covered that he has given currency to an erroneous statement, which was published soon after the death of General Hamilton, in The Port Folio, concerning the authorship of the respective numbers of the work called The Federalist, which it is known was written by Messrs. Madison, Hamilton and Jay. The biographer affirms, that the numbers written by Mr. Hamilton are manifestly superior to the others, and that a key to them is unnecessary, as all persons of taste & judgment will at once designate them. Altho' I have repeatedly read that celebrated work, and have never discovered the superior merit of the part executed by Gen. Hamilton; yet, as the intelligent public are as competent to decide as that writer, the maintenance of his opinions, if erroneous, can do no other injury than to lessen the character of the Repository for fidelity and impartiality ; and I should not have deemed it proper, if the facts were not mis-stated, to take any notice of them. With the sole view, therefore, of giving to each of the gentlemen his proper share of the merit which The Federalist entitles him to, and to correct an error, assuming the garb of historical credibility, I take upon me to state, from indubitable authority, that Mr. Madison wrote Nos. 10, 14, 18, 19, 20, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 62, 63, and 64.
"Mr. Jay wrote Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5; and Mr. Hamilton the residue.
"I have been for several years in possession of the information upon which this statement is predicated; and, if it be doubted or denied, I will venture to appeal to the papers of Gen. Hamilton for the confirmation of my assertion.
"March 10, 1817."
Among the friends and admirers of General Hamil-
