1To George Washington from George Mason, 29 July 1752 (Washington Papers)
I came Home ⟨ mutilated ⟩ Yesterday, when I re⟨ mutilated ⟩ Me with the time of Yr Brother ⟨ mutilated ⟩ neral, & desiring my Attendance. I am very sorry it did not come to ⟨ mutilated ⟩ Hands sooner; had I known it in ⟨ mutilated ⟩ I wou’d by no means have refused the last peice of Respect to the Memory of a Gentleman, for whom, when alive, I had a sincere Regard. I most heartily condole You...
2To George Washington from George Mason, 21 August 1755 (Washington Papers)
I fully intended to have waited on You this Evening at Belvoir, but find myself so very unwell after my Ride from Court, that I am not able to stir abroad. I have taken the Liberty to inclose You two Bills for £300 . . . Ster: drawn by Mr Paymaster Genl Johnston on Colo. Hunter, & an Ordr on Govr Dobbs from his Son for £18.15. Ster: also a Letter for Colo. Hunter, & another for his Honr our...
3To George Washington from George Mason, 12 June 1756 (Washington Papers)
I take the Liberty to address You on Behalf of my Neighbour & Your old School-fellow, Mr Piper; who, without duly considering the Consequences, when he was at Winchester enlisted as a Sarjeant in Capt. Mercer’s Company; he has been down to consult his Father upon it, & finds him excessively averse to it, & as his principal Dependance is upon the old Man (besides the Duty naturally due to a...
4To George Washington from George Mason, 13 September 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour of the 29th Augt did not come to my Hands till yesterday: as I did not see the Messenger who brought it, who I understood call’d at my Building on his Way to Fredericksburg, I shall keep this, a Day or two, to see if he will call for an Answer as he returns from thence; if he does not, I shall send it to Mount Vernon, & beg the favr of Yr Brother to convey it by the first Safe Hand...
5To George Washington from George Mason, 4 January 1758 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer (my Cousin French Mason) waits on You with an Acct I recd from Capt. Trent, amounting to £165.12.2¾ as I have an imediate Call for a pretty large Sum, you will particularly oblige Me in sending the Cash ⅌ this Bearer; who will give a Rect for what he receives—if you happen not to have the Cash at Home, I must beg the favour of You to order it for Me by the first safe Hand from...
6To George Washington from George Mason, 6 May 1758 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer French Mason, a Relation of mine, has an Inclination to serve his Country upon the intended Expedition: I recommended him to the president for a Lieutenancy in the Regiment now raising, but unfortunately before he reach’d Wmsburg every Commission was disposed of; otherwise he was sure of succeeding, as the president wou’d have done him any Service in his power—as there are some...
7To George Washington from George Mason, 16 May 1758 (Washington Papers)
I am favour’d wth Yrs of the 8th Inst. ⅌ French Mason, & am perfectly satisfied wth the Justice of Yr Reasons for not providing for him in Yr Regiment at this Time[.] I am convinced, from Yr State of the Case, that it cou’d not well have been done without prejudicing the Service—He tells Me You were kind enough to promise him a Commission the next Vacancy that happens. I shou’d have been very...
8To George Washington from George Mason, 27 August 1760 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed You have my Survey of G. Brent’s Pattent: when I came to look over my papers, I found I had sent the platt to Mr Geo: Brent some years ago, & the only one I had left was a rough platt of that & the adjacent Lands on both Sides the Creek; from part of which what I send You is copyed; but as the original was so much worn out that it cou’d not be copyed wth any Truth, I thought it best...
9To George Washington from George Mason, 23 December 1765 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is the Scheme I promised You for altering the Method of replevying Goods under Distress for Rent: I thought it necessary to explain fully the Land-lord’s Right by the common-Law, to shew that our Act of Assembly was a mere Matter of Indulgence, & that an Alteration of it now will be no Incroachment upon the Tenant: the first Part of it has very little to do with the Alteration...
10To George Washington from George Mason, 9 April 1768 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from George Mason, 9 April 1768. The letter is listed in the Henkels catalog no. 657, item 45, 10 Dec. 1890. According to the catalog, the letter was docketed by GW on 23 Feb. 1789: “The Lines to which this letter has reference were settled by & between Col. Mason and myself the 19 of April, 1769, as will appear (if there should ever be occasion to recur to it) by a Survey...
