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Very little is known about the early life of Elizabeth Hamilton, and we are dependent for information chiefly upon the writings of those Frenchmen who were entertained at General Schuyler's house at Albany, and the diary of Tench Tilghman. She was the second daughter of Philip Schuyler, and was born August 9, 1757, within a year of her husband. Her mother was Catherine van Rensselaer, daughter of Colonel John R. van Rensselaer, who was the son of Hendrik, the grandson of Kiliaen, the first Patroon, and Engeltke (Angelica) Livingston.

Tench Tilghman thus gives his impressions of the girl, who then must have been sixteen or eighteen years of age: " In the afternoon, having taken leave of my host, I called at the General Schuyler's to pay my compliments to the General, his Lady and Daughters. I found none of them at home except Miss Betsey Schuyler, the General's second daughter, to whom I was introduced by Mr. Commissary Livingston, who accompanied me. I was prepossessed in favor of this young lady the moment I saw her. A Brunette with the most good natured, dark, lovely eyes that I ever saw, which threw a beam of good temper and benevolence over her Entire Countenance. Mr. Livingston informed me that I was not mistaken in my Conjecture for she was the finest tempered Girl in the World." Unlike her eldest sister, Angelica, who had gone to New Rochelle to the best school available at the time, Elizabeth had but few educational advantages and all her later correspondence shows deficiency of early training, though it was nothing unusual to find misspelling in most of the letters of the young women of the period, even those of Martha Washington being conspicuous in this respect, and perhaps worse than many of the others. Though lacking the superficial grace and accomplishments of many of her more sprightly and dashing friends, she must have possessed a quiet charm of her own. From all accounts she was gentle and retiring, yet full of gayety and courage, fond of domestic affairs, and probably her mother's chief assistant in the management of the house and slaves. From early childhood she should have been accustomed to the sight of weapons, and have early learned the necessity for prompt alertness, for the Indians, at times, terrorized the district, and a sleepy existence was unknown. One of her sisters, Mrs. Cochran, made the thrilling rescue of a younger child when the Schuyler place was raided by the savages, and even to-day the banister rail of the old house bears the scar of the tomahawk hurled at her as she dashed up the stairs, with her baby sister in her arms. Her father's military career undoubtedly brought stirring accounts of heroic duties, of long-suffering, and privation into the busy home, and to these vivid, childish impressions may have been due the unquenchable spirit she afterward exhibited under agonizing tests. As is well known, the Schuyler home, at Albany, was practically an open house during the Revolution, and the younger daughters must have been incessantly occupied, supervising the arrangements for their many military guests, and providing gayety immeasurable in those days of haste and stress. English, French, and Americans alike seem to have carried away pleasant impressions of Betsey's intelligence and bright dark eyes, which never lost their lustre, even when she was an old woman.

ELIZABETH HAMILTON: AGE 28 From a painting by Ralph Earle in 1787

Hamilton's enthusiastic estimate of the charms of Elizabeth Schuyler as early as 1780 is conveyed to one of her sisters—probably Angelica Church—at a time when he was evidently absorbed in his devotion to his sweetheart, and sought a chance to unbosom himself.

Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Church

In obedience to Miss Schuyler's command, I do myself the pleasure to inclose you a letter which she has been so obliging as to commit to my care, and I beg your permission to assure you that many motives conspire to render this commission peculiarly agreeable.

Besides the general one of being in the service of the ladies which alone would be sufficient even to a man of less zeal than myself, I have others of a more particular nature.

I venture to tell you in confidence, that by some odd contrivance or other your sister has found out the secret of interesting me in everything that concerns her; and though I have not the happiness of a personal acquaintance with you, I have had the good fortune to see several very pretty pictures of your person and mind which have inspired me with a more than common partiality for both. Among others, your sister carries a beautiful copy constantly about her elegantly drawn by herself, of which she has two or three times favoured me with a sight. You will no doubt admit it as a full proof of my frankness and good opinion of you, that I with so little ceremony introduce myself to your acquaintance and at the first step make you my confident. But I hope I run no risk of its being thought an impeachment of my discretion. Phlegmatists may say I take too great a license at first setting out, and witlings may sneer and wonder how a man the least acquainted with the world should show so great facility in his confidence—to a lady. But the idea I have formed of your character places it in my estimation above the insipid maxims of the former or the ill-natured jibes of the latter.

