1To James Madison from Benjamin Hawkins, 9 August 1783 (Madison Papers)
RC ( LC : Madison Papers). Cover missing. Addressed to “The Hon’ble Mr. Maddison.” Long after JM received the letter, probably he or someone at his bidding placed a bracket at the close of the fourth paragraph. If JM meant that the first four paragraphs should be included in the earliest published collection of his papers, his wish was disregarded by Henry D. Gilpin, perhaps because the...
2To George Washington from Benjamin Hawkins, 10 June 1784 (Washington Papers)
I have the honour to enclose to your Excellency some acts passed the last Session of our Legislature—by which you will see in some measure the disposition of this State to comply with the views of Congress; as well as, to grant such further powers as may render the Confederation more competent to the purposes of the Union. The Act for levying our proportion of one million five hundred thousand...
3To James Madison from Benjamin Hawkins, 4 September 1784 (Madison Papers)
I returned from Congress to Carolina in February was elected one of the representatives for the County I live in, and served in the spring session. All the requisitions of Congress were fully complied with except the one for our proportion of one million five hundred thousand dollars in addition to the five Pcent: the act for this purpose establ[ished?] has the principle laid down by Congress...
4To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 14 June 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The queres you gave me I have put into the best possible train to be answered considering the class of people from whom that kind of information is to be obtained, and I expect returns will be made to me this summer. The Languages I was particularly attentive to during my residence at the Treaties and among some of the Tribes, and I shall send you a vocabulary of the Cherokee and Choctaw...
5To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 8 March 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had within a few days the pleasure to receive your favor of the 13th august. It was received at the office of Foreign affairs in Novr. and has been traveling since southwardly and Northwardly to meet with me. I have been attentive to your other request, and expect I shall be able to send you a few plants of the Dionaea muscipula some time this Spring. Mr. de la Forest who returns to...
6To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 9 June 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
By the june Packet I have the happiness of complying in a great measure with my promise of the eighth of march. Finding that I had lost most of my plants through the inattention or ignorance of the Captain who had the care of them from North Carolina although I made repeated trials and the last with giving particular directions on the proper method of treating them. And fearing that similar...
7To James Madison from Benjamin Hawkins, ca. 6 December 1787 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. ca. 6 December 1787, Tarborough. Mentioned in Hawkins to JM, 14 Feb. 1788 . Reports the time set for the election and meeting of the North Carolina ratifying convention.
8To James Madison from Benjamin Hawkins, 14 February 1788 (Madison Papers)
A neighbour of mine who is a Wheelwright called last sunday to see me; he told me he had been reading for some days past the New-Constitution, and Richard Henry Lee’s letter, and he wished me to answer him some questions. They were the following literally Is Mr. Lee thought to be a great man? Is he not a proud passionate man? Was he one of the Convention? Could it be from Ignorance or design...
9To James Madison from Benjamin Hawkins, 1 June 1789 (Madison Papers)
I have had the pleasure to receive your favour of the 5th of may, with the report of the committee, and the newspapers, and I can assure you I concur in every thing and from the bottom of my heart. The Character of the president, will give dignity and energy to our government, and will together with the favourable appearances stated by you tend to reconcile all parties to it. I, having know[n]...
10To James Madison from Benjamin Hawkins, 3 [July] 1789 (Madison Papers)
I arrived a few days past from Wilmington, and had an opportunity of hearing the sentiments of a number of people in five counties through which I traveled who were originally opposed to the new government. They have, most of them, changed their opinions, and are now friendly to it. I am anxious to know the fate of your attempt to mend the constitution, and whether anything can, with...
11To James Madison from Benjamin Hawkins, 27 August 1789 (Madison Papers)
I have had the pleasure to receive yr. favour of the 24th June. Our Elections ended on saturday last, and appearances as far as I can learn, are decidedly federal, in the County where I live, they were violent in the opposition, and now have changed, I was elected by a large majority, Colo. Davie who attends our court, is in for Halifax, they are all from the town and County federal, Mr....
12To John Jay from Benjamin Hawkins, 6 October 1789 (Jay Papers)
I have taken the liberty to enclose the letter for M r . Jefferson to you, it contains some seed of the Dionaea Muscipula, which I have procured for him. Our Convention are to meet on the 3 rd . monday of november, and it is expected that there will be a majority in favour of the Constitution. The opponants are secret but steady in their opposition Our change is owing more to the Character of...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 6 October 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I have never had it in my power, until now, to procure for you the seeds of the Dionaea Muscipula. The gentlemen who had promised to get some for me had been too late both years in their endeavours. This year on my return from Wilmington I discovered it was in bloom on the 6th of June, pointed it out to a farmer who knows it well and at my request he some days past sent the seed which I...
14To George Washington from Benjamin Hawkins, 4 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have been informed within a few days of the death of Mr Stokes judge of this district: another of course must be appointed. When I had the honour of conversing with you on the subject of appointments upon the extension of the Laws of the Union to this State, I informed you that the gentleman you then nominated to this trust was incontestably the most respectable and respected law character,...
15To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 22 December 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
A committee of the Senate are in want of an act of the general assembly of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations passed in Jany. 1790 intituled “An act to incorporate certain persons by the name of the river machine company, in the town of Providence and for other purposes therein mentioned”;—An act of the general assembly of the State of Maryland, at their session in april...
