Letter: Thomas Hamilton to his brother James Hamilton, Carlisle, 1789

Letter: Thomas Hamilton to his brother James Hamilton, Carlisle, 1789¹

A coolness in the relations between Thomas Hamilton and his brother James has developed. In this letter that Thomas writes from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, he addresses circumstances that may have led to the rift and lays them out with the hope of restoring good relations.

Greensburg, January 1789
Dear Sir

Your favor of the 6th January is just come to hand. I for some time past rested an anxious suspense in expectation of a letter from you. It is true I expected a relation in the cause which gave you offence at me –I have received it.

From a perusal of your letter I observe several things objected against me which you overlooked heretofore. I had not called on you the night of your arrival in town. Previous to my making the survey of Anderson’s place in Bedford I had addressed a few lines to you with respect to Bob’s being apprehended and mentioning, I think, that Mrs. Hamilton was well. Since which time I have had no opportunity of hearing further from thence.

It is disagreeable to enter into a detail of this business, but I am well convinced I could explain away many of your objections, and I believe to your satisfaction.

Your superior address and ingenuity gives you considerable advantage over me. Your memory is admirable as I have had occasion to observe while I boarded at your house—even in trifles respecting myself. Your mustering up sundry little circumstances (which I have never taken notice of or entirely forgotten) and forming them into a kind of charge against me. As they came very unexpected, did not fail to surprise and even disconcert me.

There are sundry parts of your conduct towards me which I have regarded as exceptionable and faulty but my state of dependence hitherto made me pass them over in silence. Some of these you have put in the list against me but the cause originated from yourself.

My conduct towards you or any other person has never been influenced by any interested, selfish motive. Your situation and prospects, I confess, are very promising but no inference from thence could induce me to act the character of a parasite. Am I to be despised because our tempers and dispositions are different? Your pleasures and enjoyments I never envied much less found fault with.

That coolness you object to me, from whence does it flow? I have been treated in some instances with very cold distant civility. If silence has sometimes reigned at your table I have been blamed. When I spoke, my words and delivery have been so narrowly inspected that I have had small pleasure in attending it, but all this perhaps proceeded from a wish for my improvement. It is very obvious however that this plan could never answer that end, but I also wish to dismiss this very disagreeable subject. I am very sensible you have been my best friend in essential matters and am sorry I can make no better return than a candid acknowledgement of it. I have subjected you to sundry expenses on my account. I have reason to believe that for the future they will be less frequent. As I shall have less occasion for them it is my sincerest wish to be on good friendly terms and for all former displeasure and what may have given birth to it, to pass into oblivion. I shall attend to the directions in the latter part of your letter. I have some time ago made out a list of your suits on appearance and execution dockets etc. to the January term.

You will please to make by best respects to Mrs. Hamilton and with the sincerest wish for our reconcilement; am
Your affectionate brother
Thomas Hamilton²