101To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 29 March 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury begs leave respectfully to inform the President of the United States of America, That, in order to be able to furnish in the course of the ensuing month for the compensation of the members of Congress, & the officers and Servants of the two houses, a sum of about sixty thousand dollars; for the payment of the Salaries of the Civil List to the end of the present...
102Alexander Hamilton’s Proposed Presidential Message to Congress, March–May 1794 (Washington Papers)
In my speech to the two houses of Congress at the opening of the session I urged the expediency of being prepared for war as one of the best securities to our peace —Events which seem dayly to be unfolding themselves press still more seriously upon us the duty of being so prepared, indicating that the calamities of war may by a train of circumstances be forced upon us, notwithstanding the most...
103To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 30 November 1793 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I have the honor to transmit a letter which I have received from General Stewart on the subject of his proposed appointment. I should conceive it consistent with a reasonable construction of the general intent of the Law to allow the indulgence which his situation requires. With perfect respect I have the honor to be &c. LB , DLC:GW . Walter Stewart’s letter to Hamilton of 27 Nov. has...
104To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 11 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
My anxiety for such a cou[r]se of things as will most promise a continuance of peace to the country, & in the contrary event a full justification of the President; has kept my mind dwelling on the late Reply to Mr Adet & though it is a thing that cannot be undone, yet if my ideas are right the communication of them may not be wholly useless for the future. The more I have considered that paper...
105To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 14 June 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the President. He had thought that the appointment of a Supervisor for pennsylvania might without inconvenience be deferred ’till the return of the President, & therefore deferred mentioning it. But on more particular reflection as a new revenue year commences with the first of July, he believes it would be of use to accelerate the...
106To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 10 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor of your letter of the 4th instant addressed to the Secretary of State the Secretary at War and myself; to which due obedience shall be paid on my part. A letter from Mr Short dated at Amsterdam the 2d of December has just come to hand giving me an account of his proceedings to that period; a copy of which will be forwarded by the tuesday’s post. He informs me, among other...
107To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 11 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have just received a letter from Mr King in these words —“Mr Elliot, who it has been said was appointed will not come to America, owing say his friends here to a disinclination on his part which has arisen from the death of his eldest or only son. Mr Seaton yesterday read me an abstract of a letter from London dated February 2. & written, as he observed, by a man of information, which...
108Alexander Hamilton’s Proposed Presidential Message to Congress, 6–13 January 1794 (Washington Papers)
Since the application, which was made to the Government of France, for the Recall of its present Minister, that Minister has furnished new and material causes of dissatisfaction with his Conduct. But these occasions of offence have hitherto passed without particular notice; in the hope that it would not be long before the arrival of an order of Recall would terminate the embarrassment—and in...
109To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 12 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have maturely reflected on the subject of the within papers. I do not hesitate to give it as my opinion that if it were not for very peculiar personal circumstances the fittest arrangement upon the whole would be to consign the temporary execution of the Comptroller’s office to the Commissioner of the Revenue—But I could not advise this, because it could not fail for strong reasons to be...
110To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 26 October 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have noticed a piece in the Aurora under the signature of the Calm Observer which I think requires explanation and I mean to give one with my name. I have written to Mr Wolcott for materials from the Books of the Treasury. Should you think it proper to meet the vile insinuation in the close of it by furnishing for one year the account of expenditure of the salary, I will with pleasure add...
111To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 12 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
From the circumstance of Mr Short’s being at Madrid, delay, without advantage, would attend the addressing to him the instruction for making the intended additional Loan. The persons to execute must in this situation be our Commissioners at Amsterdam. I therefore submit whether it will not be adviseable to address the instruction to them in the first instance. As a vessel goes to Amsterdam...
112To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 30 July–3 August 1792 (Washington Papers)
I received the most sincere pleasure at finding in our last conversation, that there was some relaxation in the disposition you had before discovered to decline a reelection. Since your departure, I have lost no opportunity of sounding the opinions of persons, whose opinions were worth knowing, on these two points—1st the effect of your declining upon the public affairs, and upon your own...
