1From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, [7–11 May 1804] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, May 7–11, 1804. On May 7–11, 1804, H wrote to Elizabeth Hamilton : “… if Morris will come. Send him the enclosed note.” Letter not found. ]
2Indenture: William Constable, Ann Constable, Alexander Hamilton, and Gouverneur Morris, [20 October 1802] (Hamilton Papers)
This Indenture made the twentieth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two Between William Constable of the City of New York in the State of New York Gentleman and Ann his wife of the first part and Alexander Hamilton and Gouverneur Morris of the same State Esquires of the second part. Whereas by a certain agreement entered into and made before Mr. Lewis Fevot...
3Indenture: James Donatien Le Ray de Chaumont, Gouverneur Morris, and Alexander Hamilton, [4–5 September 1802] (Hamilton Papers)
This Indenture made the fourth Day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two Between James Donatianus Le Ray de Chaumont of the first Part, Gouverneur Morris of the second Part and Alexander Hamilton of the third Part. Whereas it hath been agreed by and between the Parties of the first and second Part that the said Party of the second Part shall pay to the said...
4From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, [4 September 1802] (Hamilton Papers)
I fully intended to have dined with you to day but going to Town the two last days & forgetting that I ought to observe a regimen, I have brought back in some degree the complaint which lately annoyed me & which requires to be well watched. This must deprive me of the pleasure of seeing you. I send Schedules of the papers required of Tillier, all which have been put into my hands—the bill to...
5To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 31 August 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed you have a Letter for you I have this Instant received from Leray. I must add a word respecting that same Bill of Exchange. I have agreed to pay to Mr. Tillier whatever the Company shall owe him and Thereby confirm what I have said to you upon that Subject but it is upon the express Condition that the Bill in Question be deposited, in your Hands if you please, so that I may be possest...
6From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, [25 August 1802] (Hamilton Papers)
It was my intention to have come to see you this afternoon, among other things to confer about the affair of the loan. But the uncertain state of the weather & some bodily indisposition prevent me. As to the security for the loan: I hold it to be the better opinion that no foreigner can be in any form a cestuy que trust of land—that consequently no conveyance directly for the security of the...
7To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 11 March 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
I have your two Letters of the 27th. of Feby. and the 4th. Instant. I thank you for them. In Reply to what you tell me in the Close of the former I can only say that your Talents if not your Birth entitle you to the Rank of an American Citizen. To be born in America seems to be a Matter of Indifference at New York, an advantage in New England, a Disadvantage in Pensilvania. You say I am not....
8From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 4 March 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
You have seen certain resolutions unanimously pass our legislature for amending the Constitution 1 by designating separately the candidates for President and Vice President 2 by having the Electors chosen by the people in districts under the direction of the National Legislature. After mature reflection I was thoroughly confirmed in my first impression, that it is true Fœderal policy to...
9From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, [29 February 1802] (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 22d is the third favour for which I am indebted to you since you left N York. Your frankness in giving me your opinion as to the expediency of an application of our bar to Congress obliges me. But you know we are not readily persuaded to think we have been wrong. Were the matter to be done over I should pursue the same course. I did not believe the measure would be useful as...
10To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 22 February 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
You Must pardon me for telling you I am sorry that you opposed sending a Petition to Congress against the Repeal of the Law of last Session for amending the judicial System. It will stop I suppose any such actions which might have come on from the Eastward and thus leave our Enemies to conclude against us from the Silence of our friends. Moreover it will enable your personal Enemies to say...
11To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 26 January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I have now lying before me your Letter dated the instant. It contains important facts with many of which I had previously become acquainted but I dare not communicate the Contents because the Idea that two States will on a second Ballot come over forms already a Reason with the federal Members in the House of Representatives for supporting Mr Burr. They now seriously and generally after much...
12To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I have yours of the 9th. I had already replied to those which it refers to. The Idea that a Division of the Votes would bring over the Aristocrats who call themselves Democrats to vote for Burr is unfounded. Were it otherwise a Number ⟨of⟩ Federalists , that is of Republicans would urge the Experiment and therefore the only Use I could make of your Letter was to communicate the Contents of it...
13To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I this Instant receive your favor of the tenth. I thank you for it. The Aurora will have shewn you the Result of our Deliberations on the Convention at least of those which went to a Division worth noting. If it sticks in France it will be respecting Points on which the Vote was unanimous or nearly so. As to the Induction from the Words of the 2d Article that the old Treaties subsisted tho...