I have already confessed the influence your sister has gained over me—yet notwithstanding this, I have some things of a very serious and heinous nature to lay to her charge.—She is most unmercifully handsome and so perverse that she has none of those pretty affectations which are the prerogatives of beauty. Her good sense is destitute of that happy mixture of vanity and ostentation which would make it conspicuous to the whole tribe of fools and foplings as well as to men of understanding so that as the matter now stands it is little known beyond the circle of these—She has good nature affability and vivacity unimbellished with that charming frivolousness which is justly deemed one of the principal accomplishments of a belle. In short she is so strange a creature, that she possesses all the beauties virtues and graces of her sex without any of those amiable defects, which from their general prevalence are esteemed by connoisseurs necessary shades in the character of a fine woman. The most determined adversaries of Hymen can find in her no pretext for their hostility, and there are several of my friends, philosophers who railed at love as a weakness, men of the world who laughed at it as a phantasie whom she has presumptuously and daringly compelled to acknowledge its power and surrender at discretion. I can the better assert the truth of this, as I am myself of the number. She has had the address to overset all the wise resolutions I had been framing for more than four years past, and from a rational sort of being and a professed contemner of Cupid has in a trice metamorphosed me into the veriest inamorato your perhaps [several words illegible.]

These are a few specimens of the mischief and enormities she has committed the little time she has made her appearance among us—I should never have done, were I to attempt to give you a catalogue of the whole—of all the hearts she has vanquished—of all the heads she has turned—of all the philosophers she has unmade, or of all the standards she has fixed to the great prejudice of the general service of the female world. It is essential to the safety of the state and to the tranquility of the army—that one of two things take place, either that she be immediately removed from our neighborhood, or that some other nymph qualified to maintain an equal sway come into it. By dividing her empire it will be weakened and she will be much less dangerous when she has a rival equal in charms to dispute the prize with her. I solicit your aid.

The girl friends of Elizabeth Schuyler, among others, included Kitty Livingston, the youngest daughter of Governor William Livingston of New Jersey, and Gertrude, the daughter of Robert R. Livingston. The latter married General Morgan Lewis, who afterward became a distinguished jurist. The letters that passed between these friends in some measure indicate the relations that existed between them at a time when letter writing was more in vogue than it is to-day. The first two were probably written when Elizabeth Schuyler was at her father's head-quarters at Morristown in 1780.

Kitty Livingston to Elizabeth Schuyler

My dear Girl: I wrote you a long thoughtless letter some days since; did you receive it? My happy Brother was this day, eight days, the Father of a little Cherib, who bears every appearance of Health and good humor. Apropos Cushion, Dash, and Bear, are in the possession of Mrs. Duncan of Philadelphia. I will be much obliged to you to buy me thread of such sorts as are most useful to yourself. As you have not yet answered my last, I presume you will embrace this opportunity of writing; one thing more and I will excuse you; Will you if you have any conveyance to Mr. Lottos, send my Compliments to Mrs. Lott and let her know the above important intelligence?

Fare Well dear Bess, believe me most affectionately

your

Friend

Kitty Livingston.

Valley of Lebanon, 13th of May, 1779.

Present my love to Mrs. and Dr. Cochran.

Kitty Livingston to Elizabeth Hamilton, then at Headquarters at New Windsor

RHINEBECK, February 7, 1781.

My DEAR Betsy: Willing to avail myself of an opportunity I this moment heard of, I take my pen with pleasure to assure my dear Girl, no one can be more sincere than her Friend Kitty, in every Kind and tender wish for her felicity. I should not have thus long delayed answering your agreeable Favor, had a safe conveyance been in my power, tho' if I were inclined to plead a bad example, or an excuse yours would naturally occur.

I have just returned from a most delightful ride, the weather was divine, the season seems to have lost its usual vigor, and Winter wears no frowns. I believe in my heart, the world, tiring of revolving the same course since the Creation, and seeing all things changing but itself, has by some extraordinary effort taken a leap nearer the Sun, and we are now where Maryland should be. Lady Kitty declares she has not yet got thoroughly cooled, since August last, and one would from motives of benevolence wish to prepare her to endure the heats of Summer, which appears to be fast approaching. She and Miss Brown are at Clermont whither I repair tomorrow.

