From George Washington to George Walker, 26 January 1797
To George Walker
Philadelphia 26th Jan. 1797
Sir,
Your letter of the 24th instt was received this day.
It was not, I conceive, the intention of the Law which established the seat of the general government, that the President of the United States should enter into the detail of the business for the execution of which Commissioners were appointed.1 But it certainly is his duty, when charges of malpractice, or improper conduct are exhibited against them, to cause the charges to be fairly examined. This I shall do; in the first instance, by transmitting a copy of your letter, that they may severally know, of what they are accused; that, from the answers I shall receive, ulterior measures may be decided on.2
This is the line of conduct I have always pursued. For, as I never on the one hand, suffer information unfavourable to the character or conduct of public Officers (who are amenable to the Executive) to pass unnoticed; so, on the other, from motives of delicasy as well as justice, I have conceived it proper to hear, always, what they have to say in their justification before a more formal investigation takes place.
With respect to the residence of the Commissioners in the City, they are perfectly well informed of the sentimts of the Executive on that head; and it is not to be doubted that they will conform thereto.3 With sincere thanks for yr good wishes I am—Sir Your most Obedt Servt
Go: Washington
ADfS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW; copy, in George Washington Craik’s writing, DLC: U.S. Commissioners of the City of Washington records.
1. The “Act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States,” 16 July 1790, authorized the president to appoint three commissioners to oversee both the planning of the federal district, and the construction of public buildings ( 130).
2. In his letter to the commissioners for the District of Columbia of 29 Jan., GW transmitted both a copy of Walker’s letter to him of 24 Jan. and a copy of the present document.
3. For GW’s request that the commissioners reside in the Federal City and their efforts to relocate there, see GW to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 22 May 1796; see also Thomas Law to GW, 6 Oct. 1796, and n.7; and GW to William Thornton, 26 Dec. 1796.