301To George Washington from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 30 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favour of the 22d instant and feel much chagrin that I did not reply to your private Note: the fact is, that I destroyed it, after perusal & forgot the contents at the time I wrote: Mr Biddies Credit is as good as it has ever been; the misfortunes of the times have rendered his business more profitable than usual—he is understood to possess a handsome property. No Letters have...
302Robert Lewis to GW, 31 January 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: Robert Lewis to GW, 31 Jan. 1798. On 11 Feb. GW wrote Lewis : “Your letter of the 31st Ulto came safe to hand.”
303To George Washington from James McHenry, 1 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have been for a long time past so hurried and so loaded with business as not to have a moment which I could devote to private correspondence. This is not an apology for neglect or indolence. I am exceedingly sorry it is true, because I foresee, it may without some change become quite unsupportable. Enjoy your happy situation; or if it is to be disturbed, let it be only by transient domestic...
304To George Washington from James McHenry, 1 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have received this moment your letter of the 28th ulto. The land business being with Mr Wolcott I shall give him the letters and see that they are forwarded by to-morrows mail and the inquiry aluded to made of the Deputy Surveyor if found. Munroe’s memoir has been little read and has made no converts to his party. He has I think sunk in the public opinion. Fauchets publication has done no...
305To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 1 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am quite disappointed in not having it in my power to give you satisfactory information upon the subject of your last letter. I have been twice to the Auditors office, and have had the Commissioners books examined. I can find no other Tracts returned by them than those of which I before sent you a Statement. neither those on the ohio nor the 587 acre tract are at all mentioned. The Auditor...
306To George Washington from Alexander White, 1 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
On my arrival at this place on Tuesday se’night I found the letter with which you honoured me in answer to mine from Washington. On this day week I was followed by a Messenger from the City with a copy of a letter from the President to the Comrs approving of our laying a State of the Federal Buildings before Congress, Which he observes will render his responsibility and that of the Comrs less...
307To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 2 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Mr Hopkins presented me with yr letter of the 25th ultimo. I learn with much surprize & chagrin that Mr Simmes has failed to pay his note—He used to be considerd as very punctual & therefore I recd his paper for a debt due to me. Nothing but the untoward & unexpected course of fiscal concerns in this country could have produced delay in my payment of yr debt. I am pained in a great degree to...
308To George Washington from James Ross, 2 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of your letter of the 22d Ulto I lodged your bonds in the Bank of Pennsylvania & received the enclosed receipt, so that in future there will be no difficulty when the debtors offer money to the Bank. Your lands on the Kenhawa are well sold if the purchaser is an industrious & wealthy man. Altho the lands are certainly of the first quality & the credit very considerable, yet I...
309To George Washington from Alexander Martin, 4 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I beg you to permit the enclosed little dramatic piece to wait on you in your present Retirement, it was written by me this Session of Congress partly for Amusement, and partly with a view by bringing forward in this Manner the most prominent Characters in our late Revolution, to reconcile in some Measure if possible the present jarring political Sentiments that unfortunately distract our...
310To George Washington from William Adamson, 5 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I cannot resist the impulse of my feelings to express my grateful acknowledgment of the polite & kind reception wch I met with at Mount Vernon, and beg to assure thee that amongst the many whose curiousity, or admiration for the dignified character of the great proprietor of that seat of domestic felicity, lead to visit it, none can retain a deeper sense of the honor of having enjoy’d so happy...
311To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 6 February 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Alexander Spotswood, 6 Feb. 1798. On 11 Feb. GW wrote Spotswood about his “letters of the 14th Ulto & 6th Instt.”
312To George Washington from James Anderson (of Scotland), 8 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have been favoured with your much esteemed favour of the 4th Novr last which came to hand about ten days ago. It gives me great pleasure to learn that you are in good health, and enjoying in peaceful serenity your well earned lawrels. That you may long continue to do so is the sincere wish of not me alone, but also of almost every person in Europe. I am glad to find that the gardener has the...
313To George Washington from John Parker, 9 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Permit me, great sir, to address you and solicit the honor of your name and patronage to the work which I am now engaged in— “The Journals of Congress” from the year 1775 to the present time, including the reports of the Heads of Departments &c. My undertaking has met with the encouragement of Mr Jefferson & the Committee of Congress to whom the printing the old Journals was referred—The...
