1To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 7 May 1786 (Washington Papers)
General Lincoln has favoured me with the perusal of your Letter of the 10th Ulto wherein you mention your acceding to the sum of two Hun[dre]d Dollars in addition to the Stipulations mentioned in your last for my services for a year, and desire that I may come on as soon as is convenient; if I find an opportunity of going by Water I shall embrace it immediately and be with your Excellency in...
2To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 2 June 1788 (Washington Papers)
As I know you feel deeply interested in the fate of the proposed Constitution, considering its adoption or rejection as deciding upon the happiness & prosperity of your fellow-citizens, I shall take the liberty to give you an account of its present situation in this State so far as I have been able to learn it from the best information which I can obtain; beging, at the same time, that you...
3To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 22 June 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform you that the Constitution was yesterday adopted by the Convention of this State after a Session of four days; the number in favor of the adoption was 57—against it 46. The majority, tho’ small, is very respectable, as it is pretty well ascertained that at least ¾ of the property, & a larger proportion of the abilities in the State are friendly to the proposed...
4To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 31 July 1788 (Washington Papers)
I received your very obliging favor of the 29th Ulto and feel grateful for the pleasure it gave me by communicating the joy which was felt in your vicinity upon receiving the doubly pleasing intelligence of the accession of New Hampshire & Virginia to the proposed Constitution. Its adoption by the latter State gave peculiar & inexpressible satisfaction to the good people in these parts; for...
5To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 April 1789 (Washington Papers)
I called at Mr Moncrieff’s with the enclosed bill, and was informed that he went over to the Eastern Shore some time last week, and was not expected home for several days. I could find no person who transacted his business in his absence from whom I might have gained some information respecting the payment of the bill. I have therefore left it that you may do with it as you think best. Perhaps...
6Memorandum from Tobias Lear, 18 August 1790 (Washington Papers)
On Wednesday at 3 O’clock P.M. the person who had written several letters under the signature of Jno. A. Dingwell, came to the House of the President & had an interview with Genl Knox & T. Lear with whom he left the enclosed papers; and promised to get copies of such others as he could come at, & likewise give all the verbal information that he could obtain—Jno. A. Dingwell’s real name is...
7To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 3 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to enclose such letters and papers as have come to hand since my last. The British Packet arrived here last evening; but brings no decided accounts as to the War between Great Britain and Spain. She left Falmouth on the 12th of July, at which time the English fleet was lying in Torbay. This contradicts a report in the Philadelphia and Alexandria papers of an engagement having...
8To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 12 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 5th instant; and am happy to find by accounts of your departure from Philadelphia, that Mrs Washington’s indisposition was not such as to retard your journey, which you had some apprehensions of when you wrote. As the weather for the week past has been pleasant, I trust the wishes of your friends have been answered in your having had an agreeable...
9To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 9 Inst. from Baltimore; and in consequence of your suggestion I have written to Mr Morris, requesting him to inform me at what time the house would be ready to receive the furniture. By the Post of last evening I received a letter from Colo. Biddle in which he says one of the Committee had informed him that the house would not be ready before the...
10To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 20 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor to write to you on the 17th Inst. I have received a letter from Mr Morris, in which he thinks it best that the furniture should not be removed sooner than the first of next month. This is about the time I had fixed upon for our departure from this place; and everything will then be in perfect readiness for shipping. It is a work of more time than I had any idea of, to...
11To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 22 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that a Ship arrived here last evening from London after a passage of 36 days from Torbay. By her intelligence is received of the dispute between G. Britain and Spain being finally accommodated. Another Vessel arrived here at the same time from Lisbon in 35 days, and brings the same accounts. I have nothing to add since my letter of the 20th Inst: but the best...
12To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 26 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with Your letters of the 17th & 20th of the present month. To such parts of which as have not been anticipated by my letter of the 17th, I shall now reply. The Table Images had been packed up some days before your letter of the 17th came to hand; but precisely in the mode which you there recommended—viz. each Image in a separate box made amply large, with bran put in...
