27411From George Washington to Alexander Smith, 3 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am in want of Plank and Scantling as mentioned below. If you can supply me, the sooner I receive them the more convenient it will be for my purposes; and the money shall be paid on delivery. At any rate I pray you to let me know whether I may depend upon being supplied by you, and in how short a time, if you are able to do it. I am Sir—Your Hble Servant ALS (letterpress copy), DLC:GW . The...
27412From George Washington to Edmund Jennings Lee, 5 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 30th Ulto was presented to me yesterday. The apology you have offered for breaking the Seal of my Nephews letter, to me, is perfectly satisfactory. The like has often happened to myself. I hope I shall see General Lee before he leaves this part of the Country. The enclosed for Mr Corbin Washington, I request the favour of you to be caused to be delivered to him before he...
27413From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 5 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 23d Ulto addressed to the care of Mr Edmd Lee has been received, & I feel obliged by your endeavours to discover the genealogical descent from Lawrence Washington, the younger brother of our Ancestor John; and for your enquiries after flour barrel Staves. If any material information should be obtained relatively to the first matter, I shall be oblidged by the communication...
27414From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 8 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 25th Ulto is before me, but I have not yet heard of the arrival of Captn Tice at Alexandria. Not being able to wait any longer for Oznabrigs, I have made the purchase of what I stood in need of, in Alexandria—further enquiry therefore after this article, and the price of it, may be discontinued by you, in Philadelphia, on my Account. The Bills for the other articles,...
27415From George Washington to Oliver Evans, 8 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
As you have some knowledge of my Mill: and much in the way of being acquainted with Millers, I have taken the liberty of asking, if you could recommend a good one, of honest sober character, to me. My present one stands engaged to the middle of August only, and it is not probable the agreement will continue longer: because, altho’ he is a pretty good Miller, & I have no charge against his...
27416From George Washington to Hugh West, 11 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
In reply to your letter of this date, I inform you that when I left the Chair of Government, I resolved not to intermeddle in any appointments which should take place by vacancies, in offices, thereafter. From this determination I have not departed in any instance, although sollicited for recommendations in an hundred. If the certificate of your good behaviour (while you wrote in my Office in...
27417From George Washington to William Booker, 15 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to inform you that, the Machine you erected for me at the Union farm has by no means answered your expectation, or mine. You will recollect, that in its first performance, under your own direction, the execution in the course of the day fell short of 50 bushls—it has been growing worse, until I was obliged to disuse it, not being able to get out 25 bushls in the day; and before 500...
27418From George Washington to George Washington Parke Custis, 15 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 2d instant came duly to hand, and gave us the pleasure (as you may naturally conceive from our solicitude for your well doing) at hearing that you had got over a slight indisposition; was happy in your present situation; and going on well in your studies. Prosecute these with deligence & ardour, and you will sometime hence, be more sensible than now, of the rich harvest you...
27419From George Washington to Paul Ferdinand Fevot, 15 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
The papers which you were pleased to transmit to me from Baltimore are, agreeably to your request, returned. Not perceiving what has been your object in addressing such sentiments as your letter of the 4th instant contain—and not being conscious of having merited the reprehension you have judged it expedient to inflict on me, I shall not give you the trouble of reading an answer in detail. I...
27420From George Washington to James Lloyd, 15 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
For your kindness in forwarding a copy of the dispatches from our Envoys in France to the Government here, I pray you to accept my best thanks. What a scene of corruption and profligacy has these Communications disclosed in the Directors of a People with whom the United States have endeavoured to Treat upon fair, just & honorable ground! If they should be attended with the effect of “Speedily...
27421From George Washington to Patrick O’Flynn, 15 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
About the middle of August, the term of my present Miller will expire, and it is not probable the agreement will be renewed; first, because he wants to have his wages raised, next, because the work of the Mill will not afford it; & lastly, because though a good Miller, he is far from being an industrious man. The wages, & allowances I now give, and am willing to continue, are $166⅔ pr Ann:...
27422From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 16 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your obliging favour of the 11th instant, enclosing copies of the Instructions to, and Dispatches from the Envoys of the United States at Paris, was received with thankfulness, by the last Post. One would think that the measure of infamy was filled, and the profligacy of, & corruption in the system pursued by the French Directory, required no further disclosure of the principles by which it is...
27423From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 22 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed are Deeds from me to General Lee, and from him to me. They were copied from his original deed to me, without my previous examination of it, supposing (I understood it was drawn by Mr Charles Lee) that it was correct in all its parts. When we were about to execute the New one⟨s⟩ I found that his title to the old one was not recited—whether this is essential to the conveyance I know...