314To George Washington from George Richards Minot, 10 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
It is with eagerness I find an apology for presenting myself to your notice in your second retirement. My only solicitude is, that you may not think the occasion which I make, a sufficient justification of my intrusion upon you. The volume accompanying being a continuation of Massachusetts history, necessarily embraced many general transactions in the late British Colonies. In these you were...
315To George Washington from Thomas Peter, 13 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have called on Mr Davidson to enquire the business his Nephew’s are suitable for, & whether they were not looking out for places to be engaged in; to this he answered one of them was taken by the Potowmack Compy & the Other at my service—I then mentioned you were wanting a Young Man who could keep accounts, write a plain round Hand (as you had much Recording to do) & who must be entirely at...
316To George Washington from William Augustine Washington, 15 February 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from William Augustine Washington, 15 Feb. 1798. On 27 Feb. GW wrote William Augustine Washington : “Mr Rice . . . delivered me your letter of the 15th instant.”
317To George Washington from John Fitzgerald, 19 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
The day on which I had the pleasure of seeing you at George Town was so extremely cold, that I did not go to Alexandria that morning as I intended. Since that time Mr Jesse Sims has been from home & I have not had an opportunity of seeing him untill this day. He requests I will mention his proposals to you which are—that he will give new Notes drawn by himself & endorsed by Mr Jno. Wise...
318To George Washington from John Jones, 20 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I do not conceive it necessary to use any Arguments that I am master of, in favour of Liberty, in addressing myself to One who has recived the distinguished Appellation of being the Chief supporter and defender of it; throughout a large extent of the known parts of the World. But I feel desires thou mayest so pursue it, as to feel an Evidence that thou art deserving of that Character, in the...
319To George Washington from Alexander White, 20 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I arrived in this City on Saturday senight and immediately waited on the President; He gave me a Memorial which my Colleagues had forwarded to him addressed to the Congress for my perusal & signature I urged him as far as propriety would admit, to transmit the Memorial addressed to himself, but could not prevail he said he would transmit the Memorial of the Comrs and requested me to prepare a...
320To George Washington from John Fitzgerald, 21 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Upon communicating the contents of your letter to Mr Simms he declared he could not comply with the terms. I told him I could have nothing more to do with it, except, that I would convey his sentiments to you if he commited them to writing he accordingly address’d the enclosed to me, upon which you will act as you see proper. The first application ever made to me was by a letter sent to me on...
321To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 22 February 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Clement Biddle, 22 Feb. 1798. On 3 Mar. GW wrote Biddle : “your letter of the 22d has been received.”
322To George Washington from William Hayward Foote, 22 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I enclose you Mr Anderson’s draft on you for £57.3.1½—The draft which you proposed to give me on the Bank you will please send by the Bearer Thomas. my recet for the same at the Bank will exonerate you. I am Sir Your Obt Servt ALS , DLC:GW . The enclosed draft on GW, dated 14 Feb. and signed by James Anderson, reads: “On Sight hereof pay Mr William H. Foote, on Order—Fifty seven pounds. Three...
323To George Washington from John Nicholas, 22 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you some time ago, in answer to your’s enclosing the copies of the correspondence with Mr Langhorne, that I would use my indeavour in sifting that very extraordinary, and I venture to say, infamous transaction, to the bottom; & now, agreeable to your request, have to inform you, that I have been able (from the nature of the thing) to make no further discovery of the design, than what...
324To George Washington from Francis Deakins, 24 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I Requested Mr Veatch las fall before I moved from Monococy, to Compell paymts of Your rents at the expiration of 1797—& on the rect of your Letter of the 15th Jany again ordered it—in Answer recd his Letter which I now enclose you —from what I know of the Circumstancs of the Tenants—I believe his Conduct & Opinion on this Occasion the most Advisable & Secure—because as he Observes & I expect...
325To George Washington from John Sinclair, 24 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have the honour to inform you, that at the last Meeting of the Board of Agriculture, it was unanimously resolved, that the £10 remitted by you, as a Subscription for the Publications of the Board, shall be laid out in binding a complete set of the same, in the handsomest manner, and that they be sent to you, with a letter expressive of the Sentiments which the Board entertains for so...
