From Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church, [19–20 June 1796]
To Angelica Church1
[New York, June 19–20, 1796]
Dear Angelica
If you knew the power you have to make happy You would lose no opportunity of writing to Betsey & me; for we literally feast on your letters.
But our impatience increases as the prospect becomes more promising; and you must permit us ever to chide Mr. Church for his tardiness. Expectations must be converted into realities. Life is too short to warrant procrasti[nati]on of the most favourite and precious objects.
Tis not easy that you and I should differ in any thing. On a certain subject we agree. And though I am in a minority here—It is gaining strength. Your Countrymen are zealous but they are not mad. All will go well here. Our own Jacobins have made a violent effort against me, but a complete victory has been gained to their utter confusion.
Yrs. as much as you desire
AH
ALS, Judge Peter B. Olney, Deep River, Connecticut.
1. The references in this letter are so vague that it could have been written either in the summer of 1795 or in May or June, 1796. H first learned of the Churches’ plan to come to the United States in 1795 (Philip Schuyler to H, October 12, 1795), and they did not arrive in New York until May, 1797. See Robert Morris to H, May 23, 1797. H’s statement concerning the “victory” over “Our own Jacobins” could be a reference to either the approval of the Jay Treaty in the Senate on June 24, 1795, or the passage in May, 1796, of legislation implementing that treaty. In any event, the letter has been dated June 19–20, 1796, on the assumption that it was the letter H sent to England with Rufus King on June 20, 1796. See H to Angelica Church, June 25, 1796. It should perhaps also be mentioned that H’s concluding remarks in the letter printed above appear to be a reply to Angelica Church’s comments in the last paragraph of her letter of February 19, 1796, to H.