13To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 3 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor yesterday to receive your letter of the 27 of September with the other letters which you were so good as to inclose for me. The Vessel which is to take the furniture on board arrived this morning. The Owner has come in her; and as my letter to Colo. Biddle requesting him to make a written agreement with the owner did not get to hand before the vessel saild from Philadelphia...
14To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 6 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
Nothing of importance has occurred since I had the honor to write to You on Sunday last. We shall tomorrow finish loading the vessel which I have taken to carry the furniture round to Philadelphia. Altho’ she is very capacious, and stows as much as any Vessel of her burthen (80 tons;) Yet I find we shall have many things left which must go under deck; and I have according engaged a freight for...
15To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 10 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your letter of the 3d inst.—and, agreeably to the intimation therein given, shall not fail to communicate such interesting matters as may come to my knowledge, and are not contained in the news-papers. When I get to Philadelphia I shall make it a particular business to gain the information you request respecting Schools. The College, under the circumstances, and...
16To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 14 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to my intention expressed in the letter which I had the honor to write to you on the 10th Inst. I left New York on Tuesday and reached this City yesterday. Neither of the vessels with the furniture and Servants have arrived; but I am in hourly expectation of seeing the one which sailed on Saturday. That which sailed on monday will not probably be in till the last of the week. The...
17To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
It is not in my power fully to express the pleasing satisfaction which I felt upon perusing your kind favor of the 10th Inst. with which I have been duly honored, to find that the steps which I had taken since your departure from New York meet with your approbation. It is a reward I shall ever prize above all others—and one that it shall always be my study to obtain. Since I had the honor to...
18To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 24 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you on the 17th Instant, we have got all the furniture &ca up to the house; and it is with great satisfaction I can inform you that, sofar as it has been examined, we find it safe and in as good order as when it left New York. The Images for the table, of which I was more apprehensive than of anything else, have not received the smallest injury—they are...
19To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 28 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed paper of this date will give a full account of the present state of the College in this City. It was the expectation of this, which I had been informed was about to be published, that prevented my entering so fully into the subject in former letters as I should otherwise have done. To this I will add, that, so far as I have been able to learn, the abilities and characters of the...
20To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 31 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
I was last evening honored with your letter of the 27th Inst.—and am happy to hear that you have returned safe and well from your late excursion. When the rooms are finished the furniture shall be arranged according to their uses; and I am sure Mrs Morris will take a pleasure in giving any advice on the occasion. She had before offered her assistance in a very polite manner, and I had promised...
21To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 4–5 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to the directions given in your letter of the 27th of October, I have endeavoured to get the rent of the house in which you are to reside fixed with the Committee; but my endeavours have been ineffectual. The footing upon which they have placed the matter with Mr Morris puts it out of their power to ascertain the rent at present. I am informed by Mr Mires Fisher, one of the most...
22To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 7 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
I was just about closing a letter to you when I had the honor to receive your favor of the 31st of October. I immediately proceeded to make the necessary inquiry respecting the Carriage; but as Mr Page, the Proprietor, was out of town and did not return till late in the night, I could not see him ’till friday morning. The moment I received the information from him I put it in a Post script to...
23To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 14 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your letters of the 7th and 10th Instants. Mr Page’s coach sat off this morning for Mount Vernon; he chose to send it thus early lest the weather or some other cause might delay it a day or two on the road; and in that case there would nevertheless be time for it to reach Mount Vernon on the 20th or 21st. He, however, charges only six days, as before mentioned,...
24To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 21 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
This letter, which will acknowledge the receipt of, and will reply to your favors of the 12th and 14th Insts. with which I have been duly honored, is intended to meet you at Baltimore. Page’s Coach, I presume, reached Mount Vernon on friday or Saturday; as it left this place on Sunday last. Your letter of the 10th was handed to me in due time by Mr Solderstone the Swedish Consul (whose name...
25To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 23 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor last evening to receive your commands, through Major Jackson, to deliver the letter for Colo. Clandenen to General St Clair, unless Genl Knox thought Genl Sevier a more direct conveyance or knew of a better, and in obedience thereto I made the inquiry of Genl Knox, who thought Genl St Clair would be most likely to give the letter a direct & speedy conveyance; I therefore...
