1To Alexander Hamilton from Colonel Otho H. Williams, 30 August 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
About the 23d. Instant I wrote my Friend Harrison from Salisbury giving him a very hasty, particular account of the Defeat of Genl. Gates’s Army at Suttons near Campden the 16th Instant. We were truly unfortunate and compleatly routed. The infamous Cowardice of the Militia of Virginia and North Carolina gave the Enemy every advantage over our few Regular troops whose firm opposition and...
2To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 24 September 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
The amount of the duties which have accrued in the district of Baltimore, from the 10th day of August to the 23d. Instant inclusive is two thousand six hundred and Seventy pounds, Sixteen Shillings and four pence according to the documents in my Office Vizt. Cash on hand £ 287.18.6 Bonds due @ 4 Months 1176.16.2 Ditto 6 Months 1206. 1.8 2670.16.4 Your Obedient Humble Servant ALS , Office...
3To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 8 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your Letter (Circular) of the 22d. ulto., and am to inform you that, from Cape Henry to the extreme branches of the Susquehanna, all inclusive, there is not, that I ever heard of, a single Light House, Buoy, Beacon or other artificial object for navigators to be governed by. Consequently there is no superintendant; no Expence. The pilots of the Chesapeak for this State are...
There is a species of information, which it will be convenient to you to obtain and which will be of important use to the Government: it respects the mode of Navigating of the several States; and of Foreign Nations. With a view to which I have framed a number of Queeries, to which as speedily as the requisite enquiries can be made, I request answers. Thought I do not consider it as a part of...
5To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 23 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Your circular letter of the 2d. October Inst came to hand the 20th. and I will observe the contents as timely as possible. The difficulties that have occurred in the Execution of the laws respecting the Customs have been infinite, and present themselves daily. The System itself is the most complicated and embarrassing of anything that has employed my attention and the Want of Official forms...
6To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 26 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
In my letter of the 23d. Instant I took the Liberty to inclose a sketch of Journal entries as I now make them in my office for the purpose of keeping the public accounts. As that sketch was done in some haste, a further explanation may be necessary to its recommendation. A thousand causes combine to render the adjustment of the duties on a Cargo of Merchandize imported, immediately after the...
7To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 28 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, October 28, 1789. Acknowledges receipt of Hamilton’s “letter of the 15th. Instant, inclosing queries respecting the modes of Navigating.” ALS , Office of the Secretary, United States Treasury Department. “Treasury Department Circular to the Collectors of the Customs,” October 15, 1789 .
8To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 29 October 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, October 29, 1789. Asks for a ruling on the cases of the British ship Polly and the American ship Sarah . ADfS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives.
9To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 7 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, November 7, 1789. “With this letter, I inclose my Weekly return.… You will … greatly facilitate the Work and insure uniformity therein (I presume in every other Office as well as mine) if you will please to order printed forms to be furnished.… It may be consistent for me to mention that no appointments of Officers in the Department of the Customs reached this place before Saturday...
10From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 7 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letters of the 26th and 29th. of October have duly come to hand. The difficulties you state as arising from some provisions (and the want of others) in the laws of Impost and Tonnage are doubtless well founded, and indicate the propriety of some future correction of the System. With regard to the method of keeping accounts, by the establishment of the Treasury Department, the Forms are...
11To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 14 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, November 14, 1789. “Herewith I will transmit you my Weekly Return, in which you will notice that I have, in part of monies received, One thousand dollars in bank Notes; having exchanged Twenty three dollars, and forty-four Cents Specie to make the sum nett. The Notes are all small and their number makes it a business of too much hurry, and subjection to error to prepare them on...
12From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 18 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
You[r] letter of the 7th of November duly came to hand. The mode you have adopted for the delivery of the Bank Notes is under the circumstances the proper one. In mine of the 20th of October I directed the Quarterly Returns to be made up to the last of September. Of course those after that day will terminate at the end of every subsequent three Months; that is to say the next after that to the...
