But although he affirms he has been several years in possession of the information upon which this statement is founded, and offers to appeal to the papers of gen. Hamilton for the confirmation of his assertion, it is, nevertheless, materially erroneous. It is now in my power to rectify the error and upon the very authority to which the writer appeals, and thus to set at rest, forever, all controversy upon the subject: I proceed to do so:—
"It may be proper, first, to observe, that the writer in Delaplaine's Repository has adopted a misstatement, from The Port Folio, in not allowing credit to Mr. Madison for 45 and 46. But the writer in the National Intelligencer has fallen into numerous errors, respecting every one of the three gentlemen concerned.
"Gen. Hamilton, a day or two previous to his death, stepped into the office of his friend judge Benson, then absent, and in the presence of his clerks, left a paper in a book lying there and departed. After his fall, this paper was observed, and deposited by judge Benson in the city-library, with a certificate, that it was the hand-writing of A. Hamilton. The following is a copy:
"'Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 54, Mr. Jay; Nos. 10, 14, 37, to 48 inclusive, Mr. Madison; Nos. 18, 19, 20, Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Madison, jointly; all the rest by Mr. Hamilton.'
"This is a sacred relick: call it not in question."
To this "Answer" a prompt and unequivocal reply was made by "Corrector," through the columns of the National Intelligencer,—the same newspaper in which had appeared the first letter from the same pen. The following is the reply referred to:—
