1981To Alexander Hamilton from Isaac Gouverneur, 9 January 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, January 9, 1798. “I had the honor to pay my respects to you on the 7th inst. to give the opinions of the able counsellors at the bar in Philadelphia, on the case of Le Guen’s.… I think you, as a professional man of the law, should act with more caution in committing yourself with a mistaken opinion; for it frequently acts as a spur to make individuals unreasonably obstinate...
1982[Diary entry: 9 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
9. Very foggy with little or no Wind in the morning. Mer. at 32—at the highest 42 and at Night 30 the Wind having got to No. Wt. abt. Noon.
1983To George Washington from John Dunn, 9 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
The charming Poem which accompanies this was committed to my care near four weeks ago by Mrs Morton for the purpose of being forwarded to you. By delays on the Road I have unfortunately retarded your Perusal of a Poem dictated by Taste and Genius and displaying like its author an exalted Veneration for you—In transmitting it thus late I thought it necessary to mark explicitly that the Delay is...
1984From George Washington to Alexander Spotswood, 9 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Confidential Dear Sir Mount Vernon 9th Jany 1798 The attention which the Papers you transmitted, required I should give them; and the form which my land assumes by connecting the two tracts together, evinces most clearly, the necessity there is of my becoming possessed of Andrew Wodrows 300 acre tract, which is surrounded thereby, if attainable. If you can, therefore, be instrumental in making...
1985From George Washington to Alexander Spotswood, 9 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
A few days ago, Mr Herbert handed me your letter of the 30th ulto with the Papers to which it refers; and for the trouble you have had in that business, I offer you, and General Posey also—when you have an opportunity of presenting them—my best thanks, for the parts you have respectively acted therein. Having perused the Papers attentively; and, fortunately, having by me, the original Patents...
1986To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 9 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have at length procured from the Auditors office a rough Statement of Yr Taxes in Kanawa for the 6 years mentioned in Aldersons order, by which you will discover that they differ £1.11.7 from the amount there stated. But as the difference is trifling, and the Auditor may very probably have made a mistake in the calculation (for he did it in a hurry) it would probably be better to pay it,...
1987Proclamation Respecting Foreign Coins, 10 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
By John Adams, President of the United States of America A Proclamation. Whereas an act of the Congress of the United States, was passed on the ninth day of February 1793 intitled “An Act regulating foreign Coins and for other purposes,”,in which it was enacted “That foreign Gold and silver Coins shall pass current as money within the United States, and be a legal tender for the payment of all...
1988From John Adams to United States Senate, 10 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I nominate the following Persons to be Marshals of the United States. John Hobby for the District of Maine. Phillip B. Bradley, for the District of Connecticut. Thomas Lowry for the District of New Jersey Samuel McDowell Junr for the District of Kentuckey, each for the term of four years to commence, on the twenty eighth of January current, when their present terms will expire. DNA : RG...
1989To John Adams from Henry Lee, 10 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I intrude on yr. time with reluctance but having communicated to you the purport of Mr John Taylors declaration (previous to the late presidential election) respecting your political principles, with a promise that I would present you with his written declaration on that subject, I feel myself bound so to do. You have herewith his ler: a form of doing the business to him most agreable, because...
1990To John Adams from John Taylor, 10 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
At the time when the contest for the Presidency, produced a general discussion relative to the political opinions of the gentleman proposed for that office, I mentioned to Genl. Lee a conversation I had with you in the Senate chamber some years past, and he now calls upon me for a statement of what I then said. I think there would at this time be an impropriety, in giving it, except for the...
1991To John Adams from Charles Lee, 10 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have attentively considered the letter of the judge of the United States for the district of Pennsylvania, dated the 8th instant, relative to the act of Congress entitled “An act for the relief of persons imprisoned for debt,” which he thinks deficient in many particulars. 1st. He states it as doubtful whether the act vested judicial power in the judge relative to the discharge of...
1992[Diary entry: 10 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
10. Clear fine morning—Mer. at 29. At Noon it lowered very much & towards night Spits of Snow fell. At night the Mer. was at 30 & its greatest height 34.
1993From George Washington to Burwell Bassett, Jr., 10 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 22d Ulto came duly to hand. As Mr Burwell is disinclined to part with his Cook, & Colo. Finnie’s is too much incumbered with a family, I must make the best shift I can with those I have; and indeed, with a housekeeper that understands that business, I believe it is best that I should do so. As you kindly offered to become the purchaser of Corn for me, in case I should need...
