sir
Philadelphia October 10th1792

I duly received your letter of the 6th of September; and have sent an extract of it to Mr Church for the explanation which is necessary.
I feel myself truly obliged by your friendly allusion to my unpleasant situation, and for the consolation you are so kind as to offer me. The esteem of the discerning and virtuous must always support a mind properly formed under the pressure of malevolence and envy. I will not pretend that I am insensible to the persecution which I experience; but it may be relied upon, that I shall desert no post, which I ought to endeavour to maintain, so long as my own reputation or the public good may render perseverance necessary or proper. When it is not requisite either to the one or the other my friends will excuse me, if I recollect that I have a growing and hitherto too much neglected family.
It is to be lamented that so strong a spirit of faction and innovation prevails at the present moment in a great part of this Country. The thing is alarming enough to call for the attention of every friend to Government.

Let me not be thought to travel out of my sphere if I observe that a particular attention to the election for the next Congress is dictated by the vigorous and general effort which is making by factious men to introduce every where and in every department persons unfriendly to the measures, if not the constitution, of the National Government.
Either Governor Clinton or Mr. Burr of New York, both decidedly of the description of persons, I have mentioned, is to be run in this quarter as Vice President in opposition to Mr. Adams. The former has been invariably the enemy of National Principles. The latter has no other principle than to mount at all events to the first honors of the State & to as much more as circumstances will permit—a man in private life not unblemished. It will be a real misfortune to the Government if either of them should prevail. Tis suspected by some that the plan is only to divide the votes of the N & Middle States to let in Mr. Jefferson by the votes of the South. I will not scruple to say to you in confidence that this also would be a serious misfortune to the Government. That Gentleman whom I once very much esteemed, but who does not permit me to retain that sentiment for him, is certainly a man of sublimated and paradoxical imagination—entertaining & propagating notions inconsistent with dignified and orderly Government. Mr. Adams whatever objections may be against some of his theoretic opinions is a firm honest independent politician.
Some valuable characters are about to be lost to the House of Representatives of their own choice. I feared once that this would be the case with Mr. Smith of your state; but I believe his present intention is rather to continue to serve. I trust there can be no doubt of his success and I wish means to be used to determine his acquiescence. He is truly an excellent member—a ready clear speaker of a sound analytic head and the justest views—I know no man whose loss from the House would be more severely felt by the good cause.
The delicacy of these observations from me will of course occur to you. I make them without reserve confiding equally in your friendship & prudence. Accept the assurances of the cordial esteem & regard with which I have the honor to remain
D Sir   Yr. Obedient servant
Alex Hamilton
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Esqr.


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from Jean Marie Roland, 10 October 1792
From: Roland, Jean Marie
To: Hamilton, Alexander

Paris, le 10 Octobre 1792, l’an 1.er de la Republique Françoise.

J’ai l’honneur de vous adresser ci-joint, Monsieur, un imprimé revêtu du sceau de l’Etat, de la Loi du 26 Aoùt dernier, qui confère le titre de Citoyens François à plusieurs Etrangers. Vous y lirez, que la Nation vous a placé au nombre des amis de l’humanité & de la société, auxquels Elle a déféré ce titre.
L’Assemblée Nationale, par un Décret du 9 Septembre, a chargé le Pouvoir exécutif de vous adresser cette Loi; j’y obéis, en vous priant d’être convaincu de la satisfaction que j’éprouve d’être, dans cette circonstance, le Ministre de la Nation, & de pouvoir joindre mes sentimens particuliers à ceux que vous témoigne un grand Peuple dans l’enthousiasme des premiers jours de sa liberté.
Je vous prie de m’accuser la réception de ma Lettre, afin que la Nation soit assurée que la Loi vous est parvenue, & que vous comptez également les François parmi vos Frères.

  Le Ministre De L’Intérieurde la République Françoise.Roland
  M. Jean Hamilton, dans les Etats-unis de l’Amerique


Title: To Alexander Hamilton from William Irvine and John Kean, 11 October 1792
From: Irvine, William,Kean, John
To: Hamilton, Alexander

[Philadelphia] October 11, 1792. “Conformably to the order of the Senate of the United States to you of the 7th of May last, and to your request in your letter of the 6th. instant we herewith in-close the account required.”


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to Thomas Jefferson, 11 October 1792
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Jefferson, Thomas

sir
Treasury DepartmentOctober 11th 1792.

I have it in contemplation to make arrangements for the payment of the debt, which appears on the Books of the Treasury, to be due to His Most Catholic Majesty, being for advances made on account of the United States during the late War with G Britain.
I make this communication, in order that if any reasons against the payment exist in the knowlege of the Department of State they may be made known.
I have the honor to be   Very Respectfully   sir Your Obedt Servt
Alexander Hamilton
The Secretary of State


Title: From Alexander Hamilton to the Directors of the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures, [12 October 1792]
From: Hamilton, Alexander
To: Directors of the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures

[Philadelphia, October 12, 1792]

Minute of Matters which appear to require the attention of the Directors of the Society for establishing useful Manufactures.
I   The appointment of a Superintendant, if an unexceptionable person should present; but if none such should occur it may be still most adviseable to defer till the buildings shall be erected and the works in operation.
II   An Application to the Legislature to remove all doubts concerning the power of forfeiting the interest of those who do not pay up. This appears indispensable to the successful prosecution of the business.
III   Application to the Legislature to make the Indentures of Minors of equal force with the Contracts of full Aged persons. Perhaps it will be well to authorise at once the taking of apprentices.
IV   The authorising the sale of a certain number of Lots to persons (other than Mechanics) who may incline to build and settle. In this case the price of a lot ought to be set high (say not less than 150 Dollars for one consisting of a quarter of an acre) and a condition ought to be annexed to oblige the erecting upon it within a year a building of a certain value to be defined. Perhaps Twenty lots will suffice for this purpose. Tis desireable to accelerate some establishments besides those of the Society.
V   A person in the character of Store keeper is much wanting. He ought to keep a book and make regular entries in it of all articles received and issued specifying from and to whom, that a strict accountability may be established. An exact inventory of tools & implements in the possession of each person ought to be taken, when any is broken the parts returned when a new one is demanded—when lost a report to be made to the store keeper & noted in some proper column. Here is much opportunity for abuse and waste. It will be well that all articles purchased and sent to the Manufactory should be accompanied with something in nature of a bill of lading or cocquet to be delivered to the Storekeeper so that his books may shew as well by whom & how articles are sent as the particulars of the articles.
A board yard well regulated to be under the care of the Storekeeper or some person under him seems much wanted.
VI   Some reductions of persons or wages may be found practicable but in this it will not be well to dismiss persons who though not immediately essential will be proper to be retained to be prepared for the works when ready. Such persons however will probably be content with half wages till the Manufactory goes into operation.
VII   The Machines ordered were not going forward for want of some materials. It is interesting that all impediment should be removed. It will perhaps be most advantageous to contract for them by the piece but in this case a proper allowance would be to be made to the Society for the use of Shops tools &c.
VIII   Piece-work in every branch has been found preferable to working upon wages. Somebody ought to be charged in time with preparing for the Society a scale of allowances or rates. The highest allowances in England would seem to be the proper standard; which considering collateral advantages will probably suffice. Young in his annals gives the rates of wages & compensations in England.