George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 22 October 1794

From Edmund Randolph

Philadelphia October 22. 1794. 12 o’clock.

Sir

The merchants have not yet made their report, as to the appointment of an agent.1

I cannot account for not receiving letters from Colo. Monroe by the return of the vessel, which carried him. I flatter myself still, that the Southern mail of tomorrow may bring some from Baltimore, where she arrived.

William Mclung has refused to accept his commission, as attorney for the district of Kentucky. I suspect, that we must see some turn in the minds of the people there, before any body will venture upon an office, which will be chiefly conversant in the excise penalties. Colo. Innes may perhaps be charged with advantage to explore the subject of excise also. He was on the 14th instant at Williamsburg and probably on his way to take a boat up the bay.2 I have had no letter from him for a considerable time. I have the honor to be sir with the highest respect yr mo. ob. serv.

Edm: Randolph

ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, Domestic Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, GW’s Correspondence with His Secretaries of State.

1Following Randolph’s meeting with the merchants committee on 20 Oct. (see Randolph’s second letter to GW of 18 Oct., and n.2 to that document), the committee chairman, Thomas FitzSimons, called a meeting on 21 Oct. of the “Merchants of this City, whose Vessels or Property have been Illegally Captured by any of the Cruizers of His Britannic Majesty” (Dunlap and Claypoole’s American Daily Advertiser [Philadelphia], 20 Oct.).

2James Innes was being sent as a commissioner to inform the government of Kentucky about the state of negotiations for navigation of the Mississippi River (see Randolph to GW, 7 Aug., and n.2).

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