113To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 15 December 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor respectfully to inform the President of the United States that a wish of the Collector of Boston to spend a part of the time of the Session of Congress at the Seat of Government has been intimated to him. An absence from his Office at this season of the year being the least likely to be inconvenient, and it being probable that much useful information...
114To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 24 April 1792 (Washington Papers)
Treasury Department, 24 April 1792. Submits a contract for oil between the superintendent of the Delaware lighthouse and Joseph Anthony & Son of Philadelphia, the terms of which are not unfavorable to the United States, as they have not changed from the previous two years. Nothing better had been offered after an advertisement for proposals was published, and it is understood that the wardens...
115To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 1 September 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose sundry papers which have been handed to me by the Commissioner of the Revenue, respecting the state of the Excise Law in the western survey of the District of Pennsylvania. Such persevering and violent opposition to the Law gives the business a still more serious aspect than it has hitherto worn, and seems to call for vigorous & decisive measures on the part of the...
116To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, September 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s friendly and obliging letter of the 28th Ulto came safely to hand. I thank you for your assurance of seconding my application to General Morgan. The truth of that affair is, that he purchased the watch for a trifle of a British soldier, who plundered Major Cochran at the moment of his fall at York Town. I should be deeply pained my Dear Sir if your scruples in regard to a...
117To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 20 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor respectfully to enclose to the President of the United States a Commission which has been returned by John Finley second mate of the Cutter Vigilant, he having resigned that office. John Tanner of New York is recommended by Capt: Dennis to the office of first mate in the said Cutter. His recommendations from several merchants & others, which appear...
118To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 8 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor to submit to the consideration of the President of the U. States a communication from the Commissioner of the Revenue of the 6th instant —respecting a contract provisionally entered into with Moses M. Hayes for a further supply of Oil for the Light Houses. It is respectfully conceived that the arrangement is in every view eligible. LB , DLC:GW ....
119To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 18 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury respectfully makes the following Report to the President of the United States. The Act, entitled “an Act making appropriations for the support of Government for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety three,” empowers the President to borrow, for the purposes therein specified, any sum or sums, not exceeding in the whole Eight hundred thousand Dollars, at a...
120To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 24 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
Pursuant to your requisition of the 20th inst. I have the honor to submit a statement of the application of the whole of the monies borrowed by virtue of the Acts of the 4. & 12. of August. The precise accuracy of this statement cannot be warranted, ’till there shall be a settlement at the Treasury of all the accounts on which it depends (a business now in train). But the items generally are...
121To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 31 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
Mister Hamilton presents his respects to the President—sends him some memorandums of recommendations of officers of Inspection. With regard to the Supervisor of the So. Western Territory, he is of opinion that still further information is necessary. He believes Mister William Nichols who is the brother of Colo. Nichols to be a fit person for Inspector of the Revenue for the first survey of...
122To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 28 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor duly to receive your two letters of the 3d and 6th inst:. The packet for the Baron de Steuben contained in the former, was delivered to him agreeably to your direction. The papers concerning Capt. Lyde were transmitted by the post following that which took my letter of the 29th Ulto. No more proper characters having been pointed out by further enquiry, I have, pursuant to your...
123To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 26 June 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor respectfully to inform the President of the United states, that he has received a letter from the Collector of Charleston in South Carolina, from which he learns that some misconception has arisen as to the nature of the qualifications of Mr Thomas Hollingsby, who on the joint recommendation of the Collector & commissioners of Pilotage for that port...
124To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 20 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
The Act entitled “An Act providing for the payment of certain instalments of the foreign Debts, and of the third instalment due on a Loan made of the Bank of the U. States,” passed the 8th of this present month of January; empowers the President to cause to be paid the third installment of the 2.000.000 Loan of the Bank of the United States (which did accrue on the last of December 1794 being...
125To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 28 August 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor respectfully to submit to the President of the U. States for his determination a request from the Naval Officer of the District of New York. The Secretary humbly remarks, that it appears desireable, as far as possible, to avoid absences of such important Officers for so long a duration, but that if the nature of the reasons should induce the...
