To George Washington from Thomas Johnson and David Stuart, 23 April 1794
From Thomas Johnson and David Stuart
Washington April 23th 1794
Sir,
Mr Greenleaf has had a Conversation with us before Mr Carroll on the subject of new Commissioners1—You will I am sure do the Doctr & myself the Justice to believe that our Declarations to you are real and not calculated on Ideas of our own Importance to eat into the funds—Mr Greenleaf mentions Mr Dalton and Mr Baldwin as proper with your Approbation to fill our places and speaks an intention of proposing them to you—it is under an expectation of their coming here in July or August to reside2—the sooner we are relieved the more pleasing to us but if it is necessary we will continue till August—Mr Greenleaf wishes to know our Ideas of Compensation; considering ourselves as unconnected with it, we are of opinion £600 a Year is far from extravagant this without Agency for which or rather for nothing we paid £600 to Mr Blodget3—and indeed we are Satisfied that Commissioners on the Spot may do better than any Agent. We are Sir with high Respect Your affectionate Servt
Th. Johnson
Dd: Stuart.
LS, DLC:GW.
1. Commissioners Daniel Carroll (of Rock Creek), Thomas Johnson, and David Stuart met with James Greenleaf in the course of conducting a regular business meeting in the Federal City, 15–24 April (DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Proceedings, 1791–1802). On the resignations of Johnson and Stuart, see their respective letters to GW of 23 Dec. 1793 and 6 Jan. 1794.
2. For Tristram Dalton’s resignation as treasurer of the U.S. Mint, see his letter to GW of 24 April. Dalton became a partner with Greenleaf and Tobias Lear in the mercantile firm of Lear and Company, located at the intersection of G and 27th streets in the northwest quadrant of the Federal City (, 147). GW did not appoint either Dalton or Baldwin. Dalton, however, received an appointment to the commission from John Adams shortly before Adams left the presidency in March 1801 (D.C. Commissioners to Thomas Jefferson, 28 March 1801, , 33:480–82). For the individuals who replaced Johnson and Stuart as commissioners, see n.2 of GW to Johnson, 23 January.
3. Samuel Blodget, Jr., was the recently fired superintendent for the District of Columbia. On the dissatisfaction of both GW and the commissioners with Blodget’s performance, see D.C. Commissioners to GW, 23 Dec. 1793, and n.7, and GW to Thomas Johnson, 23 Jan. 1794, and n.4.