#anne mitchell

Hot off the presses, just this morning the New York Times filed this complaint (included for Notes from the Front members), challenging the order requiring journalists to sign what amounts to a loyalty oath saying that they will not try to find anything out while in the Pentagon, will not publish anything not authorized for publication by the Pentagon, and will only publish Pentagon talking points.

(Those of you who have been with me for a while will recall that I managed to get the actual memo and the pledge document from the Pentagon, and sent it to you Notes from the Front members on September 20th. I’m including both of those again for Notes from the Front members who may have missed them.)

The New York Times is one of the news outlets that has long been a thorn under Trump’s gilded saddle; in fact just a couple of months ago he sued the New York Times for defamation.

Now the New York Times has returned the favor, suing Trump’s Secretary of (illegal) War over access to the Pentagon and Pentagon personnel, and also over the oath that the Pentagon is requiring journalists to sign in order to access the Pentagon at all.

Explains the Times:

“[T]he Department promulgated a new policy pertaining to PFACs - Pentagon Facility Alternate Credentials. PFACs (also called Pentagon badges or building passes) are credentials members of the press receive to access the Pentagon. The Times’ and its reporters’ interests in maintaining their PFACs are exactly the type of “liberty interests” the D.C. Circuit has held “may not be denied without due process of law under the fifth amendment.

…

The policy, in violation of the First Amendment, seeks to restrict journalists’ ability to do what journalists have always done—ask questions of government employees and gather information to report stories that take the public beyond official pronouncements. If and when they do and then publish anything that has not been approved by Pentagon officials, the policy permits those officials to, at any time and without any standards to guide their decisions, immediately suspend and ultimately revoke those journalists’ PFACs in violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and binding D.C. Circuit precedent.

…

Specifically, the policy confers on Pentagon officials the unfettered discretion to determine that a journalist “pose[s] a security or safety risk to [Department] personnel or property,” based solely on a journalist’s or news organization’s receipt, publication, or “solicitation” of any “unauthorized” information, regardless of secrecy classification”

That “regardless of secrecy classification” is important. It’s one thing to protect highly classified information (like Hegseth does on, you know, Signal); it’s another thing to say that a journalist can’t ask someone who works at the Pentagon what they had for lunch, and then share with their readers that the person had the navy bean soup for which the Capitol is so famous.

By now, if you’ve been with me for any period of time and actually read the documents that I provide, you’re familiar with the rhythm of a well-drafted complaint. It starts out with an introduction to the issues, then explains why the Court has jurisdiction, then who are the parties, then the facts of the case, and after leading you through all of that, the basis for the lawsuit (in other words how what the bad guys did violates various laws and/or the Constitution).

Here, in my opinion, the New York Times is on pretty solid footing in pleading several violations of both the First Amendment, and the Due Process Clause.

I hadn't meant by records, seeing as how we struggle to this day to find any concrete records of Hamilton's true birthyear. But yeah, his contacts. A good, but small, handful of Hamilton's associates from the West Indies were also located at New York, or the Colonies in general—And others at least remained in contact with him or his family. To name a few, Hamilton's father and cousin, Anne Mitchell, remained in contact with him, and Anne even visited and wrote to Eliza after his death. We have scarce surviving correspondence between Hamilton and his father, but if he was planning to let him move to NYC to live with them; it can be speculated that Eliza may have written a few letters to him, or he sent his own to others in New York.