13To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 19 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, November 19, 1789. Encloses for Samuel Meredith one thousand dollars in “the previous parts of the Notes mentioned in the within list.” ALS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives.
14From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 25 November 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
The last post brought me your letter of the 14th instant. The bill you inclosed will be presented by Mr Meredith for payment. Having drawn upon you for nearly all the Specie in your hands, I should have directed it to be returned, did I not Suppose that this might produce inconvenience to the parties. You are too sensible of the necessity of conformity to general regulations to make it...
15From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, [25 November 1789] (Hamilton Papers)
I write you officially by this post; but there is a passage in your letter about which I cannot forbear saying something in a private letter. After remarking on the occasion which a departure from instructions might give to an inference that the accommodation of private interest might be the inducement, You add, “I should not mention the latter, if intimations of precautions (which are...
16To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 2 December 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, December 2, 1789. “Your private letter of the 25 Ulto. by the post, came safe to hand. The Words in my Letter, which you have taken Notice of, were intended merely as a reason for the appology which a deviation from the mode of remittance prescribed required; I regret that they escaped me, because they conveyed an allusion which was not designed as a reference to ‘any expression of...
17To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 3 December 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, December 3, 1789. Sends abstracts of all Maryland laws “related to Imposts , and Tonnage .” Promises to send all “Acts which relate to other branches of the revenue.” ALS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives. This letter is in reply to “Treasury Department Circular to the Collectors of the Customs,” November 25, 1789 .
18To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 3 December 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, December 3, 1789. “… not knowing whether it may not be expedient for you to draw for the Specie reported in my last weekly return, I have omitted, to remit the Bank Notes . If no Warrant from you should be presented in two days; I will remit the bank Notes by the next post.…” ALS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives.
19To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 18 December 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, December 18, 1789. Acknowledges receipt of Hamilton’s circular letter of November 30. Discusses difficulty of reconciling exemption of tonnage charges and fees for vessels of less than twenty tons with Section 23 of “An Act for Registering and Clearing Vessels, Regulating the Coasting Trade, and for other purposes.” Again asks “ Whether two thirds of a Dollar be payable to the...
20To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 31 December 1789 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, December 31, 1789. Plans to send to Hamilton copies of Maryland’s revenue laws, information “respecting the Commerce and Shipping of this state,” and the answers to Hamilton’s “demands upon the subject of the Impost Laws.” ADfS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives. H had requested these laws in “Treasury Department Circular to the Collectors of the...
21To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 25 January 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, January 25, 1790. Discusses the official value of the rix-dollars of Denmark, Sweden, and various German states. ALS , Personal Miscellany, Otho H. Williams, Library of Congress.
22From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 30 January 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Treasury Department, January 30, 1790. Informs Williams of regulations on payment of invalid pensions. LS , Columbia University Libraries. This is a duplicate of the letter sent to Jedediah Huntington on the same date.
23To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 2 February 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I had, before the receipt of your circular letter of the 20th. Ulto, communicated to you “a statement of the amount of the emoluments which have accrued to the officers of this port respectively, under the existing regulations, up to the first of Jany.” I have communicated your letter to the Naval officer, and the Surveyor; and, that you may have the greater reliance on the statement, I will...
24Enclosure: [Abstract of Fees and Compensations Received and Paid], [2 February 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
To the Collector and the Naval Officer D. C to 12 September 1789. 233.23⅓ 17 October 364.26⅔ 3d. Decemr. 547.53⅓ 31 do. 273.26⅔ 709.15 } Dols. Cents 709.15 1,418.30 Surveyor to 24 August 9.66⅔ 2. Septr. 14.00.
25Enclosure: [Estimate of Emoluments of Collectors Office], [2 February 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
Upon a presumption the propriety of which ought to be admitted, that the Importations of the 10th. of August to 31 Decmr. are equal to half the business of the Year at this port, a just estimate of the emoluments of the Collectors Office will appear thus. in addn. 6.51 The Gross amount of duties is 56,995.62½ 57,002.13½ Deductions on UStates bottoms 3,268.98. } 293.34
26To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 6 February 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, February 6, 1790. Will “cheerfully execute the pleasure of the President respecting the payment of pensions to Invalids in this State.” Transmits “Account Current against the United States, with Bond account; both accompanied with Notes to explain the circumstance of their disagreeing from the Weekly returns heretofore transmitted.” ALS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore...
