Mr. Hamilton could see no reason why this petition should not be treated as well as others; it was customary to commit, but it did not follow that the prayer must be agreed with, no, if the committee think it improper they will say so; for his own part he did not feel himself alarmed at such an application. The legislative power of granting he should not now give an opinion on, he observed...
2New York Assembly. Remarks on the Answer to Governor George Clinton’s Message to the Legislature, [17 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Several propositions were now canvassed in a desultory manner, for getting over the motion for amendment; and it was agreed, that the committee should rise and report; they had made some progress, which was agreed to; but first Mr. Hamilton said he would reserve himself on this subject until it came again properly before the house; when he hoped to be enabled to use such argument as would...
3New York Assembly. Motion for Leave to Bring in a Bill for Dividing the Manor of Livingston, [18 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton moved for leave to bring in a bill, for dividing the District of the Manor of Livingston. Ordered , That leave be given accordingly. Mr. Hamilton according to leave brought in the said bill entitled, An act for dividing the district of the Manor of Livingston , which was read the first time, and ordered a second reading. New York Assembly Journal Journal of the Assembly of the...
4New York Assembly. First Speech on the Address of the Legislature to Governor George Clinton’s Message, [19 January … (Hamilton Papers)
Col. Hamilton’s Speech in the House of Assembly, delivered on the 19th instant, and which appeared in our paper of the 20th, being represented as not doing sufficient justice to his Arguments; we have obtained of him a revision of the same, and with the highest pleasure present it to the Public. Mr. Hamilton —This now leads us to examine the important question presented to us by the proposed...
5New York Assembly. Second Speech on the Address of the Legislature to Governor George Clinton’s Message, [19 January … (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton, I am sorry sir that I have to address you a second time, when I have already taken up so much of your attention, but as it is universally allowed to be a question of great importance, I trust I shall be excused for entering into a further discussion. I said in setting out in my former arguments, that the question was improperly stated, that it was put upon a wrong ground, that it...
6New York Assembly. Address of the New York Legislature to Governor George Clinton, [20 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
We the Representatives of the People of the State of New-York in Assembly, beg leave to assure your Excellency, that the several important matters mentioned in your Excellency’s Speech, and communicated in the papers that accompany it, shall, in the course of the Session engage our most serious attention. With dispositions truly fœderal, we shall take into consideration the different acts of...
The house then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the election bill, on the paragraph enabling the inspectors to take aside any ignorant person, and to examine him privately touching his ballot. A small debate arose. Mr. Hamilton, thought it was very apparent, if the clause prevailed in the house, that it would tend to increase rather than prevent an improper influence. For...
8New York Assembly. Motion that a Committee be Appointed to Consider a Letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, [23 … (Hamilton Papers)
Resolved , That it is the opinion of this Committee, that a Committee be appointed to consider and report on the letter from the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to his Excellency the Governor, and the papers accompanying it, together with the act of the Legislature entitled “An act relative to debts due to persons within the enemies lines;” passed the twelfth of July, one thousand seven hundred...
A debate arose upon the clause, authorising the inspector or any other person to require the person offering himself to poll, to take an oath of abjuration of ecclesiastical as well as civil obedience. Mr. Hamilton declared the constitution to be their creed and standard, and ought never to be departed from; but in the present instance it was proper first to examine and inquire how far it...
10New York Assembly. Motion on an Act for Regulating Elections, [24 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
A clause in the bill, ordering the judges of election for governor and lieutenant governor, to destroy the whole ballots of every district where there was an excess of even one vote. This was shewn by Mr. Hamilton to be a very great injustice to the district, as it was in the power of the clerk or any officer, by putting in an additional ballot, to set aside the votes of 500 persons; he...
11New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [27 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton observed they were going on dangerous ground. The best rule the committee could follow was that held out in the constitution; which it would be safest to adhere to without alteration or addition. If we once depart from this rule, there is no saying where it will end. To-day, a majority of the persons sitting here from a particular mode of thinking disqualify one description of...
12New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [29 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton thought the subject was nearly exhausted, from what had been said on a former occasion. He insisted strongly upon the distinction drawn by the constitution, he thought this clause did not comport with what was there held out. The requisite and constitutional qualifications to be required of electors, was there precisely ascertained, they are to possess certain estates and swear...
13New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [30 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton, the more he thought upon this subject, the more clearly he discovered its mischievous tendency, for nothing was more evident to him than that it put every unlettered person greatly in the power of the inspector—and when we consider the great number of which this class of men consist in some places of one half or one third of the whole district, it is easily perceivable that...
14New York Assembly. Motion for Leave to Bring in a Bill, [3 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the charter of the Corporation for the relief of Widows and Children of Clergymen in communion of the Church of England, in America. Ordered , That leave be given accordingly. Mr. Hamilton, according to leave, brought in the said bill, entitled An act to amend the Charter of the Corporation for the relief of the Widows and Children of...
15New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act Concerning Wrecks at Sea, [3 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton was not satisfied with the punishment of fines and imprisonment to be inflicted on those persons who despoil’d the distressed of their property; persons cast away, were objects of commiseration, and every person who was so callous as to add to their misfortune, deserved more severe punishment. In England it was made death without benefit of clergy, this he thought too severe, and...
