Alexander Hamilton's Letter to George Washington: An Analysis

1. Biography
Alexander Hamilton, the author of this letter to George Washington, bolstered an impressive resume as a politician, war general, economist, congressman, lawyer, and scholar. A few of his main accolades are: an integral author of the Federalist Papers, a devoted member of the Continental Congress, a contributor to the Constitution, and the first secretary of the Treasury. He also was the main creator of the first National Bank of the United States. Alexander Hamilton was born in the British West Indies with the exact birth date unknown; he came to America as a teenager and enrolled at Princeton. He passed the tough entrance exams after one year but was not allowed to advance at his own pace, therefore, he made the controversial decision to enroll at King’s College (modern day Columbia.) During this time period, conflict was beginning to brew between the colonies and Great Britiain. In response, Hamilton started to educate and prepare himself for war. He eventually was offered a spot in George Washington’s army as lieutenant colonel and then a field commander.
Forrest McDonald. "Hamilton, Alexander"; http://www.anb.org/articles/02/02-00154.html; American National Biography Online Feb. 2000. Access Date: Tue Feb 11 2014 22:14:54 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time)
Hamilton was a Federalist; he was in favor of creating a strong federal government. America was in an unstable state during the time period that this letter was written. They were in a lot of debt due to the Revolutionary War against Britain. Optimistically, they had officially won their freedom and were in the process of building an unwavering, efficient governmental system. George Washington and Alexander Hamilton exchanged hundreds of letters due to them working together. This particular letter from Hamilton was in response to one written by George Washington on July 29, 1792, where he relayed comments made by Thomas Jefferson which addressed certain public concerns. George Washington says, “…it is my request, and you would oblige me in furnishing me, with your ideas upon the discontents here enumerated” (From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 29 July 1792). The main purpose of Alexander Hamilton’s letter was to give George Washington feedback on Thomas Jefferson’s comments on public concerns.
“From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 29 July 1792,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-10-02-0401, ver. 2013-12-27). Source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 10, 1 March 1792 – 15 August 1792, ed. Robert F. Haggard and Mark A. Mastromarino. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2002, pp. 588–592.
2. Historical Context
In 1789, Alexander Hamilton was elected to be the first Secretary of the Treasury; he was committed to solving the financial problems that the US had. In the early 1790s, Hamilton presented many complex reports on the state of the economy. In his first one, he reported and calculated approximately how much debt the US was in. “Hamilton estimated that the country’s total obligations at $77 million” (Reynolds, 68). The second report was a solution to help cut the debt; he proposed to open the first national bank; this caused outrage from oppositions such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The tension between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton during this time period grew. “The two men looked at America in fundamentally different ways” (Reynolds, 68). This letter is a perfect example of the differences in philosophies between these two men. Since these are Thomas Jefferson’s ideas that George Washington sent to Hamilton to comment on, one can clearly see the opposite ideology present between the two men in each objection Hamilton makes. Hamilton’s federalist ideas on the state of the economy and debt, and the structure of the government are portrayed through his objections.
Reynolds, David. America, Empire of Liberty. Philadelphia: Perseus Books Group, 2009. (accessed February 12, 2014).