14From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, [13] January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I hasten to give you some information which may be useful. I know as a fact that overtures have been made by leading individuals of the Fœderal party to Mr. Burr, who declines to give any assurances respecting his future intentions and conduct saying that to do it might injure him with his friends and prevent their cooperation—that all ought to be inferred from the necessity of his future...
15From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 10 January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I thank you, My Dear Sir, for your letter of the 5 instant. The scruples you express about the ratification of the Convention are very respectable. No well informed man can doubt that it is an exceptionable instrument; but I continue of the opinion that it is best upon the whole to ratify it unconditionally. It does not appear to me that on fair construction the existence of the old treaties...
16From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 9 January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I have lately, My Dear Sir, written to you two letters. As they contained some delicate topics, I shall be glad to know that they got to hand. It has occurred to me that perhaps the Fœderalists may be disposed to play the game of preventing an election & leaving the Executive power in the hands of a future President of the Senate. This, if it could succeed, would be for obvious reasons a most...
17To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 5 January 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your favors of the 24th. and 26th of last Month. I am much oblig’d by both. The Convention with france will be ratified sub Modo . Such at least is my Opinion. I wish 1st to strike out the 2d & 3d Articles 2dly. to fix a Limitation of Time. The 2d Art. ⟨by⟩ suspending the Operation admits the Existence of former ⟨Tr⟩eaties. The Restitution of our Trophies stipulated by the 3d...
18From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 26 December 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
The post of yesterday gave me the pleasure of a letter from you. I thank you for the communication. I trust that a letter which I wrote you the day before the receipt of yours will have duly reached you as it contains some very free & confidential observations ending in two results—1 That The Convention with France ought to be ratified as the least of two evils 2 That on the same ground...
19From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 24 December 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I will run the risk with you of giving countenance to a charge lately brought against me, though it has certainly had a very false direction—I mean that of being fond of giving advice. Several friends at Washington inform me, that there is likely to be much hesitation in the Senate about ratifying the Convention with France. I do not wonder at it, and yet I should be sorry that it should...
20To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 19 December 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
In Company this Day I heard much said about the Treaty brought to us by Mr. Davie, wherefore as it is a Subject of public Conversation those Restraints which I had impos’d on myself are remov’d and I take the earliest Opportunity of saying one Word about it to you. The Negotiation appears to have been very well conducted on the Part of France and the Result is probably equal to her Wishes. It...
21To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 4 March 1796 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just now written to the President to communicate some Intelligence lately receiv’d from Paris. This I have done in Abstract but my Correspondent has written to me as follows: “The Government here are highly displeas’d with ours. You may easily guess the Reason. It is come to a very serious State. A Fleet is to be sent to our Shore with a new minister. A definitive Answer must be given...
22Enclosure: Gouverneur Morris to Alexander Hamilton, 4 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
I have just now written to the President to communicate some Intelligence lately received from Paris. This I have done in abstract but my correspondent has written to me as follows “The Government here are highly displeased with ours. You may easily guess the Reason. It is come to a very serious pitch. A fleet is to be sent to our shore with a new minister. A definitive answer must be given in...
23To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 25 July 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
I had the Honor to transmit to you on the twenty third of last April an Account of the payments made in Consequence of your letter of the 15th. of September 1792. Since which I have written to correct an Omission in that account of a payment made in Holland by my Order of the Amount due to the person who stands the twenty sixth in the list you sent me. On the fifth Instant and in Consequence...
24To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 18 May 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
In the list I sent you of payments made by our Bankers here I did not include the Sum of bf. 5997. paid by the Bankers at Amsterdam on the 12. April 1793 and which at the then agio of 1½ p % amounted to f. 6086.19. as you will find by their account being for No. 26. in your list sent me amounting to livres 13327.14.10 equal to Dollars 2468. 1. The party to whom this payment was made writes me...
25To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 23 April 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
In Conformity to the directions contained in your letter of the 13 Sepr. 1792 sundry payments have been made. I pray your Reference to that list while you examine the enclosed note of those payments. The numbers refer to the order in which the names stand on your list. Moreover as I transmit the Sums both in Dollars and livres I think there will be no difficulty in making the needful Entries....
