hamilton to washington (Cabinet Paper.) - Alexander Hamilton, The Works of Alexander Hamilton, (Federal Edition), vol. 5 [1793]
Edition used:
The Works of Alexander Hamilton, ed. Henry Cabot Lodge (Federal Edition) (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904). In 12 vols. Vol. 5.
About Liberty Fund:
Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.
Copyright information:
The text is in the public domain.
Fair use statement:
This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.
- Foreign Relations ( Continued )
- Cabinet Opinion
- Cabinet Opinion—hamilton and Knox
- Washington to John Jay, Chief-justice, and James Wilson, James Iredell, and William Patterson, Associate-justices, of the Supreme Court of the United States
- Questions Proposed to Be Submitted to the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States
- Washington to the Heads of Departments and the Attorney-general
- No Jacobin 1
- I.
- Ii
- Iii
- Iv
- V
- Instructions to the Collectors of the Customs 2
- Cabinet Opinion.—hamilton to Washington 1
- Notes By Hamilton, to Frame Letter of Secretary of State to Gouverneur Morris, Minister At Paris (cabinet Paper.)
- Cabinet Opinion
- Hamilton to Washington
- Hamilton to Washington (cabinet Paper.)
- Hamilton to Washington (cabinet Paper.)
- Report.
- Americanus (from the American Daily Advertiser .)
- I
- II.
- Hamilton to Washington (cabinet Paper.)
- Hamilton to Washington (cabinet Paper.)
- Points to Be Considered In the Instructions to Mr. Jay, Envoy Extraordinary to Great Britain
- Hamilton to Jay (cabinet Paper.)
- Treaty Project
- Hamilton to Washington (cabinet Paper.)
- Hamilton to Washington (cabinet Paper.)
- Hamilton to Randolph (cabinet Paper.)
- Hamilton to Randolph (cabinet Paper.)
- Remarks On Lord Grenville’s Project of a Commercial Treaty, Made At the Request of E. Randolph, Esq., Secretary of State
- Hamilton to Washington (cabinet Paper.)
- Remarks On the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, Made Between the United States and Great Britain
- Supplementary Remarks
- Horatius 1
- Camillus
- No . I
- No . Ii
- No . Iii
- No . Iv
- No . V
- No . Vi
- No . Vii
- No . Viii
- No . Ix
- No . X
- No . Xi
- No . Xii
- No . Xiii
- No . Xiv
- No . Xv
- No . Xvi
- No . Xvii
- No . Xviii
- No . Xix
- No . Xx
- No . Xxi
- No . Xxii
- No . Xxiii 1
hamilton to washington
(Cabinet Paper.)
May 9, 1794.
Sir:—The enclosed letter from Mr. Hammond, of the 6th instant, was transmitted to me by the Secretary of State, with a request that after satisfying myself of the step proper to be taken, I would communicate it to you, and notify your determination to Mr. Hammond.
The copy herewith sent of a letter from Mr. Rawle, exhibits the facts which appear in the case; and reasoning from them, the conclusion is, that the proceeding complained of is as wanton and unprovoked as it is illegal and disorderly. There is no doubt that justice to the parties concerned, the maintenance of the laws, and the discouragement of a practice which attempts a usurpation of the functions of government and goes in subversion of all order, require that steps should be seriously taken to bring the offenders to justice.
It is the opinion of the attorney of the district that the case is not of the cognizance of the Federal Judiciary. Hence it becomes necessary that it should be referred to the authority of the State. But it appears to be proper under the special circumstances, that a letter should be written on the part of the President to the Governor of Pennsylvania, communicating the case and the complaint of the Minister, and calling upon him in earnest terms to cause the proper legal steps to be taken to bring the offenders to justice, and thereby give security to the parties and repress so exceptionable and disorderly a spirit.
With regard to the restoration of the vessel in the condition in which she was preceding the trespass, it is not perceived that the nature of the case requires the extraordinary interposition of the government for that purpose, and the precedent might be an embarrassing one. The vessel is one belonging to citizens of the United States, employed, indeed, as is now stated, by a British consul, but for the personal accommodation of certain subjects of Great Britain—that is, to convey them to their own country, not for a purpose properly governmental. It is not perceived that this situation sufficiently distinguishes her case from the common one of a vessel suffering injury by the trespass of unauthorized and lawless individuals, for the redress of which, including indemnification, the ordinary course of law is competent. It is not understood that there exists any impediment to the repossession of the vessel by her commander.
If these ideas are approved by the President, it will remain to direct the proper communications to the Governor and to the British Minister.
With perfect respect, etc.
P. S.—I will have the honor of waiting on the President between twelve and one o’clock, to know if he has any further commands on the subject.
Titles (by Subject) 
