To Alexander Hamilton from Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 15 January 1796
From Oliver Wolcott, Junior
Treasury Department January 15th. 1796
Sir,
The question upon the Constitutionality of the Act imposing duties on Carriages,1 will I expect be determined by the Supreme Court the next month.2 I request you if possible to attend the trial as Counsel for the United States. Mr. Lee3 the Attorney General is now here & will be able to inform you of the time when the trial will come on, and will concert with you the measures proper to be pursued.
I am with perfect respect Sir, Your Most Obedient Servant
Oliv. Wolcott Jr.
Alexander Hamilton Esquire
LS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; ADf, Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford; copy, Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford.
1. For information on the Carriage Tax case (Hylton v United States), see , 171; also in , forthcoming volumes. See also Tench Coxe to H, January 14, 19, 1795; H to Coxe, January 26, 28, 1795; William Bradford to H, July 2, August 4, 1795; Edmund Randolph to H, July 21, 1795; Wolcott to H, July 28, 1795; H to Wolcott, August 5, 1795.
2. Hylton v United States was argued before the Supreme Court of the United States at its February, 1796, term. The decision, handed down on March 8, 1796, declared the carriage tax constitutional ( , 171–83).
3. For Charles Lee’s appointment as Attorney General, see H to Wolcott, October 3, 1795, note 3.