Entered accordin

Congress, in the year 1834, by JOHN C. HAMILTON, in the

Office of the Clerk of the Southern District of New-York.

LENOX LIBRARY

NEW YORK

University Press. JOHN F. TROW, PRINTER, 114 Nassau-street.

PREFACE.

It is generally known, that the charge of preparing a BIOGRAPHY OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON has been committed to different gentlemen of distinguished abilities, by whom, from various and sufficient causes, it was not performed.

After the lapse of many years, I was requested to undertake this work; but a deep conviction of my incapacity, the want of the necessary preparatory studies, and a distrust of the natural bias of my feelings, prompted me to decline it.

An earnest appeal was then made by me to an individual, whose eminent qualifications indicated him as the most appropriate Biographer of his friend, but without success. Thus often disappointed in an object of very dear interest, the request was renewed from a quarter which I felt I had not the right to refuse; and I yielded a reluctant, though, I fear, it will be deemed a too ready assent.

After these pages had been laid aside for fu