26To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 24 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed letters have been this moment brought to me by the Post Master, who informs thus they have just arrived at the Office in the Western Mail. As they may contain important intelligence I delay not a moment to forward them. Mrs Washington and the family are well. Nothing particular has transpired since your departure. I have the honor to be, with the highest respect & most sincere...
27To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 27 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor to write to you on the 24th Inst. I have been informed that the Indians on the frontier of New York have lately given indications of a hostile disposition—and that the legislature of that State were about to take some measures of a temporary nature for conciliating the Indians—or, if that should prove ineffectual, to defend their frontiers. These measures, however, it was...
28To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 31 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor to write to you on the 27th Instant, nothing of a public nature, worthy notice, has come to my knowledge. I have heard nothing yet from Mr Fraunces, and his son can give me no information relative to his coming. However, no inconvenience is felt at this time from the want of him; for as no large entertainments are now made, such arrangements are taken as render the...
29To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 1 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
I was, by the post of last evening, honored with your letters of the 27th & 28th Ultimo and the enclosures contained in the latter. We have not yet received any account of Fraunces. As measures were taken before your departure, to give him an opportunity of coming again into the family if he chose to accede to the terms & conditions upon which he might return, nothing has since been done...
30To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 3 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
General Knox informed me that in consequence of Colo. Blaine’s letter he had recommended it to Colo. Duer, the Contractor, to employ him in that Country in the way that he wishes, if Blaine will accept of a secondary part in the business of supplying the troops. But whether it will be done or not, was uncertain at the time of General Knox’s mentioning the matter to me. As we have not yet heard...
31To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 5 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed letter from Mr G. Morris, was yesterday put into my hands by Mr R. Morris, having come under cover to him. I was yesterday asked by the Vice-Presidt if it was true that information had been received of Count Andriani’s having written things to Europe unfavourable to and disrespectful of this Country. I told him that such information had been received—repeating the purport of that...
32To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 10 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since my letter of the 5th I have been honored with your favors of the 3d & 6th of the present month, with their enclosures. In Colo. Cannon’s letter to you there appear’d (as you apprehended) an idea that he conceived himself authorized to let your lands on the Ohio and Kanawa; but he does not express an intention of doing anything respecting them until he shall have seen you, which he...
33To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 15 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor to write to you on the 10th Inst. we have had the pleasure of learning that you reached Fredericksburg on the 8th. Mr Jefferson has been so good as to furnish me with a copy of the Stages which you intended to make on your journey southward, and the times at which you expected to be in the principal towns, together with a list of the places through which you would pass on...
34To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you on the 15th Inst. Young Fraunces has informed me that he has received a letter from his father, in which he mentions his intention of coming on here to take the place of Steward in this family, agreeably to the answer given to his application for that purpose. The reason which he assigns for not having made known his determination on this subject sooner,...
35To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 24 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
On thursday last I had the honor to receive your letter of the 12th Instant with its enclosures. As no vessel has sailed for So. Carolina or Georgia, from this place, since the date of my last letter (the 17th) (altho’ several are up for Charleston, and according to their advertisements shou’d have sailed before this time), I intend this letter to go by the mail to Charleston, with a request...
36To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 1 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
We have not had the pleasure of hearing from you, since I had the honor to write on the 24 of last month; which letter was sent by the mail to Charleston, with a request to the Post Master to convey it by a private opportunity to Augusta or Columbia. As it would reach Charleston by the 12th of may there is no doubt but an opportunity will offer of sending it to either one or the other of those...
37To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 8 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you on the first of this month, nothing of a public nature, sufficiently important to trouble you with a communication, has come to my knowledge. Our domestic Affairs are in the same state they were when I had the honor to write last. The family is in good health. Fraunces has not yet come on; but his son called yesterday to tell me that he would certainly...
