61To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 2 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two LS and L : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I was honored with your Letters by the Danae— I congratulate you upon the promising State of our negotiations, since peace begins to be no less desirable here than elsewhere.— But I will not enter into that subject at present as I mean to write very fully both to Mr Jay &...
62To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 6 January 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS and copy: University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I have before me your Letters of the 25th. & 29th. of June, 12th. August 3d. and 26th. September and 14th. October last — several matters contained in them have already been answered—and some others I am unable to reply to till Congress have decided on such propositions as I...
63Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 25 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Two copies: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New York Public Library; transcript: National Archives On the morning of March 12 Congress learned from the hand of Joshua Barney, captain of the packet General Washington , that the American peace commissioners had signed conditional preliminary articles with Great Britain on November 30, 1782. In addition to delivering the provisional...
64To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 26 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS and L : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I need hardly tell you that the intelligence brought by the Washington diffused general pleasure here— We had long been in suspence with respect to the negotiations, & had received no other lights on that subject than those the speech of his Britannic Majesty & Mr Townshend’s...
65Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 21 April 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; ALS (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives Upon the receipt of the provisional Articles & a subsequent account bro’t by a Vessel dispatched by Count d’Estaing, I wrote the Letter No. 1. to Sr. Guy Carleton, & No. 2. to Admiral Digby: to which I recieved the Answers No. 3. & 4. You will find them cold & distant— Those they...
66To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 9 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives We have yet had no information from you subsequent to the signature of the Preliminary Articles by France, Spain and Britain, tho’ we have seen a declaration for the cessation of Hostilities signed by you, Mr. Adams, and Mr Jay— We grow every day more anxious for the definitive...
67To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 25 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; ALS (draft): New-York Historical Society Not knowing when it may be convenient for Mr Bingham to deliver this I confine myself merely to introduce him to your acquaintance— I am persuaded I need not, as his character is known to you to bespeak your civilities for him. It may however be prudent if, (as he proposes) Mrs Bingham should accompany him to...
68Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 28 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, South Carolina Historical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives By the direction of Congress, contained in the enclosed resolutions, I have the honor to transmit you the Correspondence between General Washington & Sir Guy Carlton, together with minutes of their Conference, when, in pursuance of the invitation...
69Robert R. Livingston to the American Peace Commissioners, 31 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives Congress were yesterday pleased to pass the enclosed Resolutions on the subject of the payment of British Debts— The language they speak requires no Comment— I complained in my last of your long Silence, or rather laid before you the Complaint of Congress. These I think receive...
70To Benjamin Franklin from Robert R. Livingston, 31 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
LS : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): New-York Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I informed you some time since, that I had written to the Court of Appeals on the subject of the Nostra Signora da Soledade Saint Miguel e Almas, and lay’d before them the papers you sent me, the cause has since been determined in such way as I hope will be satisfactory to her...
71To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 9 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
It is with peculiar pleasure that I acknowledge the receipt of your Excellencys favour of yesterday, since I cannot but consider it as an additional mark of that confidence with which your Excellency has hitherto honoured me. I have made the proper use of it, & imparted it in confidence to those members of the Convention on whose secresy I thought I could most safely rely, & from whose...
72To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 12 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
I should do injustice toward the politeness & attention with which your Excellency has been pleased to listen to the crude opinions which I have some times offered if I did not (without any appology) deliver my sentiments on the present alarming state of this Colony & submit to your Excellencys better judgment such measures as will (in my Idea) be most likely to eleviate the evills I...
73To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 25 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Convention having thought it proper to direct me to repair to this place, in order to give (in concurrence with some other Gent.) every necessary support to the northern army, I did not receive your Excellencys favor till this day. I am extreamly affected at the wants under which the army labour, & your Excellency may depend on my utmost endeavours to remove them, I can at present only...
74To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 29 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to the directions of the Committee of Safety of this state, I do myself the honor to transmit the enclosed resolutions, & to request if your Excellency should concur with them in thinking that every means should be persued to obstruct the navigation of Hudsons river, & to secure the passes thereon, that you would be pleased by uniting in, to add weight to their applications to the...
75To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 16 July 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am sorrey for the occasion which induces me to renew a correspondence, which my fear of trespassing upon your Excellencys time led me to forego, notwithstanding the pleasure it afforded me. I shall now only intrude so far upon your Leisure as to submit a single Idea to your Excellencys consideration, which may possibly be of use in our present critical situation. I greatly fear that our...
