To George Washington from Bryan Fairfax, 1 January 1773
From Bryan Fairfax
Towlston January the 1st 1773
Dear Sir,
Mr Muir has sent me an Account of the Charges on the protested Bill which has run up very high. As it will be very inconvenient to me to go from home at this time I have inclosed a half Sheet indorsed on which I shall be obliged to You to have drawn the Set of Bills payable to me, and delivered to the person Mr Muir may send for them. You may have a Mortgage on any of my Lands as a Security till the repayment of the whole money which shall be done from the Sale of the Land in which Mr W. Washington is concerned either at once or in small Payments as I happen to receive it.1 We had an Expectation of receiving £500 pensylvania Money each before this time, but according to Custom have been disappointed. I am Dr Sir Yr most obedt Servt
Bryan Fairfax
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The deeds have not been identified and no mortgage has been found. For an account of Fairfax’s protested bill that Piscataway merchant John Baynes was demanding of John Muir, see Fairfax to GW, 20 Jan. 1772, n.1. There is in DLC:GW a single sheet in John Baynes’s hand listing a bill dated 16 July 1770 for £156.12.2, with “Damages to this date [31 Dec. 1772] 10 ⅌ Ct ⅌ Annum 2 years 5½ Months—38:10:0,” and “Charges of Non Acceptance & Non payment with postage & Comn at Glasgow—1.2:0,” the whole amounting to £196.4.2.