11To George Washington from George Mason, 5 April 1769 (Washington Papers)
I have Yr Favour of this Day, inclosing the Resolves of the Merchts in philadelphia &c. which I return by the Bearer, as I had before recd Duplicates of them from our Friend the Doctor. I entirely agree with You that no regular plan of the Sort proposed can be entered into here—before the Meeting of the Genl Court at least, if not that of the Assembly; when a Number of Gentlemen, from the...
12To George Washington from George Mason, 28 April 1769 (Washington Papers)
Upon looking over the Association, of which I sent You a Copy, I have made some few alterations in it, as ⅌ Memdm on the other Side. I beg Your Care of the inclosed Letters; & heartily wishing you (what I fear you will not have) an agreeable Session, I am Dr Sr Yr most obdt Sert P.S. I shall take it as a particular Favour if You’ll be kind enough to get me two pr of Gold Snaps made at Wmsburg...
13To George Washington from George Mason, 14 October 1769 (Washington Papers)
As it is too common to put off what it’s supposed may be done at any Time, I delayed drawing the Deed of Release to You ’till this Week, & was unluckily on Monday Night last seized so violently with the Gout in one of my Feet that I was unable to stir for two or three Days, & cou’d never Sit up to write ’till Yesterday Afternoon; which has prevented my getting the Deed finished before this...
14To George Washington from George Mason, 17 October 1769 (Washington Papers)
I have Your Favour, returning the Deed I sent you, which I have not had an Opportunity of executing before Witnesses that coud be at this Court; I shall therefore endeavour to wait on You with it at Posey’s Sale, or sooner, if I am able to ride: it is certain that there is no Warranty contain’d in the Deed; nor did I apprehend You expected one, or I shou’d have objected to it at the Time; as I...
15To George Washington from George Mason, 21 December 1773 (Washington Papers)
The embarrass’d Situation of my Friend Mr Jas Mercer’s Affairs gives Me much more Concern than Surprize. I always feared that his Aversion to selling the Lands & Slaves, in Expectation of paying the Debts with the Crops & Profits of the Estate, whilst a heavy Interest was still accumulating, wou’d be attended with bad Consequences, independant of his Brother’s Difficultys in England; having...
16To George Washington from George Mason, 6 February 1775 (Washington Papers)
My Friend Colo: Harrison (who is now at Yr House) promised to spend a Day or two with Me on his Way down. I beg the Favour of You to present my Compliments to Him; & excuse my being under the disagreeable Necessity of being from Home, until the latter End of this Week; when if He is not gone down, I shall be very glad to see Him here. Poor Mrs Eilbeck has had a Cancer on her Breast for several...
17To George Washington from George Mason, 17 February 1775 (Washington Papers)
I return’d from Maryland but last Night, not being able to leave Mrs Eilbeck sooner, & don’t know how quickly I may be called there again, as I think She is far from being out of Danger, & the Doctor has some Apprehensions of a Mortification. I will if I can, be at Alexandria on Monday; but it is uncertain, as well for the reason above mentioned, as that I am at this time unwell with a bad...
18To George Washington from George Mason, 18 February 1775 (Washington Papers)
I shall always think my self obliged to any Friend to communicate wth Freedom & Candour whatever Doubts He may have of my Conduct towards him, as the most effectual means of preventing Misrepresentation; and I hope You will believe Me when I assure You that You have greatly misconstrued my Intentions in making the Collection I mentioned. Was either of Us to take the Advantage of receiving what...
19To George Washington from George Mason, 8 March 1775 (Washington Papers)
I have at last finished the Potomack River Bill; which I now send You, together with some very long remarks thereon, & a Letter to Mr Johnston; into which You’ll be pleased to put a Wafer, when You forward the other Papers to Him. I also return the Acts of Assembly, & Mr Johnston’s Notes, which You sent Me. This Affair has taken Me five times as long as I expected; and I do assure You I never...
