Table of Contents
Introduction xiii
The West Indies, The Revolution, and the Confederation, 1769-1786 1
To Edward Stevens, November 11, 1769: "My Ambition Is Prevalent" 3
To The Royal Danish American Gazette, September 6, 1772: Account of a Hurricane 4
A Full Vindication of the Measures of the Congress, December 15, 1774 7
To John Jay, November 26, 1775: The Danger of Trusting in Virtue 40
To John Jay, March 14, 1779: Enlisting Slaves as Soldiers 43
To John Laurens, c. April 1779: Hope for a Wife 45
To John Laurens, January 8, 1780: "I Am Not Fit for This Terrestreal Country" 48
To Elizabeth Schuyler, August 1780: "Examine Well Your Heart" 50
To James Duanc, September 3, 1780: "The Defects of Our Present System" 53
To Elizabeth Schuyler, September 25, 1780: The Plight of Mrs. Arnold 70
To Elizabeth Schuyler, October 2, 1780: The Fate of Major André 72
To Margarita Schuyler, January 21, 1781: Advice About Marriage 73
To Philip Schuyler, February 18, 1781: A Break with Washington 74
To James McHenry, February 18, 1781: Washington Will Repent His Ill-Humour 77
The Continentalist No. III, August 9, 1781 78
To George Washington, February 13, 1785: The Prospect of a Mutiny 83
To James Hamilton, June 22, 1785: "I Feel All the Sentiment of a Brother" 85
Framing and Ratifying the Constitution 1787-1789 87
Plan of Government, c. June 18, 1787 89
Speech in the Constitutional Convention on a Plan of Government, June 18, 1787 91
To George Washington, July 3, 1787: "The Critical Opportunity" 106
Conjectures About the New Constitution, c. late September 1787 107
The Federalist No. 1, October 27, 1787 110
The Federalist No. 15, December 1, 1787 114
The Federalist No. 35, January 5, 1788 122
The Federalist No. 70, March 15, 1788 128
To James Madison, May 19, 1788: Coordinating a Campaign 136
The Federalist No. 78, May 28, 1788 137
The Federalist No. 84, May 28, 1788 145
Speech in the New York Ratifying Convention on Interests and Corruption, June 21, 1788 155
To George Washington, September 1788: Convincing Washington to Serve 161
To George Washington, May 5, 1789: Presidential Etiquette 163
Secretary of the Treasury, 1789-1795 167
To Lafayette, October 6, 1789: "I Hazard Much" 169
To Henry Lee, December 1, 1789: "Suspicion Is Ever Eagle Eyed" 171
From Report on Public Credit, January 9, 1790 171
Opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank, February 23, 1791 186
To Philip A. Hamilton, December 5, 1791: "A Promise Must Never Be Broken" 218
To Edward Carrington, May 26, 1792: "A Faction Decidedly Hostile to Me" 219
An American No. I, August 4, 1792 235
To George Washington, September 9, 1792: Responding to a Plea for Peace 240
To an Unknown Correspondent, September 26, 1792: An Embryo-Casar 242
Draft of a Defense of the Neutrality Proclamation, c. May 1793 243
Pacificus No. I, June 29, 1793 249
To Andrew G. Fraunccs, October 1, 1793: "Contemptible As You Are" 257
To Angelica Hamilton, e. November 1793: Advice to a Daughter 258
Tully No. III, August 28, 1794 258
To Angelica Church, October 23, 1794: "Wicked Insurgents of the West" 260
To Angelica Church, December 8, 1794: "A Politician, and Good for Nothing" 261
Memorandum on the French Revolution, 1794 262
To George Washington, February 3, 1795: Resigning from Office 264
Federalist Leader and Attorney, 1795-1804 267
To Rufus King, February 23, 1795: A Threat to the Public Credit 269
To Robert Troup, April 13, 1795: "Public Fools" 270
Memorandum on the Design for Seal of the United States, c. May 1796 271
To George Washington, July 30, 1796: A Draft of the Farewell Address 273
To William Hamilton, May 2, 1797: Introduction to an Uncle 290
The "Reynolds Pamphlet," August 25, 1797 293
To Elizabeth Hamilton, November 19, 1798: "My Good Genius" 320
To Theodore Sedgwick, February 2, 1799: The Problem of Virginia 321
To James McHenry, March 18, 1799: Displaying Strength "Like a Hercules" 323
To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, December 22, 1799: The Death of Washington 323
To Martha Washington, January 12, 1800: "So Heart-Rending an Affliction" 324
To John Jay, May 7, 1800: An Electoral Stratagem 325
To Theodore Sedgwick, May 10, 1800: Withdrawing Support from Adams 327
To John Adams, August 1, 1800: Response to an Accusation 328
To William Jackson, August 26, 1800: "The Most Humiliating Criticism" 328
Rules for Philip Hamilton, 1800 330
To Gouverneur Morris, December 26, 1800: Jefferson over Burr 331
To John Rutledge Jr., January 4, 1801: Anxiety About the Election 331
To James A. Bayard, January 16, 1801: Burr Has "No Fixed Theory" 335
To Gouverneur Morris, February 29, 1802: "Mine Is an Odd Destiny" 340
To Benjamin Rush, March 29, 1802: The Death of Philip Hamilton 342
To James A. Bayard, April 1802: The Christian Constitutional Society 342
To Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, December 29, 1802: "Refuge of a Disappointed Politician" 346
To Elizabeth Hamilton, March 17, 1803: "A World Full of Evil" 347
To Timothy Pickering, September 16, 1803: Explaining & Plan of Government 348
The Duel, 1804 351
From Aaron Burr, June 18, 1804: Origins of a Dispute 353
To Aaron Burr, June 20, 1804: Declining to Avow or Disavow 355
From Aaron Burr, June 21, 1804: New Reasons for a Definite Reply 357
To Aaron Burr, Tune 22, 1804: "Expressions Indecorous and Improper" 358
From Aaron Burr, June 22, 1804: "The Course I Am About to Pursue" 358
Response to a Letter from William P. Van Ness, June 28, 1804 359
Statement Regarding Financial Situation, July 1, 1804 360
To Elizabeth Hamilton, July 4, 1804: "Fly to the Bosom of Your God" 363
Statement Regarding the Duel with Burr, c. July 10, 1804 364
To Theodore Sedgwick, July 10, 1804: "Our Real Disease; Which Is Democracy" 366
To Elizabeth Hamilton, July 10, 1804: An Obligation Owed 367
Joint Statement by William P. Van Ness and Nathaniel Pendleton, July 17, 1804 368
Statement by Nathaniel Pendleton, July 19, 1804 369
Statement by William P. Van Ness, July 21, 1804 371
Chronology 375
Note on the Texts 392
Notes 396
Index 415
