I have just received a letter from Colonel Troup of New York which surprised me a good deal. It seems that a correspondence took place between General Washington and General Hamilton respecting the Farewell address which shows perhaps, for the letter to me does not state the fact positively, that it was written by General Hamilton. This correspondence was placed by Mr Pendleton one of the exrs of General Hamilton, confidentially in the hands of Mr King. When Mr King was preparing to sail for Europe young Mr Hamilton demanded these papers from him, and he refused to surrender them; upon which a bill was filed in the name of Mrs Hamilton to compel the restoration of them. Colo. Fish the surviving representative of General Hamilton is made a defendant to this bill, and the object of Colonel Troups letter to me is to request that I would write to Colo. Fish advising him to resist the claim set up in the bill. I write to Colonel Troup that I cannot take the liberty to obtrude my advice, unasked; on Colo. Fish; and that I do not know enough of the case to say what I think most advisable. The existence of the correspondence cannot now be concealed, did the wish to conceal it exist; and should it go no farther than to show that General Hamilton retouched what was written by General Washington, or put in his own language sentiments expressed by both, it will still be supposed, should the correspondence be suppressed by the interference of those supposed to be most attached to the fame of General Washington, that the address in the entire production of General Hamiltons¹ pen. It may also be thought that this correspondence was among the General’s papers, and was concealed by you and myself. The fact undoubtedly is that we have never seen it. I am my dear Sir with esteem & affection your Obedt