Copyright © 2001 Literary Classics of the United States, Inc
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1-931082-04-9
Contents
The West Indies, the Revolution, and the Confederation, 1769-1786
To Edward Stevens, November 11, 1769.3
"My Ambition Is Prevalent" To Nicholas Cruger, February 24,.4
1772 Counting-House Business
To The Royal Danish American Gazette,6
September 6, 1772 Account of a Hurricane
A Full Vindication of the Measures10
of the Congress, December 15, 1774
To John Jay, November 26,.43
1775 The Danger of Trusting in Virtue
To Gouverneur Morris, May 19,.46
1777 The New York Constitution
To George Clinton, February 13, 48
1778 The Trouble with Congress
To Elias Boudinot, July 5, 1778 The Battle of Monmouth.51
To John Jay, March 14, 1779 Enlisting Slaves as Soldiers.56
To John Laurens, c. April 1779 Hope for a Wife.58
To William Gordon, September 5, 1779 An Insult to Honor61
To John Laurens, January 8, 1780 65
"I Am Not Fit for This Terrestreal Country" To Elizabeth Schuyler, .66
August 1780 "Examine Well Your Heart" To James Duane, September 3, .70
1780 "The Defects of Our Present System" To Elizabeth Schuyler, September 3, 1780 Opinions
Regarding the Sexes.87
To Elizabeth Schuyler, September 25, 1780 The Plight of
Mrs. Arnold.89
To Elizabeth Schuyler, October 2, 1780 The Fate of Major
André.91
To Margarita Schuyler, January 21, 1781 Advice About
Marriage92
To Philip Schuyler, February 18, 1781 A Break with
Washington93
To James McHenry, February 18, 1781 Washington Will
Repent His Ill-Humour.97
The Continentalist No. I, July 12, 1781.98
The Continentalist No. III, August 9, 1781.101
The Continentalist No. IV, August 30, 1781.106
The Continentalist No. VI, July 4, 1782111
To Richard Kidder Meade, August 27, 1782 The Birth of a
Son118
Remarks in Congress on Raising Funds, January 27, 1783.120
Remarks in Congress on Collecting Funds, January 28, 1783.121
To George Washington, February 13, 1783 The Prospect of
a Mutiny.121
To George Washington, March 17,123
1783 "Contending for a Shadow" A Letter from Phocion to the Considerate Citizens127
of New-York on the Politics of the Day, January 1784
To James Hamilton, June 22, 1785 .140
"I Feel All the Sentiment of a Brother" Address of the Annapolis Convention, September 14, 1786142
Framing and Ratifying the Constitution, 1787-1789
Plan of Government, c. June 18, 1787.149
Speech in the Constitutional Convention on a Plan of
Government, June 18, 1787151
To George Washington, July 3,166
1787 "The Critical Opportunity" Conjectures About the New Constitution, c. late September
1787.167
The Federalist No. 4, October 27, 1787.171
The Federalist No. 6, November 14, 1787176
The Federalist No. 7, November 17, 1787183
The Federalist No. 8, November 20, 1787190
The Federalist No. 9, November 21, 1787196
The Federalist No. 11, November 24, 1787.202
The Federalist No. 12, November 27, 1787.209
The Federalist No. 13, November 28, 1787.215
The Federalist No. 15, December 1, 1787218
The Federalist No. 16, December 4, 1787226
The Federalist No. 17, December 5, 1787232
The Federalist No. 21, December 12, 1787.237
The Federalist No. 22, December 14, 1787.243
The Federalist No. 23, December 18, 1787.253
The Federalist No. 24, December 19, 1787.258
The Federalist No. 25, December 21, 1787.264
The Federalist No. 26, December 22, 1787.269
The Federalist No. 27, December 25, 1787.275
The Federalist No. 28, December 26, 1787.279
The Federalist No. 29, January 9, 1788.284
The Federalist No. 30, December 28, 1787.290
The Federalist No. 31, January 1, 1788.296
The Federalist No. 32, January 2, 1788.301
The Federalist No. 33, January 2, 1788.305
The Federalist No. 34, January 5, 1788.310
The Federalist No. 35, January 5, 1788.316
The Federalist No. 36, January 8, 1788.322
The Federalist No. 59, February 22, 1788.330
The Federalist No. 60, February 23, 1788.335
The Federalist No. 61, February 26, 1788.341
The Federalist No. 65, March 7, 1788.345
The Federalist No. 66, March 8, 1788.351
The Federalist No. 67, March 11, 1788357
The Federalist No. 68, March 12, 1788362
The Federalist No. 69, March 14, 1788366
The Federalist No. 70, March 15, 1788374