126To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 19 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor to communicate to the President a letter from the Commissioner of the Revenue of the 13th instant, on the subject of a Keeper of the Lighthouse (Lighted Beacon) near Sherburn in Nantucket. He believes that it is adviseable to appoint the person therein mentioned. ’Tis a case, in which there is not likely to be much choice. LB , DLC:GW . Tench Coxe’s...
127To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 13 August 1788 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Cochran of the British navy has requested my aid in recovering a family watch worn by his brother, who fell at York Town, (and now in the possession of —— ——). In compliance with this request I have written the letter herewith to —— —— which I take the liberty to convey through you, in hope that if you see no impropriety in it, you would add your influence to the endeavour to gratify...
128To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 10 August 1796 (Washington Papers)
About a fortnight since, I sent you a certain draft. I now send you another on the plan of incorporating. Whichever you may prefer, if there be any part you wish to transfer from one to another any part to be changed—or if there be any material idea in your own draft which has happened to be omitted and which you wish introduced—in short if there be any thing further in the matter in which I...
129To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 27 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
I sometime since communicated an intention to withdraw from the office I hold, towards the close of the present session. This I should now put in execution but for the events which have lately accumulated of a nature to render the prospect of a continuance of our peace in a considerable degree precarious. I do not perceive that I could voluntarily quit my post at such a juncture, consistently...
130To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 3 January 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury having, in consequence of the Act for the Establishment and support of Light-houses, directed his Enquiries to that object begs leave most respectfully to submit the result to The President of the United States of America. New Hampshire. In this State is only one Light house situated on a point of land on the Island of New-Castle, three miles from Portsmouth,...
131To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 2 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the President & encloses for his consideration a letter from the Commissioner of the Revenue on the subject of a Keeper of the Lt House for Cape Henlopen. LB , DLC:GW . The letter from Tench Coxe to Hamilton has not been identified. According to GW’s executive journal, Coxe’s letter reported that Lemuel Cornick, the lighthouse keeper at...
132To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 11 July 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the President. the state of health of his little boy & the situation of Mrs Hamilton in consequence of it, oblige him to request the President to excuse him from attending the interview with the Indians today & also to ask the President’s permission to make an excursion into the country for a few days to try the effect of exercise & change...
133To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 4 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury requests the favor of the President to send him the communications from the Governor, on which he not long since reported, containing imputations on the conduct of the officers of the U. States employed in the Western Counties. They will be useful in forming the reply to his last letter, in which a considerable progress has been made. LB , DLC:GW . Hamilton...
134To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 3 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed are copies of a Letter of mine of the 25 ultimo to the Attorney General and of his answer. Concurring entirely in opinion with that officer, I am led to bring the subject under the eye of the President only from the reflection that a foreign Government is concerned in the question. And unless I receive a direction to the contrary, I shall act in conformity with that opinion. I am...
135Enclosure: Opinion on the Constitutionality of an Act to Establish a Bank, 23 February 1791 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury having perused with attention the papers containing the opinions of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General concerning the constitutionality of the Bill for establishing a National Bank, proceeds, according to the order of the President, to submit the reasons which have induced him to entertain a different opinion. It will naturally have been anticipated,...
136To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 20 October 1789 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to your desire, I sit down to commit a few lines to the Post. Nothing worth particular mention has occurred since your Departure; except a report brought by Mr Keane from So. Carolina, that McGilivray the Indian Chief had, after a short conference, left our Commissioners, declaring that what they had suggested was only a repe[ti]tion of the old Storey and inadmissible, or something...
137To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 12 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the President & sends the enclosed for his decision —submitting his opinion that it is not adviseable to grant the permission requested. This case is not precisely within the rule already adopted as a general one. LB , DLC:GW . Hamilton probably enclosed French minister Jean-Antoine-Joseph Fauchet’s letter to Edmund Randolph of 12 May,...
