Complete Works. Hamilton Alexander
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and ignorance of the disease, we find that this scourge flourished in Philadelphia to an alarming extent during the latter part of the eighteenth century. It was sometimes given its familiar name, and again spoken of as the "plague." Nothing could be more pitiful than Robert Morris's description of its invasion of the debtors' prison, where he was confined, which was known as "Prune Street." Not only the corridors, but every available space was filled with coffined bodies, and the prisoners were dying like sheep. Hamilton and his family were exposed, and it is said that some of them were stricken, but all managed to recover. The alarming extent of the disease upon several occasions practically led to the abandonment of Philadelphia by those who could afford to go. After leaving their house in that city, the Hamilton family first went to the hills and [then to Albany, but for a time were quarantined outside of the limits of the latter place.
Previous to this time the Schuylers devised measures to lessen the danger of contagion and to remove the children to a healthier spot, and when the danger became alarming this was done. Later they prevailed upon the Hamiltons to join their children. In the following letter the "little one" referred to is John Church Hamilton who was then more than a year old.
One writer whose book bears the title of "Occasional Writings on the Yellow Fever. Addresses to Those Who have not Forgotten what has Happened Within a Few Years Among their Friends and Fellow Citizens, by a Philadelphia presents tables showing the enormous death-rate up to iSoa. Upon the authority of Benjamin Johnson, 13,394 persons were buried in "Potter's Field" in that city from August I to November 9,1793.
Philip Schuyler to Elizabeth Hamilton
Albany, Sunday 16, 1793.
My dearly beloved Child: I feel that It will give you pain to be deprived for some time longer of the pleasure of embracing your Dear Children, but the reasons assigned in my letter to my Dear Hamilton are such as I trust your good sense will acquiesce in,—especially when you reflect what additional anxiety I should be exposed to If the Children were with you before It is fully ascertained that all danger from the dreadful disorder is at an end.—
The tenderness and affection which your Dear Children evince for us every moment of the day, their docility, the health they enjoy are so many sources of happiness to their parents and to us. The little one strives to articulate, he will soon succeed, he walks from one end of the hall to the other with ease,—eats well, and is the most lively of children.
Your Dear Mama and all the family join me in love,—I hope you are still at fair Hill, and that you will remain there at least until the result is known from the return of the inhabitants who had left the city during the prevalence of the calamity.
Adieu My beloved Child, the best blessings and warmest prayers of Your affectionate parents attend you.
Yours ever affectionately,
Ph. Schuyler.
Mrs. Hamilton.
General Schuyler's solicitude for the comfort of his daughter and her children led him, at this time, to devise means for alleviating their distress, and to bring them to the family home in a Hudson River sloop where they would be safe. In those days the passage from New York to Albany was really in the nature of a voyage. In 1732 a certain Dr. Alexander Hamilton, whose travels took him to Albany, devoted a week to the journey and graphically pictures the discomforts of the sloop, which was the only method of conveyance, and this he does as one would nowadays refer to a transatlantic trip. Fifty years later Hamilton himself, in letters to his wife, speaks of the miserable and comfortless pilgrimages and the dirty and crowded little vessels, which were often obliged to lie to under the lee of the Highlands to await changes in the weather and tide.
The next autumn General Schuyler again wrote to Mrs. Hamilton, urging her to leave Philadelphia.
Philip Schuyler to Elizabeth Hamilton
N. York, Monday, Sept, 39, 1794.
My dearly beloved Child: Reports confirm the former accounts that the Yellow fever prevails in Philadelphia. I must therefore and most earnestly repeat my request that You leave the city immediately, and as you may be exposed to inconveniences on your journey I wish you to go to some decent tavern on the road towards New York. At the Mac-leroys at Bristol if possible and as soon as you receive this to write me, and if You are determined to come away I will set out on Friday with a Stage Wagon which I shall especially engage to bring You, the Children and Servants over. If you have not two horses, to bring your Carriage, bring at least Your Chair as you will travel with more ease in that than in the Waggon.—Pray fail not to write immediately on receipt of this, and if the post should be already come away, send Your letter by some person coming in the Stage, and a copy of It by post—God bless You my Amiable and beloved Child. Embrace the Children for me.
Yours affectionately,
Ph. Schuyler.
Mrs. Hamilton.
As we know, the fever made its appearance in New York as well in 1795, and Mrs. Hamilton's sister Angelica wrote to her:
November the 24, 95.
I implore you my dear Eliza to write to me, there are letters in town so late as the IO" October from New York. I have not a line, and a dreadful fever rages there, and you and yours are there, if you knew what I suffer you would write to relieve a thousand apprehensions—Adieu my Dear Sister.
I embrace you with tendrest
affection. Yours A. Church.
Hamilton, whose many-sided genius found expression in various ways, suggested the cold-water treatment, which, in later years, has been again adopted not only for this disease, but for all toxemic conditions with high temperature. He thus wrote to his wife upon this subject:
Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton
Rye 30 Miles from New York, Tuesday Even.
I am arrived here my Dear Eliza in good health, but very anxious about my Dear Child. I pray heaven to restore him and in every event to support you.—If his fever should appear likely to prove obstinate, urge the Physician to consider well the propriety of trying the cold bath—I expect it will, if it continues, assume a nervous type, and in this case I believe the cold bath will be the most efficacious remedy—but still do not attempt it without the approbation of the Physician. Alas my Betsy how much do I regret to be separated from you at such a juncture. When will the time come that I shall be exempt from the necessity of leaving my dear family. God bless my beloved and all my dear Children. A. H.
Mrs. Hamilton.
The Churches went twice to England, where their life was evidently most delightful, surrounded, as they seem to have been, by all the distinguished people of the day; but although John Church took an active part in public affairs, and became a member of Parliament, his wife was always most intensely patriotic, and yearned for America and her family. At a time when a return to America seemed impossible she wrote from Yarmouth, England, to Mrs. Hamilton: "You and my dear Hamilton will never cross the Atlantic, I shall never leave this Island and as to meeting in heaven—there will be no pleasure in that."
When in this country she wrote to Elizabeth Hamilton from Philadelphia at the time Congress was sitting, and when Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury:
Philadelphia, Tuesday Morning
[about 1793]
You will hear with pleasure, my dear Eliza that our Kitty is much better, she is going to a ball this evening, her dancing has been so much praised that I fear she will give more disappointment than pleasure. My brother seemed very sad yesterday, and when I questioned him, I was sorry to find little William's health to be the cause of his dejection, his sensibility suffers from the least anxiety to you or your babes, is Miss Pretty less firm in her manner and does Angelica see her Cousin often?
During her absence in Europe in 1787 several of her girl friends were married, and in writing to her sister she said: "Amongst all the distresses that distract my poor country I am happy to hear that celibacy is not one of the number." Several years later her own daughter,