Description:

ELIAS BOUDINOT
(1740 - 1821) Revolutionary War officer and President of the Continental Congress signing the Treaty of Paris in that capacity. Later director of the U.S. Mint. Important content A.L.S. 1p. 4to., [n.p., likely New York], [Nov. 28, 1796], to Nicholas Low, a powerful New York politician, land baron and merchant. In part: "...The bearers...will give you the list of articles & their ideas. Please to consult some of the Gentlemen present and write me the Result - they are waiting in town on expences [sic] and the sooner they are dispatched the better...". At bottom, in another hand, appears a list of the committee sent to meet with Low, and it contains some surprising names: Alexander Hamilton, James Watson, William Henderson, William Denning, Richard Harrison and Abijah Hammond, all powerful politicians and/or merchant-traders. Slight show-through from writing on verso, a few tiny marginal splits, else very good. Hamilton's resignation as Secretary of the Treasury in 1795 did not remove him from public life. In the election of 1796, under the Constitution as it stood then, each of the presidential Electors had two votes, which they were to cast for different men. Hamilton disliked Adams and saw an opportunity. He urged all the northern Electors to vote for Adams and Pinckney, lest Jefferson get in. He cooperated with Edward Rutledge to have South Carolina's Electors vote for Jefferson and Pinckney. If all this worked, Pinckney would have more votes than Adams; Pinckney would be President, and Adams would remain Vice President. Although Adams won the popular vote, Jefferson won the electoral vote and became president. However, Electors would not meet until February, 1797. Could this group of powerful merchants and politicians have met with Low to garner his aid in "fixing" the election? Incredibly, two Electors for Adams changed their vote to Jefferson when they met in February! Worthy of much further research.

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May 13, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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