27424From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 26 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
If Stuart can spare a Steer, you may keep the one you got from thence and pay for him in kine. Fishing, hitherto, has been very unsuccessful at my landing. More were caught last night and this morning (since I have not heard from thence) than in the same space at any time before since it commenced; & unless it continues for some days my expences will not be reimbursed. Have you written to...
27425From George Washington to James McHenry, 6 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Amongst the variety of matters which have come before Congress for the purpose of preparation, in the dernier resort; in short as a salutary measure at all times, & under all circumstances; Arsenals and Cannon Founderies, have occupied its attention. This leads me to ask what steps have been taken relative to the Site for one at the Mouth of Shanondoah? I will pledge myself that there is not a...
27426From George Washington to William Pearce, 6 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
A few days ago the enclosed a/c was sent in, and others of a similar nature have also been presented. To guard against these afterclaps was the reason why I urged you with so much earnestness to leave no accounts unpaid, of your own contracting. Why the balance, if just, was left unpaid, when you had money to go to, at pleasure, or why it was referred to Mr Lear to pay, I am unable to say—Some...
27427From George Washington to Thomas Pinckney, 6 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Permit me to give you the trouble of the enclosed letter to Mr Horry, in acknowledgment of one I received from him at Baltimore. I do this on the uncertainty of its finding him in Philadelphia; and because, in his letter to me, he did not say whether he should return to Charleston by Land or Water. I am sorry to find by the Gazettes that you have had but indifferent health since your arrival...
27428From George Washington to Foster & May, 7 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 30th ulto with the A/c annexed, have been received—and I shall confess, with surprise. It is a very unusual thing for me to be presented with old accounts, and in the present instance it is extraordinary, because Mr Pearce had the command of my money which he himself had deposited in the Bank of Alexandria, and had been directed over & over again, months before he left my...
27429From George Washington to Thomas Law, 7 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
After you left this on friday last, Mr Lewis put into my hands your letter without a date. It is unnecessary I hope, to assure you that your generous offers of a lot near the Seat of Congress, and of five thousand dollars on loan to commence a building in the City, were received with grateful sensibility—& thanks; at the sametime, let me entreat you not to consider as a slight, my declining to...
27430From George Washington to William Herbert, 8 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
The Notes undermentioned you will please to deposit in the Bank of Alexandria —and when the contents of them are received, to carry the same to the credit of Dear Sir Your Obedt Servant ALS (letterpress copy), DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW . GW wrote beneath his signature: 1798 Jany 17th Jas Patton & Jas Dykes— 120 days— $1600. Mar. 1 Jesse Simms 90 Do 514.70 5 William Wilson
27431From George Washington to George Washington Parke Custis, 10 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter by Colo. Fitzgerald has been received—and I shall confine my reply at present, to the query contained in ⟨mutilated⟩ Postscript—viz.—“to whom I am to apply for money in case of want.” This has the appearance of a very early application, when it is considered that you were provided, very plentifully it was conceived, with necessaries of all sorts when you left this (two months ago...
27432From George Washington to Bennett & Watts Co., 12 May 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Bennett & Watts Co., 12 May 1798. Sotheby Parke-Bernet in catalog 4158, item 213, advertises a five-line letter to Bennett & Watts Co. in which GW sent for “half a pound of best Indigo, & a stock lock of middling size and quality.”
27433From George Washington to Bryan Fairfax, 15 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Herewith, I send you Letters of introduction to Gentlemen with whom I occasionally correspond, agreeably to my promise. I also send you a Genealogical account of the family of Fairfax, which was presented to me by the Earl of Buchan through Mr Lear (who carried a letter of introduction from me to his Lordship when he went to England four or five years ago) thinking it might be satisfactory to...
27434From George Washington to Rufus King, 15 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 29th of January, with its enclosure, I have had the honour to receive; and for your kind attention to that concern of mine I feel myself very much obliged; and pray you to accept my thanks for the trouble it has occasioned you. This letter will be presented to you by my good friend & Neighbour, the Revd Bryan Fairfax; who, although he has not taken the title, is the...
27435From George Washington to Thomas Coleman Martin, 15 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
In the course of last Autumn, I wrote to you relatively to a thrashing Machine, of which you were the Inventor; and you were obliging enough to give me some account of it; adding that you had not fully satisfied yourself how far Manual labour or the labour of horses, could be applied to advantage. Since which, indistinct, & contradictory accounts have been received of the result of your...
