I, November 1793

I

Alexander Hamilton’s Outline for GW’s Annual Address to Congress

[November 1793]

Objects to be communicated in Speech & Messages

I	Proclamation
II	Embarrassments on carrying into Execution the principles of neutrality; necessity of some auxiliary provisions by law—
III	Expectation of indemnification given in relation to illegal captures—
IV	State of our affairs with regard to	G. Britain
		to Spain
		to France—claim of Guarantee1—propositions
	respecting Trade—
V	Indian affairs—failure of Treaty 2—state of expedition under Wayne prospects with regard to Southern Indians—
VI	Prudence of additional precautions for defence; as the best security for the peace of the Country— 1 fortification of principal sea ports 2 Corps of efficient Militia—
VII	Completion of settlement of Accounts between the United and Individual States:3 Provision for ballances—
VIII	Provision for a sinking fund—
IX	Our revenues in the aggregate have continued to answer expectation as to productiveness but if the various objects pointed out and which appear to be neccesary to the public Interest are to be accomplished it can hardly be hoped that there will be a necessity for some moderate addition to them—
X	Prolongation of the Dutch installment by way of Loan—terms.4
XI	Provision for the second installment due to the Bank of U. States—5
XII	for interest on the unsubscribed debt during the present year. Quære
XIII	Communication of the state of cessions of Light Houses. The Cession in various instances has not been intire; it has reserved a partial right of jurisdiction for process; consequently is not strictly conformable to law—6
XIV	Commissary to receive issue & account for all public stores would conduce much to order & œconomy.7

AD, DLC:GW.

1. By articles 11 and 12 of the Treaty of Alliance with France, 6 Feb. 1778, the United States guaranteed to France “the present Possessions of the Crown of france in America as well as those which it may acquire by the future Treaty of peace,” that guarantee to take effect “in case of a rupture between france and England . . . the moment such War shall break out” (Miller, Treaties description begins Hunter Miller, ed. Treaties and Other International Acts of the United States of America. Vol. 2, 1776-1818. Washington, D.C., 1931. description ends , 39–40). For previous discussion of the meaning of that guarantee in the context of the 1793 European conflict, see GW to the Cabinet, 18 April; Thomas Jefferson to GW, 28 April; and Edmund Randolph to GW, 6 May.

2. Hamilton was referring to the treaty with the hostile Indians of the Northwest Territory held at Sandusky in July and August (see ASP, Indian Affairs description begins Walter Lowrie et al., eds. American State Papers. Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States. 38 vols. Washington, D.C., Gales and Seaton, 1832–61. description ends , 1:340–61)

3. See the Commissioners for Settling Accounts between the United States and the Individual States to GW, 29 June.

4. On the prolongation of the Dutch loan approved by Congress on 14 Sept. 1782 (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 23:575–80), see Wilhelm and Jan Willink, Nicholaas and Jacob Van Staphorst, and Nicholas Hubbard, to Hamilton, 1 May (Hamilton Papers description begins Harold C. Syrett et al., eds. The Papers of Alexander Hamilton. 27 vols. New York, 1961–87. description ends , 14:364–67).

5. For the $2 million loan, see GW to Alexander Hamilton, 9 May 1792. On 4 June 1794 Congress passed “An Act providing for the payment of the second instalment due on a Loan made of the Bank of the United States” (Stat. description begins Richard Peters, ed. The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America, from the Organization of the Government in 1789, to March 3, 1845 . . .. 8 vols. Boston, 1845-67. description ends , 1:372).

6. Section 1 of “An Act for the establishment and support of Lighthouses, Beacons, Buoys, and Public Piers,” 7 Aug. 1789, made the United States responsible for all expenses accruing in the “necessary support, maintenance and repairs of all lighthouses,” but only if the lighthouse were “ceded to and vested in the United States . . . together with the lands and tenements thereto belonging, and together with the jurisdiction of the same” (Stat. description begins Richard Peters, ed. The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America, from the Organization of the Government in 1789, to March 3, 1845 . . .. 8 vols. Boston, 1845-67. description ends , 1:53–54). Some states, however, proved reluctant to cede jurisdiction for the issuance of civil and criminal process (see Tench Coxe to Hamilton, 3 and 19 Jan. 1793, Hamilton Papers description begins Harold C. Syrett et al., eds. The Papers of Alexander Hamilton. 27 vols. New York, 1961–87. description ends , 13:447–48, 503–4). Ultimately, Congress, by an act of 2 March 1795, provided that cessions “with reservation, that process civil and criminal, issuing under the authority of such state, may be executed and served therein” would “be deemed sufficient,” and that such process might be “served and executed” even where the state had made a full cession of jurisdiction (Stat. description begins Richard Peters, ed. The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America, from the Organization of the Government in 1789, to March 3, 1845 . . .. 8 vols. Boston, 1845-67. description ends , 1:426).

7. GW did not make this recommendation in his annual address, but it was the subject of his second message to Congress of 7 Jan. 1794.

Index Entries

You Are Looking At

Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: I, November 1793
Author: Hamilton, Alexander
Date: November 1793

Reference

Cite as: “I, November 1793,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-14-02-0264-0002. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 14, 1 September–31 December 1793, ed. David R. Hoth. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2008, pp. 385–387.]