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Lot 64
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Alexander Hamilton son pens copy of father's important ltr to George Washington
Alexander Hamilton son pens copy of father's important ltr to George Washington
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Description:

The only extant fair copy of Alexander Hamilton's most historic 1792 letter to George Washington accusing Thomas Jefferson of subverting the administration: "...I know that I have been an object of uniform opposition from Mr. Jefferson, from the first moment of his coming to the City of New York..." while insisting that he defended Jefferson when "...the Vice-President, by his indiscreet and light letter to the Printer, transmitting Paine's pamphlet..." The letter is beautifully and painstakingly reproduced and signed by Hamilton's son a mere 3 years after Jefferson's death

(ALEXANDER HAMILTON) Fair Copy of an Autograph Letter Signed, "A Hamilton," in the hand of his son, James Alexander Hamilton (1788-1878), 5 pages, 8" x 9.75", Philadelphia, September 9, 1792 to George Washington, docketed on verso as "A true copy compared with the original Decr. 22d 1829 JAH." Pages stitched together at the top left, expected folds with a few minor partial separations, final page toned, else very good.

An early transcription of one of the most important letters written by Alexander Hamilton, likely undertaken at Mount Vernon where the majority of Washington's papers remained before Congress voted to acquire them (a process that commenced in 1834 and finally completed in 1849).

Hamilton's transcription of his father's letter to Washington reads, in most part: "...The feelings and views which are manifested in that letter are such as I expected would exist - And I most sincerely regret the causes of the uneasy sensations you experience. It is my most anxious wish, as far as may depend on me, to smooth the path of your administration, and to render it prosperous & happy. And if any prospect shall open of healing or terminating the differences which exist, I shall most chearfully [sic] embrace it; though I consider myself as the deeply injured party. The recommendation of such a spirit is worthy of moderation and wisdom which dictated it; and if your endeavours should prove unsuccessful, I do not hesitate to say that in my opinion the period is not remote when the public good will require substitutes for the differing members of your administration. The continuance of a division there must destroy the energy of Government, which will be little enough with the strictest Union— on my part there will be a most chearful acquiescence in such a result.

"I trust, Sir, that the greatest frankness has always marked and will always mark every step of my conduct towards you. In this disposition, I cannot conceal from you that I have had some instrumentality of late in the retaliations which have fallen upon certain public characters and that I find myself placed in a situation not to be able to recede for the present.

"I considered my self as compelled to this conduct by reasons public as well as personal of the most cogent nature... I know that I have been an object of uniform opposition from Mr. Jefferson, from the first moment of his coming to the City of New York to enter upon his present office -- I know, from the most authentic sources, that I have been the frequent subject of the most unkind whispers & insinuations from the same quarter – I have long seen a formed party in the Legislature, under his auspices, bent upon my subversion – I cannot doubt, from the evidence I possess, that the National Gazette was instituted by him for political purposes and that one lading object of it has been to render me and all the measures connected with my Department as odious as possible—

"Nevertheless I can truly say, that, except explanations to confidential friends, I never directly or indirectly retaliated or countenanced retaliation till very lately- I can even assure you, that I was instrumental in preventing a very severe and systematic attack on Mr. Jefferson, by an association of two or three individuals in consequence of the persecution, which he brought upon the Vice-President, by his indiscreet and light letter to the Printer, transmitting Paine's pamphlet.

"As long as I saw no danger to the Government, from the machinations which were going on, I resolved to be a silent sufferer of the injuries which were done me... I determined to avoid giving occasion to any thing which could manifest to the world dissentions among the principal characters of the government; a thing which can never happen without weakening its hands, and in some degree throwing a stigma upon it[.]

"But when I no longer doubted, that there was a formal party deliberately bent upon the subversion of measures, which in its consequences would subvert the Government when I see that the undoing of the funding system in particular (which whatever may be the original merits of that system, would prostrate the credit and the honor of the Nation, and bring the Government into contempt with that description of Men, who are in every society the only firm supporters of Government) was an avowed object of the party; and that all possible pains were taken to produce that effect by rendering it odious to the body of the people — I considered it as a duty, to endeavor to resist the torrent and as an essential mean[s] to this end to draw aside the veil from the principal Actors. To this strong impulse, to this decided conviction, I have yielded — And I think events will prove that I have judged rightly ---

"Nevertheless I pledge my honor to you, Sir, that if you shall hereafter form a plan to reunite the members of your administration, upon some steady principle of cooperation, I will faithfully concur in executing it during my continuance in office. And I will not directly or indirectly say or do a thing, that shall endanger a feud-

"I have had it very much at heart to make an excursion to Mount Vernon, by way of the Federal City in the course of this Month - and have been more than once on the point of asking your permission for it But I now despair of being able to effect it. I am nevertheless equally obliged by your kind invitation.

"The subject mentioned in the Postscript of your letter shall with great pleasure be carefully attended to -- With the most faithful and affectionate attachment I have the honor to remain."

"P.S. I had written you two letters on public business, one of which will go with this; but the other will be withheld, in consequence of a slight indisposition of the Attorney General, to be sent by express sometime in the course of tomorrow–"

On the docket, John A. Hamilton takes pains to copy Washington's own docket: "From Alexr Hamilton Esq 9th Septr. 1792 Private" and matches exactly (in terms of line structure and abbreviations) the original letter from his father that is today housed at The Library of Congress. Below his rendering of Washington's docket, he writes: "endorsed as above in Washington[']s Hand writing A true copy compared with the original Decr 22d 1829" Hamilton also takes pains to copy his father's address that appeared opposite Washington's docket: "Private President of the United States. Mount Vernon."

Exactly why Hamilton chose to copy this letter is not known. It does not appear in his memoirs, published in 1867, where he took pains to burnish his father's reputation (and besmirch that of Jefferson). However the letter did find its way into volume four his brother John C. Hamilton's multivolume set, Hamilton's Works, published in 1851 (pp. 303-305). The letter was again published in John C. Hamilton's biography of his father, Life of Alexander Hamilton in 1879. (Vol. V., pp. 71-73).

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