Complete Works. Hamilton Alexander
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calamity.
Your Brother Philip was on his way home and missed my letter. He is now here and sets out immediately for New York.
Excuse me to Mr. Church for not writing him today. Adieu my Dearly beloved Child. May God bless and preserve you all is the constant prayer of your
Afflicted parent
PH. SCHUYLIER.
Mrs. Church.
Fail not my Beloved to let me daily know the state of your afflicted sister. My anxiety on her account rends my heart.
In the following November her father again wrote:
"What your afflictions my dear dearly beloved child have added to mine, was the natural result of a parent's tenderness for a dutiful and affectionate child, as he invariably experienced from you." This was the last letter he wrote the bereaved widow, for he died a short time after.
The public excitement was great indeed, and all classes turned out to do Hamilton honor; even the most rabid political enemies were silent for a time, and some of them grudgingly admitted his worth. Coleman, who had preserved and published all the comments of the press of the day, also reproduced the funeral and other orations. Gouverneur Morris, Eliphalet Nott, and Harrison G. Otis delivered eulogies, and the sermon of Nott is one of the most eloquent and forceful examples of rhetoric. Even the vituperative American Citizen, that had bitterly assailed Hamilton during his life, now praised him, and the editor said: "Death has swallowed up in victory, cruel and fatal victory, the narrow isthmus that separated from this great luminary, those with whom I act."
In fact, all newspapers of both parties united in honoring his memory. Poets of both sexes contributed verse to the daily press, some of considerable excellence, but not a little of the turgid kind of the period; all however were sincere.
His will was made two days before he died, and is as follows:
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON
In the name of God, Amen!
I, Alexander Hamilton, of the State of New York, counsellor at law, do make this my last will and testament, as follows:
First: I appoint John B. Church, Nicholas Fish, and Nathaniel Pendleton, of the city aforesaid, esquires, to be executors and trustees of this my will, and I devise to them, their heirs and assigns, as joint tenants, and not tenants in common, all my estate, real and personal, whatsoever and wheresoever upon trust, at their discretion to sell and dispose of the same at such time and times, in such manner, and upon such terms, as they the survivors and survivor shall think fit, and out of the proceeds to pay all the debts which I shall owe at the time of my decease, in whole, if the fund shall be sufficient, proportionally, if it shall be insufficient, and the residue, if any there shall be, to pay and deliver to my excellent and dear wife, Elizabeth Hamilton.
Though, if it please God to spare my life, I may look for a considerable surplus out of my present property; yet if he should speedily call me to the eternal world, a forced sale, as is usual, may possibly render it insufficient to satisfy my debts. I pray God that something may remain for the maintenance and education of my dear wife and children. But should it on the contrary happen that there is not enough for the payment of my debts, I entreat my dear children, if they or any of them shall ever be able, to make up the deficiency. I without hesitation commit to their delicacy a wish which is dictated by my own. Though conscious that I have too far sacrificed the interest of my family to public avocations, and on this account have the less claim to burthen my children, yet I trust in their magnanimity to appreciate, as they ought, this my request. In so unfavorable an event of things, the support of their dear mother, with the most respectful and tender attention, is a duty all the sacredness of which they will feel. Probably her own patrimonial resources will preserve her from indigence. But in all situations they are charged to bear in mind that she has been to them the
most devoted and best of mothers. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my hand, the ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON.
Signed, sealed, published, and as and for his last will and testament in our presence, who have subscribed our names in his presence.
DOMINICK T. BLAKE
GRAHAM NEWELL
INEZ B. VALLEAU.
Though Hamilton at the time of his death had a large legal practice his old obligations and the demands upon his purse were very great. The Grange, which he had just built, was an expensive place, and the outlay for its completion was considerable. From his account books, which were kept to July 11, 1804, the day before his death, it appears that his expenditure for the preceding six months was $11,840.27. The outstanding indebtedness of his clients was only $2,510,1 and the list of debts assigned to J. B. Church by the deed of July 9, 1804, was $1,940. This deed, which has never been published, is an indication of his business precision and system, and was executed but two days before he was killed. Not many men, under these circumstances, would even remember their laundress.
NEW YORK, July 9, 1804.
Know all Men by these Presents, That I, Alexander Hamilton, of the City of New York, Counsellor at law, in consideration of one Dollar to me in hand paid by John B. Church, Esquire, (the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged) have bargained, sold, assigned and conveyed, and hereby do bargain, sell, assign and convey to the said John B. Church all and singular the debts due owing and payable to me; which are specified in the schedule hereunto annexed to be by him collected and the proceeds applied first toward the payment of all and every the debt and debts which I owe to my household and other servants and labourers and to the woman who washes
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for Mrs. Hamilton, and secondly towards the satisfaction and discharge of certain accommodation notes made by me and endorsed by him and which have been or shall be discounted in and by the Manhattan Bank and the Office of Discount and Deposit of the Bank of the United States in the City of New York. And for this purpose I do hereby constitute and appoint him by Attorney to ask, demand, sue for recover and receive the said debts and every of them and upon receipt thereof or any part thereof to make and give acquittances. In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed and set my hand and seal the ninth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred and four.
A. HAMILTON.
Dated and delivered in presence
of
Nath. Pendleton.
Dominick T. Blake, Esqre is authorized to collect the amount of different Debts due to the deceased General Hamilton assigned to me by him by a Deed dated the 9th Instant.
J. B. CHURCH.
The wretched condition of Hamilton's affairs now became a matter of solicitude to his friends, and on July 16, 1804, just three days after his death, Wolcott wrote to James McHenry:
Oliver Wolcott to James McHenry
MY DEAR SIR: I have reed. your favor of the 14th; The afflicting event you anticipated has occurred: Hamilton is no more: I will not attempt to describe my feelings: you will learn all the circumstances & the last acts of his life will elevate the character of our late Friend, though they must produce conflict of emotions, to which your bosom has been a stranger.
Genl. Hamilton left a will in which all his property real and personal is vested in Trustees for the payment of his Debts: This property consists almost entirely of real estates, chiefly new Lands, and a valuable Country Establishment nine Miles from this City: This property cost about 80,000 Dollars & owed about 55,000 Dollars -- the Lands are rising in value but wholly unproductive of Revenue; he was apprehensive & I believe justly, that a forced Sale, would leave nothing for his family & perhaps not even produce enough to pay his debts: A number of Gentlemen here have resolved to raise a Fund among