1From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 15 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 29th ulto I acknowledged the receipt of from Fredericksburgh—since which, another of the 5th instt has been received. The Commissions for Whitaker and McDowell were properly issued; as those also are, mentd in yr letter of the 5th, and it was on my Mind, that blank Commissions signed by me, were left with you for the Officers of the Revenue Cutters; This not being the case,...
2From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 14 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
The day following the one on which I wrote to you last, your letter of the 10th instt was received. It is to be regretted, exceedingly, that delegated powers are, oftentimes, so little regarded; and that trusts of an important nature, the neglect of wch may be attended with serious consequences, should be suffered to sleep in the hands of those who ought to carry them into activity. such, from...
3From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 23 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
With some difficulty (from the most infamous roads that ever were seen) we have got to this place, and are waiting dinner; but have no expectation of reaching Baltimore to Night. Dunn has given such proofs of his want of skill in driving, that I find myself under a necessity of looking out for another Coachman. Before we got to Elizabeth Town we were obliged to take him from the Coach & put...
4From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 7 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 28th & 31st Ult. are now before me, & the parts of them wch require it, shall be answered. If the Schools in the College are under good Masters, and as fit for Boys of Washingtons standing as a private School, I am still of opinion (for the reasons mentioned in a former letter) that he had better be placed there in the first instance. The propriety, however, of this will...
5From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 30 March 1793 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Tobias Lear, c.30 Mar. 1793. In a letter to Lear of 30 Mar. , GW wrote that because “the trifling incidents wch happened to occur on the road being related in the enclosed letter, I shall conclude.”
6From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 30 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your former letters prepared us for the stroke, which that of the 25th instant announced; but it has fallen heavily notwithstanding. It is the nature of humanity to mourn for the loss of our friends; and the more we loved them, the more poignant is our grief. It is part of the precepts of religion and Philosophy, to consider the Dispensations of Providence as wise, immutable, uncontroulable;...
7From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 6 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 31st Ult. and 1st instant have been received—Tomorrow I continue my journey. A request of General Knox’s (consequent of Colo. Lee’s declining his appointment) to name Officers for the Battn of Levies to be raised in Berkeley &ca has prevented its being done sooner. I am perfectly satisfied that every necessary & proper step will be taken to procure a good Steward, and a...
8From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 7 October 1791 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 30th Ulto came duly to hand, with the enclosures. I have had Samples of the Alexandria Blankets sent me—the quality of them is not good; inferior to those I had from Watson—& far, very far indeed, inferior to those which I used to import myself. The prices, length & breadth of three kinds, are enclosed. Messrs Sitgreaves, give no length to their Blankets—and if Colo. Biddle...
9From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 28 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
Mr Johnson & Doctr Stuart having resolved to withdraw themselves as Commissioners of the Federal City, & not to act after the meeting which is proposed to be held on the 15th of next month, it has become necessary to appoint two others in their places—One of whom, it is said, ought to possess a considerable stock of legal abilities; as cases are frequently occurring to render Law knowledge...
10From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 25 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your several letters relative to the state of the applications to the Assemblies of Maryland and Virginia, on the business of the Potomack Company, and the result thereof, have been duly received. The last, dated the 21st, I directed Mr Dandridge to shew to Mr Myers, (knowing the suspence in which he was held) and to add that, if upon the strength of the information therein, he inclined to...
11From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 9 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to the information given in my last, I left Philadelphia on Monday and arrived here yesterday afternoon. To day I rest. To morrow I proceed, and hope to arrive safe at Mount Vernon on Saturday, after taking dinner at Abingdon, on our way. In order that you may not be too fast or too slow in your removal to Philadelphia, it might be well to open a correspondence with Mr. Morris,...
12From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 28 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
Late this afternoon your letters of the 23d & 24th instant came to hand, and as the Mail is about to be closed (leaving this before sun rise in the morning) I shall, as I must, be short. I return some letters to be filed;—one from Colo Blaine to be given to Genl Knox, to be acted upon as he pleases;—he is as well acquainted with the man as I am, & knows the want of such a character better than...