The Federalist No. 71, March 18, 1788383
The Federalist No. 72, March 19, 1788388
The Federalist No. 73, March 21, 1788394
The Federalist No. 74, March 25, 1788400
The Federalist No. 75, March 26, 1788403
The Federalist No. 76, April 1, 1788.408
The Federalist No. 77, April 2, 1788.413
To James Madison, May 19, 1788 Coordinating a Campaign418
The Federalist No. 78, May 28, 1788420
The Federalist No. 79, May 28, 1788428
The Federalist No. 80, May 28, 1788431
The Federalist No. 81, May 28, 1788438
The Federalist No. 82, May 28, 1788448
The Federalist No. 83, May 28, 1788452
The Federalist No. 84, May 28, 1788467
The Federalist No. 85, May 28, 1788478
To James Madison, June 8, 1788 Fears of Civil War.485
Speech in the New York Ratifying Convention on
Representation, June 21, 1788487
Speech in the New York Ratifying Convention on Interests
and Corruption, June 21, 1788496
Speech in the New York Ratifying Convention on the
Distribution of Powers, lane 27, 1788502
To George Washington, September 1788 Convincing
Washington To Serve511
To James Wilson, January 25, 1789 Withholding Votes from
Adams513
To George Washington, May 5, 1789 Presidential Etiquette515
Secretary of the Treasury, 1789-1795
To Lafayette, October 6, 1789 "I Hazard Much".521
Memorandum by George Beckwith on a Conversation with
Hamilton, October 1789.523
To Henry Lee, December 1,530
1789 "Suspicion Is Ever Eagle Eyed" Report on the Public Credit, January 9, 1790.531
Report on a National Bank, December 13, 1790.575
Opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank, February 23, 1791613
Report on the Subject of Manufactures, December 5, 1791647
To Philip A. Hamilton, December 5,.735
1791 "A Promise Must Never Be Broken" To Edward Carrington, May 26, 1792.736
"A Faction Decidedly Hostile to Me" To George Washington, July 30, 1792 The Necessity of
Reelection.751
An American No. 1, August 4, 1792755
To George Washington, August 18, 1792 Political and
Personal Defense.760
To John Adams, September 9, 1792 Reprimanding Adams.788
To George Washington, September 9, 1792 Responding to a
Plea for Peace.789
Amicus, September 11, 1792.792
To an Unknown Correspondent, September 26, 1792 An
Embryo-Cesar.794
Draft of a Defense of the Neutrality Proclamation, c. May
1793.795
Pacificus No. I, June 29, 1793.801
To Andrew G. Fraunces, October 1, .810
1793 "Contemptible As You Are" To Angelica Hamilton, c. November 1793 Advice to a
Daughter.810
To George Washington, April 14, 1794 Crisis with Britain811
To George Washington, August 2, 1794 The Whiskey
Rebellion823
Tully No. I, August 23, 1794.827
Tully No. III, August 28, 1794.830
To Angelica Church, October 23, .832
1794 "Wicked Insurgents of the West" To Angelica Church, December 8,833
1794 "A Politician, and Good for Nothing" Memorandum on the French Revolution, 1794833
To George Washington, February 3, 1795 Resigning from
Office.836
Federalist Leader and Attorney, 1795-1804
To Rufus King, February 21, 1795 A Threat to the Public
Credit.841
To Robert Troup, April 13, 1795 "Public Fools"842
The Defence No. 1, July 22, 1795.844
Memorandum on the Design for a Seal of the United States, c. May 1796850
To George Washington, July 30, 1796 A Draft of the
Farewell Address.851
To William Loughton Smith, April l0, 1797 Crisis with
France.869
To William Hamilton, May 2, 1797 Introduction to an Uncle.879
The "Reynolds Pamphlet," August 25, 1797.883
To George Washington, May 19, 1798 An Appeal to
Washington.911
To Elizabeth Hamilton,.912
November 1798 "My Good Genius" To Theodore Sedgwick, February 2, 1799 The Problem of
Virginia.913
To James McHenry, March 18,915
1799 Displaying Strength "Like a Hercules" Memorandum on Measures for Strengthening the Government, c. 1799915
To Josiah Ogden Hoffman, November 6,.920
1799 "The Force of the Laws Must Be Tried" To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, December 22, 1799 The
Death of Washington922
To Martha Washington, January 12,922
1800 "So Heart-Rending an Affliction" To John Jay, May 7, 1800 An Electoral Stratagem.923
To Theodore Sedgwick, May 10, 1800 Withdrawing Support
from Adams.925
To Charles Carroll of Carrollton, July 1, 1800
