1From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 12 May 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received the pleasure of your favour of yesterday’s date. The reasons you assign for the interval of silence on your part are admitted as sufficient; though I regret that the principal one exists—the combination of the tories for a general insurrection. But perhaps on the scale of policy I ought rather to congratulate you on the event: That there are too many tories in your state as...
2From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 19 May 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
I this moment received the favour of your letter of the 16th instant. I partly agree and partly disagree with you respecting the deficiencies of your constitution. That there is a want of vigor in the executive, I believe will be found true. To determine the qualifications proper for the chief executive Magistrate requires the deliberate wisdom of a select assembly, and cannot be safely lodged...
3From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 6 July 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your favour of the 4th, by express. If I recollect how far my last went, it did not announce the return of the enemy from Westfield to Amboy, nor their evacuation of that place since. After resting and refreshing themselves a night, they decamped the following day and proceeded to Amboy from which place they went to Staten Island as expeditiously as they could; where they still...
4From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 22 July 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
Your favour of the 18th ⟨from Saratoga reached me⟩ yesterday. Your pronouncing Fort Edward among the other forts indefensible surprises me a little, as it is intirely contrary to the representations of several Gentlemen of judgment, who have had an opportunity of seeing and considering its situation, by whom we have been taught to believe, that it would be an excellent post, at least ⟨for⟩...
5From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 1 September 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
Agreeable to the intention of the Council I have delivered their inclosed letter to His Excellency who after perusing it has sealed and forwarded it to Mr. Hancock. The relieving Fort Schuyler is a very happy and important event, and will concur with the two happy strokes given by Harkemar and Stark to reverse the face of affairs and turn the scale against Mr Burgoigne. I hope Capt...
6George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 8 May 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
Middlebrook [ New Jersey ] May 8, 1779 . States reasons for favoring a campaign in South. Discusses distressing state of the Army. Df , in writings of George Washington and H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress. Morris was a delegate to Congress from New York.
7From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 21 February 1784 (Hamilton Papers)
I duly received my dear Sir your letter of the 27th: of January and I would have sooner told you how much pleasure it gave me, if I had had time; but legislative folly has afforded so plentiful a harvest to us lawyers that we have scarcely a moment to spare from the substantial business of reaping. Today being sunday I have resolved to give an hour to friendship and to you. Good people would...
8From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, [21 March 1784] (Hamilton Papers)
Permit me to introduce to Your acquaintance and attention Mr Seaton Cashier of the Bank of New York. He is just setting out for Philadelphia to procure materials, and information in the forms of business. I recommend him to you, because I am persuaded you will with pleasure facilitate his object. Personally I dare say you will be pleased with him. He will tell you of our embarrassments and...
9From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, [7 April 1784] (Hamilton Papers)
Pardon me My Dr. Sir for not sooner having obeyed your orders with respect to the inclosed. I part with it reluctantly; for that is so rare an article, that when we get so much of it in so small a compass we can not easily consent to be dispossessed of it. I am very happy to hear of the union of your two banks; for you will believe me when I tell you, that on more deliberate consideration, I...
10From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, [19 May 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I acknowlege my delinquency in not thanking you before for your obliging letter from Richmond. But the truth is that I have been so overwhelmed in avocations of one kind or another that I have scarcely had a moment to spare to a friend. You I trust will be the less disposed to be inexorable, as I hope you believe there is no one for whom I have more inclination than yourself—I mean of the male...
11From 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...
12From 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...
13Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 18 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, June 18, 1792. “… I suppose you will before this have seen the commissaries of the Treasury, I will thank you to let me know whether you have settled with them the manner of counting the payments made from Antwerp. There will be a considerable sum at Amsterdam probably soon at the disposition of the U.S. for being applied to the French debt. I shd. suppose no time ought to be lost,...
14Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 28 June 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, June 28, 1792. “… On the 18th. inst. I write you also from this place & wait with much impatience to hear from you respecting what has been settled with the Commissaries of the treasury, as I mentioned to you in that letter there would be a considerable payment to be made them as soon as you shall have fixed the rate of the late payments & the mode in wch. the next shd. be made. I...
15Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 6 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, July 6, 1792. “I recieved yesterday your letter of the 28th. of June, & am glad to find that the settlement with the commissaries of the treasury will soon be made. The extract of the letter from the sec. of the Treasury, which I in-closed to you in mine of the 28th. ulto. will shew you his desire relative thereto. I am happy that the business is now in your hands & am persuaded...
16Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 10 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, July 10, 1792. “I have this inst. recd. your letter of the 5th as you there acknowlege the rect. of mine of the 28th. of June. I have nothing further to add, to what I said in that & my last letter, than simply to mention that the decree of the assembly on wch. you count seems to me not to have advanced the business at all. As far as I can understand it, it limits to four millions...
17Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 17 July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, July 17, 1792. “The last post, (which brought your letter of the 9th.) arrived too late in the day for me to answer it, by the post of that day. I observe by it that you recd. a note from the minister desiring a rendezvous on the 6th. & that on the 9th. you had heard nothing further from him. He cannot have been collecting the accts. as you suppose for they were made out & stated...
18Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 23[–24] July 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, July 23 [ –24 ,] 1792 . “In consequence of your letter of July 16. I have written to the bankers to desire them to furnish you the state of the payments they have made to France. I can inform you however in the mean time that they told me the statement made by the French treasury was just.… I in-close you two reciepts of the French agent at Antwerp which complete the payments made...
19Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 4 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 4, 1792. “… As to the loans at Amsterdam, I told you we had a right to re-imburse them, at will & some have except precisely the one of which you speak —& wch. is one sui generis —it is however only of 2. millions of florins I think, & was made by Mr. Adams at an int. of 4 p. cent—with certain reimbursements & premiums by lottery wch. augment the interest to about 6.—& wch....
20Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 7 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 7, 1792. “I was obliged to answer with much precipitation your letter of the 30th. ulto recd. here the 4th. inst—as the post sat out from hence immediately after the arrival of yours. I hoped to have learned from you by the post of to-day what had been decided on between you & the commissaries or at least what was the answer which you expected from them at the departure of...
21Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 17 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 17, 1792. “The post of last tuesday brought here your two letters of Aug. 6. & 9. which shews that the first had been unfortunately too late for the post of that day. I was at Amsterdam when these letters arrived here & had directed such as arrived that day not to be sent to me, as I returned here the day after (wednesday). By a mistake however they were sent & crossed me on...
22Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 21 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 21, 1792. “I hoped that the post of this day which has just arrived would have brought me a letter from you but it has not. I know therefore nothing further with respect to your arrangements with the commissaries than was contained in a simple paragraph, saying you had agreed with the commissaries for the present & desire one million &c. to be paid. Was the depreciation...
23Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 28 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, August 28, 1792. “I recd. by the last post your letter of the 20th. & this moment that of the 23d. This letter proves to me that nothing has been done with respect to the depreciation as the livres wch. you mention make the exchange if I do not miscalculate 32½ which I suppose was the exchange existing at the time of your arrangement—of course the depreciation was not taken into the...
24Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 4 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 4, 1792. “… Hogguer refuses to accept the money any other way than as has hitherto been practised, viz by giving a draught or bill on the commissaries of the treasury for the amt.—or on a reciept where it shall be expressed that at my requisition he engages himself to hold the money until the King’s free consent can be obtained for its disposal. He refuses even giving a...
25Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 7 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 7, 1792. “… In my last I informed you of Hogguer’s refusing to recieve the payment you had agreed for with the commissaries in any other than the mode he has hitherto practised; namely by giving a draught for the amount on the national treasury; & of my finally (after the rect. of your letter) directing our bankers to make the payment to him, not withstanding my own...
26Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 14 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 14, 1792. “… I hasten merely to observe on that part of your letter in wch: you say that the observation cannot in any wise influence your conduct &c. Surely you do not mean after having carried the matter thus far & put it out of my reach to withdraw yourself from consummating the measure you adopted—under the idea now of being unauthorized—the measure itself never...
27Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 18 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 18, 1792. “I answered in much haste & confusion in my last letter of the 14th. yours of the 9th. It would admit of a greater degree of developement, but it seems unnecessary in the present moment. I have recieved your letter of the 12th. in which you acknowlege the reciept of mine of the 7th & the only observation you make thereon is that you had previously sent to the...
28Enclosure: Pierre Henri Hélène Marie Lebrun-Tondu to Gouverneur Morris, 19 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Paris, September 19, 1792. “Je viens, Monsieur, de recevoir une lettre de M. Maulde, Ministre plenipotentiare de france à la haye, par laquelle il m’instruit de l’insinuation perfide que M. Short a faite à M. hoguer, Banquier à Amsterdam, en l’excitant à exiger une formalité, impraticable dans la circonstance, avant de remettre à la Trésorerie Nationale un fonds des 5. ous 6. cent mille...
29Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 21 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
The Hague, September 21, 1792. “I answered by the last post yours of the 12th. recd. that day & since that I am without hearing from you. The commissaries have acknowleged in their letter to our bankers the reciept of the draught for 1,625,000 florins, & say they will credit the U.S. therefore. I flatter myself however they mean for the value of the florins viz 6,000,000 livres & not the...
30Enclosure: The Commissaries of the French Treasury to Gouverneur Morris, 2 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Nous avons reçu, Monsieur, votre lettre du 30 juillet. Nous ferons volontiers recevoir à Amsterdam les ommes que les Etats unis sont dans l’intention de rembourser à la nation française à compte de leur dette, et nous en chargerons M M. Hoggeur Grand et Compe. les memes banquiers qui ont jusqu’à present suivi toutes les operations relatives à cet remboursement. A l’égard du taux du change...
31Enclosure: The Commissaries of the French Treasury to Gouverneur Morris, 9 August 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Notre lettre du 2. de ce mois, Monsieur, ayant tardé à vous parvenir par des causes que nous ignorons, nous aurons attention pour que cet inconvenient ne se réprésente plus de vous faire porter celles que nous aurons l’honneur de vous ècrire. Les erreurs que vous croyez qui existent dans le compte que nous vous avons remis, donnent lieu à des recherches qui sont être faites; elles exigeront un...
32Enclosure: Pierre Henri Hélène Marie Lebrun-Tondu to Gouverneur Morris, 27 September 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
J’ai reçu, Monsieur, la lettre que vous m’avez fait l’honneur de m’écrire le 20. de ce mois, pour m’annoncer que les difficultés élevées à la Haye par M. Short sur le païement de seize cent vingt cinq mille florins de Banque avoient été applanies le 9. du courant, et que vous espérez qu’il ne résultera aucon inconvénient d’un délai de quelques jours. Après avoir réfléchi sur le motif qui vous...
33Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 26 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
After more than four weeks interruption some of the French mails in arrear were recieved here yesterday & we had hoped therefore that this day, being the regular postday, would have brought us the rest—in this we have been disappointed, & of course conclude that the post communication with Paris is not yet freed from all its obstacles. I therefore send by the way of England my acknowlegement...
34Enclosure: William Short to Gouverneur Morris, 27 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
Notwithstanding the immense length & prolixity of my letter of yesterday it wd. have been continued if I had not been interrupted & detained until the hour of the post. You desire me to consider well before hand as to the obligations, whether I would wish to come to a settlement previously with the ministry, in fixing the value &c. If as you suppose the obligations are only three, nothing more...
35Enclosure: Commissaries of the French Treasury to Gouverneur Morris, 16 November 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
En reponse Monsieur à la lettre que vous nous aves fait L’honneur de nous Ecrire le 14 de ce mois, nous avons celui dernier dire que les Etats unis de l’Amerique ont été Credités sous les Livres a la Tresorerie Pour la datte du 5 Septembre dernier a la Somme de L. 6,000,000. pour le produit des Bco. f 1,625,000. a raison de 34 ⟨–⟩ ⅌ 8d. remis le dit Jour par Mess. Wilhem & Jan Willink, &...
36From 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. ]
37From 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...
38From 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...
39From 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...
40From 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...
41From 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...
42From 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...
43From 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...
44From 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...
45From 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...
46From 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. ]
47From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 20 April 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Gouverneur Morris, 20 April 1776. Morris’s letter to GW of this date is endorsed in Stephen Moylan’s writing: “ansd Same day.”
48From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 25 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I received your obliging favor of the 18th Inst., only Yesterday evening. I thank you much for the explanatory hints it contains and could have wished it had come to hand a little sooner. I have many things to say to you, but as the Express, who will deliver you this, is going with dispatches that will not admit delay, I shall content myself with taking notice of one matter, that appears to me...
49From George Washington to Gouverneur Morris, 18 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 15th Inst. gave me singular pleasure—I thank you for the agreeable intelligence it contains; which (tho not equal to my wishes) exceeds my expectation, & is to be lamented only for the delay, as the evils, consequent of it, will, soon (as I have often foretold) be manifested in the moving state of the Army, if the Departments of Quarter Master and Commissary will enable us to...
50To George Washington from Gouverneur Morris, 27–28 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have a Word to say to you upon the Subject of Promotion which we have just now finished or rather unfinished at least if that Matter was before in an unfinished Situation. That famous incomprehensible Baltimore Resolution (unluckily perhaps) introduced a very tedious Debate which terminated at Length by rejecting the whole of what the Committee reported with relation to the Promoting of...