To George Washington from Samuel Mickle Fox, 20 July 1799
From Samuel Mickle Fox
Bank of Pennsylvania [Philadelphia] July 20th 1799
Sir
Your letter of the 14 Inst. was received in due time, but as it was not in my power to transmit you a draft upon either the Bank of Alexandria or Columbia, I have been under the necessity of delaying a compliance with your directions untill the present opportunity occurred—I now enclose fifteen hundred dollars in Southern notes & shall confide this letter to Mr Charles Jolly, one of the Directors of this Institution, who will have the honor of delivering it to you.1
Mrs Ritchie sent me word a few days since that she was going to Washington County in order to expedite the payment of the ballance due you from her late Husband’s Estate. I have not heard from Mr Shreve.2 With sincere respect I am Sir Your obedient Servant
Sam. M. Fox
P.B.P.
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. GW wrote Fox on 28 July: “Sir, By the hands of Mr [Charles] Jolly, I have had the honor to receive your favor of the 20th instant; and fifteen hundred dollars which you had the goodness to send, and he to bring, in Southern Notes, on account of money deposited in the Bank of Pennsylvania for my use, by Judge [Alexander] Addison—in part payment of the deceased Matthew Ritchies Bond. For your kind attention to this business, I pray you to accept the best thanks of Sir Your Most Obedt and Obliged Hble Servant Go: Washington” (ALS, PHi: Logan-Fisher-Fox Collection; letterpress copy, NN: Washington Papers).
On 30 July GW wrote Charles Jolly: “Sir I am quite ashamed of the error I committed, in passing my receipt to you for fifteen, instead of fifteen hundred dollars which you had the kindness to be the bearer of from the Bank of Pennsylvania for my use.
“The notes of Columbia (the greater part) being for small sums it required some time to get at the amount of them: this circumstance, writing to Mr Fox, and fear that I was detaining you, as you were under engagement to dine in Alexandria occasioned hurry, and the consequent mistake. I hope I was more correct in my acknowledgment to the President of the Bank of Pennsylvania. It was my intention to be so in both cases. I am Sir—Yr most obedt Hble Ser. G. Washington” (copy, Wv-Ar).
2. See James Ross to GW, 24 July.