George Washington Papers
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From George Washington to William Neale, 19 October 1767

To William Neale

19th Octr 1767

Sir,

I have receivd your Letter of the 15th Ulto the contents of which are somewhat misterious, and stand in need of further explination before I can be satisfied of the Equity of allowing £100 to Colo. Moore with Intt thereon since Octr 1758. True it is, that previous to my Marriage, my Wife informd me that she had engagd to purchase things at Mrs Chamberlaynes Sale to the amount of £100; but what was done in consequence of it she knew not, altho. she had declard her readiness to pay the money at any time when calld upon for that purpose by the late Speaker (who she lookd upon as an acting person in that affair). Certain it also is that once, if not twice, since my Marriage I have spoke to that Gentleman to know what was done in consequence of her Engagement. What was to be the Issue of it. In short what I had to expect, or apprehend from it; & his answer to the best of my remembrance, was that he coud not well tell what to say about it, or something to this effect; from whence I concluded, & not I think improperly, that I was considered in the light of a Security only, for that Sum when demanded (which in Truth I never expected wd be the case after 9 Years silence)—How it comes to pass then that Colo. Moore shoud be chargd with it & I have no Intimation thereof in all this time, not withstanding I enquird of the very person who coud best inform me. & why Colo. Moore shoud take upon himself to allow Interest thereon without my privity or consent (who alone was Interested & concernd in the event) I really cannot tell; but so extraordinary it appears, that you will please to let him know; that I shall always be ready to settle the matter (if we can) in an amicable & friendly manner. that I will strictly comply with whatever honour & justice may demand from my Wife’s engagements. but that, I cannot (under present knowledge I have of the affair) conceive myself bound by honr or good conscience to pay more than the original sum (of £100 at any rate) as she before Marriage, and I ever since Marriage, have always been ready, & willing to settle and pay to the utmost extent of her promis1 I am Sir Yr Hble Servt

Go: Washington

ADfS (photocopy), DLC:GW. GW wrote this letter at the bottom and on the back of Neale’s letter of 15 Sept. 1767, with the notation, “In answer to the above Letter.” He addressed it to Neale “In King William.” The copy of the letter published here is marked “Origl in possession of Wm R. Hearst, 1926”; it was advertised for sale in the American Art Association catalog, 21–22 Jan. 1926. There is in the Custis Papers (ViHi) what appears to be a nineteenth-century copy of the letter.

1Wilhelmina Byrd Chamberlayne (b. 1715), daughter of Lucy Parke and William Byrd II, was married to Thomas Chamberlayne. In Jan. 1772 GW entered in his accounts, “To Jno. Robinson Esqr. for Sundries purchasd at her Husbands Sale & settled in Trust pr acct in Ledger.” He paid the £100 without any interest and wrote it off as a loss (General Ledger B description begins General Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 33).

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