1994From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 10 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
By leaving the enclosed letter to Mr Kitt (who was my household Steward in Philadelphia) open for your perusal, it supercedes the necessity of my saying more on the subject than to beg your attention to, and aid in the measure which is requested therein. Mr Kitt lives, I believe, at the United States Bank, and if not, Mr Wolcot, I am persuaded can inform you of the place of his residence. Pray...
1995Certificate of Proxy, 10 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Know all men by these presents that I Eleanor Parke Custis of Fairfax County, State of Virginia, do hereby constitute and appoint George Washington of County and State aforesaid, to be my substitute & Proxy; for me, & in my name and behalf, to vote at the next annual Election for nine Directors of the Bank of Alexandria, as fully as I might, or could do, were I personally present. Given under...
1996From George Washington to Frederick Kitt, 10 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
We have never heard of Herculas our Cook since he left this; but little doubt remains in my mind of his having gone to Philadelphia, and may yet be found there, if proper measures were employed to discover (unsuspectedly, so as not to alarm him) where his haunts are. If you could accomplish this for me, it would render me an acceptable service as I neither have, nor can get a good Cook to...
1997From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 10 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
When you send me the Auditors Account of the taxes due on my land in Kanhawa County, be so good as to forward, at the same time, Genel Lee’s Deed of conveyance to me, of two tracts of land in the State of Kentucky, one for two, and other 3000 acres. They were, I believe, included in one Deed of Bargain and Sale, and recorded in the General Court Office. It is the original Deed I ask for. We...
1998From George Washington to Samuel Williams, 10 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 5th of Octr from Hamburgh has been received, giving me the first direct & certain account of the arrival of General Lafayette and family at that place; a circumstance highly pleasing to his friends in this country—to none more than myself; and for the prompt advice you have been so obliging as to give me of it, I pray you to accept my sincere thanks. Fortunate indeed was it...
1999To John Jay from Richard Varick, 10 January 1798 (Jay Papers)
I have the Honor of once more troubling Your Excellency & perhaps calling a Moments Attention from more important public Concerns, to inform You of a Measure proposed to the Common Council of this City this Day by the Recorder & myself & by them unanimously adopted, to wit, We have discovered by Experience that the public Business of the Sessions could not be dispatched in four Terms only of 7...
2000[Diary entry: 11 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
11. Clear, with the wind fresh all the forenoon from No. Wt. Mer. at 25 in the Morng.—36 at its greatest height & 27 at Night. Mr. Lear dined here & returned.
2001From George Washington to Alexander White, 11 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 8th has been duly received, and I now write, more for the purpose of acknowledging the receipt of it, than from any sentiment I have to communicate relative to the Public buildings in the Federal City. You are perfectly acquainted with my sentiments on that subject already, and if not, they may be comprised in a few words—thus—every effort should be made to obtain the...
2002From Thomas Jefferson to Angelica Church, 11 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of July 6. was to have found me here: but I had departed before it reached this. it followed me home, & of necessity the enquiries after our friend Madame de Corny were obliged to await mrs Monroe’s arrival at her own house. this was delayed longer than was expected; so that by the time I could make the enquiries, I was looking again to my return to Philadelphia. this must apologize...
2003From Thomas Jefferson to Catherine Church, 11 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved, my dear Catharine, from the hands of your brother, the letter you have done me the favor to write me. I see in that the excellent dispositions which I knew in you in an earlier period of life. these have led you to mistake, to your own prejudice, the character of our attentions to you. they were not favors, but gratifications of our own affections to an object which had every...
2004From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 11 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I am in hopes you are by this time in the regular reciept of Bache’s papers; and in a few days you may expect the Chronicle from Boston, both are to begin Jan. 1. so that your year may end always at a marked period. tho we hear nothing official from our envoys at Paris, yet the rumors are very unfavorable. I begin to fear, not war from them, but that they will refuse to have any settlement...
2005To John Adams from John Murray Forbes, 12 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
It is with extreme pain that I find myself constrained, in justice to my own reputation, to occupy, with an affair of a personal nature, even a moment of that time which is so important to my Country— The distinguished place which Mr. Munroe has given my name in his late, as I conceive, Criminal Publication, renders it indispensably necessary that I should explain to you, Sir, what were my...
2006To John Adams from Rev. James Wilson, 12 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
The only apology I can offer for troubling you is, that, I know, your highest gratification is to promote the welfare of the United States, over which you preside with so much wisdom and dignity. The annexed piece was written out for publication; but, as I am of opinion every good citizen ought to beware of unnecessarily agitating the public mind in such a government as ours, I anxiously...