138To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 21 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
In my Letter presenting a plan of additional compensations to Supervisors and other officers of Inspection &c. I omitted to mention a material circumstance in the Law, which claims the attention of the President. The section of the act which authorises further allowances, refers them to services rendered, “subsequent to the 30th day of June next.” These are the words. The act passed the...
139To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 2 December 1790 (Washington Papers)
The day before yesterday I received a letter from Mr Woodbury Langdon declining the appointment offered him. there was a letter with it for you which I immediately forwarded. Since that time I have conversed with Mr Langdon I have heared from Mr Gilman; the former is warm in his recommendation of Mr Keith Spence; he states that his insolvency was owing to the loss of a valuable ship & Cargo,...
140To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 20 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I transmit your Excellency a letter from the Count Destain. He has had the River sounded and finds he cannot enter. He will sail for Rhode Island tomorrow evening; in the mean time he is making demonstrations to deceive the enemy and beget an opinion, that he intends to operate in this quarter. He would sail immediately but he waits the arrival, or to hear, of a frigate which carried...
141To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 17 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I duly received your letter of the 14th and shall not fail in conjunction with General St Clair to attend to the military object of it. I am much obliged to your Excellency for the communication of your Southern advises—The enemy are still in the dark about their fleet and army gone that way as we gather from the Commissioners —They pretend to have little European news, though a vessel arrived...
142To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 23 December 1793 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor to submit to the consideration of the President a communication from the Commissioner of the revenue, dated the 18h of December respecting Mr James Collins, Inspector of the Revenue for Survey No: 2 of the District of Pennsylvania. It has at length become certain (what has been for some time feared) that Mr Collins is incapable of executing the...
143To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox, 2 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
A conformity of opinion, and upon the same grounds, enables us to submit to you a joint Answer to the third of the Questions, which you were pleased to propose on the 19th of April to the Heads of Departments and the Attorney General. We have concluded that this mode would be more agreeable to you than a repetition of the same ideas and arguments in seperate answers. With perfect respect & the...
144To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 2 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor of enclosing herewith the draft of a passport for the President’s signature—intended for the brigantine Lily, now at Baltimore. The case was here before the Secretary’s letter of yesterday was sent to the President, and was overlooked. LB , DLC:GW . The copyist wrote "1792." The enclosure has not been identified, but GW signed a passport for the Lily...
145To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 14 March 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to send you the extract of a letter of the 8th instant (received two days since) from the Secretary of War, together with the Section of the Act to which it relates. I am entirely of opinion with him, as to the expediency of causing the Pay Master General to reside at the seat of Government—But as the measure is of importance, and especially as the act expressly refers the...
146To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 5 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
I was in due time favoured with your letter of the 26 June & consulted the Gentleman you name on the subjects of it. We are both of opinion there is no power in the President to appoint an Envoy Extraordinary, without the concurrence of the senate, & that the information in question is not a sufficient ground for extraordinarily convening the senate—If however the President from his...
147To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 29 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the President of the United States & encloses the draft of a passport for a schooner called the Eliza of New York, for the President’s signature. The application which accompanies it, comes from a number of French Emigrants now in New York. The Collector will be instructed to fill the blank with the name of the master which is not known....
148To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 18 November 1793 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury respectfully submits to the consideration of the President of the United States, a communication from the Commissioner of the revenue of the 6th instant, transmitting two proposals respecting the masons work for repairing the Tybee Lighthouse in Georgia. From the measures, which have been taken, it appears improbable that better terms are obtainable, and from such...
149To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 28 November 1799 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed is a copy of a letter which I have written to the Secretary of War on the subject of a military Academy. Two reasons have prevented me from communicating it to you at an earlier day. My avocations rendered it impossible for me to complete the letter till very lately, and I had had opportunities of knowing your opinion on the subject generally. Any alterations in the plan which you may...
150To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 30 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your obliging favour of the 24th instant has duly come to hand. I see in it a new proof of sentiments towards me which are truly gratifying. But permit me to add my request to the suggestions of your own prudence, that no personal considerations for me may induce more on your part than on mature reflection you may think due to public motives—It is extremely foreign to my wish to create to you...