27From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 8 February 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I inclose you the extract of a letter from the Collector of the District of Chester. As I recollect nothing which authorises the practice he speaks of, I conclude there must be some misapprehension; but it is proper I should communicate the matter to you, and understand from you, what can have given rise to the representation. I remain, Sir, Your obedt. Servt. LS , Columbia University...
28To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 13 February 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, February 13, 1790. Discusses problems arising under Sections 7, 12, and 22 of “An Act for Registering and Clearing Vessels, Regulating the Coasting Trade, and for other purposes.” ADf , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives. 1 Stat. The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America (Boston, 1845). 55–65 (September 1, 1789).
29From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 15 February 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Your favour of the 18th. of December duly came to hand. With regard to the difficulty of reconciling the total exemption of Vessels, under twenty tons burthen from tonnage, with the clause you quote from the 23d. Section: you have yourself given the true solution. The word such must be understood. Vessels above Twenty tons are spoken of in the first part of the section and must be supposed to...
30To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, [15 February 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Baltimore, February 15, 1790. The description of this letter in the dealer’s catalogue reads: “Interesting letter about the legality of a matter relating to the Collection of duties at the port of Baltimore.” Letter not found. ] ALS , sold by Paul C. Richards, Autographs, Catalogue No. 4, Item No. 348.
31To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 20 February 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, February 20, 1790. Wishes “to know in what manner, and at what rate” the gauger is to be paid “for ascertaining the quantity of liquors, in bottles.” AL , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives.
32To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 3 March 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, March 3, 1790. States that in the Treasury circular of February 17, 1790, there is a discrepancy in the calculation of the discount for prompt payment of customs duties. AL , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives. The letter is incomplete.
33To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 18 March 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, March 18, 1790. “The arrangement made in this State by the Government thereof; for the payment of Invalids was by appropriations of the County taxes which were to be reimbursed out of the state Treasury. By this arrangement the unhappy sufferers were permitted to reside among their friends, and received their subsistence at home. In consequence there has been more attention, than...
34To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 6 April 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, April 6, 1790. “The Brigantine Providence, Arnold Briggs, from Rhode Island, arrived at this port the 22d. February last with a large variegated Cargo, Among the rest thirtytwo Casks of New England rum—an article subject to duty, from Rhode Island, if Manufactured there; and the contrary is not pretended.… A deduction of ten Per Cent was allowed from the duties on the Cargo.… But...
35From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 12 April 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I have considered the circumstances you state in your Letter of the 6th inst. respecting vessels owned by Citizens of Rhode Island. I am of opinion that those vessels in the case you mention, are Subject to the Same Tonnage to which registered vessels owned by Citizens of the united States without License are liable: because if they were to enjoy all the privileges of coasting vessels, they...
36To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 24 April 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Baltimore, April 24, 1790 . On May 4, 1790, Hamilton wrote to Williams : “I have received yours of the 24th of April requesting my opinion with respect to the duty on the article of hemp.” Letter not found. ]
37From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, [29 April 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, April 29, 1790. The description of this letter reads: “asking statement of facts relative to vessels exempted from duties.” Letter not found. ] LS , sold by Harvard Trust Company, 1962. For background to this letter, see Robert Purviance to H, April 22, 1790 ( PAH Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). , VI, 372).
38To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, [1 May 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Baltimore, May 1, 1790. ] Itemizes expenses and then adds: “I have only to hope that compensation will be made to me for my services and expences; or that I shall stand excused for retiring from a service the reward of which must depend upon indirect measures.” ADfS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives.
