1To 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...
2To 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...
3To 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...
4To 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...
5Benjamin 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...
6To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Harrison, 12 November 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I yesterday received information from Mr. Peale of Philadelphia that the full length Picture of General Washington which I had ordered some months ago was finished and ready to be shipped to your address by the first Vessel. I enclose you a Copy of his Letter that you may know the meaning of his devices, tho’ I would by no means have them followed unless they meet your approbation. I also...
7To 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...
8To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 6 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
It gives me great pleasure to inform that the assembly yesterday without a discenting voice complimented you with fifty shares in the potowmack company and one hundred in the James River company. of which I give you this early notice to stop your subscribing on your own account. As this compliment is intended by your country in commemoration of your assiduous ⟨cares⟩ to promote her interest I...
9Benjamin 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...
10To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 26 February 1789 (Washington Papers)
It is long since I had the pleasure of any of your favors; which I hope does not proceed, from any alteration in your friendship for me; as I am not conscious of any cause that could produce such an alteration, in a breast so perfectly liberal, as I know yours to be. That we have differ’d in sentiments is true; yet as that difference arose from the same pure motives in both of us; that is,...
11To 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...
12Benjamin Harrison to the Virginia Delegates, 28 May 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 13th of this month did not come to hand till yesterday. The Contents of it were so interesting that I sent it immediately to the Assembly, to whom it was very acceptable. Nothing in a public way has lately given me more pleasure than the addition of Mr. Jefferson to the European Commissioners, for tho’ I have the same opinion of the other Gentlemen that you entertain, yet I...
13To 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...
14Benjamin 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...
15Benjamin 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...
16Benjamin 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...
17To 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...
18Benjamin 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...
19Benjamin 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...
20To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 8 February 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your esteem’d favor of the 22d of last month reached me but a few days ago. Letters by post are some time geting to me, owing to the distance I am from the post road. I was fully aware of the difficulties the compliment made you by the assembly would lay you under, and assure you that the love and friendship I entertain for you, my earnest wishes that you might still support that noble...
21[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.]
22To 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...
23To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 7 December 1785 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to enclose to you a copy of the act of assembly, pass’d in consequence of your letter to the Governor, which I hope will meet your entire approbation. your conduct on this occasion will add new lustre to your character and fully prove, if there was a doubt remaining in the melevolent hearts of any, that all your actions have been dictated by the pure motives of virtue and a...
24To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 17 September 1784 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Benjamin Harrison, 17 Sept. 1784. On 10 Oct. GW wrote Harrison : “I had the pleasure to receive your favor of the 17th ulto.”
25Benjamin 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...
26To 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...
27To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 3 April 1789 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 9th ulto did not reach me till yesterday, the postmaster having by mistake, sent it to the Williamsburg office. The sentiments you express, and the motives you assign, for taking on you the administration of the American government, I am sure proceed from the heart; and indeed they are such as I knew could alone govern you. If we could always be in such hands, my fears would...
28To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 13 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
I was in great hopes of seeing you here before this that I might have acknowledged the rect of your favor of the 10th of last month in person, and have told you how much I approve your plan for opening the navigation of the western waters. The letter was so much more explicit than I could be that I took the liberty to lay it before the assembly, who appear so impress’d with the utility of the...
29To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 2 July 1784 (Washington Papers)
The great impositions that have been practiced on the country in the settlement of the depreciation accts of the soldiers, and the number of forged certificates of service that have been produced to the auditors and warrants obtain’d on them induced me to request the attention of the assembly to the subject; in consequence of which they have directed a revision of them, and in order to a full...
30Benjamin 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...