Or the can of worms Edward Stevens' offers, he was Hamilton's boyhood best friend from St. Croix, and attended King's College where they attended the same class club and had shared some of the same friends, Nichoals Fish, Robert Troup, etc. If there was one person who we had to trust to know Hamilton's birthyear out of the surviving relatives or friends he had at the time, it would have likely been Stevens. Stevens's brother-in-law, James Yard, knew a good amount about Hamilton and his childhood considering later he was able to provide information for Timothy Pickering, who was planning to write a biography about Hamilton. The same one that mentions the possibility of Thomas Stevens being Hamilton's real father. Additionally, there is the Kortright family; Monroe's wife, Elizabeth Kortright Monroe, was a cousin of Hester Kortright Amory, Stevens's wife. And Elizabeth K. Monroe's uncle was one of Hamilton's employers from the Island, Cornelius Kortright, who worked with Nicholas Cruger. He helped handle Hamilton's financial dealings when he first made it to the Colonies. With all this being said, I highly doubt everyone was just keeping this a secret. Especially with their close relations to James Monroe, one of Hamilton's rivals, who could have easily used it against him.

And going back to Cruger, he would have definitely known Hamilton's contrasting age considering he was his employer at the Cruger Counting house. He also moved back to New York and saw Hamilton again, even once there were rumors spreading by the press that Hamilton could become governor with him as lieutenant governor in 1795. Catharine Church, the eldest Church daughter, married Bertram Peter Cruger, Cruger's son.

And all of Hamilton's associates from the Colonies roughly followed the 1757 belief. But you are right saying; “and frankly, I wouldn't know off hand when many of my close friends were born either.” Because as @46ten as recently added on, we are putting way too much emphasis on a birth year than what those of that day would. We value birth dates more strongly than when even as recently as a century ago, we did not. Today birth dates are now widely used for identification, but back when containing written documents was more of a hassle (As finding documents from Nevis has proven), not many were inclined to do such. In a day in age, where many families didn't even celebrate birthdays often, it wasn't much more than a passing thought for most. There is even a humorous story of Eliza forgetting JCH's birthday when he was young;

John is as industrious as usual and this Evening has ascertained that he is not more than twelve last August. I had thought him to have been thirteen but he is not more than twelve.

Elizabeth Hamilton to Philip Schuyler, [1804]

Named after her mother who was a sister of Rachel Faucett's, Anne Lytton was the eldest daughter of James Lytton and Anne Faucett, making her a first cousin to Alexander Hamilton. She was born sometime in 1743. In her early teens, she married a poor Christiansted grocer, Thomas Hallwood. They had a son, but after merely one year of marriage, Hallwood died. In 1759, when she was sixteen years old, Anne remarried the more prosperous John Kirwan Venton. And they bought a small sugar estate. They had one child, a girl named Ann Lytton Venton, after her mother.

But by 1762, Venton's business had failed, and their home and effects were seized by creditors. The couple traveled to New York, leaving their infant daughter with Anne's parents. In 1769, her father James died. He was Hamilton's uncle-in-law, and also the one who signed off on the probate record stating that Hamilton was thirteen years old in 1768, which would cause the whole confusion about Hamilton's respective age. With the inheritance now in her name, in 1770, Anne and Venton returned to St. Croix to claim her share of her father's, James's estate. Where two-sevenths of his estate were left to Anne, but apparently Venton had friction with his in-laws; as he was excluded from any money, as James called him “unfortunate in his conduct.”

Probably due to this, Venton and Anne's marriage had become bitter and unhappy — which lead to their separation, where Anne and her daughter stayed in Christiansted, while Venton took refuge in Frederiksted. After the hurricane, John Venton filed for bankruptcy again and posted a notice to his creditors. Similar to Johann Michael Lavien, Anne's sister's ( Rachel Faucett ) divorced husband, Venton also placed the following threatening ad;

“JOHN KIRWAN VENTON forbids all masters of vessels from carrying Ann Venton, or her daughter Ann Lytton Venton off this island.”

(source — the Gazette [May 15, 1773] via; Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow)

Some documents were found on Thomas Lillie's plantation in a wooden chest that had been sealed on his death. The chest was opened on February 6, 1776, and the documents were registered at that time. As Newton has pointed out some details about these documents suggest some things about Anne; she signed her name in most of the early records which indicates she was literate, and had a decent education. Anne also signed her name as “Anne Mitchell.” Most people usually make the mistake of writing her name as “Ann,” instead.