13From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 15 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 3d & 4th instt (in the date of the latter, I presume there is a mistake) with several accounts enclosed in the first, have been duly received; as was the certificate of the shares which were bot in the Banks of Alexandria & Columbia on my behalf. Your preference of the former for the appropriation of the balance which remain in your hands, is accordant with my ideas; and...
14From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 2 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
Since writing to you on Monday, I have seen and conversed with Mr Myers; who is desirous of employment, and of removing from this place; which (having a pretty large family) he finds very expensive. He professes to understand perfectly, the various matters set forth in the card I enclosed you in my last; and was employed, according to his own account, in the Lancashire navigation, in England,...
15From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 1 October 1792 (Washington Papers)
Expecting this letter will find you in Philadelphia—I wish you wd begin in time to compare all my Speeches in Congress with the subsequent Acts of that body; that I may see what parts of them have passed altogether unnoticed, or which have been only partially noticed; thereby enabling me to judge whether any, and what parts of them should be brought forward again. It is my request also, that...
16From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 21 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
Not having heard from you since I wrote to you from Richmond, the purpose of this is only to let you know where we are, and to cover the enclosed for Mrs. Washington. We have, all things considered, come on tolerably well, yet, some of the horses, especially the two last bought—are not a little worsted by their journey, & the whole if brought back, will not cut Capers as they did at setting...
17From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 4 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 26th & 29th Ulto have been duly received, but not adverting in time, that the Post returned on Wednesday I could not answer the latter, until this day. I pray you to continue your purchases in either of the Banks of Alexandria, or Columbia, or both; as you shall deem best; so far as the appropriated sums in your hands, belonging to me (to which add the three thousand...
18From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 13 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 26th Ulto and 2d Instant, came safe to hand, after some delay. The first, with the Will of Harper, has been put into the hands of the Attorney Genl, to aid him in the conveyances. To such parts of the second, as require it, I am about to reply; first expressing my satisfaction at the happy termination of the business which you undertook, in behalf of the Public. Having no...
19From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 5 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
From Baltimore I acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the 29th Ulto; as I am now about to do that of the first instant from hence. I had no idea of your obtaining money from Mr de Barth, if it was even more abundant than you represent it to be—nor do I believe he had any expectation at the time we bargained to make the payments stipulated—It was, I am satisfied, a Speculation on his...
20Certificate for Tobias Lear, 25 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
I do hereby certify that I have examined the Accounts which have been kept by Mr Tobias Lear, on my behalf, from the commencement of my Administration of the Government of the United States down to the 31st day of December One thousand seven hundred and ninety two—as will appear by the Journal & Ledger which contain them—and that I am perfectly well satisfied with the clearness and justness of...
21From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 30 July 1792 (Washington Papers)
Your letter from New York came duly to hand, and I was glad to find you had got that far in safety. I wish the remainder of your journey may prove equally pleasant and prosperous. My journey was not of this sort, for after I had parted with the Coach horses I was plagued with those which succeeded them, the following day; and the sick mare, by a dose of Physic which had been administered the...
22From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 24–26 April 1791 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Tobias Lear, c.24–26 April 1791. On 15 May Lear wrote GW that he received a letter from GW that covered one to Mrs. Washington, “which she informed me was dated at Wilmington.” GW was in Wilmington, N.C., from 24 to 26 April.
23From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 14 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
(Private) Dear Sir, Mount Vernon Novr 14th 1790 . Having wrote two letters to you on the subject of Page’s Stage Coach (one or the other of which, if not both, it is presumable will certainly have got to hand before this can) I shall add no more thereto than that, the Coach of Page is now my dependence. I am, I must confess, exceedingly unwilling to go into a house without first knowing on...
24From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 29 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday’s Post brought me the letters which had arrived in the Commerce, Captn Tuttell; enclosing Invoice and Bill of lading for the long expected Seeds (which by the bye have cost me at least four times as much as I expected). The Invoice and Bill of lading are now sent to you, lest from the want of them, any difficulty or delay should arise on account of the duties and they are accompanied...
25From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 31 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 24th since the date of my last to you; and am very glad to hear that the most valuable parts of the furniture have borne their transportation without receiving damage, and that your expectation of equal success with respect to the remainder, is sanguine. I am pained, however, to find there is a doubt that the House will not be completely finished & ready for...
