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, 25 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
You will perceive by the enclosed in what manner I am disappointed in receiving the Rent for my house in Alexandria. These things put you, the payer & myself, in an awkward situation; for it must seem strange to demand what has been paid. I must therefore request, in explicit terms, that you will receive no more monies due to me; a⟨nd⟩ I should be glad to have a statement of the a/c as it...
3From 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...
4From 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...
5From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 26 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
Mr Anderson requesting that the boy who was going to the Post Office yesterday, might call & deliver a letter to you, from him, concerning flour—Availing myself of that conveyance, I sat down, and was in the act of writing the hasty lines you received from me by him, when I was summoned to dinner. In my hurry to close and Seal it, I omitted the enclosure then refered to, and which is now...
6From 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...
7From 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.”
8From 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;...
9From 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...
10From 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...
11From 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...
12From 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...
13From 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,...
14From 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...
15From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 26 March 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 24th. Inst. enclosing one from Major Rivardi was delivered to me last night. It gives me pleasure that you are recovering from your lameness, and repeat the wish contained in my last that you would use the means for perfect restoration, and remain as long with Doctr. Thornton as he may conceive advisable. With respect to the letter from Major Rivardi, it would be proper to...
16From 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...
17From 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,...
18From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 26 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
If Stuart can spare a Steer, you may keep the one you got from thence and pay for him in kine. Fishing, hitherto, has been very unsuccessful at my landing. More were caught last night and this morning (since I have not heard from thence) than in the same space at any time before since it commenced; & unless it continues for some days my expences will not be reimbursed. Have you written to...
19From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 9 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
Thus far we have arrived safe, but found it disagreeably cold. To give the greater surety to the large looking Glasses, and such other articles as are liable to be injured by the jolting of a dray; be so good as to have taken down by hand, and stowed where they will not be trod on; or tossed about in the Vessel’s hold. The grate (from Mr. Morris’s) pray have packed first in some of the old...
20From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 29 June 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 2d instant came duly to hand, and obliged me by its communications. On friday last, (by the Stage), advice of the decision of the long and warmly (with temper) contested question, in the Convention of this State, was received. 89 ayes—79 Noes, without previous amendments; and in the course of that night, Colo. Henley, Express from New York on his way to Richmond, arrived in...
21From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 24 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
You ask what is absolutely out of my power to comply with, unless I was to place myself exactly in the situation you represent yourself to be (without converting Bank stock into Cash, which I am not inclined to do)—that is, unprepared to face my own engagements; which, for Wheat, Rye, Workmens wages &ca &ca are hourly coming upon me, & expected. Three thousand dollars (without going into a...
22From 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...
23From 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...
24From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 10 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
We arrived at this place to dinner and shall remain all night. To morrow we shall proceed but slowly. As I have missed the Post of this afternoon, and another does not happen until Monday it is probable this letter will not reach your hands in time. If the case however should be otherwise, and you have means to accomplish it, let me request you to provide for me as usual new Carpeting as will...
25From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 12 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
As I ride on matters occur to me and I shall take the chance of mentioning them to you before you may have left Philadelphia. A boat was bespoke, but no direction given either for the payment or mode of getting it round. My credit is at stake as it respects the first, and my interest as it regards the second, and I shall be obliged to you for seeing how both can be promoted. It is incumbent on...
26From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 31 March 1799 (Washington Papers)
If perchance you should happen to see Mr. Blagden before you leave the City, be so good as to get from him a statement of the preparations for my buildings therein. I do not find by inquiry of Mr. Lewis, that there is much show of this on the ground! I advised strongly that the foundation stone and lime, should be laid in last Autumn, when the Roads were good;—had this been done the Work might...
27From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 10 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have received both of your letters dated yesterday; & thank you for the information given in them. If Mr Liston’s arrangement to proceed from Alexandria to this place by Water appeared to you to proceed from the want of Carriages (for I do not know in what manner he got to the City) say to him, that you are sure mine would attend upon him at any hour he wd name at that place, to bring as...
28From 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...
29From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 11 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 8th instant was given to me yesterday by Mr Jno. Bassett. If you had intimated a wish to Lease my River Farm a month or two ago, all matters might, with ease, have been arranged before this; but as I had heard nothing in that time from the English Farmer who had been in Treaty for it, I had relinquished the idea of letting it next year, & in consequence, have engaged Stuart,...
30From 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...
31From 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...
32Certificate 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...
33From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 31 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am alone at present, and shall be glad to see you this evening. Unless some one pops in, unexpectedly, Mrs Washington and myself will do what I believe has not been [done] within the last twenty years by us, that is to set down to dinner by ourselves. I am Yr affectionate ALS (photocopy), Charles Hamilton catalog no. 23, 13 Dec. 1967. In his Letters and Recollections, 120, Lear added here...
34From 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...
35From 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.
36From 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...
37From 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...
38From 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...
39From 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...
40From 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...
41From 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...
42From 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...
43From 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...
44From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 30 August 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have, at length, received the President’s answer (through the Secretary of War) to my request to be allowed a Secretary, who gives it as his opinion that I have an undoubted right to one, or all of my military family, if I find it convenient, and that their pay &c. will be allowed. And the Secretary having thrown a mass of Papers upon me which I have not looked into (being this moment...
45Authorization 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...
46From 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...
47From 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...
48From 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...
49From 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...
50From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 22 July 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am very sorry to learn by Mr. Dalton’s family (now here) that your ague and fever stick by you. If not such as to confine you, your Coming & remaining here while his visit lasts wd. be a kindness to me and company for him; many matters pressing upon me at this time, that cannot, without much inconvenience be postponed, will not suffer me to pay him those attentions I could wish. I am Your...