76To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 8 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The favourable Sentiments which your Excellency has more than once been pleased to express of Coll Livingston both to the late Convention, & the committee of arrangement, with less effect than I had reason to hope for from their declared opinion of his merrit, & the respect due to your Excellencys recommendation, induces me to trouble you on his account, more especialy as the honour he...
77To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 14 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am honoured with your Excellency’s favour of the 27th Decr Inst. And am greatly obliged by your favourable mention of my brother. In my recommendation of him I was influenced more by my hope of rendering him further useful to his country, than by any partial desire of serving him, without having the most distant wish of engaging your Excellency in any promiss that might lead to a preferrence...
78To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 10 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
Having lately received some Leiden papers the perusal of which (tho’ of an old date) the Marquiss De la Fayette assured me would be agreeable to your Excellency I do myself the honour to enclose them, & at the same time to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 12th March—The papers contain little interesting intelligence but what we have already had—they are chiefly filled with American...
79To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 22 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
My anxiety for the supplies of the army have brought me to this place in order that I might satisfy myself as to the quantity on hand, & the means of forwarding them—Genl Nox has communicated to me your Excellencys orders on this subject —Nothing short of this would I am fully persuaded be of sufficie⟨nt⟩ force to produce the desired effect—And ⟨ mutilated ⟩ knowledge of them will in a great...
80To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 8 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
While our governments are weak, & unsettled, so much depends upon the opinion of the people that It can not be improper for the principal director of the military force of the country to be intimately acqainted with the sentiments of its inhabitants, & the State of the country, at least so far as they may affect his resources. I therefore make no other appology for mentioning the discontents...
81To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 21 October 1788 (Washington Papers)
It is very long since I have done myself the honor to write to you. The respect I had for your time induced me to restrain my inclination & confine my Letters to occassions on which I conceived they might be of use—My brother designing to do himself the honor of paying you a vissit, affords me an opportunity of gratifying his wishes by introducing him to your Excellency, & my own, by the means...
82To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 2 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
It is not without regret that I reflect on the interruption that was given to the conversation I had the honor to hold with your Excellency on the subject of the etiquette which would be observed by the President of the United States, since I still find that this subject occupies much of the public attention, & I could have wished to have corrected my own opinions by a more perfect knowledge...
83To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 15 May 1789 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Robert R. Livingston, 15 May 1789. On 31 May GW wrote to Livingston : “I . . . apologize for this late acknowledgment of your letter of the 15th instant.”
84To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 10 January 1793 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor to transmit you a copy of the first part of the proceedings of the society for the promotion of agriculture arts & manufactures in this State. Tho this first essay may contain little information that will appear new to you yet I am persuaded that you will not see with indifference any attempt for the improvement of agriculture since its interests are closely connected...
85To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 10 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 29th Apl with which I was honoured having reached ClerMont the day I left it for this place It was not in my power to return an earlier answer consistant with the deliberation which its importance merrited. Tho nothing could be more flattering to me than to be the means under your favourable auspices & instructions of cementing the union between France & America countries...
86To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 15 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
I was this day honored by your letter of yesterday, but not till after the southern mail had gone out. Flattered as I am by this new proof of your friendly attention I feel the utmost reluctance in not having it in my power to comply with what appears to be your wish upon this occasion, since I can not within any time which would consist with the public interest determine upon accepting a...
87To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 4 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
The favourable reception you were pleased to give to the first part of the transactions of the incorporated society for promoting agriculture arts & manufactures induces me to beg your acceptance of a vol: containing that & the second part. In this you may find some new ideas on agriculture & on the subject of luzerne more experiments than have before been published in America or Great...
88To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 9 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
I should not thus long have delayed to acknowledge your favor of the 16th Feby & to return my thanks for your obliging communication of Mr Maunsels treatise had I not found it necessary in order to enable the Society to avail themselves of your permission to make such extracts from it as they might think useful—this they have done. The merrit of the discovery will I think depend rather upon...
89To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 8 July 1795 (Washington Papers)
Possessing no official situation which entitles me to offer my sentiments on political measures I may possibly be deemed intrusive when I offer my unasked advice. But Sir feeling the same ardent love for my country which has so freequently in times of danger & difficulty served as an appology for my letters, I still presume, without any other than that which arises from my solicitude in the...
90From Robert Morris to United States Congress, 10 February 1782 (Washington Papers)
The Subscribers, taking into Consideration the important Situation of Affairs in the present Moment, and the Propriety & even Necessity of informing the People and rousing them into Action; considering also the Abilities of Mr Thomas Paine as a Writer, and that he has been of considerable Utility to the common Cause by several of his Publications. They have agreed that it will be much for the...