Present my compliments to Colonel Hamilton and assure him of my best wishes, though I feel myself much hurt at an assertion he made some time since at Mr. D. 's—that I was soon to be connected to Mr. C.—

I have lately received (tho' the date was not a very early one) a long letter from my friend Angelica,' and she continues to love, and to tell me so in terms so tender, so well adapted to the constancy and purity of her affection, that I do not at all fear absence will lessen our Friendship, or time render it less interesting and sincere. She is in short the most amiable of women, and when I cease to think her so, my nature or hers must change.

I have purchased your apron and will if possible send it on by the person who takes this. I enclose my measures for a pair of shoes. Putman makes them at Phi—as Boston. If I did not know an apology made a bad thing worse, I would endeavor to say something in behalf of this poor letter, pray do not let Colonel Hamilton see it: His forte is writing I too well know, to submit anything I can say tonight to his inspection—from your Friendship I know I have nothing to dread—

Farewell, my dear Eliza

believe your affectionate

Friend

Cath. Livingston.

Disappointed in the conveyance mentioned I send this per post and with Miss Brown's love to you, and Family will present my most respectful compliments to Mrs. & Gen'l W.—My love to Mrs. Cochran—Pray do you talk of a Jaunt to New York? I have heard such a rumor, if you do say everything from me to Ann that you Know I would myself repeat,—How is Col. Tilghman? Miss Brown says very ill. I hope he is recovering—Farewell once more, I wish I could tell you so in person

Ever yours

Kitty Livingston.

Clermont, February 11th.

Miss Kitty appears to have been a belle, and something of a coquette. She certainly was not as sedate as her sister Susan who married John Jay, and it may be inferred from her father's letters and that sent to Hamilton and printed elsewhere, that she was somewhat spoiled and generally, if possible, had her own way. During a visit to Philadelphia in August, 1779, her father wrote: "I know there are a number of flirts in Philadelphia equally famed for their want of modesty as want of patriotism who will triumph in our complaisance to the red-coat prisoners lately arrived in diat Metropolis. I hope none of my connexions; will either in the dress of their heads or the still more tory feelings of their hearts."

Mrs. Morgan Lewis to Elizabeth Hamilton

My dear Friend: It is not my intention by writing this to engage you in a settled Correspondence with a person so useless to you, and in a situation so eventless as I am here tho' such a commerce would be highly agreeable to me, I am not so selfish as to make the request, yet I Flatter myself that notwithstanding these disadvantages this testimony of my love and regard will not be received with indifference by you for whom I feel the warmest sentiments that the most perfect esteem and Friendship can inspire.

Tho' I have long loved you My Dear Eliza yet I think you was never so Dear to me as now that we are about to be separated without a prospect of meeting soon. Sure I owe it to some Evil Genius that I am thus deprived of the pleasure of being more with one to whose Company and conversation I owe many of the happiest hours of my life. I know of nothing that will make up the loss of your Society to me but as I have a Mind naturally disposed to be Cheerful I will turn my thoughts to that which will give me most Comfort, and will cherish the hope that you will sometimes think of your absent Friend with affection forgetting her faults and remembering her Chief merit which is that she Knows how to love and value you. I have also a peculiar pleasure in reflecting that our Friendship has been Constant, uninterrupted by suspicion or envy, tho I am very conscious that you excel me in all that has any claim to applause yet I take a pride in hearing you commended for Virtues I imitate very imperfectly.

I had some faint hope of seeing you at N. Y. but was disappointed by Mr. Lewis being obliged to attend the Court at Albany this I regret very much tho tis a sad Consolation to take leave. I did not hear you was at Albany till I heard you was about to leave it or I should have endeavored to have seen you there. Mr. Lewis has this Day set out for that place and has left my little Peggy and me alone, she is now asleep and I with neither Talents nor Topics to entertain you cannot quit scribbling because it cheers my solitude as I seem to be talking to you And forget that you are perhaps two hundred miles from me but wherever you are my Heart is with you I wish it was in my power to serve you that I might shew you how much my actions would exceed my profession.

