Angelica Schuyler Church

13 Autograph Letters Signed ("AC," "Angelica," "Angelica Church"), 24 pages (various sizes), some with integral address leaves, London, Albany, New York, and other locations, 11 June 1789–28 May 1795, to her brother-in-law Alexander Hamilton; condition varies.

Condition as described in catalogue entry.
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A fine collection of effervescent and flirtatious letters to Alexander Hamilton from his sister-in-law Angelica Schuyler Church. Mrs. Church was a well-connected social fixture in New York and later in London and Paris. She was married to British M.P. John Barker Church. In addition to her brother-in-law, she corresponded with Washington, Jefferson, Lafayette, and many others. 

Writing on 4 January 1790, "Dr. Pendergrast is the bearer of this. I beg you to be very civil to him, he was extremely kind to me as well as Captain H. I have promised that you should let him see General Washington. Adieu my dear Brother love me half as well as I do you. Farewell my dear Minister." 5 April 1790, "The French cannot form a government so readily as we did ours, they mean to petition General Washington to send them a Legislator, would to heaven you would make them a Constitution so it were the occasion of sending you and my sister to his side of the Atlantic." Writing in either April or May of 1790, Mrs. Church discusses the possibility of war between Britain and Spain": … a war with Spain is much talked of, and many sailors have been pressed yesterday and today, the Spainards having taken some English vessels on the Ohio and sent the sailors to the mines — if this war will be of service to America, I shall not be sorry for it."

From London, 15 August 1793, Mrs. Church reflects on her separation from her family in America, "My silence is caused by despair, for do not years, days and moments pass, and still find me separate from those I love! yet were I in America would ambition give an hour to Betsey and to me. Can a mind engaged by Glory taste of peace and ease?"

Of particular interest is Mrs. Church's letter introducing Hamilton to the Duc de Liancourt, 19 September 1794: "I have very particular and very good motives to ask your kindness for the Duke de Liancourt. He loved Liberty with good sense and moderation; and he meant so well towards his country as to introduce into France a better system of Agriculture and to soften the situation of the Lower class of people there. Virtue has not found its reward, for in the many scenes of distress that has afflicted his unfortunate country, he like many more good men has been obliged to leave his possessions and seek an Asylum in this country. He goes to America and goes there without a friend, unless my dear Brother, who is always so good, will extend to Monsieur de Liancourt his care. Besides many good Qualities this gentleman is the friend of the Marquis de La Fayette. Adieu my dear friend, remember me to … Monsieur de Tallyrand."

The last letter in the collection is dated 25 May 1795, "I have my dear friend been reading all your letters from June the 19th 84 to the last I have received; I will not tell you how many tears I shed when perusing one written the day after I left New York—had you seen me, you would have been assured that your friendship was not thrown away, indeed my dear Hamilton you are very amiable and I do not know which of the family love you most — and that is surely proof of your merit as well as of our good taste, so we are all content, I should be more so if I could live near you and my sister. The desire of returning to America takes away all relish for the present, my situation may be compared to the needle which is always pointing to the Pole but never reaches it—thus to waste one's life in a foreign climate to find in Health, in chearfulness, and riches, the sad idea, that it is all expended far from all one long has loved …. Adieu, Embrace Betsey. I would write to her the fashions, but have not been to the opera this week, and they seldom exist longer. Do your French acquaintance continue to like America. The Vicount de Noailles is we hear very constant in his attachment and that he has a beautiful Ferme ornée, but you are no Farmer. Adieu my dear what shall I call you, are you to be Judge, or Chief Justice, or Governor."