16Horatio Gates to Alexander Hamilton, James Duane, and William Duer, 5 February 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
I received The packet you Honoured me with by The Bearer Mr. J. Nourse, and immediately forwarded your Letter with The Books to the State Secretary T. Merriwether Esqr. at Richmond, with a Letter from myself, requesting him to Present it to The Committee, that is appointed to attend The General Meeting in Philadelphia. Previous to my receiving your Letter, I had The Honour to receive a packet...
17New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [6 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton observed that when the discriminating clauses admitted into the bill by that house, were introduced, he was restrained by motives of respect for the sense of a respectable part of the house, from giving it any other opposition, than a simple vote. The limited operation, they would have, made him less anxious about their adoption: but he could not reconcile it to his judgment, or...
18To Alexander Hamilton from Paul Bascom, 8 February 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
Turks-Island , February 8, 1787 . “I wrote you in July last … respecting the Business of Mrs. Place’s Children, with the Estates of Paul & Stephen Richards at New-York.” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Presumably Paul Bascom of Bermuda who had been a searcher of the customs there. Turks-Island is located in the British West Indies. Letter not found.
19New York Assembly. Report on a Petition from George Fisher, [8 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton, from the Committee to whom was referred the petition of George Fisher, reported, that they have enquired into the circumstances of his case, and are of opinion that it will be proper to grant him relief, either by taking back the land mentioned in his petition, and returning the deposit money, or by setting off to him so much of the land as will amount to the deposit money, in...
20New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act Concerning Murder, [8 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
On that part of the bill, which required that women who clandestinely were delivered of children and the same die, or be born dead, that the mother within one month thereafter, should before a magistrate be obliged to produce one witness at least, to prove that the child was not murdered; and in default of concealing the same, to be deemed guilty of murder. Mr. Hamilton observed, that the...
21Introductory Note: New York Assembly. An Act for Raising Certain Yearly Taxes Within This State, [9 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
The Assembly of the New York legislature resolved on January 17, 1787, “that a Committee be appointed to consider of and report, ways and means for discharging the debts of the State, and the maintenance of public credit” ( New York Assembly Journal Journal of the Assembly of the State of New York (Publisher and place vary, 1782–1788). , 1787, 10). The Journal , however, did not give the names...
22Second Draft of an Act for Raising Certain Yearly Taxes Within This State, [9 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Plan of Specific Taxation to be substituted to the Present mode by assessment: Together with the supposed product and the appropriation of each tax. I Land tax of 3 pence per acre upon all meadow land. 2 d. per acre upon all arable land. Suppose in the whole state about 40.000 farmers each farm containing upon an average 10 acres of meadow and 40 acres of arable land; The prod⟨uct⟩ of this tax...
23Third Draft of an Act for Raising Certain Yearly Taxes Within This State, [9 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Whereas from the impossibility of finding any determinate rule for ascertaining the comparitive abilities of counties districts and individuals to pay taxes the mode of taxation heretofore in use in this state of quotas and assessments has been found by experience to be productive of great inequalities and inconveniences and has proved inadequate to the exigencies of the state: And Whereas...
24New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for the Relief of Arthur Noble, [9 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
The intention of this bill was to enable the commissioners of the land office to convey to Mr. Noble, two townships of ten miles square, at one shilling per acre, for the purpose of settling Irish emigrants. On considering this bill by paragraphs, some conversation arose in which Gen. Malcom, Col. Hamilton, and Mr. Jones were the principal speakers. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Jones were both of...
25To Alexander Hamilton from Israel Beach, 13 February 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
Newark [ New Jersey ] February 13, 1787 . Requests advice on the payment of certain bonds. ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
26New York Assembly. Remarks on Report Concerning Citizens of New York who Loaned Money in Hartford during the American … (Hamilton Papers)
New York, February 13, 1787. Hamilton spoke on the report of a “committee on the petition of those citizens of this state who have loaned their money during the late war, in Hartford, praying this state to take those monies on loan, and put them on the footing of other citizens, who loaned their money at the continental loan-office in this state.” Hamilton, according to the newspaper account...
27New York Assembly. Report on the Petition of William Edgar, 13 February 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, February 13, 1787. As chairman of a committee Hamilton on this date issued a report on “the petition of William Edgar, and others, proprietors of lands in the patent commonly called the Oneida purchase, praying leave to bring in a bill for the partition of the said tract of land.” New York Assembly Journal Journal of the Assembly of the State of New York (Publisher and place vary,...
28New York Assembly. Report on the Petition of Margaret Livingston, 13 February 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, February 13, 1787. On this date Hamilton reported on behalf of a committee of which he was chairman on a petition from Margaret Livingston and others: “Proprietors in part of the Township of New-Stamford, in the County of Ulster, praying leave to present a bill for the partition of the said Township.” New York Assembly Journal Journal of the Assembly of the State of New York...
29New York Assembly. Remarks on the Petition of Catharine Livingston, [13 February 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
The committee on Catharine Livingston’s petition, reported, that the state ought to receive their debt from her in loan-office certificates. Mr. Hamilton did not approve of extending partial relief, many others might be in similar circumstances, and he wished the bill to be brought in on general principles, as by this means, the house would avoid being troubled with repeated particular...
30New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Settling Intestate Estates, Proving Wills, and Granting Administrations, [14 … (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton said that he did not rise to oppose the motion of the gentleman who last spoke. He should probably vote with him on the question; but he confessed he did not view it in quite so clear a light as that gentleman appeared to do. There appeared to him to be difficulties in the case, which he would candidly lay before the house to assist its judgment. The objection is that a new court...