To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 10 February 1794
From Alexander Hamilton
Treasury Departt 10 Feby 1794
Sir,
The enclosed letter of the 27 of last month from the Collector of Tappahannock, relates to a subject equally delicate & disagreeable.1 It is my duty to add, that bills have returned protested to the amount of 3000 Dollars.2
This conduct, though I trust proceeding from no ill motive in the Collector, is of a nature so fatal to the punctual collection of the revenue, and at the same time so vitally injurious to the public credit, that I cannot forbear to submit it as my opinion that the public good requires the superceding of the officer.3 With perfect respect &c. &c.
Alexander Hamilton.
LB, DLC:GW.
1. Hamilton is returning a letter that Hudson Muse wrote to GW on 27 Jan., in which the collector of customs confessed to a mismanagement of funds.
2. Muse confirmed Hamilton’s information in a letter to GW of 16 Feb. (see n.3 of Muse to GW, 27 Jan.).
3. For GW’s subsequent appointment of Laurence Muse to the collector’s post at Tappahannock, Va., see GW to U.S. Senate, 5 March.