1To Alexander Hamilton from Bushrod Washington, 21 November 1801 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter dated in September came lately to my hands after having made a circuitous rout through many distant post offices as appears from the endorsements on it. I sent to Richmond about four months ago all the trunks of papers which I received from Mount Vernon except two. I have had so little leisure for examining the contents of those trunks, that it would be impossible for me at the...
2To Alexander Hamilton from Bushrod Washington, 15 April 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
In writing the history of Genl Washington’s life, it is sometimes difficult to acquire a clear view of some of the operations of the Armies, without obtaining a more precise explanation of some circumstances than can be derived from the papers in my possession, without a very laborous examination of them, and even then, there are some points which would require farther illustration—such for...
3To Thomas Jefferson from Bushrod Washington, 19 August 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor to recieve your note of the 13th. inst. with the enclosures from Genl La fayette, and I pray you to accept my thanks for your politeness in recieving & forwarding them to me. I regret that the mistake to which you allude should have given you a moment’s concern. It was extremely natural under the circumstances which attended the rect. of the package, and is one for which I have...
4To Thomas Jefferson from Bushrod Washington, 26 April 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I am Just setting off to Fredg. and have only time to enclose you with a N. Subpa., which please have delivered to the proper Shf. Your Letter respecting the other Suit, against Wayle’s Exers. I received and shall attend to. With much respect I am Dear Sir Yr. Mo Ob Sert RC ( MHi ); endorsed by TJ as received 30 Apr. 1796 and so recorded in SJL . Your letter : see note to Washington to TJ, 2...
5To Thomas Jefferson from Bushrod Washington, 12 November 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my return from Phila. I had the honour to recieve your letter of the 25th. Oct. together with the box containing the medals sent to your care by Mr. Eccleston. In a few days I shall be favoured with a safe conveyance to the Chief Justice of the one intended for him. I am Sir very respectfully yr. mo. ob. Servt. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
6To Thomas Jefferson from Bushrod Washington, 2 November 1795 (Jefferson Papers)
I wish I could give you the satisfaction you wish as to the time when your case will be finally decided. We must proceed regularly and there is no rule by which to guess when the case will come on in its turn which it must do if defended with a view to delay. I can only say that I shall use diligence in pushing it forward, and shall try by a motion out of turn to get it sooner decided. This is...
7To James Madison from Bushrod Washington, 27 July 1809 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
27 July 1809, Mount Vernon. Recommends Edmund Jennings Lee for the vacant assistant judgeship of the District of Columbia circuit court. RC ( DNA : RG 59, Letters of Application, 1809–17). 1 p.
8To James Madison from Bushrod Washington, 14 September 1819 (Madison Papers)
I recd a few days ago your favor of the 28 Augt. and in answer thereto, I beg to assure you that it will give me pleasure to furnish you with the letters you request, or such of them as can be found; for the papers sent to the Chief Justice, and which are still at Richmond, have been very extensively mutilated by rats and otherwise injured by damp as he not long since informed me. I shall...
9To James Madison from Bushrod Washington, 23 March 1820 (Madison Papers)
Since my return from Washington the trunk in my possession, containing letters to & from the General, has been carefully examined, and the enclosed have been taken from the bundles found in it. Not doubting but that a much larger number of your letters are in the trunks at Richmond, I have written to the Chief Justice to request that he will in the course of the summer look over those bundles...
10To James Madison from Bushrod Washington, 28 March 1803 (Madison Papers)
Forsyth’s treatise which you were so polite as to lend me, I brought as far as Alexa, with an intention of returning it as I passed thro’ the City, but in the hurry which an unexpected call of the stage occasioned, the book was forgotten. I wrote last night from George town to request it might be sent on to you today, but lest this may not have been done, I forward you a Copy from this place....
11To James Madison from Bushrod Washington, 12 November 1807 (Madison Papers)
I recollect with shame how long you have been in advance for the wine you were so good as to import for me. On my return from the Northward in July, I was informed by Mr. Forest of its arrival, & I then requested him to procure from you an account of its cost & to enclose it to me that it might be immediately paid. This however, from some cause or other, was not done, and my subsequent absence...
12To James Madison from Bushrod Washington, 31 January 1820 (Madison Papers)
I have postponed answering your favor of the 18th Ulto. until this time hoping that a more favorable change in the weather & the removal of a Cold which I have had for some time, would have permitted me without imprudence to go into an outhouse where my papers are kept and to select those you want. In both of these respects I have been disappointed, and as I must leave home in a day or two for...
13To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 19 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Upon my return to this place I met with a Commission from the President of the United States appointing me one of the Judges of the supreme Court. This appointment I have accepted, and was induced thereto by the strongest motives. I was very unwilling to abandon a profession, to which I was much attached, and to the study of which I had devoted the greatest part of my life. A situation which...
14To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 21 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have lately recieved a letter from Mr Thomas Turner of King George, in which he expresses an ardent desire to enter into the service of his Country in the military line, and requests that I would mention him to you. This I do with much pleasure, because a long and intimate acquaintance with him assures me that there are few candidates who can possess more worth than he does. Warmly and I...
15To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 28 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 18th I duly received. I could not obtain from the Auditors Office the information you desire, so as to communicate it by this post, nor do I expect to receive it for some days—The Auditor promises to give it me as soon as his other business will permit, which he thinks will be in the course of a week or ten days, observing at the same time that you cannot be injured by the...