26To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 29 October 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
My friend Colo. Hamilton will thank me for procuring him the acquaintance of Mr. DeVolney the Gentleman who will deliver this Letter. A Splendid reputation in the literary world will command his ready admittance to all good Company his agreable qualities will render him a desireable guest and a valuable acquaintance. LC , Gouverneur Morris Papers, Library of Congress. Constantin François...
27To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 17 October 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Moscow Livingston delivered to me yours of the 25th. of July. He says that you alone gave him an Idea of this Country like the Reality. His Astonishment proves that he did not beleive you and would you hear him you might in your Turn be astonished to find that your sound Understanding while it grasp’d the future Event had never contemplated the progressive Circumstances. I leave to others...
28From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 25 July 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, July 25, 1793. On October 17, 1793, Morris wrote to Hamilton and acknowledged the receipt of “yours of the 25th. of July.” Letter not found. ]
29To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 23 June 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
The annexed is Duplicate of what I had the Honor to write on the twentieth of May. For your better understanding of it I will here add a short explanation of the Plan I had formed and would have carried into Effect. It was to open a loan for Stg £300000 of which the Interest of 4p% was to be paid here annually and the Capital at the End of fourteen years. For the Interest one of the first...
30To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 20 May 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
You have annexed Copies of my Letters of the eleventh and twelfth of last month since which I have received from Amsterdam the receipts of Col. Laumoy which are lodged with Mr. Grand. I learn at the same Time that the Creditors of the United States have consented to postpone the reimbursement due to them in June so that the Difficulties in that quarter are removed to my no small Satisfaction...
31To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 12 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you Yesterday and mentioned the affair of General Laumoy. A View of that Gentlemans very disagreable Situation and the sincere Desire of releiving him from it have suggested to my Mind an Expedient and I have in Consequence written the Letter to our Bankers in Amsterdam of which a Copy is enclosed and by which he will be I hope enabled to receive his Due. For his Capital however he...
32To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 11 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
In mine of the sixteenth of February I mentioned to you the Case of Colo. Laumoy and that I would write in Answer to his Applications that I am not authoriz’d to make payment but on Production of the Certificate. I do not know how I came to misunderstand you so egregiously as I find upon reading over your Letter to have been the Case. In the present State of the Business however I think it...
33To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 February 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
My last was of the sixteenth of January of which I now enclose a Copy. It has so happened that a very great Proportion of the french Officers who served in America have been either opposed to the Revolution at an early Day, or felt themselves oblig’d at a later Period to abandon it. Some of them are now in a State of Banishment and their Property confiscated. Among these last there are a few...
34To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 16 January 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
I shall transmit herewith Copy of what I had the Honor to write to you on the twenty third of last Month. I have since after much difficulty or rather many difficulties adjusted the Mode of payment on Certificates to foreign Officers. Messieurs Grand and Company could not be prevail’d on to deal in Specie because it might have exposed them to Plunder and personal Danger. Similar Feelings would...
35To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 24 December 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to you on the twenty fourth of October and have not since receivd any of your Letters. In that I acknowleged yours of the 22d of June. You will have seen from the public Prints the Wonderful Success of the french Arms arising from the following Causes. 1st. That the Enemy deceiv’d by the Emigrants counted too lightly on the Opposition he was to meet with. 2ly That from like...
36To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 23 December 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have written to you on the seventeenth of August, twenty-first, and twenty-fifth of September, and second of November. If any of these Letters should be missing, be so kind as to mention it to me, excepting always that of the twenty-first of September, which was on a meer private Affair of a mercantile House at Rouen. I did hope that my last contain’d the End of all Correspondence with Mr....
37To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 2 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I sent you on the twenty fifth of September my Correspondence with Mr. Short respecting the Debt of the United States to this Country. I now transmit a Letter from Mr. Le Brun with my Answer of the twenty seventh and twenty eighth of September which were not forwarded with my other Correspondence on that Subject to Mr. Jefferson. It is not necessary to make thereon any Comment. LC , Gouverneur...
38To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 24 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I have receiv’d yours of the twenty second of June & am in the hourly Hope to hear farther from you. I need not tell you that it will give me Pleasure. Enclosd you will find the Copy of a Letter which I wrote to Mr. Jefferson the seventh of November 1791. This with some other Communications at the same Epoch he never acknowledged, I know not why, but I think the Paper enclosd in that Letter...
