1Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 13 September 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of Samuel Patteson. Addressed to “The Honorable Virginia Delegates in Congress.” I arrived here yesterday after a very pleasant trip of a fortnight which has perfectly restored my health. It gives me pleasure to find by your favor that positive orders are given to General Carelton to remove from New York, the sooner he goes the better, as I never can...
2Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 19 September 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). Addressed to “The Honorable Virginia Delegates in Congress.” In the hand of Samuel Patteson. Yesterday’s post brought me none of your favors. I have nothing to communicate to you but that my advices from our north western frontiers tell me that if the Pennsylvanians continue their settlements on the other side of Ohio a general indian war is to be apprehended which...
3Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 26 September 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of Samuel Patteson. Addressed to “The Honorable the Virginia Delegates in Congress.” Your two favors of the 8th. and 13th. instant came to hand by the last post one of them has been detained in the post office which I suppose has also been the case with one of mine. General Irvine’s complaint of the Virginians crossing the Ohio reached me I suppose on...
4Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 27 September 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of Samuel Patteson. Addressed to “The Honorable Virginia Delegates in Congress.” Since I wrote to you yesterday I have seen the Attorney who tells me his performance respecting our claim to the western Country is ready for the inspection of the Committee and that as soon as it meets their approbation it will be transmitted to you. I am &. Q.v. On 1 June...
5Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 3 October 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). Addressed to “The Honorable Virginia Delegates in Congress.” In the hand of Samuel Patteson. Your favor of the 20th of last month came safe to hand. The determinations of the French and English respecting our trade is really alarming and in the end will prove ruinous to us if not counteracted by some spirited conduct on our part; I think the way is plain and easy...
6Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 10 October 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of Samuel Patteson. Addressed to “The Virginia Delegates in Congress.” The last post brought no letter from you. The Clerk of the Council informs me that whilst I was in Gloster you wrote for an account of the several sums of money that had been advanced by this State to the continent. the letter by some means or other has been mislaid. I have therefore...
7Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 18 October 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). Addressed to “Delegates in Congress.” In the hand of Samuel Patteson. I received your favor by the last post with its enclosures which shall be laid before the assembly as soon as they meet which I hope will be next week. The sooner Congress come to a determination on the subject of trade the better as I expect it will be the first thing of consequence that will be...
8Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 25 October 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). Addressed to “The Virginia Delegates in Congress.” In the hand of Samuel Patteson. This letter and the one from Harrison on 30 October to the Virginia delegates ( q.v. ) are included in this volume because they are dated before the expiration of the term of JM in Congress on 2 November. Obviously, they could not have reached their destination while he was still a...
9Benjamin Harrison to the Virginia Delegates in Congress, 25 October 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much disappointed in not receiving a letter from you by the last post, as we are all anxious to know where Congress means to fix its permanent residence, reports say it is to be in the woods near Princeton or on the delaware a little below Trenton. I think it impossible that either can be true. If I should be mistaken it will fix this state in an opinion that there is a decided majority...
10Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 30 October 1783 (Madison Papers)
FC (Virginia State Library). Addressed to “Delegates in Congress.” In the hand of the clerk Samuel Patteson. See Harrison to Delegates, 25 Oct. 1783 , ed. n. The two last posts brought no letters from you which I am really sorry for as a full account of the proceedings of Congress on the place of their permanent residence was expected. There are not yet a sufficient number of members to...
11Benjamin Harrison to the Virginia Delegates in Congress, 30 October 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
The two last posts brought no letters from you which I am really sorry for as a full account of the proceedings of Congress on the place of their permanent residence was expected. There are not yet a sufficient number of members to proceed to business. I am &c. FC ( Vi ); caption reads: “Delegates in Congress.”
12Benjamin Harrison to the Virginia Delegates in Congress, 14 November 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
I have at last received a letter from you which with its important enclosures were immediately laid before the Assembly. They came in the most critical time, the subject of the impost being then under consideration. Mr. Adams’s letter silenced the opposition and I have now no doubt of its obtaining. I earnestly wish Congress had entered into some general recommendations for counteracting the...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 21 November 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your favor of the 11th. instant. It very fully explains the views and interests of the several states as to the future residence of Congress, tho’ it is to be lamented that either should have any weight against the justice due to the whole confederation, which calls on them to fix on the most central place that can be made convenient which is certainly at or near...
14Benjamin Harrison to the Virginia Delegates in Congress, 5 December 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
The last post brought no letter from you which I am really sorry for as the definitive treaty which we hear is certainly arrived is much wanted by the assembly and would perhaps prevent some steps being taken that may be contrary to it. Do Congress mean to take no measures to counteract the designs of the British respecting our trade ? If they do it must be immediately to have any effect here...
15To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 19 December 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you an act of our assembly by which you will see their willingness to join the other states in any plan that Congress and they may think necessary to force Great Britain into a generous commercial treaty with us. Great expectations are entertained here of the efficacy of the measure, tho’ I confess I expect nothing from it. The jaring interests of the States will ever prevent their...
