To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 13 May 1796
From the Commissioners for the District of Columbia
City of Washington, 13th May 1796
Sir
In consequence of a correspondence between Mr Scott & Mr Robert Gilmor of Baltimore, and a conversation Mr White had with Mr Gilmor, in his return from Phila., we have judged it expedient, through his means to set on foot a negotiation for a Loan in Holland—Mr Gilmor expressed a very clear opinion that the necessary Sums may be procured at an interest not exceeding 6 percent per Annum, including charges, and possibly, at a Lower rate—For the accomplishment of this business, we have executed a power of attorney to Messrs Wilhem & Jan Willink of Amsterdam—agreeably to a form furnished by Mr Gilmor, varying only, such parts, as were necessary to adopt it to our particular case—We presume it will be necessary, for the President or the Secretary of State to certify under the seal of the United States, that we are the Commissioners designated by the Law, and that an authenticated Copy of the Act of Congress should accompany the power of Attorney—We likewise suppose, that the direction of the President to borrow, should appear in some authentic form; and also, the obligation of the United States, ultimately to make good the loan—For these purposes we have, we have drawn and transmitted an instrument for the signature of the President, should it be approved Mr Gilmor will be in Phila. when this Letter arrives1—You will, consequently have an opportunity of conversing with him, & if you judge the measure proper, you can have the advice of counsel, as well as the opinion of Mr Gilmor, as to the mode of carrying it into effect—There will be no occasion of a recurrence to us unless the power of attorney should be deemed defective: in that case, we should wish to have such an instrument prepared for our signature as may be satisfactory.
We have taken the liberty of enclosing a Letter to Mr Gilmor, who is either at Mr Bingham’s or Mr Mordecai Lewis’s—and who will no doubt wait on you, as soon as he receives the Letter2—We are, with respect yrs &c.
sign’d G. Scott
W. Thornton
A. White
It would be agreeable to us that the Attorney General be consulted, at least, so far as the president is to act, rather than rely, solely on our own opinion.
LB, DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Sent.
1. The commissioners prepared a power of attorney on this date for Dutch bankers Wilhem and Jan Willink that authorized them “to negotiate a Loan in Amsterdam to the amount of five hundred and twelve thousand Guilders, Dutch currency” (DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Sent). The original form has not been identified, but a copy of a duplicate is filed at 31 May in DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Received. Robert Gilmor’s company acted as agent for the Willinks (see Alexander White to the Commissioners, 2 May, DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Received).
GW provided the requested certification on 23 May: “Be it Known to all persons to whom these presents shall Come, that I George Washington President of the United States of America, by Virtue of an Act of the Congress of the said United States entitled ‘An Act authorizing a Loan for the use of the City of Washington in the District of Columbia, & for other purposes therein mentioned’ have directed Gustavus Scott, William Thornton and Alexander White Commissioners appointed under an Act entitled an Act for establishing the temporary & permanent Seat of the Government of the United States, to borrow by themselves or by their Attorney or Attornies Agent or Agents duly empower’d & authorized in the present year one thousand seven hundred ninety & six the sum of five hundred & twelve thousand Guilders of Dutch Currency in Amsterdam at an Interest not exceeding six per Cent per Annum reimbursable at any time after the year one thousand eight hundred and three by Installments not exceeding one fifth of the whole sum in any one year.
“And I do further declare and make known that all the Lots in the said City of Washington (except those now appropriated to public Use) vested in the Commissioners aforesaid or in Trustees in any Manner for the use of the United States are chargeable with the Re payment of all and every Sum or sums of money or Interest thereupon which Shall be borrowed by the said Commissioners under the direction of the President of the United States pursuant to the said first mentioned Act—And I do further declare and make known that if the product of the Sales of all the said Lots shall prove inadequate to the payment of the Principal and Interest of the sums borrowed under the first mentioned Act, That then the Deficiency shall be paid by the United States agreeably to the Terms of the said Loan” (copy, DLC:GW).
2. The enclosed letter to Gilmor written on this date asked him to wait on GW “as soon as convenient” (DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Sent).