26From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 26 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to you I have received your two letters of the 21st instant—one dated in the morning, and the other in the evening of that day. What appeared to you to be the object of the formal enquiries of Mr Powell and the Mayor of the City, in their late interrogatories? Did they mean to convict Mr Gallatine of mis-representation—or me of an improper interference in the building of a House...
27From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 8 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to you from this place, your letter of 3d instt has been received transmitting Colo. Cannon’s Rental, and Mr de Barth’s profession of inability to discharge his Bond. The latter seems to be a more candid acct than the former; but with both, I must be satisfied—presuming, I shall never obtain better, from either. Before you say any thing to Mr C——with respect to the lands which Mr...
28From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 21 September 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have written but one letter to you since I came to this place —I was on the point of writing a second when yours of the 5th of August came to my hands informing me of your intention to leave Portsmouth about the first of this month, and expectation of reaching Philadelphia (if no unforeseen delays happened) the 20th. This information arrested my intention, as it was uncertain at what place...
29From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 21 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 17th instt was received yesterday, and I am glad to find that an act of the Virginia Assembly has been obtained, for prolonging the term for the completion of the inland navigation of the Potomac. The like I hope has been, or will be obtained, this Session, in the Assembly of Maryland. A good opportunity presenting itself on thursday last, I embraced it, to enquire of Mr...
30From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 5 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
It is my intention, at present, to be in Georgetown to morrow; but as I have been sending to the post-Office in Alexandria every day since friday last, for letters, without having received any from the Officers of Government; and may, by this days mail find such an accumulation of them, as to make it impracticable for me to give them proper attention—prepare answers against Saturday...
31Authorization for Tobias Lear, 30 August 1790 (Washington Papers)
Whereas it may be necessary, during my absence from the Seat of Government, to pay certain monies and accounts out of the fund of ten thousand Dollars appropriated to the discharge of Contingent Expenses of Government, by a law passed on the 26th day of March 1790; I therefore do authorize Tobias Lear, my Secretary, to direct such payments to be made in my name, out of said fund, as may come...
32From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 14 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have not, I believe, written to you since I left Richmond. At Charleston, towards the last of my stay there, I received your letters of the 10th & 15th of Apl but the continual hurry into which I was thrown by entertainments—visits—and ceremonies of one kind or another, scarcely allowed me a moment that I could call my own—nor is the case much otherwise here. No letters North of Virginia...
33From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 9 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 1st instt has been received, but not so soon after the date of it as might have been expected; & not recollecting in time, that this was Post day for the Southward, I shall confine myself to a single point—namely, to inform you, as I have been informed myself, that in a late meeting of the Canal Company of this State, permission was given to Mr Western to visit the Lock...
34From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 17 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
Having received no letter from you since the one dated the 3d instant, I have nothing to reply to. The motive for writing to you at this time, is, that upon unpacking the china ornaments which accompanied the Mirrors for the Tables; it was found (notwithstanding they were in Bran) that many of the delicate & tender parts were broken; occasioned I believe by the Bran not being put in & settled...
35From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 16 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
I hardly know what apology to make for the positive manner, in which I declared the Certificate for the hundred shares in the Bank of Columbia, had never been in my hands. The fact is otherwise, and I delay no time to correct my error. I found it last night, and account for it thus. Given to me, I suppose, (for I have not the most obscure recollection of the circumstance) at a time when my...
36From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 12 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 5th instt, and the Receipt for the second payment of the lots I purchased on the Eastern branch, in the Federal City, came duly to hand. You are perfectly at liberty to examine my Presses and Trunks at Mount Vernon for any papers I may have respecting the transactions of the Directors of the Potomack Compa., or any matters & things which may concern the navigation of that...
37From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 6 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be put into your hands by Mr Volney—who proposes to visit the Federal City. If you are not acquainted with him personally, I am sure you must have a knowledge of his character—his travels & works; I therefore recommend him to your civilities while he remains in the Federal City. I am always and sincerely Yours ALS , DLC : Tobias Lear Papers. Claypoole’s American Daily...
38From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 6 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 26th of Jany with a Postscript of the 30th of the same month, by Captn Truxton, and another of the 12th of Feby by a Vessel to New York, I have safely received. But neither the one from Glasgow (with the box) nor the other by the Peggy, referred to in the above letters, are yet come to hand. The Watch, and Portrait of the Earl of Buchan, were received in very good order. The...