16To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 26 December 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your favor of the 17th. It contains many interesting particulars and such as the executive of every State ought to know, tho’ I have seldom ‘till your arrival in Congress been favored with anything of the kind. The mode of correspondence proposed by you is perfectly agreeable to me, and I think good will result from it. We seem to blunder here more from the want of...
17Benjamin Harrison to the Virginia Delegates in Congress, 26 December 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
You have enclosed the copy of an act of the general assembly to authorise the united States in Congress to adopt certain regulations respecting the british trade , also the acts empowering Congress to levy an impost, and empowering the delegates to convey to Congress the claim of this State to the country north westward of the river Ohio, which several acts you will please to lay before...
18To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 2 January 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I have nothing to communicate to you either interesting or entertaining, the bad weather having cut off all communication with the country. Your favor of the 24th. ultimo really alarms me. Your fears of great britains taking advantage of any slip or neglect of ours are just, and what is still more to be dreaded than their resentment is the falling off of our allies in Europe who will never...
19To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 8 January 1784 (Washington Papers)
I congratulate you my dear sir on your safe return to your native country and to that domestic ease and happiness you have so long earnestly wish’d for. Your disinterested virtue and patriotism have raised you to a height of glory which no human being can exceed, and stamp’d a value on your character superior if possible to the laurels you have gaind in the field, and the glorious independence...
20To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 30 January 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Yesterdays post brought me your favors of the 31st. of last month and 17th. instant which are the only letters received from you for four weeks. The latter enclosing the ratification of the treaty gave me great pleasure as it removed many disagreeable apprehensions of consequences that might flow from its not reaching france by the stipulated time of exchange; if the packet can sail from new...
21Benjamin Harrison to the Virginia Delegates, 20 February 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I received your favor of the 23d. of last month yesterday with Mr. Pollocks letter which I shall lay before the next assembly. Some part of his complaint may be just tho’ the last assembly thought more money had been already paid and assumed than he was justly entitled to, and I am of opinion there can be but little more due, tho’ they in their hurry at the close of a session had agreed to pay...
22Benjamin Harrison to James Monroe, 24 February 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Immediately on the receipt of your favor of the 14th. of this month I demanded the necessary documents from the Solicitor to give you some general idea of the expenditures of the State for its immediate defence and the conquest of the back country and received such an answer as I expected which I enclose you for your information of the State of Our public accounts. I believe the confusion is...
23Benjamin Harrison to James Monroe, 27 February 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I shall take care to lay the copy of the Kentuckey petition to Congress before the next assembly agreeably to your request. I have also received your recommendations to the Several States to comply strictly with the articles of the treaty which I much approve and hope they will be generally attended to, but if this is expected by the british are they not under a reciprocal obligation to comply...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 23 March 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I am pleased to find Congress have accepted your Deed of Cession. Why any one member should hesitate to do it cannot be accounted for unless like our former tyrants they had rather take by force what they had no right to than accept the same thing as a free gift. I most heartily wish you would lay the lands out into States immediately and agree on terms of purchase with the indians. If it is...
25Benjamin Harrison to Samuel Hardy, 2 April 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I cannot think it adviseable for the Virginia Delegation to introduce Colo. Campbells Letter or the subject of it into Congress as it rests with this Government alone to settle his dispute with Pennsylvania if he should be refused justice which I think will not happen as I have long since informed the Executive of that State of his claims and some others of a similar nature to lands that lie...
26To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 3 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed letter from the clerk of the H. Delegates will inform you that the marquess’s thanks to the assembly have been presented. The resolution directing the Bust was order’d to be carried into execution by the commercial agent who was soon after dismiss’d from office, it never came to my hands till I sent for it yesterday, I will endeavour to have it comply’d with tho’ like other...
27[To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 9 April 1784] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Richmond, 9 Apr. 1784. Noted in SJL as received 16 Apr. 1784. Not found; not in Executive Letter Book, Vi.]
28To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 16 April 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I am extremely obliged to you for your communications of the 9th. inst. They give me the most sanguine hopes that the confusions in the British House of commons will save us the trouble of a squabble with that Court which I feared would take place on the ratification of the treaty not getting to hand by the time stipulated for the exchange. As to every thing else I think it woud be for the...
29Benjamin Harrison to the Virginia Delegates in Congress, 16 April 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Randolph was so obliging as to read me a Letter from the honble John F. Mercer addressed to the Honble. Executive Council of Virginia which I suppose from the stile of it was intended as an official Letter from the corresponding member of our Delegation in Congress tho’ I have no other reason for thinking so but a complaint made in it of negligence in me or curiosity in the Postmaster, one...
30To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 23 April 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the pleasure of receiving your favor of the 16th instant by yesterdays post, and am happy to find our quota of continental expense reduced within the compass of our abilities. I think we can pay the sum now fixed and am certain we could not go beyond it; but suppose we should fully comply with the requisition, what will you do for that of N. Carolina, and some other States that do not...