Name/Title
Letter from James Alexander Hamilton to Alexander Hamilton, Jr.Entry/Object ID
HHV 005.1Tags
Accessioned objectDescription
Letter from James Alexander Hamilton to Alexander Hamilton, Jr.Subject
Havre packet, newspapers, Whigs, material improvement plan in Congress, democracy, export/import, price of cotton, stocks, shipping industry, defaulting states, instructs him to travel to Paris and London to make connections on way home, The Eureka (boat), “horse establishment”, the “English carriage”, cold weather, Whist Club, socializing in Dobbs Ferry neighborhood, dinner club in NYCSubject Person/Organization
James Alexander Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton, Jr., Sir Charles Vaughan, Mary Morris HamiltonSubject Place
* Untyped Subject Place
England, Illinois, Paris, France, London, UK, New York, Hudson, NY, Yonkers, NY, Dobbs Ferry, NY, RussiaCollection
Hamilton CollectionCataloged By
Tara R. IacobellisCategory
Documentary Artifact
Communication Artifacts
Letter Details
Letter Date
Jan 28, 1844Postmark
Date and Time of Postmark
[POSTMARK - red ink, rounded square] [?4E84?] FE 19 18[43?] [RED WAX SEAL]Sender
Name
J A HAddress
To John Miller Esquire
U.S. Despatch agent
No 13 Henrietta St. Cov. Gar.
London
Alexander Hamilton Esq
Secty of Legation of the U.S.
MadridAddressee
Name
John Miller Esquire, Alexander Hamilton EsqPrimary Language
EnglishTranscription
Transcription
My dear son
Your letter of the 24 Dec’r was / received on the same day in this month I write / to you by the Havre Packet of the 24th under cover to Beasley and sent you a Package of newspapers /
The Progrefs of Congrefs is slow and the subjects / are not of very striking intent It is however / gratifying to observe the sure and steady march / of sound principles in that Body _ The House [page torn] / L–[fied?] by an overwhelming majority the [page torn] /
being only about 60 Whigs and yet on that [page torn] /
general subjects of The Tariff and the right of [page torn] /
: -[lition?] there is a decided majority and ere / long there will be a Majority in favor of m= / =terial improvements and next comes a Bank / Should we elect Clay of which the Probability / increases daily Democracy will receive a / Stunning blow _ The News from England by / the last steamer shews a rise in Cotton but / what is more unfortunate That English capital / has begun to sink unrestrained in our Stocks / our exports have for the last year exceeded / our imports by the Treasury reports about / 11 Millions but in reality about 20 Millions / our manufacturer are regularly Progrefsing / and will I trust be firmly rooted as a part / of our [?bill?] The experience on that subject / up to this time is that they have decreased /
[END OF PAGE 1]
Prices and so they will continue to do the [same? Home?] / competition must lead to that when labour / and mind (by what I mean enterprise and / ingenuity) our [^ are] free then wages [^ the advantage] will be a mere / living profit to the Capital employed our / [Shiping?] interest is suffering more than any / other Branch of industry owing to our / Reciprocity Treaties _ I regret to say that / save in Illinois nothing is in progress in the / Defaulting states to recover their credit or / character _
When you are on your return I want / you to go to Paris and London in the / former city I can do nothing for you / but Du Brefson can _ In the latter I / will give you such letters They will / meet you in London as well with / you the [recent?] Position give you / great advantages I should ike / you to get there before Parliament / rises _ Lord Br–?igham _ Earl Spencer / Lord Aberdeen _ Lady Holland _ Sir [Fl–vard Pillen?] Sir Charles Vaughan / + [Regis?] will give you great ad = / =vantages I should like to see them / in the City and also at their Country / residences. _ I wished you if it were / pofsible to Keep your place until / you get here in order to pay expenses / This must not however deter you from / making the most of this your last visit /
[END OF PAGE 2]
To these two great cities It will be a little play before / your great labour commences _
Ur–[??] is certainly coming to N.Y. to establish / himself in business I am glad of it His talents / will tend to raise the Profession His sucefs is not / certain because his habits are I fear very bad _
The Eureka is running very well She is cer= / tainly very fast and is now doing a sure business / I have received 500 profits ⅓ for the months of Nov’r / and Dec’r + will receive as much more for Jan’y / She may be in the summer on the North River / say from Hudson to N.Y. and back the same day / launching at Yonkers Dobbs ferry + Staughtons landing opposite / to Sing Sing however all this is in the wind she is a fine / fast and must be advantageously em= / ployed _
The two Girls are in N.Y. Mama / goes to day to Aunt Fans + tomorrow / to the City (where by the way she has pafsed but one night / during 10 months) to remain until Saturday next I / remain here enjoying as I do my quiet comfort / [st– ?] +c. Our household is [perfect?] my horse es: / -tablishment including coachman all I can wish / The English carriage is in use with 4 Horses and is / all that can desired _ The weather [worn, illegible?] Wednesday / but has been cold as in Rufsia + so continues / The River is frozen as smooth as Glafs and will / probably [continue fixed] for a month _ We have got / up a Whist Club [up?of ] this county [are a much we] / eachother’s Houses we sup + then who pleases / plays until about 1 o’clock when such as can/ in the Neighborhood return to their homes + go / to bed + I go to the city in a fortnight to / my dinner club _
Adieu Dear Dear Boy / J A H
[ADDRESS]
To John Miller Esquire
U.S. Despatch agent
No 13 Henrietta St. Cov. Gar.
London
Alexander Hamilton Esq
Secty of Legation of the U.S.
Madrid
[REVERSE OF ADDRESS]
From Papa Janu’y 28th
Rec’d Feb’y 28th
[DIFFERENT HAND]
JM FEb’y 19th
===========
[POSTMARK - red ink, rounded square]
[?4E84?]
FE 19
18[43?]
[RED WAX SEAL]Transcriber
Kathryn AlexanderLanguage
EnglishOther Names and Numbers
Other Numbers
Number Type
Former NumberOther Number
H 3015General Notes
Note Type
Curatorial RemarksNote
Condition: Fair, edges are torn.Created By
tiacobellis@hudsonvalley.orgCreate Date
July 31, 2024Updated By
cmonaco@hudsonvalley.orgUpdate Date
September 29, 2025
