A Few of Hamilton's Letters: Including His Description of the Great West Indian Hurricane of 1772 |
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Adieu affairs affectionate Albany Alexander Hamilton America André answer appear appointed army Arnold bank believe brigade Burr character circumstances Colonel Hamilton command conduct congress consider continental troops CROIX dear Hamilton Dear Sir desire doubt duty effect endeavour enemy engagements esteem execution expected father favour feel Fishkill flag Freneau Gazette GERTRUDE ATHERTON give given Glover's happy honour hope idea imagine immediately interest Jefferson John Fawcett JOHN LAURENS King's Ferry late LAURENS legislature letter manner means measures ment militia mind mode MOUNT VERNON necessary necessity never New-York object obliged occasion OLIVER WOLCOTT opinion paper party Peekskill Philadelphia pleasure political present President Putnam reasons received request respect sentiments siege of York sincere Sir Henry Clinton THEODORE SEDGWICK thing thought tion Treasury treaty Washington West Point wish write
Popular passages
Page 162 - If, what was actually doing, begat uneasiness in those who wished for virtuous government, what was further proposed was not less threatening to the friends of the Constitution. For, in a report on the subject of manufactures, (still to be acted on,) it was expressly assumed that the General Government has a right to exercise...
Page 257 - I will here express but one sentiment, which is, that DISMEMBERMENT of our EMPIRE will be a clear sacrifice of great positive advantages, without any counterbalancing good ; administering no relief to our real disease, which is DEMOCRACY ; the poison of which, by a subdivision, will only be the more concentred in each part, and consequently the more virulent.
Page 173 - As to the merits or demerits of his paper, they certainly concern me not. He and Fenno [editor of the ' United States Gazette'] are rivals for the public favor ; the one courts them by flattery, the other by censure ; and I believe it will be admitted that the one has been as servile as the other severe.
Page 256 - when " is in your own knowledge, but no way material to me, as the calumny has now first been disclosed, so as to become the subject of my notice, and as the effect is present and palpable. Your letter has furnished me with new reasons for requiring a definite reply.
Page 153 - ... same general objects in view, and the same upright intentions to prosecute them, will not exercise more charity in deciding on the opinions and actions of one another. When matters get to such lengths, the natural inference is, that both sides have strained the cords beyond their bearing, and that...
Page 49 - You know the opinion I entertain of mankind, and how much it is my desire to preserve myself free from particular attachments, and to keep my happiness independent of the caprices of others. You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent.
Page 80 - But the confederation itself is defective, and requires to be altered ; it is neither fit for war, nor peace. The idea of an uncontrollable sovereignty in each State, over its internal police, will defeat the other powers given to Congress, and make our union feeble and precarious. There are instances, without number, where acts necessary for the general good, and which rise out of the powers given to Congress, must interfere with the internal police of the States ; and there are as many instances...
Page 4 - I contemn the grovelling condition of a clerk or the like, to which my fortune condemns me, and would willingly risk my life, though not my character, .to exalt my station. I am confident, Ned, that my youth excludes me from any hopes of immediate preferment, nor do. I desire it ; but I mean to prepare the way for futurity.
Page 92 - Legislatures. Congress should have complete sovereignty in all that relates to war, peace, trade, finance; and to the management of foreign affairs...
Page 172 - I hold it to be one of the distinguishing excellences of elective over hereditary successions, that the talents, which nature has provided in sufficient proportion, should be selected by the society for the government of their affairs, rather than that this should be transmitted through the loins of knaves and fools, passing from the debauches of the table to those of the bed. Colonel Hamilton, alias "Plain Facts," says that Freneau's salary began before he resided in Philadelphia.