326To George Washington from Dumas, 27 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I receive, but this very moment, the Favour of your Excellency’s Letter of the 24 of june Last; Genl Marshal has been so kind as to transmitt it to me as soon as he Could discover, my Retiring-place; for this I am much endebted to the Gentln whose introduction and Acquaintance you intended to honour me with. it should had been a blessing for me, to welcome your Friends, the Envoys of our...
327To George Washington from William Stoy, 28 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Some months ago you Send your Christopher to me on account of the bite of a mad dog, and by him a letter in which you Said you had directed Mr Slough in Lancaster to pay my charge for Christophers cure. consequently i had no right to charge Christopher, nor did Christopher offer to pay me, and when he went away, I told him what I charged desiring him according to your request to tell Mr Slough...
328To George Washington from David Stuart, 1 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
Altho’ it is by no means convenient to me at this time and season, to go to Annapolis, yet as it is of such importance to Washington to be fixed there as soon as possible, I cannot decline it. It will be most agreeable to me from some business which I have now postponed ’till my return, to set off immediately—On the expectation that he will not be disappointed by his Taylor, I will be down on...
329To George Washington from Ferdinando Fairfax, 2 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
Want of leisure has prevented my making full inquiry, as to the number of Mares that may be engaged to a Jack standing at Shan[no]n hill; but as far as I have enquired, I am not encouraged to calculate on as many as wou’d allow me to engage any considerable sum to you on a certainty. Perhaps fifty may be had at 15 Dols. a price which is considered by the Farmers to be too high, but less than...
330To George Washington from Nathaniel Luff, Jr., 3 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am a second time called to address a few lines to Thee, awakened in the night season, or previous to the dawn of day, for that purpose, (I believe,) the sentiments in the first instance that impressed my mind, not being inscribed on paper, are lost. I have in the second instance been more attentive to the impulse, (I will not call it divine) but am as to myself, fully satisfied of that...
331To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 4 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I enclose a deed for the Potomac Shares which you subscribed for the use of the Potomac Company, which you will be so good as to execute whenever it may be convenient. The form of the Receipt to be given to those who convey their Shares is also enclosed, which will be given when the deed shall be delivered. It was thought best to have those shares conveyed to the President of the Company...
332To George Washington from John Trumbull, 6 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
At length I have the satisfaction of informing you, that my two first Plates of the American Revolution are finished, and in a Style perfectly satisfactory to me: I had hopes of sending out their impressions to my Subscribers by this Convoy, but it has been impossible to print a sufficient number to deliver to all, and as I can make no distinctions, I must suffer the whole to wait the next...
333To George Washington from John Marshall, 8–10 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
Before this reaches you it will be known universally in America that scarcely a hope remains of accomodating on principles consistent with justice, or even with the indep[end]ence of our country, the differences subsisting between France & the United States. Our ministers are not yet, & it is known to all that they will not be, recognizd, without a previous stipulation on their part, that they...
334To George Washington from James Ash, 8 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty of inclosing you, my proposals for printing, a Digest of, the Laws of Maryland, from 1785 to the time of publication. The manifold Services, which you have rendered our Country, in the walks of public and private life—the love and veneration to which your character is so deservedly entitled, renders it an incumbent duty, approved by the warmest affections of my heart, to...
335To George Washington from Elizabeth Swan Bornick, 8 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I hope you will be so very good as to Pardon the liberty taken by a Stranger who has never had the pleasure to see you since She was a small Child I am a native of Virginia and have most Part of my life resided in that State. I have Property in the west indies and on account of that Property I am here on my way to the Islands the Person who was to transact business for me here has failed and I...
336To George Washington from John McDowell, 8 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I received your favour by Doctr Stuart and with him have made such arrangements respecting the education of young Mr Custis, as we judged most eligible at this time. What these are, it is unnecessary for me to mention, as the Doctor will no doubt give you a full account of every thing. I hope the course of study, we have chosen for him, as well as the reasons for the choice, will meet with...
337To George Washington from Edward Graham, 9 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
In the year 1772 a survey of 28,627 acres was made by William Crawford on the Ohio & the great & little Sandy Rivers—By a certificate with your signature, filed in the Registers Office of this State, it appears the survey was to be patented in the names of John Savage & sixty others whose names are inserted in the certificate —A petition was prefered to our last Assembly to have an Act passed...
