my favorite bits from the laurens/hamilton letters
• “Adieu, my dear boy” — Laurens to Hamilton, December 5, 1778
• “By actions rather than words, to convince you that I love you.” — Hamilton to Laurens, April 1779
• “I shall not scruple to pardon the fraud you have committed” — Hamilton to Laurens, April 1779
• “But for both your country’s sake and for my own I wish the enemy may be gone from Georgia before you arrive and that you may be obliged to return and share the fortunes of your old friends” — Hamilton to Laurens, April 1779
• “She speaks of a daughter of yours” — Hamilton to Laurens, April 1779
• “It will be necessary for you to give an account of the lover—his size, make, quality of mind and body, achievements, expectations, fortune, &c” — Hamilton to Laurens, April 1779
• “Do I want a wife? No—I have plagues enough” — Hamilton to Laurens, April 1779
• “I have gratified my feelings, by lengthening out the only kind of intercourse now in my power with my friend” — Hamilton to Laurens, April 1779
• “Affectionately Yrs.” — Hamilton to Laurens, May 22, 1779
• “I mention this matter to you, my D[ea]r, because your good father whom I venerate in this instance on the wrong side. I know he acts from system and follows his own judgement, but I know also he sets a proper value to yours, aided by the affection of a father. This is a delicate subject. I say no more.” — Hamilton to Laurens, May 22, 1779
• “Ternant will relate to you how many violent struggles I have had between duty and inclination—how much my heart was with you, while I appeared to be most actively employed here” — Laurens to Hamilton, July 14, 1779
• “Clinton’s movement and your march in consequence, made me wish to be with you” — Laurens to Hamilton, July 14, 1779
• “I shall execrate my Stars—& be out of humour with the world.” — Laurens to Hamilton, July 14, 1779
• “I have acknowledged but one letter from you, since you left us... I have written you five or six letters since you left from Philadelphia, and I should’ve written more had you made proper return.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 11, 1779
• “But like a jealous lover, when I thought you had slighted my caresses, my affection was alarmed and my vanity piqued. I had almost resolved to lavish no more of them upon you and to reject you as an inconsistent and an ungrateful ____. But now you have disarmed my resentment and by a single mark of attention made up the quarrel.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 11, 1779
• “Present my Respects and Love to our excellent General and the family; may you enjoy all the pleasure moral and physical which you promise yourself in these winter quarters; and be as happy as you deserve.” — Laurens to Hamilton, December 12, 1779
• “My Love as usual.” — Laurens to Hamilton, December 18, 1779
• “Believe me my D[ea]r Laurens I am not insensible of the first mark of your affection in recommending me to your friends for a certain commission. However your partiality may have led you to overrate my qualifications that very partiality must you endear to me” — Hamilton to Laurens, January 8, 1780
• “If I have talents and integrity, (as you say I have) these are justly deemed very spurious titles in these enlightened days” — Hamilton to Laurens, January 8, 1780
• “I have strongly sollicited leave to go to the Southward.” — Hamilton to Laurens, January 8, 1780
• “In short Laurens I am disgusted with every thing in this world but yourself and very few more honest fellows and I have no other wish than as soon as possible to make a brilliant exit. ‘Tis a weakness; but I can feel I am not fit for this terrestreal Country.” — Hamilton to Laurens, January 8, 1780
• “Adieu my Dear; I am sure you will exert yourself to save your country; but do not unnecessarily risk one of its most valuable sons. Take as much care of yourself as you ought to for the public sake and for the sake of/Yr. affectionate/A. Hamilton” — Hamilton to Laurens, March 30, 1780
• “We all love you sincerely; but I have more of the infirmities of human nature, than the others, and suspect my self of wing byassed in my partiality for you.” — Hamilton to Laurens, June 30, 1780
• “Have you not heard I am on the point of becoming a benedict? I confess my sins. I am guilty. Next fall completed my doom.” — Hamilton to Laurens, June 30, 1780
• “Is it true you are confined to Pensylvania? Cannot you pay us a visit? If you can, hasten to give us a pleasure which we shall relish with the sensibility of the sincerest friendship.” — Hamilton to Laurens, June 30, 1780
• “Indeed my Laurens, I often realize your situation.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 12, 1780
• “I say this to you because you know it and will not charge me with vanity. I hate Congress—I hate the army—I hate the world—I hate myself. The whole is a mass of fools and knaves; I could almost except you and Meade.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 12, 1780
• “My ravings are for your own bosom.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 12, 1780
• “For your own sake, for my sake, for the public sake, I shall pray for the success of the attempt you mention; that you may have it in your power to act with us. But if you should be disappointed, bear it like a man; and have recourse, neither to the dagger, nor to the poisoned bowl, nor to the rope.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 16, 1780
• “In spite of Schuyler’s black eyes, I have still a part for the public and another for you; so your impatience to have me married is misplaced; a strange cure by the way, as if after matrimony I was to be less devoted than I am now.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 16, 1780
• “I wish you were at liberty to transgress the bounds of Pensylvania. I would invite you after the fall to Albany to be witness to the final consummation. My Mistress is a good girl, and already loves you because I have told her you are a clever fellow and my friend; but mind, she loves you a l’americaine not a la françoise.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 16, 1780
• “Adieu, be happy, and let friendship between us be more than a name” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 16, 1780
• “The stars fight against us my friend.” — Hamilton to Laurens, September 16, 1780
• “ There was something singularly interesting in the character and fortunes of André. To an excellent understanding well improved by education and travel, he united a peculiar elegance of mind and manners, and the advantage of a pleasing person. ’Tis said he possessed a pretty taste for the fine arts, and had himself attained some proficiency in poetry, music and painting. His knowlege appeared without ostentation, and embellished by a diffidence, that rarely accompanies so many talents and accomplishments, which left you to suppose more than appeared. His sentiments were elevated and inspired esteem. they had a softness that conciliated affection. His elocution was handsome; his address easy, polite and insinuating.” — Hamilton to Laurens, October 11, 1780 (but he’s too pretty to hang!)
• “Assure yourself that it is impossible more ardently wish for your health safety pleasure and success than I do. God send you speedily back to us.” — Hamilton to Laurens, February 4, 1781
• “I had, in fact, resumed the black project, as you were informed, and urged the matter very strenuously, both to our privy council and legislative body; but I was out-voted, having only reason on my side” — Laurens to Hamilton, July 1782
• “Adieu, my dear friend; while circumstances place so great a distance between us, I entreat your not to withdraw the consolation of your letters. You know the unalterable sentiments of your affectionate Laurens.” — Laurens to Hamilton, July 1782
• “It requires all the virtue and all the abilities of the Country. Quit your sword my friend, put on the toga, come to Congress. We know each others sentiments, our views are the same: we have fought side by side to make America free, let us hand in hand struggle to make her happy.” — Hamilton to Laurens, August 15, 1782
• “Yrs for ever” — Hamilton to Laurens, August 15, 1782
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