A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress
Author | Alexander Hamilton |
---|---|
Language | English |
Followed by | The Farmer Refuted |
A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress was one of Alexander Hamilton's first published works, published in December 1774, while Hamilton was either a 19 or a 17-year-old student at King's College, later renamed Columbia University, in New York City.[1][2]
In this pamphlet, dated December 15, 1774,[3] Hamilton defended the actions of the First Continental Congress at Philadelphia against the accusations of author A.W. Farmer ("A Westchester Farmer"),[1][4] a pseudonym of Samuel Seabury, Episcopal rector of Westchester County, who had written an incendiary loyalist pamphlet attacking the Congress, Free Thoughts on the Proceedings of the Continental Congress, dated November 16, 1774.[3] Most political essays of the time were written under pen names.[5] The identity of Farmer was not known at the time Hamilton wrote his reply, although it was generally thought that the author was among the Anglican ministers who were among the most articulate Loyalists.[2] Hamilton might have believed, as others did at the time, that the author of Free Thoughts was the president of his own college, the Reverend Myles Cooper.[2][5] Cooper was indeed part of a "Loyalist literary clique" that included Seabury and Charles Inglis (later rector of Trinity Church in New York), and was aware that Seabury had written the pamphlet.[5]
Hamilton's thirty-five page reply to Farmer, addressed to "Friends and Countrymen," took two to three weeks to write and is signed "A Friend to America"; it responds systematically to Farmer's argument.[1][2][5] Hamilton warns against "the men who advise you to forsake the plain path, marked out for you by the congress" and states that "our representatives in general assembly cannot take any wise or better course to settle out differences, than our representatives in the continental congress have taken."[1]
After A Full Vindication was published, "Farmer" (Seabury) responded with another pamphlet, A View of the Controversy, dated December 24, 1774, but not announced until January 5, 1775.[6] Hamilton then responded with another pamphlet, The Farmer Refuted, on February 23, 1775.[1][6] With these two pamphlets, Hamilton "embraced wholeheartedly the 'radical' American side" of the growing conflict with the Kingdom of Great Britain.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Joseph C. Morton, Shapers of the Great Debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787: A Biographical Dictionary (2006), Greenword: p. 125.
- ^ a b c d James Flexner, The Young Hamilton: A Biography (1978), Fordham University Press: p. 67.
- ^ a b Alexander Hamilton; Harold C. Syrett (1961). The Papers of Alexander Hamilton. Columbia University Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-231-08900-5.
- ^ Ross N. Hebb, Samuel Seabury and Charles Inglis: Two Bishops, Two Churches (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press (2010), p. 114.
- ^ a b c d Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton (2005), Penguin: pp. 57-58.
- ^ a b Alexander Hamilton; Harold C. Syrett (1961). The Papers of Alexander Hamilton. Columbia University Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-231-08900-5.
Links to original sources
- Hamilton, Alexander (1774). A full vindication of the measures of the Congress. New York: James Rivington. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- Seabury, Samuel (1774). Free thoughts on the proceedings of the Continental Congress. London: Richardson and Urquhart. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
- v
- t
- e
founding events
- A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress (1774)
- The Farmer Refuted (1775)
- Delegate, 1786 Annapolis Convention
- Delegate, 1787 Constitutional Convention
- The Federalist Papers
- New York Circular Letter
the Treasury
- First Bank of the United States
- Revenue Marine (U.S. Coast Guard)
- U.S. Customs Service
- Hamiltonian economic program
- Residence Act
- Funding Act of 1790
- Tariff of 1790
- Bank Bill of 1791
- Tariff of 1791
- Tariff of 1792
- Coinage Act of 1792
- Whiskey Rebellion
- Jay Treaty
- Reports
- Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures
- New York Provincial Company of Artillery
- Washington's aide-de-camp
- Battles
- Founder, Federalist Party
- Founder, Bank of New York
- Bank of North America
- Pacificus-Helvidius Debates
- Advisor, George Washington's Farewell Address
- President General of the Society of the Cincinnati
- Founder, New-York Evening Post
- Hamilton College
- Hamilton–Reynolds affair
- Rutgers v. Waddington
- Relationship with slavery
- Burr–Hamilton duel
- Trumbull portrait
- Ceracchi bust
- Central Park statue
- U.S. Treasury statue
- Columbia University statue
- Boston statue
- Chicago statue
- U.S. postage stamps
- Greenbacks
- U.S. $10 bill
- Boyhood home and museum
- Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House
- Alexander Hamilton Bridge
- Alexander Hamilton High School (Los Angeles)
- Fort Hamilton
- Hamilton Grange National Memorial
- Hamilton Hall (Columbia University)
- Hamilton Hall (Salem)
- Hamilton Heights, Manhattan
- Hamilton, Ohio
- Hamilton College
- USS Alexander Hamilton
- PS Alexander Hamilton
- Trinity Church Cemetery
- Hamilton (1917 play)
- Alexander Hamilton (1931 film)
- Liberty! (1997 documentary series)
- Liberty's Kids (2002 animated series)
- Alexander Hamilton (2004 book)
- John Adams (2008 miniseries)
- Hamilton (2015 musical, 2020 film)
- Washington (2020 miniseries)
- Founders Online
- Age of Enlightenment
- American Enlightenment
- American Philosophical Society
- Liberty Hall (N.J.)
- New York Manumission Society
- "American System" economic plan
- American School
- American Revolution
- patriots
- Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (wife)
- Philip Hamilton (son)
- Angelica Hamilton (daughter)
- Alexander Hamilton Jr. (son)
- James Alexander Hamilton (son)
- John Church Hamilton (son)
- William S. Hamilton (son)
- Eliza Hamilton Holly (daughter)
- Philip Hamilton (son)
- Schuyler Hamilton (grandson)
- Alexander Hamilton Jr. (grandson)
- Allan McLane Hamilton (grandson)
- Category