From George Washington to Samuel Mickle Fox, 26 June 1799
To Samuel Mickle Fox
Mount Vernon 26th June 1799
Sir,
I thank you for the prompt answer to my enquiries respecting Ritchie and Shreves Bonds, deposited in the Bank of Pennsylvania for collection.1
I pray you to inform me, whether the circumstances attending the deposit of the $250 to Mr Ross’s credit—my Agent as he was called—were such as to enable me to transfer or rather would authorise the Bank to pay, the same to my draught, or not.2
If nothing since the date of your last has been heard from Shreve or the representatives of M. Ritchie to good effect—nor from Mr Ross, you would oblige me by forwarding the letter enclosed to the last named Gentleman.3
It would distress me to be obliged to put the judgment Bonds of the above named persons in Suit, but necessity will drive me to it if I cannot obtain payment, & shortly, without.
I thank you for the tender of the Services of the Institution over which you preside & am Sir—Yr Obedt H. Servt
Go: Washington
ALS (letterpress copy), owned (1978) by Leon H. Becker, Rancho La Costa, California.
1. See GW to Fox, 10 June, n.2.
2. In his response on 2 July, Fox refers to the “deposit which was made on the 12th of April being carried to the credit of Mr Ross as your agent”; and in his account with Shreve GW has the following entry: “By Cash lodged on my a/c in the Bank of Pennsylvania I presume by you—$250.” GW dates this entry 28 July 1799 in , 12, but he gives the same date to his entry on the same page in his account with Matthew Ritchie for the receipt of Addison’s payment to the bank on 6 July (see Addison to GW, 6 July, and note 1 of that document).