"Returns and Letters from Brigad. Genl. Wilkinson shewing the stations and number of the Troops on the N. Western and Southern frontier."

"Return shewing the description, places of rendezvous, stations and number of Troops, now on our Seaboard frontier." "Return from the Superintendent of Military Stores, shewing the quantity and kinds of Cannon, Field artillery, Military Stores, and other Articles now on hand belonging to the U.S."

(N. B. This Return shd. also exhibit the places at which these are deposited, and the quantity at each place)

To these must be added the estimate which you had made out of the monies which you conceived wd. be required for Military services, and the times at which the same might be wanted.

I have in my hands a list of the Genl. and Field Officers who served in the Revolutionary War, and of the Captains and Subalterns from the States so. of the Potomac. You will therefore be pleased to add to the documents a list of the Captains and Subalterns, from the other States, that the whole may be before me. I am etc.1

14

TO THE SECRETARY OF WAR

Philadelphia, November 14, 1798. Sir: In order to form an opinion on the query contained in your letter of the 10th instant, Whether it will be best to furnish Rations for the Troops by Contract, or by purchasing and issuing Commissaries, it will be necessary that I shd. know the prices of Rations, now pd. by Contract, at the several places where Troops are Stationed. You will, therefore, be pleased to add this to the documents which I yesterday requested you to furnish. With great esteem etc.

15

"The draft is in the writing of Alexander Hamilton and Tobias Lear. 15 The draft is in the writing of Tobias Lear.

1798]

ALIEN AND SEDITION LAWS 23

To ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD

Philadelphia, November 22, 1798. Dr. Sir: Your letter of the 13th. Inst. enclosing a publication under the signature of Gracchus, on the Alien and Sedition laws, found me at this place deeply engaged in business.

You ask my opinion of these Laws, professing to place Confidence in my judgment for the Compliment of wch. I thank you. But to give Opinions unsupported by reasons, might appear dogmatical, especially as you have declared that Gracchus has produced "the rough conviction in your mind of the unconstitutionality and inexpediency of the acts above mentioned." To go into an explanation on these points, I have neither leisure nor inclination, because it would occupy more time than I have to spare.

But I will take the liberty of advising such as are not "thoroughly convinced" and whose minds are yet open to conviction to read the pieces and hear the arguments which have been adduced in favor of as well as those against the Constitutionality and expediency of those laws before they decide. And Consider to what lengths a Certain description of men in our Country have already driven and even resolved to further drive matters and then ask themselves if it is not time and expedient to resort to protecting Laws against aliens (for Citizens you certainly know are not affected by that law) who acknowledge no allegiance to this Country, and in many instances are sent among us (as there is the best Circumstantial evidence to prove) for the express purpose of poisoning the minds of our people and to sow dissentions among them, in order to alienate their affections from the Government of their Choice, thereby endeavoring to dissolve the Union, and of Course the fair and happy prospects which were unfolding to our view from the

Revolution. But as I have observed before I have no time to enter the field of Politicks, and therefore shall only add my best Respects to the good family at New Post, and the assurances of being, Dr. Sir etc.16

*To LAWRENCE LEWIS

Philadelphia, December 2, 1798. Dear Lawrence: Your letter of the 21st. Ulto. has been duly received. In reply, I have to observe that, the end of my enquiry into the cause of my not seeing you the morning I left Mount Vernon, has been altogether mistaken. It was not from a supposed disrespect on your part, but not being able to recollect whether you were at breakfast, and the apparent slight, if you had been too unwell to leave your room, in coming away without seeing you, that led to it. I never had cause to suspect any want of respect from you, or disinclination to oblige me in all things; and as I came away without seeing you, and supposed it proceeded from your indisposition, I wanted you to understand, that my appointment to be in Alexandria at a certain hour, my anxiety to accomplish it, and the pressure of many things upon me until the moment I stepped into the Carriage was the cause of my not bidding you adieu the morning I left home.

I wish Parkinson's emigration to this Country may answer his own purposes. It is done without previous arrangement; and when measures commence badly, they seldom end well. I have nothing to do with him or his property. On the contrary I advised him (in answer to a letter he had written me more than a year ago) to come himself, or send an Agent to see, and report things to him, before he embarked his property, on a precarious result.

16 From the "Letter Book" copy in the Washington Papers.

1798]

OFFICER APPOINTMENTS

25

Making a selection of Officers for the twelve new Regiments, and arranging them to the different States, is a work of infinite more difficulty than I had any conception of. The applications for Commissions are multitudinous, and the pretensions of each, from former services, particular merits, and other causes, must be individually examined; and a due apportionment allotted to each State. When this will be accomplished I am not yet able to say. I shall think of your own wishes, as expressed in your letter. and if any thing can be done which Mr. Lear and myself may think agreeable to you, it shall.

I cannot with any certainty say, when I shall be able to leave this City. I think however the business must close this week after which I shall not stay a moment longer than I can avoid. In order to bring it to an end we set from ten oclock until after three, and from Seven in the evening until past nine. With much sincerity and truth, I am etc.17

*To PHILIP SCHUYLER

December 4, 1798.

My dear Sir: I have been honored with your letter of the 20th. Ulto. and congratulate you, very sincerely on the favorable change you have lately experienced (as I am informed)

in

your health. I wish it may be perfectly restored. I persuade myself, that it is unnecessary for me to add that, if health and other circumstances had enabled you and Mrs. Schuyler to have visited Mrs. Washington and myself at Mount Vernon, that it would have been considered as a most pleasing and flattering evidence of your regard. And the most so, as neither she nor I, ever expected to be 25 miles from that retreat during the remnant of our lives. But, strange to relate, here I am!

"From a photostat of the original kindly furnished by George A. Ball, of Muncie, Ind.

Busied in scenes far removed, and foreign from any I had contemplated when I quitted the Chair of Government.

Your Grandson, Mr. Church,18 has all the exterior of a fine young man, and from what I have heard of his Intellects, and Principles will do justice to, and reward the precepts he has received from yourself, his Parents and uncle Hamilton. So far then as my attentions to him will go, consistent with my other duties, he may assuredly count upon.

I pray you to present me (and I am sure Mrs. Washington would unite in them if she was here) to Mrs. Schuyler in the most respectful terms, and let me pray you to be assured of the sincere esteem, regard and wishes of the most affectionate kind of etc.

*To JOHN BARKER CHURCH

[H. L.]

Philadelphia, December 4, 1798. Sir: Mr. Church, your Son, did me the honor to present your favor of the 14th. Ulto.

His genteel and handsome appearance makes a favorable impression, and his constituting a part of General Hamilton's Military establishment is strongly indicative of his worth. These circumstances, with your recommendation of him, will ensure him every attention from me, that I can bestow with consistency. I have the honor etc.

18 Philip Church. He was appointed a captain in the Twelfth U. S. Infantry in January, 1799; aide-de-camp to Major General Hamilton in May, 1799; honorably discharged in June, 1800

On December 4 Washington wrote briefly to Philip Church, committing letters to his care. "If business, duty or inclination should ever call you into the State of Virginia, I shall be very happy to see you at Mount Vernon." This letter was sold at auction in 1931.

On this same day (December 4) Washington also wrote briefly to Mrs. Angelica Church, the mother of Philip: "From the handsome and genteel appearance of Mr. Church (your Son) and the favourable report of his merits by Genl. Hamilton, you have the most pleasing presages of his future usefulness and consequence; and as far as I can contribute thereto, consistently with my other duties he may freely command me." The draft of the letter is in the Washington Papers.