27436From George Washington to John Sinclair, 15 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
The motive which I assigned in my letter of the 6th of Novr (a copy of which, with others, is herewith enclosed) for transmitting you a duplicate of a long, private letter of the 11th Decembr 1796, having encreased from my not having yet received an acknowledgment of it; and having undoubted information that the Vessel by which the duplicate was sent has been taken by a Frh Privateer, the...
27437From George Washington to William Strickland, 15 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 26th of Novr last, introductory of Mr Miles Smith, I have had the pleasure to receive; but not that of seeing the Gentleman himself. I have, however, expressed in a letter to him, the gratification this would afford me, if business or inclination should induce him to visit the State of Virginia. The chief object of giving you the trouble of receiving this Address, at this...
27438From George Washington to Sarah Cary Fairfax, 16 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Five and twenty years, nearly, have passed away since I have considered myself as the permanent resident of this place; or have been in a situation to endulge myself in familiar intercourse with my friends, by letter or otherwise. During this period, so many important events have occurred, and such changes in men and things have taken place, as the compass of a letter would give you but an...
27439From George Washington to Bryan Fairfax, 18 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Having occasion to write another letter to Sir John Sinclair, I take the liberty of giving you the trouble of it, and Mrs Washington begs the favour of you to put her letter, to her old neighbour and friend Mrs Fairfax into a channel for safe delivery, if you should not see her yourself. Knowing, from experience, that Masters of Vessels never sail at the time they first appoint, Mrs Washington...
27440From George Washington to Thomas Peter, 18 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 16th, and its contents, came safe, as you will perceive by the enclosed receipt for the money. As neither your letter of the 16th nor Patsey’s of the 15th, has taken any notice of one written to her by Mrs Washington of the 14th and committed to the care of Mr White (Commissioner) we are left in doubt as to the receipt of it —I shall just mention, therefore that the purport...
27441From George Washington to [John Fitzgerald], 21 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed, I would thank you for forwarding to the Postmaster in Alexandria. It is to request him to return any letters which he may receive to my address at his office, between this and friday next, to your office: and I pray you Sir, if any should come there otherwise tha[n] in the Alexandria—that is—seperate therefrom for me, that you would be so good as to detain them until they are...
27442From George Washington to Georgetown Postmaster, 21 May 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Georgetown Postmaster, 21 May 1798. The letter is listed in James F. Drake’s catalog no. 112, item 165, 1918.
27443From George Washington to James Mease McRea, 21 May 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to James Mease McRea, c.21 May 1798. On 21 May 1798 GW wrote to John Fitzgerald : “The enclosed, I would thank you for forwarding to the Postmaster in Alexandria.”
27444From George Washington to James Anderson, 22 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 19th inst. has been received, but not with the surprise it would otherwise have occasioned, had I not been prepared in some measure for the notice it gave by the intimation contained in a former letter (not now by me, & the date forgotten) of your intention to withdraw from my employment, at the end of the year. I shall repeat now, what I said upon that occasion—viz.—that I...
27445From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 27 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday, brought me your Letter of the 19th instant. You may be assured, that my Mind is deeply impressed with the present situation of our public affairs, and not a little agitated by the outrageous conduct of France towards the United States; and at the enemical conduct of its partisans among ourselves, who aid & abet their measures: You may believe further, from assurances equally...
27446From George Washington to Joseph Hopkinson, 27 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
An absence of more than eight days from home (on a visit to our friends in the Federal City) is offered as an apology for my not giving your polite, and obliging favour of the 9th instant, an earlier acknowledgment. I pray you now, my good Sir, to accept my best thanks for the Pamphlet and Song, which accompanied it; and still more, for the favourable sentiments you have been pleased to...
27447From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 28 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed you will receive my Power of Attorney to sell the sum of three thousand four hundred and ninety four dollars and thirty one cents, Six pr Cent stock of the United States, which stands in my name on the Books in Philadelphia, and also the certificate of sd Stock. This ⟨stock⟩ is loaned by me for the use of the Potomack Company, and in the application thereof you ⟨will be⟩ pleased to...
27448From George Washington to Edward Carrington, 28 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
The present dangerous crisis of public affairs, makes one anxious to know the Sentiments of our citizens in different parts of this Commonwealth; and no one ha[vin]g better opportunities to form an opinion of the central part thereof, than yourself—this will be my apology for giving you the trouble of a letter at this time. Several Counties above the Blue ridge have come forward with warm...