2007[Diary entry: 12 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
12. Clear, & wind Southerly. Mer. at 24 in the morning—42 greatest height and 32 at Night.
2008To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 12 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I enclose the letter from Colo. F. Deakins which I mentioned to you yesterday. Any Commands you may have for Richmond I shall be happy to take. Altho’ I have not sanguine expectations of pecuniary aid from the Assembly of Virginia; yet a petition to permit the collection of Tolls is an object of too much importance to be neglected at this moment. I therefore feel it a duty incumbent on me to...
2009From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 12 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Permit me to request your care of the enclosed letter to Mr Williams, our Consul at Hamburgh, in answer to a very polite & civil one informing me of the arrival of Genl Lafayette & family at that place. Allow me also to ask the favour of you to send me Colo. Monroe’s, & Mr Fauchet’s Pamphlets; and if you have leisure (not else) to let me know what the public sentiment respecting them, is. In...
2010To George Washington from James Ross, 12 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I did not arrive here untill the 6th Instant having been detained at home by the indisposition of Mrs Ross who is again happily restored to her usual health. The money paid to me by Colo. Shreve was exchanged for a Bill upon Colo. Hodgdon which has been Accepted & falls due to day. Colo. Barker has paid into the Bank of Pennsylvania five hundred Dollars which was placed to my credit instead of...
2011To George Washington from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 12 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
An apology is due for the long delay on my part in replying to your favour of Decr 17th—Mr Barker on the second application informed me that the 500 Dolls. had been placed in Bank to the Credit of Mr Ross, who was not in town—Mr Ross has just arrived & from him I have recd 1961 30/100 which I enclose in a draft on Alexandria—Mr Ross desires a rect. No dispatches have been recd from France the...
2012To Thomas Jefferson from John Gibson, 12 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I this moment have Been honoured with yours of the 31st. Ulto. But having just returned from the Country and the post Being to set out in a few minutes, I am prevented from giving you the Information you require, you may rest Assured of my making Every Inquiry of other persons, and giving you a full detail of the whole transaction by the next post. In the Mean time, permit me to Assure you...
2013To John Adams from Noah Webster, 13 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
In my letters to Dr Currie, I have supposed the Influenza in 1789 to be a new disease in the United States. Dr Belknap informs me by letter that in 1760 or 1761 the same complaint prevailed in Boston, & that your father died of it. I beg the favor of you, Sir, to inform me, if you can, of the precise year of its prevalence the time of the year, & how extensive it was, and whether fatal to many...
2014[Diary entry: 13 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
13. Clear & no wind in the morning. Mer. at 28—greatest height 48—in the evening at 43. Calm & pleasant all day.
2015To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Mann Randolph, 13 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
your letter of the 14th. Dec. did not arrive at Belmont till the 1st. inst: it did not lie in Charlottesville as we send thither regularly every week: I cannot explain its delay there was no failure that I have heard of in the Fredericksburg as happened in the Richmond Mail about that time. Martha undertook to write the post after; that is last Monday, and being out myself I lost the...
2016To John Adams from Thomas Adderley, 14 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
If in the Course of Your Excellency’s leisure your may be pleased to cast Your eye over the Poem I now have the honor of laying before You, You will be able to judge whether it possesses sufficient merit to be dedicated to You. I shall make it more perfect, before it meets the public, if Your Excellency conceives that You would not have to blush for Patronizing the sentiments and the humble...
2017From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, [14 January 1798] (Hamilton Papers)
This moment my Dear Eliza, we descended from the carriage—after a journey, so far, much more comfortable than we could possibly have anticipated. It makes me repent that we had not pursued our original plan. But we must console ourselves with the hope of a speedy reunion which you may be assured I do every thing in my power to accelerate—For I give up too much of my happiness by my absence not...
2018[Diary entry: 14 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
14. A little lowering all day with but little wind and that Southerly. Mer. at 36 in the Morning 46 at Night & 48 when highest. Mr. Lewis Burwell came to dinner & Mr. Woodward in the evening. Burwell requested a letter of introduction for a trip to inspect land in the Genesee country of western New York State ( GW to Charles Williamson, 19 Jan. 1798 , WRITINGS John C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The...
2019To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 14 January 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Alexander Spotswood, 14 Jan. 1798. On 11 Feb. GW wrote Spotswood : “Your letters of the 14th ulto & 6th instt have been duly received.”
