Permanent Fortifications Require the Sanction of the President
Item
Type
Autograph Draft
Title
Permanent Fortifications Require the Sanction of the President
Description
Hamilton espouses to McHenry the general principle that permanent fortifications, and the expenses attached, should not be undertaken without the sanction of the Executive. He stesses that he has never violated this principle but exigencies in the field, such as those faced by General Wilkinson, might require that it be temporarily ignored.
year created
1799
month created
11
day created
12
author
sent from location
New York
recipient
in collection
in publication
note
Cited in McHenry to Hamilton, 11/20/1799.
cited note
Cited document addressed to the War Office
notable person/group
James McHenry
Alexander Hamilton
the Executive [John Adams]
General Wilkinson
Commander in Chief [Washington]
the President [Adams]
military commanders
Indians
notable location
New York
notable item/thing
permanent fortifications
expenses
sanction of the Executive
establishing an important barrier post
scrupulous ideas of economy in national affairs
disbursements
laws of appropriation
legislative sanction and provision
fruits of past expense
notable phrase
I cannot but believe that I have acted with all proper delicacy and caution
In the course of military operations, measures which involve very great expense are frequently indispensable without incurring the dealy of resorting to the executive as a preliminary
I would rather be responsible on proper occasions for formal deviations than for a feeble, insufficient, and unprosperous course of public business proceeding from an over-scrupulous adherence to general rules
I shall take care that such a communication be made to General Wilkinson as there may be no danger in the future of his undertaking a permanent fortification without the previous approbation of the Executive
document number
1799111240100
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (0 pages) | [no image] | Collection: Printed Versions | [unknown] |
| [view document] (0 pages) | [no image] | Publication: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton | [unknown] |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Alexander Hamilton | New York | [n/a] |
| Recipient | James McHenry | [unknown] | [n/a] |