38To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 15 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
On thursday last I had the honor to receive your letter of the 21st of April from New burn; and at the same time a letter for Mrs Washington came under cover to me, which she informed me was dated at Wilmington. Yesterday we had the pleasure to see your arrival at Charleston announced in the papers. My letters must certainly have met with some interruption or you would have found at least one...
39To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 22 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you on the 15 instant, the Brigantine Philadelphia has arrived from Charleston, by which Mrs Washington had the pleasure to receive two letters from you, and we were all made very happy by hearing that you had got that far on your tour without any interruption in your health, and without meeting with any material accident. By the same Vessel I had the...
40To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 29 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor, yesterday, to receive your letter of the 13th Instant, with its enclosures, from Savannah. It gives every body great pleasure to hear that you have reached the southern extremity of your journey without any interruption to your health, and their united prayers are offered up for as happy a return. Since the time that I knew you must have reached Charleston, I have directed my...
41To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 5 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you on the 29 of last month, the two Platteaux, which Mr G. Morris sent from France, have arrived. One of them has received a slight fracture in the corner; but it has injured it very little. In my letter of the 22d of may I mentioned that Hercules was to go on to Mount Vernon a few days after that. When he was about to go, somebody, I presume, insinuated to...
42To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 12 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
I flatter myself that this letter will either find you at Mount Vernon, or meet you there in a very few days. In either case, I hope I may be so happy as to congratulat you upon a safe return from your southern excursion. The day before yesterday a Drayman brought 14 Cases of wine here marked G.W. which he said were from on board a vessel which had arrived from Charleston S.C.—There was no...
43To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19–20 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive your letters of the 12th & 15th of this month. The former of which I should have acknowleged by the last post had I not been absent on a journey to New York when it arrived in this City. The cause of my Journey to New York was to attend my mother to this place where she proposes to spend a week or two on a visit to Mrs Lear & myself. She had a favorable...
44To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 23 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
After acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 19th Inst. with which I have been this moment honored, I have to communicate to you the melancholly account of the death of the good and amiable Doctor Jones. He died this morning! He had for two or three days past been so much indisposed as to be confined to his bed; but his friends had no idea of his being in immediate danger. I saw him...
45To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 18–19 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
The Instructions, and other papers relating thereto, I returned to General Knox on Thursday forenoon. And immediately on my return home, after accompanying you out of town, I secured your room in a manner agreeable to your wishes, and took the key into my possession; so that before I had the pleasure of receiving Mr Dandridge’s letter from Chester, the directions contained in it had been...
46To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 21 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 18th; since which nothing has transpired among us worth relating. The arrival of a Vessel from Liverpool brings European Accounts down to the 28th of July. I have not learnt that she has brought any other intelligence than what is contained in the enclosed papers. An insurrection of the Negroes in Hispaniola seems to have put the inhabitants and...
47To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 21 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you this morning, I have been making inquiries respecting Blankets, and find that Messrs Sitgreaves have the largest quanty—the best assortment—and the lowest prices that are to be found. I enclose a list of their prices & qualities in order that you may, if you think proper, point out the kind most suitable for your purpose—and likewise have the prices...
48To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 25 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
Mr Dandridge’s letter of the 21st gave us the pleasing information of your safe arrival at Mount Vernon on Tuesday last. Mr Page assures me his carriage shall be at George town on the evening of the 17th, or early in the day of the 18th of next month. Mr Fisher called on me on thursday evening, and informed me, that it was determined your rent should be considered as commencing on the first...
49To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 27 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
By the Post of this day I have been honored with your letter of the 23d instant; and agreeably to the directions therein contained, I shall transmit the papers, and write by every Wednesday’s and friday’s post, as well as monday’s. In my last I mentioned Mr Page’s promise to have his carriage in George Town either on the evening of the 17th, or early in the day of the 18th of October. I have...
50To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 30 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor yesterday to receive your letter of the 26th instant. It appeared to me that Mr Powel made his late formal enquiries, with a hope to convict Mr Gallitin of fabrication, or at any rate of misreprentation; for the manner in which he put the interrogatories seemed to carry with it the expectation of a very different answer from that which he received. When I assured him that I had...