16To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 19 March 1789 (Washington Papers)
I was very sorry that Business at Court obliging me to be in Town on Monday last, prevented me from calling at Mount Vernon on my way up. Since then I have been, & I suppose shall continue to be under the necessity of attending Court all the week; should you not leave Home before Sunday, I shall on that day wait on you. The Letter which accompanies this, I Recd a few days ago with a request to...
17To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 20 August 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 12th inst. I duly recieved. Colo. Heth is very highly esteemed here by all men of respectability, who are not in opposite politics with himself. I have always heard him spoken of as a man of business, and as being both sober & prudent. Tho’ I do not believe that he has been favored with a very liberal education, I consider him as possessed of a very strong mind, and of...
18To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 7 August 1798 (Washington Papers)
I recieved a few days ago; a letter from Mr John Nicholas in which after speaking of the violence of a certain party in that County, and the lengths to which they go he says, “among other things, you will see in Davis’s paper of the 24th July a hint at the affair with which you are acquainted from the celebrated John Langhorne himself. I am hinted at as the ‘dignified character of an...
19To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 18 January 1789 (Washington Papers)
I was not at home when your Letter arrived yesterday, or Should then have thanked you, as I now sincerely do, for your kind offer —previous to the rect of it, I had rented an office of Mr Watson, at the exorbitant price of £15. Your Stable I will put into repair & make use of until you may want it. I very readily accept your offer of Hay, as it is both difficult to procure it Here, and when...
20To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 8 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have conversed with Mr Brooke respecting Mrs Forbes and am enabled to get you the following history of that person. She is a widow—a Native of England & without a family—about 50 yrs of age—active & spirited in the execution of her business—sober & honest—well acquanted with Cookery & in his opinion capable of ordering & setting out a table—her appearance is decent & respectable & such is...
21To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 29 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
I rec: your letter of the 10th with a bundle of papers which I have examined. I had before issued a Subpœna from the Court of Chancery, and I wish to file the Bill during the present Session that I may be enabled to obtain an order to be inserted in the Gazette warning the residuary Legatees to come forward with their respective pretensions. Your great object I know is to close this business,...
22To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 3 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
I received your favor by last post for which accept my grateful acknowledgements. I shall make the necessary enquiries, and then pursue such steps as may insure to me the benefit of your bounty. I should have written to you immediately after the end of the last Chancery Term respecting the suit agt Colvilles Legatees, but that I expected the pleasure of seeing you at Mount vernon sometime in...
23To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 27 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 23d I yesterday recieved. I waited upon Mr Brook today to make the necessary enquiries respecting Mrs Forbes. The Character he gives her, assures me that she will fully answer the purposes for which my Aunt wants her. She is honest, industrious, & well acquainted with nice as well as common Cooking, and other subjects of domestic employment necessary in her profession. But...
24To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 9 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have at length procured from the Auditors office a rough Statement of Yr Taxes in Kanawa for the 6 years mentioned in Aldersons order, by which you will discover that they differ £1.11.7 from the amount there stated. But as the difference is trifling, and the Auditor may very probably have made a mistake in the calculation (for he did it in a hurry) it would probably be better to pay it,...
25To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 30 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
I went in pursuit of Mrs Forbes this morning, but could not find her—with the assistance of Mr Brooke I obtained an interview with her this evening at her house, her price is $150 a year—She will be at Mount Vernon in a month from this time, if her terms are accepted—sooner she cannot go. you will please inform me, whether the terms as to price & time will suit you—I shall at all events pursue...
26To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 1 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am quite disappointed in not having it in my power to give you satisfactory information upon the subject of your last letter. I have been twice to the Auditors office, and have had the Commissioners books examined. I can find no other Tracts returned by them than those of which I before sent you a Statement. neither those on the ohio nor the 587 acre tract are at all mentioned. The Auditor...
27To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 7 June 1788 (Washington Papers)
The convention has hitherto made a very slow progress towards finishing the business before them, and leads me to apprehend, that we shall be detained here much longer than I at first expected. We have determined to go through the constitution clause by clause, before any question shall be put. This regulation, if attended to, would expedite the business, by confining us to the particular...
28To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 20 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
I now enclose you my opinion upon the points stated in your letter of the 9th. As you may possibly wish to submit it to the consideration of your Counsel, I have left out of it, such parts of the subject as are unconnected with the cause, & need only be communicated confidentially to yourself. Mr Swan’s demand for defending the suit, I think very extravagant. We seldom recieve such fees in the...
29To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 10 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
The deed from Genl Lee to you has been duly executed, acknowledged and certified, so as to entitle it to be recorded in the General Court. I shall in a few days send it down to the clerk of that Court, to record it in June. I enclose your deed to Lee, that you may have it proved in Fairfax Court this month, and being certified by the Clerk you will immediately enclose it to “Mr—— Allen clerk...
30To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 27 September 1786 (Washington Papers)
We have lately instituted a society in these lower counties, called the Patriotic Society. As it is something new, and there are a few men both good and sensible who disapprove of it, it will be a high gratification to me to know your sentiments of it, if you will be so kind as to communicate them. The object of the institution is to inquire into the state of public affairs; to consider in...