1To George Washington from William Gordon, 3 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I had proposed writing by the present opportunity, before I received your letter of Jany the 1st on tuesday last. Return you my most sincere thanks for your good wishes. The second volume will be printed off I expect by the end of the week after next. The first begins with the settlement of the several colonies, & comes down to & takes in the Lexington engagement. The second finishes with the...
2To John Adams from William Gordon, 13 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Yours by your son was a very agreeable letter. I rec d it last wednesday while at the President’s, where I had the pleasure of viewing your living picture. You have confirmed me in my suspicion, that tho’ there were many pictures abroad there was little likeness. I shall do my best, & it may be well for one who is not a writer of the first talents, nor been employed thirty years in making my...
3To Thomas Jefferson from William Gordon, 24 April 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
In a late letter to the Marquis de La Fayette I mentioned my design of writing soon to your Excellency. The reason of my having been so long silent was, that I might be able to acquaint you, that the second volume of the History was printed, which I can at length do. You was pleased generously to offer me your friendly assistance for the procuring a similar consideration for an early copy of...
4To George Washington from William Gordon, 28 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your obliging favours of the 8th inst. were recd on the Saturday. From them I infer not only the continuance of your friendly assistance, but that the papers are regularly received; as yet I have not missed sending, tho’ the post has at times been delayed thro’ the snows: The face of the earth is still covered with them, in these parts, a few trifling spots excepted; & should a thaw come on...
5To John Adams from William Gordon, 7 January 1784 (Adams Papers)
You have very fairly & fully discharged your epistolary account of the preceeding year; which is an encouragement for me to begin anew. There is both pleasure & profit in corresponding with You; & notwithstanding some desponding expressions, I trust your strength & spirits will not be exhausted, till the business is completed. Finesse & subtilty are ministerial qualifications; & the only...
6To George Washington from William Gordon, 24 September 1788 (Washington Papers)
I send under cover to Mr Hazard, that so it should not be known at the Coffee house, that I correspond with your Excellency; & pray you not only to have any direction to me written in some other hand than your own, but the letter sealed with the seal of another. When you write again, introduce the Key in some sentence when it may appear natural, with a stroke underneath it. The reason of the...
7To George Washington from William Gordon, 28 September 1786 (Washington Papers)
It is with concern I learn, that the old leaven, which brought on the late American troubles, still exists in the present ministry; & that so many falsehoods are propagated to keep up an unfriendly disposition toward the United States, & no more pains taken to contradict them. Among other reports it is said, that the settlement at Kentucky is made up wholly of the scum & refuse of the...
8To Thomas Jefferson from William Gordon, 6 September 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
When last in town for a few days, I received your very obliging letter ; and, notwithstanding my numerous engagements, should have given an immediate answer, had I not attended to some circumstances which rendered it unnecessary, upon observing that during the summer the readers are in the country, and being in no such forwardness as to admit of my going directly to the press, saw that I might...
9To George Washington from William Gordon, 7 November 1785 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from William Gordon, 7 Nov. 1785. GW wrote Gordon on 6 Dec. : “I come now, my good Doctor, to acknowledge . . . the receipt of your obliging favor of the 7th ulto.”
10To George Washington from William Gordon, 4 February 1786 (Washington Papers)
The last week I had the pleasure of seeing Genl Lincoln, from whom I learnt, that You had been so obliging as to send me trees by his vessel, put into a tub or tubs with earth, to preserve them, till the season admits of their being planted. Your Excellency will be pleased to receive my most hearty thanks for this fresh proof of friendship. Believe I shall make an offer of them to Genl...