Thursday, June 29th, 1797

My Dearest, Theodosia,

                                                Our meeting is Albany is one I am unlikely to forget in a hurry. We were able to spend so much time with one another and it certainly makes up for the time we missed when you were unwell. I can only hope we will be able to have more of these meetings in the future, particularly if they last as long as the last meeting did.

Angelica has said she is to remain in Albany for the forcible future, which means I shall have both my aunt and my mother on my side when I put forward a proposal to my father. I so want to spend more time with you, Theo, and I know it is only my father who stands in our way. My sister believes I should leave it, Father has been on edge recently after a publication of advertisements.

The advertisement promised to publish documents pertaining to his actions as Treasury secretary. These documents, nor the book they are said to belong to, have been published but I know Father is nervous as to what the outcome may be and what they intend to publish. I myself find it particularly interesting that Father is unnerved by this threat. I was always led to believe he did nothing wrong during his time in office, but the way he has been acting has changed my way of thinking. What if he has done something wrong and these documents confirm it? Father's reputation will be ruined.

What do you have to say on the matter?

Love Always,

Philip Hamilton.

~~~

My Dearest, Philip,

                                     Our meeting was one I too am unlikely to forget in a hurry. Spending those hours with you felt like a lifetime and I am sure it will continue to feel like a lifetime for as long as I live. Our lives are short and we must treasure every happy memory we have, even those that seem small in comparison.

You have so many fears going through your mind it is a wonder you do not explode. I am more than certain your father has done nothing wrong and is only fretting for what they may have to say. The slander they might publish about him. You only have to look at what your father wrote about Jefferson to see how much of impact a publication can have. Once it has been published, and the claims dismissed, everything shall be fine, I am sure of it.

The person who is writing the book most likely has a vendetta towards your father, though what the intend to gain from this is unknown to me. Your father no longer holds a government position, the worse these documents can do is tarnish his reputation.

Do not fret over what may happen, Philip. You will only make things worse for yourself. Ignore the accusations and focus on your studies, or spending time with your aunt. It does not do the mind good to fret over such a thing.

Love Always,

Theodosia Burr.

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Notes;

In late June 1797, a series of newspaper advertisements appeared and were eventually turned into a book by the name of The History of the United States for 1796. The book in question contained a series of documents pertaining to Hamilton's conducts as treasury secretary. Hamilton eventually laid his hands on pamphlet number five which cited documents from James Reynolds.

In July, Hamilton posted a letter in the Gazette of the United States admitting to the authenticity of the papers but said the charges were false and misleading. We know this book was what ultimately led to the Reynolds affair becoming common knowledge. What we did not know, is that due to Hamilton's reaction to this publication, Philip became increasingly concerned with his father's actions.