(source — via; @discoveringhamilton)

Defying her divorced husband's warning, Anne and her daughter fled to New York. To secure her inheritance, Anne entrusted the - sixteen or eighteen year old - Hamilton with the authority of attorney that allowed him to collect payments from her father's estate throughout May and early June, of 1773;

“1059. Ann Venton’s quittance of the 16th of May 1772 with Hamilton for 45 rigs-dollars cash and a hogshead of sugar.”

(source — Ann Lytton Venton’s Quittance with Alexander Hamilton, [May 16, 1772])

“1060. Ann Venton’s quittance of the 23 of May 1772 rigsdollar for a hogshead of rum.”

(source — Ann Lytton Venton’s Quittance with Alexander Hamilton, [May 23, 1772])

“1045. Ann Venton’s order of the 3rd of May 1773 on Captain Lillie for 15 hogshead of sugar from the Lytton estate in favor of Alexander Hamilton.”

(source — Ann Lytton Venton’s Order in favor of Alexander Hamilton, [May 3, 1773])

“965. Ann Lytten quittance of the 26th of May 1773 with Alexander Hamilton for 50 rigsdollars paid by Captain Lillie.”

(source — Ann Lytton Venton’s Quittance with Alexander Hamilton, [May 26, 1773])

“994. Ann Venton’s quittance of the 3rd of June 1773 to Hamilton, to Lillie, for 25 rigsdollars for the Lytton estate.”

(source — Ann Lytton Venton’s Quittance with Alexander Hamilton, [June 3, 1773])

Historians have debated that from Hamilton receiving all the money, sugar, and rum, had acted as Anne's “middleman,” ( A middleman is someone who works buying goods from one source and selling them to another ) with the intent to prevent her divorced husband from collecting her share of the proceeds from the estate of her father James Lytton. But as Newton argued; the records clearly show that Anne regularly debited James's estate without the need of a “middleman.” Thus, it's evident that the above transactions involving Hamilton were gifts to him. Notably, Hamilton by the time of these transactions had a stable and profiting job, as he was working as head clerk for Nicholas Cruger. And had lived for many years without apparent financial support from his cousin. With this in mind, Hamilton clearly did not need these funds from Anne for his everyday living. It is presumable that these gifts were to help Hamilton pay for his education on the mainland, since he would travel to the mainland not too long after. The funds given to Hamilton by Anne during the May and June of 1772 are the first indications that Hamilton was ever planning, or even preparing to go to the mainland for school. Which kinda debunks the ideology that Hamilton had only been sent to America for an education as a direct result of the attention received from his detailed account of the great hurricane, which was not written until five months later — and not published until after he had already left the island.

And then John Venton died in 1776. In 1780, three years after the death of Venton, Anne married George Mitchell, a native of Scotland who had gone to St. Croix from Virginia. In 1783, the couple returned to America and settled in Burlington, New Jersey. Due to the remaining estate issues of her late father, as Hugh Knox brings up the matter in a 1783 letter to Hamilton;

“Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell have, I hear, left these Islands and gone to America. I have not hear’d from them or of them Since their Departure. I am Sorry to Inform you that no Justice Seems to be done in the dealing of Mr Litton; & that as things are Situated & perplexed, I fear little will come out of it for Any of the Heirs.”

(source — To Alexander Hamilton from Hugh Knox, [October 27, 1783])

Despite the strain of distance through the years, Hamilton was happy to assist his cousin. The following entries appear in H’s Cash Book, 1795–1804; for July 11, 1796, “Account of Donations Dr to Cash for this sum paid my Cousin Mrs. Mitchells draft upon me 100”; for January 10, 1797, “Account of Donations for this sum paid my cousin Mrs Mitchells draft upon me 100”; on April 13, 1797, “Account of Donations Dr. to Alex Robinson for Mrs. Mitchells draft on me accepted & surrendered say 19. 10/ Phil Curr 52”; on June 20, 1797, “To Account of Donations for received of A Robinson in reimbursement of Mrs. Mi[t]chells draft 100” ( for source, check the footnotes ). George Mitchell died in 1797, and Anne returned to St. Croix in 1796, or 1797, with Hamilton's financial assistance.