Have the goodness to commend me to Col. Hamilton and the Dear Children in whose Welfare I take a lively interest tell the Renowned Philip" I have been told that he has out-stript all his Competitors in the race of Knowledge and that he dayly gains new Victorys by Surpassing himself but that with all his acquirements he can not decline his lesson. Excuse this Folly.

With your usual Friendship and goodnature excuse what is wrong in this letter, I never could write.

Farewell to you whom I love for all that can create affection and esteem accept of every good wish that an Heart alive to the tenderest sensation can breathe from

Yours G. Lewis,

October 17, 1800.

The surroundings and circumstances of Elizabeth Schuyler's life had all tended to prepare her for her future as Hamilton's wife. Had she been any other than what she was, despite all his genius and force of character, Hamilton could never have attained the place he did. His letters show deference to her judgment and opinion, so we may conclude that he confided all his thoughts and plans, and made her a party to much that he did, yet his tender concern for her must have spared her many worries, and the knowledge of much that was harrassing in his career. There is a general solicitude in his letters and especially in the last two he ever wrote, which are the saddest of all. From many short letters and notes that remain it is evident that he apprised her of all his movements both in the field and afterward, and the conditions of his affairs.

She was remarkable for her piety, benevolence, and sympathy for every form of distress. She and Hamilton seem to have been agreed on that point all through their married life. When Philadelphia was filled with French émigrés, they both were among the first to give, and many widows and orphans were assisted with money and clothing. I have found an old subscription paper of this kind containing many interesting names of prominent persons connected with the early history of America, which is worthy of introduction and is in Hamilton's handwriting. The "Mary Morris" who heads the list was the wife of Robert Morris, the financier:

List of French Distressed Persons

1. Madame le Grand with two Children lives near the litde Market at the house of Mr. Peter French, Hatter, in the greatest Indigence.

2. Madame Demarie blind with a daughter who Is a widow, and a little Child, No. 19 Cedar Street in dreadful distress.

3. Madame Noel 7 Children and an orphan of whom she takes charge, Mulbery Street No 223—has not yet experienced so great extremity as the former, but is at present without money and owes 26 Dollars.

4. Madame Robard with 4 Children.

5. Madame Benoit with two both in the greatest indigence. Their residence at present unknown—

Subscriptions for the Relief of the foregoing persons (viz)

Mary Morris ........... 10 dollars Eliza Hamilton ........ 20 dollars M. Cazenove ........... Ten dollars Susan Kean ............ 5 dollars Cash .................. 10 Dollars Dr. Huger ............. 5 Dollars.50 Ann H. Livingston ..... 3 Dollars O. Stewart ............ Five dollars paid L. Knox .......... Ten Dollars pd. D. M. Smith ....... five Dollars pd. Dalton ............ five Dollars pd. I. Williams........ five Dollars pd Cash ............... 5 Dollars pd. H. Breck .......... ten Dollars pd. R. Izard .......... Five Dollars.50 pd. E. Lageremme ...... Five Dollars pd. Y. Z. ............. Fifteen dollars Paid—Capt ............. 5 Dollars paid—Eliz Powel ....... 10 Dollars paid—T. L. ............ 8 dollars paid—Eliz Cabot ....... 5 Dollars. R. K. 46. R. King— .............. 5 Dollars paid R. K. O. Ellsworth .......... 5 Dollars paid R. K. P. Butler ............. 5 Dollars paid R. K. M. Coxe ............... 3 Dollars paid. Nohitosidos ........... 5 Drs. John Guest gives ...... 10 Doll.

As one who knew Elizabeth Hamilton said: "Hers was a strong character with its depth and warmth, whether of feeling or temper controlled, but glowing underneath, bursting through at times in some emphatic expression. Hers as a stem ordeal; within a few years she experienced the shock of two violent deaths by duels—those of her eldest son and husband, the death of her sister and mother and father; her eldest daughter's insanity, and with this, little or no means with which to support and educate her family of seven children, five growing sons, her invalid daughter and a younger daughter. No wonder the light of youth had vanished from her face when the widow's cap replaced the Marie Antoinette coiffure." From the rapidity with which her children came she must have had little or no time for social pleasures, although much of her early married life was spent in Philadelphia and New York, where her husband was either taking part in the affairs of the government or practising law. Her sister writes to die former place from London: " Do you live as pleasantly at Philadelphia as you did at New York? or are you obliged to bear the formalizes of female circles, and their trifling chit chat? To you who have at home the most agreeable Society in the World, how you must smile at their manner of losing [their?] time—"