2020From Thomas Jefferson to James Brown, 14 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Having to remit to mr Higginbottom on account of Rives & co. at Milton 217.64 D I have his advice that I cannot do it more properly (as paiment is to be made in Richmond) than by placing it in your hands. I therefore take the liberty of inclosing you an order on George Jefferson & co. of Richmond for 217.64 D as abovementioned, which be pleased to recieve on account of the concern of Rives &...
2021From Thomas Jefferson to George Jefferson, 14 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I enclose you mr Barnes’s note for 500. Dollars to mr Hopkins to be taken up at ten days sight, as also letters of advice to mr Hopkin’s & mr Boyce both of whom will attend to the note. as I have some paiments to make in Richmond which are already some days in arrear, I can only admit the interval of one post before I must send on draughts on you, as follows. D Colo. John Harvie 49.28 } at...
2022To Thomas Jefferson from Luther Martin, 14 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I have in my last indisputably proved that Col. Cresap was not concerned in the death of Logan’s family, since it is admitted that they were killed on some part of the waters of the Ohio, on the west side of the Alleghany Mountains, and not until the spring of the year 1774: whereas Colonel Cresap never was on the western side of those mountains after the summer of 1773. I now proceed to prove...
2023From Thomas Jefferson to Edmund Pendleton, 14 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved some time ago from mr Edmund Randolph a note signed by mr Lyons & yourself undertaking to pay the amount of a decree of Royle’s admrs v. yourselves as admrs of Robinson, to mr Short or myself as his attorney. this undertaking is perfectly satisfactory, and I only wait your pleasure to be signified as to the time when, and place where it may suit you to make the paiment. as it was to...
2024From Thomas Jefferson to Edmund Randolph, 14 January 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 7th. inst. came to hand yesterday. those of Nov. 15. 21. & 28. had been recieved in due time. that of the 21st. covered the assumpsit of Messrs. Pendleton and Lyons to pay the amount of the decree of Royle’s admrs v. Robinson’s admrs, to the use of mr Short. I should sooner have acknoleged these but that in that of the 21st. you mentioned that you had arranged the balance...
2025To John Adams from John Davis, 15 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I herewith inclose Mr. O’Brien’s letter, pursuant to your Excellency’s instructions. I thought it proper to copy the two first pages and to place the extract in the hands of Dr Lathrop, to be communicated to the Academy, at their next meeting. Mr O’Brien’s donation is still at Plymouth. No convenient opportunity has ocurred to have it conveyed by land, and the severity of the season has...
2026[Diary entry: 15 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
15. Southerly Wind—Soft morng. thin clouds. Mer. at 46 at Sunrise—50 at Noon & 50 at Night. Slow rain from 12 oclock with the wind Southerly. Mr. Burwell & Mr. Woodward went away & I went to Alexandria to a meeting of the Stockholders of that Bank to an Election of Directors. GW on this day, “By Cash (in a check on the Bank of Alexa.) paid George Alderson Sheriff of Kanhawa Cty., his draught...
2027From George Washington to Francis Deakins, 15 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 28th of Decr with a P.S. of the 7th instt was delivered to me the 12th by Mr Lear, with ninety one dollars enclosed therein on A/c of Rent due from Mrs Beall, together with a statement of the A/c against her by Mr Veatch. I ought also, though late, & indeed to my shame for the delay, to acknowledge that your obliging letter of the 26th of Decr 1796 came safe to my hands; but...
2028To George Washington from Frederick Kitt, 15 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your much esteemed Letter of the 10th Inst. the Pleasure it afforded me to see yours hand writing is greater than I can describe. Since your departure I have been making distant enquiries about Herculas but did not till about four weeks ago hear anything of him and that was only that ⟨he⟩ was in town neither do I yet know where he is, and that will be...
2029From John Adams to Commissioners of Washington City, 16 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter and congratulate you on your Success, in obtaining a Loan from the State of Maryland of one hundred thousand Dollars. I have considered the other Representations in your Letter, and upon the whole agree with you in opinion, that it will be most prudent for your Board to prepare a full and candid Statement of the whole in a Memorial to Congress to be Signed by you,...
2030From John Adams to Noah Webster, 16 January 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have this moment resd your favour of the 13th. and should be happy to give you any Information in my Power. In July 1761, I think it was, but have no Record or minute here, My Father died and my Mother was very ill, and I think, Seventeen Persons in the Neighbourhood in Braintree died of a Fever occasioned by an endemial Cold, so much like the Influenza that I Suppose it to have been the...