She married once more in 1798, to a Goldsmith born in Sweden; “Widberg N.F. a goldsmith born Sweden died 4.10.1800 St. Cr. marr Ann Lytton Venton 1798.” But he passed in October of 1800. Anne was “called upon to pay attention to his funeral” but it was “not in [her] power to do it unless” she was given “money for that purpose” due to her “distressing situation.” according to Newton.

In April 1801, Anne had ran into financial struggle without her husband to support her and her daughter. And again she complained of her extreme need of money and begged that the “six months interest” due to her and her daughter, presumably from the Lytton estate, be paid. She accordingly received 120 pieces of eight. Anne again requested the “six months’ interest” owed to her and her daughter. In her requests of April and October 1802, Anne Mitchell again writes of her “extreme want” of the money owed to them. Clearly, Anne and her daughter, Anne Lytton Widberg, struggled to make ends meet and therefore wanted and needed what was owed to them with eagerness. But in October of 1802, Anne lived “now next [to] the Dutch Church” in Christiansted, St. Croix.

Even when Hamilton commonly grew out of contact with many that were close to him once before, or buried his Caribbean roots and those that reminded him of it far behind; Hamilton never saw his debt to Anne and all she had done for him repaid, even after his financial support in 1797. The night before Hamilton's fatal duel with Burr, he wrote Elizabeth a special note in case he wouldn't make it. In it, he tells Elizabeth;

“Mrs. Mitchel is the person in the world to whom as a friend I am under the greatest Obligations. I have ⟨not⟩ hitherto done my ⟨duty⟩ to her. But ⟨resolved⟩ to repair my omission as much as ⟨possible,⟩ I have encouraged her to come to ⟨this Country⟩ and intend, if it shall be ⟨in my po⟩wer to render the Evening of her days ⟨c⟩omfortable. But if it shall please God to put this out of my power and to inable you hereafter to be of ⟨s⟩ervice to her, I entreat you to d⟨o⟩ it and to treat ⟨h⟩er with the tenderness of a Sister.”

(source — From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [July 10, 1804])

(source — Alexander Hamilton Papers: Family Papers, 1737-1917; 1810-1815. Via; Library Of Congress, digital collections)

To which Elizabeth did, she followed her husband's word, even when her family and herself were struggling financially without Hamilton's or Schuyler's ( As Philip Schuyler died a bit after Hamilton had ) support. As Anne wrote to Elizabeth;

“Burlington December 20th

My dear Madam

Encouraged by your former kindness I write a line to inform you of my present most distressing situation and solicit your advice as to the means of relief suggested by my friends here most carefully entreating you to let me have a few lines as quickly as possible more especially as I am uncertain whether the packet which contained the power of attorney and some letters for the West Indies ever reached you. Indeed every effort that hitherto has been made to gain information of my business has failed and my present situation is distressing beyond expression.

I have never received a dollar since my arrival in America the sum I brought with me is long since expended - and I find that with the strictest frugatilty what I have received from my husband will support me till the first of February and no longer - in this distress I have been induced to listen to the account given by one of my friends of a Ladies Society from which I think I might perhaps obtain a small loan for I cannot entirely relinquish the hope of one day obtaining part of my property from Santa Cruz - in the meantime my distress is very great - Let me once more my dear Madam entreat of you to favor me with a few lines to tell me what you think of the plan I propose and whether you have received the packet I sent some time ago with the power of attorney if it has gone to the island and whether you have ever had any information from Doctor Stephens - I am afraid you will think I am very urgent but I hope you will excuse me when you consider my great distress - In the hope of being soon favored with line from you Believe me my

Dear Madam with great esteem

Yours

Anne Mitchell

(source — via; @aswithasunbeam)

