1To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 24 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
We beg leave to refer you to Mr Blodget on the subject of the National University to which in general we have the most friendly disposition, and the site painted out by him we entirely approve if it can be had on the generous terms proposed, on its meeting your approbation we will do every thing in our power in favour of the important institution. We are &ca LB , DNA : RG 42, Records of the...
2To Alexander Hamilton from Thomas Johnson, David Stuart, and Daniel Carroll, 10 July 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
Washington, July 10, 1794. Enclose “the Title Certificate … to Mr. Greenleaf for 1000 Lots in the City … intended to create a mortgage on these Lots for £100,000 in Holland.…” LS , George Washington Papers, Library of Congress; LC , RG 42, Records of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, National Archives. Johnson, Stuart, and Carroll were the commissioners appointed to superintend the...
3To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 23 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
We inclose to you a letter from Majr Ellicott respecting a change of part of the southern Branch of the Canal, and his reasons for a change or totally striking out the Eastern Branch of it in the course of our divisions of the Carrollsburgh property, and the knowledge of situation and circumstances collected from the plats laid before us—the change of the southern branch occurred to ourselves...
4To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 3 February 1792 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
from Thomas Johnson, 3 Feb. 1792. GW refers in his letter to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia of 6 Mar. to “Mr Johnson’s letter of the 3d of february.” Johnson’s letter apparently included a draft, which has not been found, of an advertisement for designs for the Capitol. Thomas Jefferson advised the commissioners on 6 Mar.: “You will doubtless also consider it necessary to...
5To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 29 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have just received your Letters of the 24th & 26th and feel real Concern that my Circumstances will not permit me to fill the important Office you propose to me. I am far from being out of Humor with the World on my own Account; it has done me more than Justice in estimating my Abilities and more Justice than common in conjecturing my Motives—I feel nothing of Fear either in hazarding again...
6To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 23 December 1793 (Washington Papers)
We are just about finishing the Business of this Meeting. it has been very important, much influenced by the Considerations hinted in our general Letter and I hope will meet your Approbation —Funds are now secured, I think, to carry on the public Buildings to a considerable Length under the most disagreeable Events and if our public Affairs should brighten a powerful Influence is secured to do...
7To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 6 February 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 23d of last Month came to Hand whilst I was attending on the Lottery Business at George Town: I forbore to answer it immediately hoping that a little Delay might enable me to do it more to your Satisfaction, as well as my own for I could not think of any Gentleman of the Neighbourhd whom I could venture to recommend to you and the Proprietors, amongst whom there is the most...
8To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 13 August 1791 (Washington Papers)
This morning I recieved your Letters of the 7th & 8th Instant and one from Mr Jefferson covering my Commission—I forward yours of the 7th and its Inclosures to Doctr Stuart and Mr Carroll —I am a Stranger to all that they relate to farther than that Mr Peters signed the paper for Cession of Land as Agent or Attorney for one Mr Douglass who I suppose is the Father or Son but I never heard the...
9To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 28 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have been here from the 26th of December to the 10th of January and from the 7th or 8th Instant ’till the writing of this, Time sufficient to form a pretty good Idea of Things: with the Frankness you have often invited Mr Carroll from his State of Health and other Circumstances must go out and I perceive that the success of the City will much depend on your next Choice and I hope and believe...
10To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 3 January 1796 (Washington Papers)
A pretty general Opinion prevails amongst us that Congress will this Session open a Land Office for the Northwestern Territory and the published proceedings in a degree confirm it. Colo. John Lynn, who has heretofore enjoyed your favorable Opinion in another Line, is desirous on the Event taking place that you should extend your Confidence to him in this new Department: I believe him competent...
11To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 10 November 1791 (Washington Papers)
After many Endeavours for Assistance in answering your Inquiry into the Agriculture &c. of Montgomery Frederick and Washington Counties I was obliged to rely principally on my own Observations and Conjectures; for as very few measure their Fields or Produce it is mere guess Work and they commonly think and speak the best of their own Affairs. I wish my Conjectures had a more certain Foundation...
12To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 14 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I heard some Time agoe that a Gent. under Orders from the Executive had been viewing different Situations on each Side of Potomack from the Mouth of Connegochege downwards for a Scite for a Cannon Foundery and a Manufactory of Arms for the Public and that one in the Neighbourhood of Leesburgh was reported to be the most proper. I have since heard that it was relinquished and Shannandoah...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Johnson, 29 February 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Though I was disappointed in my expectation of going to Philadelphia about the sixth of this month I hoped nevertheless to have been there no great while afterwards for I felt myself much interested that seasonable and effectual Measures should be taken to forward the Business at the Federal City and secure its Interest. My own Indisposition and the State of my Family have prevented the...
14To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 15 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
The general Sentiment you disclosed on the Differinces between the Commissioners and me when I had the pleasure of seeing you in George Town, intirely correspondent to my Ideas of Propriety, renders it unnecessary and improper for me to go into the Merits of my Claim to the Square West of 4. and now that I find it necessary, against my Inclination, to complain to you of Messrs Scott and...
15To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 16 January 1793 (Washington Papers)
This incloses a Resignation of my Commission of Judge: it would have better suited with my Inclination and my Ideas of propriety to have held it till after the next supreme Court but I am not very well and a Journey now to Philadelphia would be at least disagreeable. On my first reading the Judiciary Act it appeared to me rather an Essay and I had no Doubt but that there would have been an...
16To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 21 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday Evening I received here, my dear sir, your Letter of the sixth. I never designed to give you the Trouble, and if I judge right the pain, of investigating Disputes between the Comrs and me; and I am confident you will do me the Justice to believe, in general, that my Disposition did not lead me, out of my way, to look for an Opportunity to quarrel with them. But Things are brought to...
17To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 12 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
Whilst I was here the latter End of Decr and Beginning of January claiming and endeavering to perfect my Title to the Square adjoining the Bridge to the Left as you go into the City Mr Scott several Times spoke to me to consent that a Street should pass thro’ it by the Water; the Street 30 feet wide, the smallest Breadth proposed, would take of the Square what cost me about 150£ for that...
18To George Washington from Thomas Johnson and David Stuart, 23 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
Mr Greenleaf has had a Conversation with us before Mr Carroll on the subject of new Commissioners —You will I am sure do the Doctr & myself the Justice to believe that our Declarations to you are real and not calculated on Ideas of our own Importance to eat into the funds—Mr Greenleaf mentions Mr Dalton and Mr Baldwin as proper with your Approbation to fill our places and speaks an intention...
19To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Johnson, 11 April 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have taken so much of my time since I have been here as the Weather and my Strength would well permit to examine the Ground in the Water level Line from the Canal at the Little Falls to George Town.—I have seen all that is said to be any way difficult in it and I think there are no fifty perches in it which may not certainly be effected for sixteen Dollars a perch in any one Place. In...
20To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 28 June 1794 (Washington Papers)
Disappointed by Mr Greenleafs not coming and tired of staying here I had wrote to you Yesterday by Doct. Stuart who will have the pleasure of seeing you, and we were just seperating this Morning when I received your Letter of Yesterday. I have long thought it unlucky that the Act of Congress made it necessary to appoint three Comrs —they cannot all act in the Detail with the decision and...