27449From George Washington to Joshua Sands, 29 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
The last Northern Mail brot me your favour of the 24th Instt. As the tin box therein mentioned, has not the addition of President annexed to the direction, there can be no doubt of its being addressed to me, in my private character, although I have received no other advice relative thereto than what you have been so obliging as to give. From the size of it—as described by you—it must be too...
27450From George Washington to William Fitzhugh, 30 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Particular business called me to Alexandria yesterday under a promise of returning to dinner, and under an expectation (in which I was disappointed) of finding Mr Law & family here on my arrival. Just as I was about leaving town, and hardly in time for the above purpose (or I would have called upon you) Mr Lear informed me of the conversation you had had with him, relative to Mr Anderson’s...
27451From George Washington to Alexander Addison, 3 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
I was favoured with your letter of the 17th Ulto by the last Post. Not to have received the Instalment due to me on the Bond of the deceased Coll Ritchie (lodged in the Bank of Pennsylvania for collection) at the appointed period, is attended with considerable disappointment to me; and if it should not be paid (in whole) at the time mentioned in your Note, the inconvenience will be sorely felt...
27452From George Washington to Robert Lewis, 4 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 23d Ulto has been received. Mr Airesss draught on Mr Russell (of Alexandria) has been presented, & accepted, payable in ten days. I am glad to hear of your good luck, with the eloped tenant in Berkeley county. Recovery of the Tenement is of more importance, than the security of the Rents. I am not disposed to lease it for more than Seven years, and if you could let it for a...
27453From George Washington to James Anderson, 11 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
In replying to your letter of yesterday, the following answer, and sentiments are given. Whilest I catch fish at the landing by your house, and make flour & whiskey at my Mill & Distillery, the expence of adding to the former allowance of the two first mentioned articles, in the manner you desire, and allowing a reasonable quantity of the latter, will not be sensibly felt by me, and therefore...
27454From George Washington to George Washington Parke Custis, 13 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
It is now near four weeks since any person of this family has heard from you, although you were requested to write to some one in it, once a fortnight, knowing (as you must do) how apt your Grandmama is to suspect that you are sick, or some accident has happened to you, when you omit this? I have said, that none of us have heard from you, but it behooves me to add, that from persons in...
27455From George Washington to James Lloyd, 13 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have received, and thank you, for your favour of the 6th instant and its enclosure. It is very consoling to perceive such an expression of the spirited feelings of the Yeomanry, and other description of the people of this Country as appears in the Addresses, going from all quarters, to the President of the United States, and to Congress; and it is peculiarly pleasing to find that this Spirit...
27456From George Washington to John McDowell, 13 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
An ardent wish that young Custis should apply closely to his studies, & conduct himself with propriety under your auspices induces me to give you the trouble of receiving these enquiries, and to know if he is in want of any thing that can be provided for him, by Sir Your obedt & Very Hble Servt What is the course of his studies, at present. ALS , ViHi : Custis Papers.
27457From George Washington to Jeremy Belknap, 15 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 29th Ulto accompanying the Discourse delivered on the day recommended by the President of the U. States to be observed for a Fast, was received in the usual course of the Mail, from Boston; and the copies therewith sent, were forwarded agreeably to your desire. My best wishes attend the prosecution of your American Biography, and (not recollecting whether the request was...
27458From George Washington to John Adams, 17 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have heard with much pleasure, that you contemplate a visit to the City designated for the permanent Seat of the Government of the U. States, in the course of the Summer, or early in autumn. It is unnecessary, I hope, for me in that event, to express the satisfaction it would give Mrs Washington & me to see Mrs Adams, yourself & Company in the shade of our Vine & Fig tree; but I shall...
27459From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 17 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 9th instant is received. I am sorry to find that the old Coach is likely to find so bad a Market. This was slipped by Mr Dandridge, at the time I left Philadelphia. As the case now is, it will be better to break it up for the old Iron than keep it longer on expences. And if, after trying the Table Ornaments a while longer—at a reduced price—they will not sell, I must give...
27460From George Washington to Thomas Coleman Martin, 17 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 21st Ulto in answer to mine, relative to the Wheat Machine. At all events I shall—indeed have—provided the Scantling agreeably to your Bill for making one, as soon after harvest as your experiments shall have proved the Utility of their operation, by Manual labour, and you shall be able to send me a skilful workman to erect it. If this should happen in all...