(source — Alexander Hamilton Papers: Family Papers, 1737-1917; Undated; Hamilton, Elizabeth. Via; Library Of Congress, digital collections)

Burlington December 20th

My dear Madam -

Encouraged by your former kindness I write a line to inform you of my present most distressing situation and solicit your advice as to the means of relief suggested by my friends here most carefully entreating you to let me have a few lines as quickly as possible more especially as I am uncertain whether the packet which contained the power of attorney and some letters for the West Indies ever reached you. Indeed every effort that hitherto has been made to gain information of my business has failed and my present situation is distressing beyond expression.

I have never received a dollar since my arrival in America the sum I brought with me is long since expended_ and I find that with the strictest frugatilty what I have received from my husband will support me till the first of February and no longer_ in this distress I have been induced to listen to the account given by one of my friends of a Ladies Society from which I think I might perhaps obtain a small loan for I cannot entirely relinquish the hope of one day obtaining part of my property from Santa Cruz_ in the meantime my distress is very great_ Let me once more my dear Madam entreat of you to favor me with a few lines to tell me what you think of the plan I propose and whether you have received the packet I sent some time ago with the power of attorney if it has gone to the island and whether you have ever had any information from Doctor Stephens_ I am afraid you will think I am very urgent but I hope you will excuse me when you consider my great distress_ In the hope of being soon favored with line from you Believe me my

Dear Madam with great esteem

Yours

22-02-2017 Wednesday

Shoreditch for The National Portrait Gallery

Social media : Facebook & Tweeting for the TriTrace App portraits exhibited as part of a new play COLOUR IN THE DARKNESS by Giles Smith ….

http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/late-shift-1/performance-23022017

http://www.text-me-up.com/festivals_and_events/colour_in_the_darkness/

Performance: Colour in the Darkness

23 February 2017, 19:00 Room 20, Floor 2 Tickets: £8 (£7 concessions and Gallery Supporters) Book online, or visit the Gallery in person. Film||Late Shift

London 1808. Napoleon advances, Covent Garden burns and a portrait must be painted. The worlds of Master, pupil, artist and sitter collide and unravel as beneath the portrait a dark secret is revealed through the murky pallet of patronage. Take a first look at this new play written and directed by Giles Smith, performed in Room 20, Floor 2.

Starring Ian Reddington and Ann Mitchell. Born and raised in Sheffield, Ian trained at RADA where he won The William Poel Prize and The Arthur Talbot Smith Award. A theatre and television actor with extensive experience, he is best known for the roles of Richard Cole (AKA Tricky Dicky) in EastEnders and Vernon Tomlin in Coronation Street.

The UEL recently conferred at Doctorate of Arts on Ann Mitchell for outstanding contribution to Drama. Ann is a multi-award winning actor nominated for the Olivier and Evening Standard Award for Through the Leaves, winner of Pye Award for Widows and Independent on Sunday performance of the Year for Hecuba amongst others. She was a leading member of the ground-breaking Citizens Theatre, Glasgow under the direction of Giles Havergal where her roles included Mother Courage, Mary Stuart, the title role in Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Eva Braun in Summit Conference, written for her by Robert David McDonald, Hecuba in the RSC’s 12 hour marathon of Tantalus and Woman in Edward Bond’s 9 hour long War Plays. Ann’s work has been seen throughout the U.K., with all the leading repertory companies and the Royal Court, West End, Southwark Playhouse and Arcola amongst others. Writers who have written for her include Lynda La Plante (She’s Out), Pam Gems (Guinevere), Robert David McDonald (Summit Conference), Jonathan Harvey (Gimme, Gimme Gimme) and Che Walker (The Lightning Child). She recently played Ayn Rand in David Hare’s Ayn Rand Takes a Stand at The Arts Theatre. She is Patron of many organisations and was recently appointed Patron of IPAT and Side by Side, a charity working with Refugees.