She was, undoubtedly, most energetic, and possessed a great deal of the Dutch tenacity, for she lived to the great age of ninety-seven with apparently no diminution of intelligence, still continuing to take interest in public affairs and the careers of her children, and writing letters even after her ninetieth year, which, despite a little tremulousness, were all they should be so far as intelligent expression was concerned. It cannot be denied that Hamilton made money easily, and that he had very grand ideas which it took a long purse to materialize. That he was something of a spendthrift is shown in his purchase of much real estate, and the preparation of a somewhat magnificent scheme for his country place in the upper part of Manhattan. It was probably his wife who made him more conservative than he would have been without such a check. McHenry, in a letter to Hamilton, said of her: " She has as much merit as your Treasurer as you have as Treasurer of the wealth of the United States." Still, when Hamilton was prosperous after he had become fairly launched in the practice of law they lived comfortably but evidently quite up to their income, which, in those days, was large.

Angelica Church, in writing from Putney, October 5, 1796, to her sister says: "Colonel Nobel is returned very much pleased by his reception in New York, and has assured me that you republican Ladys live with as much splendour and expense as her slaves. I do not mean this for you dear Eliza who have a better taste."

Other letters of Mrs. Church indicate the affectionate relations of the two sisters.

Angelica Church to Elizabeth Hamilton.

Paris, Jan. 27, 1784.

Dear Sister: I have written to you twice since I have been at Paris but have not received a line from you or Col. Hamilton. I intended to have called my little girl Eliza after Mr. Church's mother, but she thinks Angelica a much prettier name. Mr. Church is also of that opinion, but I promise that the next girl I make shall be called Betsey.

I should like Paris exceedingly if it was nearer to America, for I have a very agreeable sett of acquaintance, particularly a Madame de Ture who is a great admirer of our dear papa. She says he is the most amiable man in the Continent. Mr. Franklin has the gravel, and he desires to return to America; they talk of Papa or Col. Hamilton as his successor, how would you like to cross the Atlantic, is your lord a Knight of Cincinnati. It has made a most wonderful noise here, but it is remarked that the order will probably exist in France when it will be neglected in America.

Adieu, my dear Betsy, I embrace you with all my heart, give my Compliments to Col. & Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Montgomery, and do me the favor to write to me very often.

administrations were opposed to Hamilton and his political faith, she did not meet with the encouragement that she deserved, and there seems to have been a reluctance even upon the part of some of Hamilton's closest friends—Rufus King, for example—to give her certain letters and papers which they wrongly thought it might be impolitic to publish. Among these were documents relating to Washington's Farewell Address, which disclosed the part taken by Hamilton in its preparation. She always maintained that her husband was its author, and insisted that this fact should be known. She and her son James were constantly at work to effect this end. James was then a grown man and a lawyer, and at his instance a suit in Chancery was brought to obtain certain parts of the correspondence that had passed between Washington and Hamilton, which was successful, and they were used by the younger Hamilton in his "Reminiscences." The discussion of how much Hamilton had to do with this memorable address has been ever active, and even bitter, as has been shown elsewhere, and is by no means now fully settled. The venerable vridow, when she was eighty-two, reiterated her belief in her husband's responsibility for most of it, and the following paper was executed, probably at a time when she was more disturbed than usual, by the insistent claims of those who sought to belittle him, and gives her impressions of Hamilton's share of the work:

Elizabeth Hamilton's Statement as to Washington's Farewell Address

Desirous that my children should be fully acquainted with the services rendered by their Father to our country, and the assistance given by him to General Washington during his administration, for the one great object, the Independence and Stability of the Government of the United States, there is one thing in addition to the numerous proofs which I leave them and which I feel myself in duty bound to State; which is: that a short time previous to General Washington's retiring from the Presidency in the year 1796 General Hamilton suggested to him the idea of delivering a farewell address to the people on his withdrawal from public life, with which idea General Washington was well pleased, and in his answer to General Hamilton's suggestion gave him the heads of the subjects on which he would wish to remark, with a request that Mr. Hamilton would prepare an address for him; Mr. Hamilton did so, and the address was written, principally at such times as his office was seldom frequented by his clients and visitors, and during the absence of his students to avoid interruption; at which times he was in the habit of calling me to sit with him, that he might read to me as he wrote, in order, as he said, to discover how it sounded upon the ear, and making the remark, "My dear Eliza, you must be to me what Moliere's old nurse was to him."

