From Alexander Hamilton to Francisco de Miranda, 22 August 1798
To Francisco de Miranda1
New york Aug 22. 1798
Sir
I have lately received by duplicates your letter of the 6th of April with a postscript of the 9th. of June.2 The Gentleman you mention3 in it has not made his appearance to me nor do I know of his arrival in this Country; so that I can only divine the object from the hints in your letter.
The sentiments I entertain with regard to that object have been long since in your knowlege. But I could personaley have no participation in it unless patronised by the Government of this Country. It was my wish that matters had been ripened for a cooperation in the course of this fall on the part of this Country.
But this can now scarcely be the case. The Winter however may mature the project and an effectual cooperation by the Ustates may take place. In this case I shall be happy in my official station to be an instrument of so good a work.
The plan in my opinion ought to be, a fleet of Great Britain, an armmy of the ustates, a Government for the liberated territorey agreable to both the Cooperators, about which there will be probably no difficulty. To arrange the plan a competent authority from Great-Britain to some person here is the best expedient. Your presence here will in this case be extremely essential.
We are raising an army of about Twelve Thousand men. Genl. Washington has resumed his station at the head of our armies. I am appointed second in command.4
With esteem and regard I remain Dr Sir
Copy, in John Church Hamilton’s handwriting and with corrections in H’s handwriting, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; copy, New-York Historical Society, New York City; copy, Academia Nacional de la Historia, Caracas, Venezuela.
1. This letter was enclosed in H to Rufus King, August 22, 1798. For background to this letter, see Miranda to H, April 1, 1797; February 7, April 6–June 7, August 17, 1798.
2. H was mistaken. The postscript is dated June 7.
3. Pedro José Caro. See Miranda to H, April 6–June 7, 1798.
4. For George Washington’s appointment as commander in chief, see H to Washington, July 8, 1798, note 1. For H’s appointment as inspector general, see the introductory note to Washington to H, July 14, 1798.
John Church Hamilton endorsed the copy of this letter which is in the Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress, as follows: “This and the following letter were copied by me on my birth day when I was six years old—the object being to preserve secrecy until circumstances shd warrant publicity.” For “the following letter,” see H to King, August 22, 1798.