3. Summary Description
In this excerpt of Hamilton’s letter to George Washington, Hamilton offers George Washington feedback on a list of explanations to problems in America written by Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton organized his letter very well. It starts off with an introduction basically saying that he is happy to give George Washington his input. He also says that he wrote this letter with haste and asks for forgiveness if there is any mistakes. After the introduction, he lists numbered objections that correspond with the list of ideas Jefferson supplied. The first objection he has deals with the debt that the US was in. The 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th objections deal with the effect of money on the corruption of the people and legislature of the US.
4. Analysis
Although this letter jumps around and addresses different issues, the common theme derives from money. In the first objection, Hamilton responds to the idea that the debt occurred because of the government by saying, “The public debt was produced by the late war. It is not the fault of the present government that it exists…” (CAPCT, 628). He is referring to the Revolutionary War and during this time period the main focus the US had was trying to pay their debts and establish a stable government after winning their independence from Great Britain. When referring to the people, he states, “If they are rendered dissatisfied by repressions of the measures of the government, the government will be deprived of an efficient command of the resources of the community towards extinguishing the debt” (CAPCT 628). Hamilton advocates for capitalism during this time period and encourages people to be ambitious and hard working. This quote portrays his idea that the people are integral for the process of extinguishing the debt. He says “Americans had little incentive to work hard, for earning a subsistence was easy whereas improving one 's lot was difficult” (American National Biography, para 17). Also during this time period was the French Revolution. The US was in a lot of debt to the French and they also had an alliance formed from the American Revolutionary War, therefore they were obligated to fight for France. Hamilton feared that the French were going to go to war and that happened in 1793 when they declared war on Great Britain. During the time leading up to 1793, Hamilton pushed to try to industrialize so America could have the supplies necessary to defend themselves. He maintained the idea that you need a strong central government to do the things needed to defend the nation. In response, he created the excise tax on whiskey to raise more money and as an attempt to strengthen the central government. He supports this tax in his letter to George Washington with this statement: “If the foregoing inducements to a provision for the public debt were sufficiently cogent- then the justification of the excise tax law lies within a narrow compass. Some further source of revenue, besides the duties on imports, was indispensable, and none equally productive, would have been so little exceptionable to the mass of the people” (CAPCT, 629).
In the 11th, 12th, and 13th objection, Hamilton transitions into rebuttaling Jefferson’s notions that Hamilton’s ideas about how to solve the debt will “…nourish in our citizens vice & idleness instead of industry & morality” and will provide “furnished effectual means of corrupting such a portion of the legislature, as turns the balance between the honest Voters which ever way it is directed.” Simply put, Jefferson thinks that industrializing, creating the national bank, and the government taking over millions of dollars in debt will corrupt the citizens and legislature. Hamilton admits that citizens may be negatively influenced by this but he says that “It promotes among them industry by furnishing a larger field of employment” (CAPCT, 630). He defends that his ideas will lead to corruption in the legislature by saying: “This is one of those assertions which can only be denied and pronounced to be malignant and false. No facts exist to support it, and being a mere matter of fact, no argument can be brought to repel it” (CAPCT, 630). Jefferson maintains the theory that people will be happier and more civilized if they continue living their regular lives as opposed to industrializing and having to work tough factory jobs.
“From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 29 July 1792,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-10-02-0401, ver. 2014-02-12). Source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 10, 1 March 1792 – 15 August 1792, ed. Robert F. Haggard and Mark A. Mastromarino. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2002, pp. 588–592.
Lastly, the 14th and 15th objections consist of Hamilton defending himself on the accusations that he is trying to change the government back to a monarchy. Jefferson says, “That the ultimate object of all this is to prepare the way for a change, from the present republican form of Government, to that of a monarchy; of which the British Constitution is to be the model.” He thinks that Hamilton is trying to give too much power to the federal government and is trying to return to a monarchy. Hamilton responds by saying, “The idea of introducing a monarchy or aristocracy into this country, by employing the influence and force of a government continually changing hands, towards it, is one of those visionary things, that none but madmen could meditate and that no wise man will believe” (CAPCT, 631). The Constitution was ratified in 1789, just 3 years before this letter was written. During this time period people like Jefferson and Hamilton were constantly debating back in fourth about what was the best policies to implement in the constitution. This letter is a great example of the different ideologies people were trying to debate.
“From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 29 July 1792,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-10-02-0401, ver. 2014-02-12). Source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 10, 1 March 1792 – 15 August 1792, ed. Robert F. Haggard and Mark A. Mastromarino. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2002, pp. 588–592. This document represents the author’s response to the circumstances of the time perfectly; all of the objections made by Hamilton dealt with current issues that were taking place at the time. Hamilton wrote this document in response to George Washington’s request. He offered his input on this issues at hand. Hamilton was a true pioneer in the development of America in its early days. He wrote thousands of letters, documents, papers, and essays in effort to improve the country and this letter to George Washington is no exception.

Bibliography
Forrest McDonald. "Hamilton, Alexander"; http://www.anb.org/articles/02/02-00154.html; American National Biography Online Feb. 2000. Access Date: Tue Feb 11 2014 22:14:54 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time) “From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 29 July 1792,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-10-02-0401, ver. 2014-02-12). Source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 10, 1 March 1792 – 15 August 1792, ed. Robert F. Haggard and Mark A. Mastromarino. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2002, pp. 588–592.
Reynolds, David. America, Empire of Liberty. Philadelphia: Perseus Books Group, 2009. (accessed February 12, 2014).

Alexander Hamilton’s Letter to George Washington (August 18, 1792)
2/17/14
GHIST 225: US History
Dr. Kevin Hardwick

Bibliography: Forrest McDonald. "Hamilton, Alexander"; http://www.anb.org/articles/02/02-00154.html; American National Biography Online Feb. 2000. Access Date: Tue Feb 11 2014 22:14:54 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time) “From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 29 July 1792,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-10-02-0401, ver. 2014-02-12). Source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 10, 1 March 1792 – 15 August 1792, ed. Robert F. Haggard and Mark A. Mastromarino. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2002, pp. 588–592. Reynolds, David. America, Empire of Liberty. Philadelphia: Perseus Books Group, 2009. (accessed February 12, 2014).   Alexander Hamilton’s Letter to George Washington (August 18, 1792) 2/17/14 GHIST 225: US History Dr. Kevin Hardwick