39From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 4 May 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received yours of the 24th of April requesting my opinion with respect to the Duty on the article of hemp. There can be no doubt that this article is under the present Law Subject to a Duty of five per cent ad valorem untill the first day of December next. I am Sir Your obedt Servt LS , Columbia University Libraries. Letter not found.
40From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 24 May 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received a letter from the Surveyor of your district upon the subject of boats for the use of the officers of the Customs. I have thought it necessary to the more frugal and certain collection of the revenue to permit that boats might be purchased or built merely for harbor service, and to this, if you find it will be œconomical, or that it is necessary to ensure the faithful payment of...
41To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, [30 May 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Baltimore, May 30, 1790. The description of this letter reads: “stating facts relative to … vessels exempted from duties.” Letter not found. ] ALS , sold by Harvard Trust Company, 1962. This letter was written in reply to H to Williams, April 29, 1790 (printed in this volume).
42To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 31 May 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, May 31, 1790. “I am favored with a letter of the 18 Ulte from Messrs Bertier & Company of Philadelphia owners of a part of the goods irregularly landed from on board the Ship Vanstophorst in which they inform me ‘that the kind and favorable letter they recd. last night from the honorable the Secretary of the Treasury gave them the greatest hopes that I would be pleased to deliver...
43To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 4 June 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, June 4, 1790. “By a provision in the act for Registering and clearing vessels, regulating the Coasting trade &c. See 25th Section —Goods, wares, or merchandise of foreign growth, or manufacture, may be transported to and from the respective Ports of Philadelphia and Baltimore, into each other, through and across the State of Delaware, a manifest certified by the Officer of that one...
44From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 14 June 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your Answer to my Enquiries, relative to the case of the Snow St Martin. The Act of Congress transmitted you from this Office on the 3d Instant will shew you the line of proceeding to obtain relief in the case of the Ship Van Staphorst. Messrs. Bertier & Company have had the same information. I am Sir with respect Your Obedient Servant LS , Columbia University Libraries....
45From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 25 July 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed you will find an advertismen⟨t⟩ relative to the supply of Rations for the Troops of the United Sta⟨tes⟩ which you will be pleased to have inserted in your best Newspaper for the term of four Weeks. The account of the expenc⟨es⟩ I must also request you to procure, and discharge and I shall direct, the Receipt to be admitted, as a Voucher for the amount in your subsequent settlement. I...
46To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 15 October 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, October 15, 1790. “The forms generally adopted by me in executing the Laws of this State and of Congress, were made conformably thereto; and as these laws have been frequently altered—particularly the state Laws, I have not many blanks now by me that will be of use in devising forms for the business of the Custom House, under the present System. Inclosed, with this letter, you will...
47From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 26 October 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 15th. instant is come to hand, together with the forms of Custom House papers in use with you, for which I thank you. I observe what you say on the subject of Manifests. The idea has evidently been derived from a similar regulation lately introduced in Great Britain; and it is said that the effect there has evinced its utility. It is true as you remark, that as no method of...
48To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 29 December [1790] (Hamilton Papers)
The Brigantine Hope, No. 52, was registered in this district on the eleventh day of October last, at the instance of Mr. Stephen Zacharie the Owner. The Vessel was purchased for him at a foreign Port, where the laws of Congress was not sufficiently attended to and the form prescibed by the eleventh section of the law for Registering & clearing of Vessels &c was not observed. The Master...
49From Alexander Hamilton to Otho H. Williams, 22 January 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
It being deemed necessary to proceed in the building of the Cutter for the Maryland station I have now to request that you will immediately proceed in the business. It may be well that you should be informed that the Massachusetts Cutter has been contracted for at Newburyport at about 22½ Dollars per Ton fitted completely as a vessel with sails, rigging, anchors &ca. including two Boats, one...
50To Alexander Hamilton from Otho H. Williams, 26 January 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
Baltimore, January 26, 1791. Acknowledges receipt of Hamilton’s circular letter of December 18, 1790 . Returns a “broken thermometer with the expectation of being furnished with one that may be more safely conveyed.” ADfS , RG 53, “Old Correspondence,” Baltimore Collector, National Archives.