20To George Washington from George Mason, 9 March 1775 (Washington Papers)
I had wrote the inclosed Letter last night, & was just sending my Man off with it, & the other Papers, when Your Messenger came; by whom you will now receive them, made up within the ⟨cover⟩ of the Acts of Assembly. I beg You to inform Mr Johnston that the Bill I have drawn is intended only as a Ground-Work, & that I desire every part of it may be submitted to his Correction. My Son George has...
21To George Washington from George Mason, 14 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
I wrote You in July, a little before my being ordered to the Convention, congratulating You upon an Appointment, which gives so much Satisfaction to all America; and afterwards in August from Richmond: since which I have to acknowledge Your Favour of the 20th of Augt which nothing but want of Health shou’d have prevented my doing sooner, as I shall always think myself honour’d by Your...
22To George Washington from George Mason, 2 April 1776 (Washington Papers)
We have just received the welcome News of your having, with so much Address & Success, dislodged the ministerial Troops, and taken Possession of the Town of Boston—I congratulate you, most sincerely, upon this glorious & important Event—An Event which will render General Washington’s Name immortal in the Annals of America, endear his Memory to the latest Posterity, and entitle him to those...
23To George Washington from George Mason, 8 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I shall make no other Apology for my long Silence, than candidly telling You the Cause of it. Sensible of the constant & great Load of public Business upon Your Hands, and knowing how little Time You had to spare, I thought it wrong to intrude upon it, by a Correspondence of mere private Friendship, or the Communication of Matters of little Importance: this, & this only, is the Reason I have...
24To George Washington from George Mason, 5 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
I have broach’d four or five Hogsheads of Cyder, & filled Your Bottles with what we thought the best; tho’ the Difference in any of it is hardly distinguishable, all I now have being made of the Maryland red streak, & managed in the same Manner. I hope it will prove good, tho’ my Cyder this Year is not so clear & fine, as it generally has been; from what Cause I don’t know, unless that I...
25To George Washington from George Mason, 2 October 1785 (Washington Papers)
I take the Liberty of inclosing You a Memorial and Remonstrance to the General Assembly, confided to me by a particular Freind, whose Name I am not at Liberty to mention; and as the Principles it avows entirely accord with my Sentiments on the Subject (which is a very important one) I have been at the Charge of printing several Copys, to disperse in the different parts of the Country. You will...
26To George Washington from George Mason, 9 November 1785 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer waits on you with a Side of Venison (the first we have killed this Season) which I beg Your Acceptance of. I have heard nothing from the Assembly, except vague Reports of their being resolved to issue a Paper Currency: upon what Principles, or Funds, I know not; perhaps upon the old thread-bare Security, of pledging solemnly the Public Credit. I believe such an Experiment wou’d...
27To George Washington from George Mason, 7 October 1787 (Washington Papers)
Upon examining my Fields in this Neck, I think they will not produce more than about one third of my usual Crops; at my other plantations they are something better, & may turn out about two thirds of the usual Crop. I think I shall be obliged to buy two hundred Barrells of Corn at least; and have lately written to a Gentlemen in Maryland (who owes me a Sum of Money) to know if he can supply me...
28To George Washington from George Mason, 6 November 1787 (Washington Papers)
On Saturday last, in a Committee of the whole House upon the State of the Commonwealth, to whom was referred sundry Petitions, some praying for an Emission of Paper Money, & others for making Property, at an appraised value, a Tender in Discharge of Debts, I moved & carryed the Resolutions of which I inclose a Copy. During the Discussion of the Subject, after treating the Petitions as founded...
29To George Washington from George Mason, 27 November 1787 (Washington Papers)
I this Morning received your Favour of the 15th and shall do myself the Honour of communicating such of our Proceedings as are important; tho’ very little Business of that kind, has yet been compleated. The Installment Plan, after being presented to the Committee of the Whole House upon the State of the Commonwealth, & some Hours Debate upon the Subject, has been postponed from time to time;...
30To George Washington from George Mason, 23 March 1789 (Washington Papers)
I thank you exceedingly for your very candid & friendly Letter, & will state to you exactly my Coachman’s Situation with me, as well as his Character; by which you will be able to judge whether he will be fit for your Service or not. He came into Baltimore, a Redemtioner from Germany, & entered into an Indenture to Colo. Fitzhugh (who thereupon paid his passage;) to serve him four years; he...