The whole or nearly all the "Address" was read to me by him as he wrote it and a greater part if not all was written by him in my presence. The original was forwarded to Gen. Washington who approved of it with the exception of one paragraph, of, I think, about four or five lines, which if I mistake not was on the Subject of public schools, which was stricken out. It was afterwards returned to Mr. Hamilton who made the desired Alteration, and was afterwards delivered by General Washington, and published in that form, and has ever since been Known as "General Washington's Farewell Address." Shortly after the publication of the address, my husband and myself were walking in Broadway, when an old soldier accosted him, with a request of him to purchase General Washington's Farewell address, which he did and turning to me Said "That man does not know he has asked me to purchase my own work."

The whole circumstances are at this moment, so perfectly in my remembrance, that I can call to mind his bringing General Washington's letter to me which returned the "address" and remarking on the only alteration which he (General Washington) had requested to be made.

New York, Aug. 7th, 1840.

Eliz^TH Hamilton.

Witness

as

J. A. Washington )

J. A. Macdonald. )

General Schuyler left a large amount of property and, some years after his death, his other sons and daughters generously deeded much of their shares to their widowed sister, because of Hamilton's impoverishment. Some of this was in Saratoga County, some near Utica, some near Owego, and small portions were in the cities of New York and Albany. It was Mrs. Hamilton's custom, when interested in any particular charity, to sell piece by piece, and devote the proceeds to the particular object, so that when she died she was in straitened circumstances, and had, for some time, been entirely dependent upon her children and the back pay awarded Hamilton by the government. "Her grief over the two children she had lost," said a contemporary writer, "took the form of protection of those who were poor and unfriended, as well as orphaned. To Mrs. Hamilton is directly owing the first orphan asylum of New York. On its fiftieth anniversary a memorial service was held in the Church of the Epiphany (in Washington, where she then was for the winter), and the work and its greatly extended good were gone over. The seed had become a tree with mighty branches. Mrs. Hamilton was feeble and could not sit through the whole service, but came only for a part; always to the communion service. This Sunday she came in toward the close. Our minds and hearts were filled with the good work of this gentle lady when she entered—a very small, upright little figure in deep black, never altered from the time her dark hair was framed in by the widow's cap, until now the hair was as white as the cap.

"As she moved slowly forward, supported by her daughter, Mrs. Holly, one common feeling made the congregation rise and remain standing until she was seated in her pew at the front."

Her great effort seems to have been to the end that the letters left by her husband should be published, and his life written by some competent person. Unfortunately, one of her clergymen was chosen to do the latter, and as it was not a judicious selection, the result was unsuccessful. She first wrote to Bushrod Washington, a nephew of the President, whose reply is appended, but nothing seems to have come of all this. It was not until many years later that her son John C. Hamilton wrote a life of his father collecting and publishing many of his letters in a series of seven volumes.

Bushrod Washingtor to Elizabeth Hamilton

Mt. Vernon, Dec. 14, 1819.

My dear Madam: Your favor of the 5th of Nov' was received by Mr. Herbert, whilst I was in Philadelphia and was not placed in the bundle of letters which he delivered me upon my return. He had accidently put it by itself, and found it a day or two ago, when he delivered it to me. This must be my apology for the delay of this answer.

It affords me great pleasure to know Mr. Hopkinson has undertaken to write the life of Genl. Hamilton, not only because his fine talents will enable him to do justice to the work, but because he admired, in common with every American patriot, the virtues, and the distinguished talents of that Great man.

The Contract which I made with Mr. Wayne, the publisher of the life of Gen'l Washington was, to assign the copyrights of the work to him, and to receive from him one dollar per volume, for every volume subscribed for, or sold during the period of the copyright. This dollar per volume was equally divided between C. Justice Marshall, the author & myself. There were 7000 copies subscribed for, and Mr, Marshall and myself received from Mr. Wayne the amount calculating it at a dollar each volume. I think that, as to all sales that were made over that number, we made a compromise with Mr. Wayne & received from him $?000. I should expect that a contract of this nature would be as favorable to you as you could expect to make.

