James Madison Papers
Documents filtered by: Volume="Madison-01-04"
sorted by: editorial placement
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-04-02-0021

Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 2 February 1782

Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates

FC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of Charles Hay.

Council Chamber February 2d 1782.

Gentlemen

We have received none of your Favors by the last two posts, nor has any Northward Mail come in. I suppose the Badness of the Weather as usual stopped them on the road.1

On looking over your letter by Captn Irish2 I find that you suppose the bill drawn payable to him was for part of the four tenths of the new Congress money as it is called; in this I fancy you are mistaken, as the Gentlemen of the Council assure me it was drawn on the State Treasurer,3 which I think must have been the Case or it would not have been presented to them. I shall look into the matter and if you are not mistaken, order the money to be paid, tho’ it is out of my line as this board have never yet interfered in any manner with it. I have called on the Loan Officer4 in whose hands that money is, and been informed by him that he has a pretty considerable Sum by him which I have ordered him to retain till he hears from me; which will be as soon as I can get an Answer from Irish.5

We have not one Syllable of news stirring except that the French Legion will move in a few Days for Peytonsburg to be in readiness to join Genl Green if Genl Washington should so order it.6

I am &c

Benjamin Harrison

P S. You will please to forward the inclosed Letters to Monsr Mazzei by different Opportunities7

1The Richmond Virginia Gazette description begins Virginia Gazette, or, the American Advertiser (Richmond, James Hayes, 1781–86). description ends of 2 February reported, “The late cold weather has almost entirely cut off our communication with the northward and southward, as the river at this place and all to the north of us, are full of ice.” See also Richmond Virginia Gazette, or Weekly Advertiser, 26 January and 2 February, and Pennsylvania Packet, 29 January and 5 February 1782.

2The delegates’ letter to Harrison on 17 November 1781, carried by Captain Nathaniel Irish, on his return from Philadelphia to Richmond, finally reached the governor on 5 January 1782 but has been missing for many years (Papers of Madison description begins William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (4 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). description ends , III, 309, n. 1).

3George Brooke.

4John Hopkins, Jr.

7Harrison’s letter of 31 January 1782 to Philip Mazzei, relieving him, on grounds of needed economy, of his duties as an agent of Virginia in Tuscany, is printed in McIlwaine, Official Letters description begins H. R. McIlwaine, ed., Official Letters of the Governors of the State of Virginia (3 vols.; Richmond, 1926–29). description ends , III, 142. See Journals of the Council of State description begins H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds., Journals of the Council of the State of Virginia (3 vols. to date; Richmond, 1931——). description ends , III, 34; Papers of Madison description begins William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (4 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). description ends , I, 287, n. 2. To assure that Mazzei would receive the letter, the governor evidently sent several copies of it—each to be dispatched overseas in a different ship.

Index Entries