16To Alexander Hamilton from Benjamin Hawkins, 16 February 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received an authentic copy of the Resolutions of the general assembly of North Carolina which I shewed to you in a news-paper some time past, containing among other Items the following instructions to the Senators from that State. “Resolved that they strenuosly oppose every excise and direct taxation law should any be attempted in Congress.” Being of Opinion that the Constitution...
17To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 18 February 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I am very desirous of obtaining your opinion on the Constitutionality of the Treaties formed with the Indians at Hopewell on the Keowée. If I recollect right, you informed me you had yours in writing some time last summer.—If the request be not an improper one, and you have reserved a copy, you will oblidge me by a gratification of my desire. I do not mean to ask the liberty of using your name...
18To George Washington from Benjamin Hawkins, 25 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
I came here from North Carolina the 31st of March under the expectation of the pleasure of meeting you. It being necessary that I should attend to some business interesting to an Orphan of a friend and it being probable that the season is too far advanced for your journey I shall this day return. I found on my arrival in North Carolina the people pretty generally disposed to think favourably...
19To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 3 May 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure to receive the letter you did me the honor to write to me of the 1st. of april enclosing some of the scarlet blosom beans; And the acts of the last Session of Congress under an envelope franked by you, for which I request you to accept my thanks. I wish you and Mrs. Trist may have been as fortunate with your beans as I am with mine, the largest and middle sized are up and...
20To Alexander Hamilton from Benjamin Hawkins, 26 November 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
The legislature of North Carolina will soon be in Session, and I think it of considerable importance, that they should be informed of the Reasons Why you have refused to that State, the right , claimed by their executive, to subscribe their certificates or notes, issued prior to the first of January 1790, and received into the treasury. I therefore request the favour of you to give me such...
21I: Benjamin Hawkins’s Notes on the Debate in the United States Senate, c.3 Jan. 1792 (Washington Papers)
S——te, on the agency it ought to have in judging of the expediency of sendg M——rs abroad. Resolution—“That in the opinion of the S——te it will not be for the interest of the U.S. to appoint M——rs Ple——y to reside permanently at Foreign Courts.” Mr. Haw[kins]—Doubts the P—— right to decide on the measure without the previous advice of the Se——te. Sees embarrassments in negativeing the character...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 3 January 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you herewith the notes I informed you I had taken of the recent debate in the Senate. When you have read them I request that they may be returned; yet, if you judge proper, you may previously show them to the President. I have paid on my part that attention to the subject in question that its importance deserves, without being able to form an opinion perfectly satisfactory to myself....
23To George Washington from Benjamin Hawkins, 27 January 1792 (Washington Papers)
I this day drew the attention of the Senate to the evident impropriety in publishing their Executive proceedings. I stated in as strong a point of view as I was capable of, the injustice and impolicy of suffering ourselves to become dupes to the foreign public characters resident at the seat of Government; by detailing in conversation any part of our proceedings. Our Secretary was imprudently,...
24To George Washington from Benjamin Hawkins, 10 February 1792 (Washington Papers)
Prompted by the free and candid manner you expressed yourself on political affairs to me some days past, I shall without reserve, communicate to you the reasons which enduced me yesterday to vote for striking out the second section in the bill which I enclose to you. That I may be understood throughout I must take a retrospect on indian affairs for some years back. During the war we...
25To George Washington from Benjamin Hawkins, 16 March 1792 (Washington Papers)
As I make it a rule to give my assent to all military nominations without enquiry, and shall continue to do so, so long as a military Judge shall be President of the United States; I hope it will not be deemed indelicate in me to offer the opinion of an individual, which has resulted from reflections on the conversation I had last evening with you. Colo. Lee as a military man certainly...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 26 March 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have sent the messenger of the Senate to you for 1st. vol. Of Ramsays history of S. Carolina. I shall return it to-morrow. I had a conversation with Genl. Dickinson , on the subject I mentioned to you yesterday. He expects this evening to be in company with Hammond and Bond and he will speak very freely to them, as from himself, and let me know the result to-morrow. On his present standing...
27Memorandum of Conversation between Philemon Dickinson and George Hammond, 26 March 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
D[ickinson] arrived late laste evening but immediately on his entering the room H[ammond] accosted him, and began in the strain of the festive night? D. What progress have you made with J[efferson]? H. Not much D. I will tell you what, H, it is conjectured here that there is some defect in your powers, and that in consequence the result of your visit here will not be productive of any good. H....
28To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 12 April 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Crawford McLintock & Co. of Glasgow had a store in Warren County, before the revolution, near the place of my residence, and there was some money due them for merchandize sold there. Mr. Robert Turnbull of Petersburg has collected, or secured to be collected, a considerable part, if not the whole, of the debts. I know that he collected, or secured to be collected, more than one hundred pounds...
29Benjamin Hawkins to Tobias Lear, 26 November 1792 (Washington Papers)
No. 37 N. Carolina 26 novr 1792 On the same day you applied to me, I had a conference wth Mr Johnston and the representatives from N. Carolina the result of which this day is that Thomas Overton of More County or Henry Waters of [New] Hanover is equal to the appointment contemplated by the President. Overton was I believe of the rank of Major in the line of the late Army, and of the State of...
30To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Hawkins, 28 December 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Hops are planted in checks of six feet square; a foot square at the check spaded a foot deep and manured, seven cuttings are planted in each check. The following is a minute of the expence and produce of hops at stowmarket in Suffolk . Stock £25 for poles, the interest of which £1. 5.0 Rent £2. Tythe £1. rates 14/ 3.14.0 Three load of poles at 22/ annually 3. 6.0 manure four loads a year 16.0...