I do not know whether I have ever yet acknowledged my obligation to you for the seeds you were so good as to send me; if I have not, permit me now to do it, and to assure you that my silence did not proceed from unthankfulness for the favor. The corn met my approbation so fully that I shall plant the whole of my crop, at one farm, next year, of that kind—It comes very early, & the ear is of good size.

Present my best regards & wishes to my favourite Eliza and believe me, good friend, that nothing could afford me a higher gratification than to pass a day or two with you and her at the Grange—I have not heard of or from William' since he went into the wilderness.

The family of my niece and Mr. Woodlawn are all well,— Frances not yet married, but all in good time. She is a charming girl, as is her sister Agnes, now nearly grown up. Mrs. Washington's health is much the same as when you were here; she yet continues to retire from company at home and abroad.

I am with sentiments of esteem, respect and regard. My dear Madam,

Yr. friend and faithful humb. serv.

Bushrod Washington.

In 1849 Hamilton MSS. were purchased by the government. From the time of her husband's death almost to her own in 1854 Mrs. Hamilton was constantly engaged in writing to the leading Federalists all over the country and making inquiries to enable her to ascertain all the facts she could. Besides corresponding she made long journeys to carry out her quest with more or less success. She wrote to her daughter Mrs. Holly, in Philadelphia, in 1832:

"I have my fears I shall not obtain my object. Most of the contemporaries of your father have also passed away. I have since you left this, seen Mr. S. Kane, he is doing all he can, as is Mr. Clymer."

Shortly before her death a friend wrote as follows: "The widow of Alexander Hamilton has reached the great age of ninety-five and retains in an astonishing degree her faculties and converses with much of that ease and brilliancy which lent so peculiar a charm to her younger days. And then, after passing the compliments and congratulations of the day, insists upon her visitors taking a merry glass from General Washington's punch bowl, which, with other portions of his table set, remains in her possession." At this time she showed a great deal of physical vigor, walking from her own house in H Street to visit her old friend. Judge Cranch, three miles away, on Capitol Hill, in the city of Washington. Her last illness was a comparatively short one, and until a few days before her death her mind was perfectly dear.

Mrs. Hamilton could never forget the behavior of Monroe when he, with Muhlenberg and Venables, accused Hamilton of financial irregularities at the time of the Reynolds incident. Many years afterward, when they were both aged people, Monroe visited her and an interview occurred which was witnessed by a nephew, who was then a lad of fifteen. "I had," he says, "been sent to call upon my Aunt Hamilton one afternoon. I found her in her garden and was there with her talking, when her maid servant came from the house with a card. It was the card of James Monroe. She read the name, and stood holding the card, much perturbed. Her voice sank, and she spoke very low, as she always did when she was angry. 'What has that man come to see me for?' escaped from her. 'Why, Aunt Hamilton,' said I, 'don't you know, it's Mr. Monroe, and he's been President, and he is visiting here now in the neighborhood, and has been very much made of, and invited everywhere, and so—I suppose he has come to call and pay his respects to you.' After a moment's hesitation, 'I will see him,' she said.

"The maid went back to the house, my aunt followed, walking rapidly,. I after her. As she entered the parlor Monroe rose. She stood in the middle of the room facing him. She did not ask him to sit down. He bowed, and addressing her formally, made her rather a set speech—that it was many years since they had met, that the lapse of time brought its softening influences, that they both were nearing the grave, when past differences could be forgiven and forgotten—in short, from his point of view, a very nice, conciliatory, well-turned little speech. She answered, still standing, and looking at him, "Mr. Monroe, if you have come to tell me that you repent, that you are sorry, very sorry, for the misrepresentations and the slanders, and the stories you circulated against my dear husband, if you have come to say this, I understand it. But, otherwise, no lapse of time, no nearness to the grave, makes any difference.' She stopped speaking, Monroe turned, took up his hat and left the room."

In this connection it may be said that the oft-repeated story of the meeting of Mrs. Hamilton and Aaron Burr, many years later on an Albany steamboat, is a fiction, but it was probably suggested by the Monroe incident.