Hamilton, Alexander

Autograph letter signed ("A. H."), one page (9 1/4 x 7 in.; 235 x 178 mm), Albany, Monday 24 [but 23] February [1801], to his wife Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, sarcastically mentioning rival Aaron Burr's "conversion to Federalism"; small closed tear in upper left corner. Matted, glazed, and framed with an engraved portrait of Hamilton.

Harry S. Durand (Parke-Bernet, 7–8 February 1944, lot 323)

cf. Syrett, PAH 25:340

Autograph letter signed ("A. H."), one page (9 1/4 x 7 in.; 235 x 178 mm), Albany, Monday 24 [but 23] February [1801], to his wife Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, sarcastically mentioning rival Aaron Burr's "conversion to Federalism"; small closed tear in upper left corner. Matted, glazed, and framed with an engraved portrait of Hamilton.
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Hamilton chafes at rival Aaron Burr over the New York gubernatorial race of 1801 for both political and personal reasons. With sarcastic pungency, he writes his wife Eliza: "Mr. Burr, as a proof of his conversion to federalism, has within a fortnight taken a very active and officious part against Rensselaer in favor of Clinton."

The gubernatorial race in New York followed hard on the heels of the controversial presidential election of 1800 in which the Republicans fielded two candidates, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, with the intent of making Jefferson president. Burr courted the Federalists in the hopes of seizing the presidency for himself.  He succeeded in shifting New York's 12 electoral votes, which was enough to tip the election to the Republicans but not sufficient for him to ascend to the nation's highest office. Jefferson and Burr were tied each with 73 electoral votes, and Burr stubbornly refused to concede the election to Jefferson. Between 11 and 17 February 1801, it took the House of Representatives 36 ballots to decide in Jefferson's favor.  Burr became vice-president but something of a pariah in Washington. Ever the ambitious politician, Burr quickly realized that he had to boost his political standing in his home state. 

The New York gubernatorial campaign officially began 8 November 1800, when Republican members of the state legislature met in Albany and nominated the old Republican warhorse, George Clinton, who had already served six terms as governor.  With John Jay declining to run for re-election, the Federalists selected Stephen Van Rensselaer, the incumbent lieutenant governor and Hamilton's brother-in-law by marriage to Eliza's sister Margaret. Burr threw his support behind Clinton, thus in Hamilton's eyes, exposing "the shameless deceit behind [his] flirtation with the Federalists during the tie election" (Chernow, Alexander Hamilton, p. 644). 

"Tell this to Mr. Church." Hamilton huffs indignantly, but in a gentler tone sends his love to his family. "And let me tell you what is of much more importance to you that I am in very good health though not in as good spirits as when I am with my beloved family.  Remember me affectionately to Angelica and accept many kisses for your self and give one to each of my Children." John B. Church was a British businessman who married Eliza's younger sister Angelica and served as a commissary for Washington during the war. Ironically, Church had insulted Burr in 1799 and subsequently fought a duel with him.  Burr missed, but Church—an experienced dueler and crack shot—lopped off one of Burr's coat buttons. When Hamilton faced Burr in his own fatal duel on 11 July 1804, he elected to use Church's trick pistols (they were equipped with a hair trigger) instead of his own fine English set. 

Hamilton also mentions his hope that James A. Bayard had received a letter that Hamilton had written from Albany on Sunday, 22 February regarding Burr's "rank Jacobinism"(Syrett, PAH, 25:340–341). (Strangely enough Hamilton has misdated the present letter as Monday, 24 February when in fact it was the 23rd.) Bayard served three terms in the House of Representatives from March 1797 through March 1803 and played an important part in the U.S. presidential election of 1800.  It was a group of Federalists led by him who broke the electoral deadlock by agreeing to allow the election of Thomas Jefferson. When it seemed the Federalists were about to vote for Aaron Burr, Bayard is believed to have followed Hamilton's advice and persuaded his Federalist colleagues to abstain from voting.