338To George Washington from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 9 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have just recd a Letter for you from General Putnam which he put under cover to me in answer to one transmitted by the request of Mr McHenry. Dispatches have been recd from the Envoys but the contents are yet but partially known; it is certain that no progress towards an accomodation has been made, & not a hope of success exists while the present men, shall continue at the helm of...
339To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 10 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I duly received your letter of the 6th ulto and must beg your pardon for suffering it to lie so long unanswered. I have shown the letter to all my colleagues; and we are of opinion that it is neither necessary nor expedient for you publicly to contradict the false assertions of Fauchet. The villains who propagate slanders against you in this country do not believe in their own assertions: of...
340To George Washington from Alexander White, 10 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I was much gratified with the receipt of your letter of the first instant, it was in Post later than it ought to have been in course, and I since waited a day or two, that I might have some what to write on the subject of the Federal Buildings—It will be recollected that Mr Law and Mr Walker were in this City before me. I had been but a few days here till General Forrest and Mr Dunlop arrived...
341To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 11 March 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Clement Biddle, 11 Mar. 1798. GW wrote Biddle on 19 Mar. : “Your letter of the 11th instant has been received.”
342To George Washington from George Washington Parke Custis, 12 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I arrived here in due season after a very agreable journey; I found all my relations well and Annapolis a very pleasant place. I visited the principle inhabitants while the Doctor was here and found them all very kind—Mr McDowell is a very good and agreable man he has examined me and I am now pursuing Natural Philosophy and hope to destinguish myself in that branch as well as others Arithmetic...
343To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 13 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I shall lose no time in acquitting myself of inattention to your last favor (but one) with which you might without injustice have charged me, not Knowing the reason of my silence. It has not (thank God) proceeded from indisposition, yet I feel grateful for your affectionate solicitude upon that subject. Having sold Belvidere, that I might with more convenience pursue my practice in Town,...
344To George Washington from James Keith, 14 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
At the meeting of the Stockholders at George Town no particular mode was pointed out for the Transferr of the Shares to be borrowed, the Company appeared to aim only at procuring Funds and securing the persons furnishing them—Mr Mason the Attorney of George Town was consulted by the Gentlemen of that place about the most proper mode of proceeding in the several transactions, from the...
345To George Washington from William Scales, 14 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
Many times I wrote to thee from the year 89 to the year 96 relative to the grievances in which I was involved by deception upon the Country and the influence of the Clergy, who profess Christianity but really live contrary to it and all the rights and liberties of mankind, and are Statemongers in disguise. Once I visited Philadelphia relative to the treaty lately formed and ratified with Great...
346To George Washington from Nicholas Fitzhugh, 15 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I send you by the Bearer 2 black heart Cherry trees, a two pound pear, an one pound pear and a French Pear imported by Mr George Digges of Maryland, the name of which he could not inform me, having lost the Labels. I am sorry that I have been prevented from sending them sooner, having been detained from Home longer than I expected, by unforeseen business; however I hope it is not too late to...
347To George Washington from Thomson Mason, 17 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
On my Return Home yesterday Evening I found your Letter of the 15th Inst. and am sorry I happened to be from Home at that time, but we shall be very happy to see Mrs Washington & yourself at any other time which may be convenient to you. You are extremely welcome to take up as many of the Holly plants, you mention, as you chuse. I am with Respect, Sir your obdt Servt ALS , DLC:GW . Thomson...
348To George Washington from Alexander White, 17 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I need say nothing of public news, the news paper intelligence being equally authentic with any I could give. It seems very doubtful whether the President will make any further communication on the subject of French affairs; those who are connected with him in principle and friendship differ in opinion both with respect to what he will do, and what he ought to do—I dined with him a few days...
349To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 23 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
yours of the 11 of feby—covering Sundry land papers—was delivered me by my Son—to morrow, I shall write my letters, and arrange the necessary papers for Kentucky—where they will certainly arrive the 17 of april. There is no doubt of obtaining Woodrows survey, at the price you offer 20s/ and I am inclined to think that Mr Short will buy it for much less—Indeed I am pretty certain from the...
350To George Washington from William Augustine Washington, 23 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your truely affectionate & friendly Letter by Mr Rice I have recd be pleased to accept my most grateful acknowledgements, for your kind condolence in my late misfortunes: The mysteries and decrees of an allwise Providence, are unsearchable to short sighted Mortals; and it behooves us, & becomes our duty to be resigned to the Divine Will; this has allways been a consolation to me under every...