39From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 4 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
As your letter of the 30th. Ulto. gives me room to expect you here in a few days. I shall do no more than acknowledge the receipt of it, repeat the request contained in a joint letter (written by Mrs. Washington and myself to you) of the 30th. Ulto.—and request, if a vessel from Liverpool called the Commerce, commanded by Capt. Tuttle should have arrived at George Town, that Mr. Pearce may...
40From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 20 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Servant who carried my letter of the 17th to the Post Office in Alexandria returned with yours of the 12th which shall be the subject for this reply. Whatever Ideas, or remarks may have been excited by my going into Mr Morris’s House I know not; but this I am sure of, that to do it was farthest from my expectations. The Corperation of the City (by whom it was engaged) made attempts, it...
41From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 5 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
After a pleasant Journey we arrived in this City about 2 O clock on thursday last. Tomorrow we proceed (if Mrs Washingtons health, for she has been much indisposed since she came here) towards Mount Vernon. The House of Mr R. Morris had, previous to my arrival, been taken by the Corporation for my residence. It is the best they could get. It is, I believe, the best single House in the City;...
42From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 2 November 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 19th & [ ] Ult. came duly to hand; and I expected ’ere this to have been decisive upon the contents of them; but the case being otherwise, I shall postpone writing fully to you until the next, or another Post. It may not be amiss however, briefly to observe, that Colo. Rochfontain (being in this city) was asked how it came to pass, as he had seen the site at the confluence...
43From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 12 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
On friday last I wrote you a few lines, and assigned reasons for not writing more fully. In addition to what I then said, which was only to inform you that permission had been given, by the Canal Company of this State, for Mr Weston to visit the falls of Potomack, and that he might be expected at the federal city about the first of next month, I shall notice with concern—it being contrary to...
44From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 27 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
My attention was so much occupied the days preceeding my departure from Philadelphia, with matters of a public nature, that I could scarcely think of those which more immediately related to my own. Who the Steward & House keeper shall be, must be left to Mrs Washington & yourself to determine from circumstances, & the offers that are made. Francis, unless Holkers man could be unexceptionably...
45From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 10 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 26th and 30th of the last, & 3d of the present month, have come duly to hand. Without entering into the details, I can assure you that I am perfectly satisfied with the steps you have taken respecting the Vessel which is to bring the furniture & Servants to Philadelphia —With your agreements with Mr Macomb, & whatever you shall do with the Houses I was compelled to build,...
46From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 19 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to you (from this place) I have received your letters of the 12th immediately from Philadelphia, and those of the 17th & 24th of April after their having taken a trip to the Southward. I find by Mrs Washington’s letters that Mr Frauncis is very desirous of introducing Mrs Read into the family again; this idea it would be well for him to relinquish at once, & forever; for, unless...
47From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 12 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 8th., but as I am on the eve of my return to Philadelphia, and have many letters to write, I shall do little more than acknowledge the receipt of it. The advices which I may receive by the Post to-night, will decide whether I shall proceed by the direct rout—or by the one I intended to have come. The enclosed from the Attorney General I return to him through...
48From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 15 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
On thursday last I received your letter of —— (now in the hands of Colo. Pickering, & date not remembered). The business relative to the Arsenal at the mouth of Shenandoah, has been shamefully neglected: and, (but under the rose I make the observation) I fear with design; for I was continually reminding the Officer whose duty it was to carry the measure into effect, of the improvident delay;...
49From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 30 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
Late this afternoon, and in company, I r[e]ceived your letter of yesterday’s date. Proposing to set out early in the morning, and the trifling incidents wch happened to occur on the road being related in the enclosed letter, I shall conclude with best wishes for yourself, Mrs Lear and the Child —and assurances of being Your sincere friend and Affectionate Servant ALS , IGK . GW was on his way...
50From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 21 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 17th came by the Post of yesterday—and as, by the purport of it, there is a probability that this letter may find you either at George town or Mount Vernon, I write it for the purpose of declaring that, your going to the latter place is viewed by me as a very kind & friendly Act. The Acct given of Mr Whiting by Doctr Craik, is a very distressing one; not only as it respects...