Supporting Pinckney926
To John Adams, August 1, 1800 Response to an Accusation.928
To Oliver Wolcott Jr., August 3,.929
1800 "I Am in a Very Belligerent Humour" To William Jackson, August 26,.930
1800 "The Most Humiliating Criticism" Rules for Philip Hamilton, 1800932
To John Adams, October 1,932
1800 "A Base Wicked and Cruel Calumny" Letter from Alexander Hamilton, Concerning the Public
Conduct and Character of John Adams, Esq. President of.934
To Gouverneur Morris, December 26, 1800 Jefferson Over
Burr.972
To John Rutledge Jr., January 4, 1801 Anxiety About the
Election.972
To James A. Bayard, January 16,977
1801 Burr Has "No Fixed Theory" Proposal for the New York Legislature for Amending the
Constitution, January 1802.982
Remarks on the Repeal of the Judiciary Act, February 11, 1802.983
To Gouverneur Morris, February 29, 985
1802 "Mine Is an Odd Destiny" To Benjamin Rush, March 29, 1802 The Death of Philip
Hamilton.987
To James A. Bayard, April 1802 The Christian
Constitutional Society.987
To Ruffus King, June 3, 1802 .991
"A Most Visionary Theory Presides" To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, December 29, 1802 994
"Refuge of a Disappointed Politician" To Elizabeth Hamilton, March 17, 995
1803 "A World Full of Evil" Purchase of Louisiana, July 5, 1803996
To Timothy Pickering, September 16, 1803 Explaining a
Plan Government.1002
Speech to a Federalist Meeting in Albany, February 10, 18041004
Propositions on the Law of Libel, February 15, 1804.1006
From Aaron Burr, June 18, 1804 Origins of a Dispute1008
To Aaron Burr, June 20, 1804 Declining to Avow or Disavow1010
From Aaron Burr, June 21, 1804 New Reasons for a
Definite Reply1012
To Aaron Burr, June 22, 1013
1804 "Expressions Indecorous and Improper" From Aaron Burr, June 22, 1014
1804 "The Course I Am About to Pursue" Response to a Letter from William P. Van Ness, June 28, 18041015
Statement Regarding Financial Situation, July 1, 1804.1016
To Elizabeth Hamilton, July 4, .1019
1804 "Fly to the Bosom of Your God" Statement Regarding the Duel with Burr, c. July 10, 18041019
To Theodore Sedgwick, July 10, .1022
1804 "Our Real Disease; Which Is Democracy" To Elizabeth Hamilton, July 10, 1804 An Obligation Owed1023
Appendix: Statements on the Hamilton-Burr Duel
Joint Statement by William P. Van Ness and Nathaniel
Pendleton, July 17, 18041027
Statement by Nathaniel Pendleton, July 19, 1804.1028
Statement by William p. Van Ness, July 21, 1804.1030
Chronology1035
Note on the Texts.1052
Notes.1056
Index.1090
Chapter One
"MY AMBITION IS PREVALENT"
To Edward Stevens
St Croix Novemr. 11th 1769
Dear Edward
This just serves to acknowledge receipt of yours per Cap Lowndes which was delivered me Yesterday. The truth of Cap Lightbourn & Lowndes information is now verifyd by the Presence of your Father and Sister for whose safe arrival I Pray, and that they may, convey that Satisfaction to your Soul that must naturally flow from the sight of Absent Friends in health, and shall for news this way refer you to them. As to what you say respecting your having soon the happiness of seeing us all, I wish, for an accomplishment of your hopes provided they are Concomitant with your welfare, otherwise not, tho doubt whether I shall be Present or not for to confess my weakness, Ned, my Ambition is prevalent that I contemn the grov'ling and condition of a Clerk or the like, to which my Fortune &c. condemns me and would willingly risk my life tho' not my Character to exalt my Station. Im 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. Im no Philosopher you see and may be jusly said to Build Castles in the Air. My Folly makes mc ashamd and beg youll Conceal it, yet Neddy we have seen such Schemes successfull when the Projector is Constant I shall Conclude saying I wish there was a War.
I am Dr Edward Yours Alex Hamilton
PS I this moment receivd yours by William Smith and am pleasd to see you Give such Close Application to Study.
Excerpted from Alexander Hamilton by Alexander Hamilton. Copyright © 2001 by Literary Classics of the United States, Inc Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
