Alexander Hamilton

APPENDIX COPIES OF TWO ORIGINAL LETTERS FROM GENERAL HAMILTON TO HIS EXCELLENCY, GENERAL WASHINGTON Sir. Your Excellency will, I am persuaded, readily admit the force of this Sentiment, that though it is the duty of a good Citizen to devote his Services of the public, when it has occasion for them—he cannot with propriety or delicacy, obtrude them. when it either has, or appears to have none— The difficulty I experienced the last Campaign in obtaining a Command, will not suffer me to make any further application, on that head—As I have many Reasons to consider my being hereafter, the bare possibility of undergoing an equivalent, will not justify to my Scruples, the receiving any further Emoluments for my Commission—I therefore Renounce—from this time, all claim to compensation attached to my military Station, during the war, or after it—But I have motives which will not permit me to resolve on a total Resignation—I sincerely hope a prosperous train of affairs may make it no inconvenience to decline the Services of those persons, whose zeal in worse times was found not altogether useless—but as the most promising appearances are often reversed by unforseen disasters, and unfortunate events may again make the Same zeal of some value, am unwilling to put it out of my power in the line in which I have heretofore acted, to resume my exertions in the common cause— I shall accordingly retain my rank while I am permitted to do it—And take this oppertunity to declare that I shall be, at all times ready to obey the call of the public in any Capacity—Civil or military (consistent with what I owe to myself) on which there may be a prospect of my contributing to the final attainment of the object, for which I embarked in the service—I have the Honor to be very Respectfully— your Excellency's Most Obdt. Servt A. H. Philadelphia, March— N 210 Sir. I need not observe to your Excellency that—Respect for the opinion of Congress, will not permit me to be indifferent to the impressions they may Receive of my Conduct—On this principle, though I do not think the subject of the inclosed letter of sufficient importance to require an official communication of it, yet I should be happy it might (in some way) be known to the Inembers of that Honbl Body—Should they hereafter Learn, that though retained on the list of their officers, I am not in the Execution of the duties of my Station—I wish them to be Sensible it is not a diminution of zeal which induces me voluntarily to withdraw my Services, but that I only refrain from intruding them, when Circumstances seem to have made them, either not necessary or not desired—And that I shall not Receive Emoluments without performing the Conditions to which they were annexed—I also wish them to be apprized upon what footing my future Continuance in the army is placed—That they may judge how far it is expedient to permit it—I therefore take the Liberty to request the favour of your Excellency to impart the knowledge of my Situation, in such manner as you think most convenient. I have the Honor to be with perfect Respect your Excellency's Most Obdt & Humble Servt A. H.