39To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 25 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I transmitted on the sixteenth of last month Copies of my correspondence with the Commissaries of the Treasury to Mr. Jefferson, and on the seventeenth I inform’d you thereof. I now enclose to you my Correspondence on the same Subject with Mr. Short so that you may see exactly how that Matter stands and be able to act knowingly if called on to take any steps in relation to it. You will see...
40To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 21 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I receive this Instant a Letter from a very respectable Commercial House of Rouen Messieurs Le Couteulx and Company. By the bye before I mention the business I will tell you an Anecdote of them. Louis the fourteenth desirous of encouraging Commerce and breaking down the Barriers which Prejudice had raised against it, offered to this House which was even then of great Antiquity to give the...
41From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 13 September 1792. (Hamilton Papers)
The Legislature at their last Session having made provision for the paying off the Debt due to foreign Officers, the Interest of which is payable at the house of Mr. Grand, Banker, at Paris; and the President having authorized me to carry that provision into effect, I have concluded to commit such part of the business as is to be transacted at Paris to your Management; not doubting of the...
42To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 17 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Short just before he left this City left with me a memoire in Dutch respecting the Mint. I was to get it translated for you, but not having been able to find a Person acquainted with the Dutch and English languages, I have now determin’d to send you the Original which you will find here enclosed. I hope it may prove useful, and answer the end you had in view. I have transmitted to Mr....
43From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 22 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Your three letters of the 21st of March, 6th and 10th of April have been received, and gave me great pleasure. I accept your challenge to meet you in the field of mutual confidential communication; though I cannot always promise punctuality, or copiousness. I will however do the best I can. Will it not be a necessary preliminary to agree upon a Cypher? One has been devised for me, which though...
44To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 10 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I din’d the Day before Yesterday tête a tête with the Russian Minister Count Woranzow who is a very sensible and well inform’d Man. In the Course of an Interesting Conversation after Dinner your Name was Mention’d and he exprest a Desire to see your various Reports to Congress. These he means to transmit to his Brother who is the Minister of Commerce in Russia in Order to undeceive him with...
45To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 6 April 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
A friend ask’d me some Days ago to calculate for him the true Value of our public funds. I did so and you will find in answer to the Queries No: 1. 2. & 3 the result of my first Enquiries. But my Mind being once in this Train I determined on greater Accuracy at the Expence of a little more Attention, and the Questions I propounded to myself with the Answers are contained in the enclosed Paper...
46Enclosure: [From Gouverneur Morris], [6 April 1792] (Hamilton Papers)
Qu: 1. In what Time will an Annuity of 8 pay 100. Int: at 6 p %. Ansr. 23.7913 Years or 23 Years 288 Days. Qu: 2. What is the present Value of an Annuity of 8 for 23.7913 Years Int: at 4 p %. Ansr. 121.3342 Qu: 3. What principal Sum will in ten Years amount to 121.3342 Int: at 4 p %. Ansr. 81.96914 Qu: 4. In What Time will a quarterly Payment of 2 pay 100. Int: at 1¼ p % quarterly. Ansr:...
47To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 21 March 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
A Vessel just going to New York presents me an Opportunity of saying that I thank you for your Exertions to effect my Appointment. I know you too well my good Friend to make long Speeches on that Subject. I shall acknowlege the Services of my Friends properly on proper Occasions and till then be silent. In patronizing this Appointment you have incurred more Trouble than you was perhaps aware...
48To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 28 June 1791 (Hamilton Papers)
I have lately been compelled to take some of your three per Cent Stocks in order to cover Part of a large Debt very disagreably circumstanced and to replace a Portion of heavy Advances have sold it again and am bound in heavy Penalties to have the Transfer immediately made. This Stock consists of the Arrearage of Interest to the last Day of the last Year on $382.878..60 Cts of liquidated Debt...
49To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 31 January 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I did expect that in congratulating you, which I do most sincerely, upon your Appointment, I should have communicated a Matter which would have administred much Ease and Convenience to the Affairs of your Department. I learn this morning that these Expectations are frustrated from a Quarter and in a Manner which would excite my Surprize had I not long since acquired the Habit of wondering at...
50To Alexander Hamilton from Gouverneur Morris, 13 June 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
I am to acknowlege yours of the 19th. of May which reached me a few Days since. Matters are not going so well in this State as the Friends of America could wish. If indeed the Debates in Convention were alone attended to a contrary Inference would be drawn for altho Mr. Henry is most warm and powerful in Declamation being perfectly Master of Action Utterance and the Power of Speech to stir...