Transcription
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New york May 30th. 1792.
My dear Friend.
Amidst the Embarassments in which I am involved / there is one which perplexes me not a little _: not only on my own / account, but as to its Consequences respecting others. _ The matter I allude to you, is an Agreement, made with the / Ohio Company _ by Mr. Cragie, Flint, and myself in behalf of the / Scioto Proprietors, for the Purchase of a Tract of Land, to accommodate / the present Settlers at Gallipolis _ the Particulars of which Mr. / Cragie will acquaint you with._ I had Every Reason to suppose / that these Lands would not have been included, in the Tract designated / by the Act of Congress for the Ohio. Company _ and if Genl: Putnam / and Mr. Cutler, had acted with Candor, I presume they would not / have been. _ The Fact however is, that all the Town of Gallipolis, and / the Lands more Immediately adjoining it are Included _ in Consequence / of which the Settlers, are left to the Tender Mercies of the Directors / who will Covet their Lands, and Improvements_ This Apprehension is / so strong in their Minds, that it threatens to break up the most / Valuable Colony, in all the Western Country _ and not only that
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but to involve Mr. Cragie Flint, & myself in a Contest of a very / Disagreeable Nature with the Ohio _ Association _ I find by the Act / relative to the Ohio Purchase, that the Tract, actually defined, / does not Include, the whole of the Land, which the Directors / Engaged to Convey to us, for the Scioto-Association _ If therefore / the Supplementary Grant of Lands can be so shaped, as not / to include the Residue of the Land which they agreed to give / us Title for, we shall stand on a Footing to settle with them / on Grounds favorable to the Settlers, as well as ourselves _ / May I request your friendly Aid, in preventing any further / Steps being taken, which will defeat so just an End._ / This can only be done by a Representative to the President _ if / you thing [sic] any thing which I under my present Circumstances can / say,_ will have any Effect to defeat the Artful Designs of the / Ohio Directors, let me know _ and I will write such a Letter, as / you may judge adviseable _ I received from Baron Steuben, a / Letter you wrote to me at Newark: _ at & a Communication of / your Letter to him. _ I will answer this Letter, in a few days,
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and am in the Mean while, /Your very Affectionate & / Obliged Friend. W Duer A: Hamilton Esq. / Newyork May 30’th 1792 PS _ At the Time we agreed with Putnam & [Curler], for the / Lands alluded to, it was never Understood that we were / personally responsible [inserted: but clearly, and Explicitly the Reverse] _ nor do I think they can make us so / However it has been insinuated to me, that some of / the other Directors, mean to Attempt it._
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[ADDRESS]
Alexander Hamilton Esq./Philadelphia
[REVERSE OF ADDRESS]
May 30. 1792/R [unrecovered]W. Duer
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