The President joins me in devoutly wishing Colo. Hamilton's recovery—we expect to leave this to morrow—and beg you will send to Mrs. Emerson for anything that we have that you may want.
I am my dear madam your
Very affectionate Friend
M. Washington.
His sister-in-law also wrote from England:
Angelica Church to Elizabeth Hamilton
London, January 2$th, 1794.
When my Dear Eliza, when am I to receive a letter from you? When am I to hear that you are in perfect health, and that you are no longer in fear for the life of your dear Hamilton?
For my part, now that the fever is gone, I am all alive to the apprehensions of the war. One sorrow succeeds another. It has been whispered to me that my friend Alexander means to quit his employment of Secretary. The country will lose one of her best friends, and you, my Dear Eliza, will be the only person to whom this change can be either necessary or agreeable. I am inclined to believe that it is your influence induces him to withdraw from public life. That so good a wife, so tender a mother, should be so bad a patriot is wonderful.
The ruined castle of the Cambuskeith Hamiltons was known as Kerilaw Casde, and in 1836 when visited by James A. Hamilton, the second son of Alexander Hamilton, was near a comfortable modem home, then occupied by the last Laird of the Grange, who died a year later, and who sat in the sunshine feeding his pigeons, and entertained his visitor with quaint stories in the manner of Stevenson or Crockett, while in the evening he and his family very formally brewed their toddy, and ate oatmeal biscuit, while the "simple and agreeable tipple occupied the party for an hour or so in lively chat."
Hamilton's early life has been so often referred to by historians that there is little to add, except that from the first he displayed all the precocity which led to his subsequent early advancement, and this was undoubtedly stimulated by his helpless condition, and the necessity for doing something. As is known, when but fourteen he conducted the affairs of Nicholas Cruger in his absence, writing important business letters which, in themselves, showed a mature knowledge and ripeness of judgment.
Alexander Hamilton to Henry Cruger
St. Croix, February 24th, 1772.
Henry Cruger, Esq.
Sir: The 9th ultimo Capt. Robert Gibb handed me your favour dated December 19th, 1771, covering Invoice and Bill of Lading for sundreys—which are landed in good order agreeable thereto. I sold all your lumber off Immediately at £16 luckily enough, the price of that article being now reduced to £12, as great quantitys have been lately imported from different parts of this Continent.—Indeed, there must be a vast Consumption this Crop—which makes it probable that the price will again rise—unless the Crops at windward should fall short—as is said to be the case,—whereby we shall fair to be Overstocked—the Oats and Cheese I have also sold, the former at 6 sh. per Bushell, and the latter at 9 sh. pr. Your mahogany is of the very worst kind or I could readily have obtained 6 sh. pr foot for it, but at present tis blown upon, tis fit only for end work.
I enclose you a price Current & refer you thereto for other matters.
Capt. Gibbs was ready to sail seven days after his arrival but was detained two days longer by strong Contrary winds which made it impossible to get out of the Harbour.
Believe me Sir Nothing was neglected on my part to give him the utmost Dispatch, & considering that his Cargo was stowed very Hicheldy-picheldy—the proceeding part of it rather uppermost. I think he was dispatched as soon as could be expected.—Inclosed you have Invoice of Rum and Sugar shipt in the sloop agreeable to your Orders. I could not by any means get your Casks filled by any of the planters but shall dispose of the HHDS out of which the Rum was started for your account, from which however will proceed a small loss—Also have account of sloops Port Charges, of which I hope and Doubt not you'll find right.—
Youll be a little surprised when I tell you Capt. Gibbs was obliged to leave his freight money behind; the reason is this; Mr. B would by no means raise his part—tis true he might have been compelled by Law, but that would have been altogether imprudent—for to have inforced payment & to have converted that payment into Joes-which were extremely scarce—would have been attended with detention of at least ten or twelve days, and the other freights were very triffling so that the whole now rests with me, and God knows when I shall be able to receive Mr. B—part. who is long winded enough. Mr. B begs to present his respects, which concludes Sir.
Your very Humble St.
for N—C
A—H
When fifteen years old, having shown his cleverness in many ways, he was sent to the United States, and landed in Boston; subsequently reaching New York, where he met Elias Boudinot, who helped him in the matter of obtaining his education.
At an early age Hamilton developed a facility in expression that widened with succeeding years, and he accumulated a remarkably extended vocabulary which is apparent in everything that he wrote and said, and if the power of thought is measured, as is generally admitted, by the extent and accumulation of symbols and ideas, he certainly possessed a rich store of both. This seems strange, for it does not appear that he had access to many books, or received more than the childish education at the knee of his mother to the time of her death, when he was but eleven years old, although it has been stated that in his earliest infancy he was able to read the Hebrew Decalogue. It is certain that he understood French as well as English, and his early literary productions, among them the famous account of the tornado, show much precocity and fertility of composition. He certainly was able, not only to express himself well, but to make a selection of terse terms and vigorous English.
When Hamilton reached America in 1772 he brought letters which he delivered to the Rev. Hugh Knox and to William Livingston, afterward governor of New Jersey, and stayed with the latter at his house, which was known as "Liberty Hall," while he attended the school of which Dr. Barber was the head master, at Elizabethtown. In the winter of 1773-4 he was ready for college and would have entered Princeton, but he went to President Witherspoon with a proposition that he should be allowed to pass from one class to another when so qualified, instead of following the usual routine of the university. This proposal was not acceded to, so he turned his steps to King's College in New York, which was then situated between the streets that are now Church, Greenwich, Barclay, and Murray. The president was the Rev. Dr. Myles Cooper, a stanch loyal Englishman, who had succeeded Samuel Johnson, the first president of the college, and with him were associated Dr. Samuel Clossey, who taught medicine, and Dr. Peter Middleton. Dr. Clossey was a clever Irish surgeon and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and came to America in 1764, when he was fony-nine years old. He left an active medical practice to emigrate, and a year after his arrival was appointed to King's College as Professor of Natural Philosophy, but subsequently was selected for the Chair of Anatomy, which he filled until 1774. He was a loyalist and did not at all sympathize with the colonists, so finding the atmosphere of New York uncongenial, returned to England, resigning his professorial position, and giving up his American practice. Dr. Peter Middleton lectured upon Chemistry.
The faculty seems to have been limited to these three men, to Dr. Cooper being assigned Latin, Greek, English, mathematics, and philosophy. Hamilton followed the rules which he afterward laid down for the guidance of his son Philip, and from morning till night led an abstemious life and devoted himself to his work, taking the literary course, and also studying medicine.
Here he had no trouble in advancing as rapidly as he chose; but his college course was brought to a close by the famous meeting in the "Fields," and his sudden entrance into public life. New York was tardy in following the example of the other colonies in open and effective rebellion, and in uniting to form the first