To George Washington from George Clinton, 27 February 1784
From George Clinton
New York 27 Feby 1784
My dear Sir
I with great pleasure embrace the first direct opportunity that has offered, to acknowledge the receipt of your Letters of the 15th and 28th December;1 the former covering Mr Morris Notes to the amount of 2080 80/90 Dollars.2 Mr Gouv. Morris has also informed me that a Warrant in your favor for 857 52/90 is lodged in the Office of Finance, with directions to transmit it to me 3—I will take care to procure this money as soon as possible, and have both sums carried to your Credit.
It afforded me much pleasure to hear that after all the toils of a public life you was once more in the perfect possession of Domestic happiness, which that you may enjoy long and uninterrupted will be the constant prayer of every good Citizen of these States.
Altho the termination of the War has put a period to many of the fatiguing parts of my duty, I have still such a Croud of public business as to allow me very little time for private enjoyments, besides which, my ill State of Health (having had three returns of the fever) and the indisposition of my family, some of whom have been continually Sick through the Winter, has prevented my having much pleasure since I saw you—the family are now pretty well—except that I am laid up with a violent cold and Washington with a broken thigh—an accident he had the misfortune to meet with about a Week ago, I am however in great hopes it will not be attended with and bad consequences.
As I understand you propose being in Philadelphia in May next I am in hopes, you will find it not inconvenient to extend your journey as far as this place—I need not say how much satisfaction such a visit will give to all your friends.
Mrs Clinton joins me in our best Compliments to Mrs Washington. I am Dear Sir with the most perfect Respect & Esteem your Affectionate Humble Servt
Geo. Clinton
LS, DLC:GW.
In December 1782 while at Newburgh, N.Y., GW borrowed from Gov. George Clinton (1739–1812) £1,870, giving his bond for 2,500 dollars in New York currency. GW had for long been eager to add to his Mount Vernon estate the 543–acre French-Dulany tract on the neck at Dogue Run. He learned of the possibility that Benjamin Tasker Dulany and his wife Elizabeth French Dulany would be willing to exchange this for a 376–acre tract near Alexandria, owned by Adam, Dow, & Mclver of Alexandria, provided that Mrs. Dulany’s mother, Penelope French, could be persuaded to give up her life’s interest in the place. With the loan from Clinton, GW bought the so-called Dow tract, but it was not until 1786 that Mrs. French consented to give up her claims to the land at Dogue Run. See particularly, GW to Lund Washington, 21 Nov. 1782 (two letters; DLC:GW), 25 Dec. 1782 (MiDbEI), and Lund Washington to GW, 20 Nov., 4, 11 Dec. 1782 (all ViMtvL).
1. In his letter of 15 Dec. 1783, GW wrote: “I have been able to negotiate a matter with Mr Robt Morris by wch about Seventeen hundred pounds York Curr[enc]y will be thrown into your hands on my acct which sum, when received, I pray you to carry to the credit of my Bond.” See note 2.
2. GW recorded in , 206, payment to Clinton of 425 dollars (£127.10) on 1 Dec. 1783 in interest on his bond and, on 15 Dec, of 4,226 10/90 dollars (£1267.16.8) paid through Robert Morris. For GW’s explanation of this, in which he points out that the total of Morris notes was 4,226 10/90 instead of 2,080 80/90 dollars, see his letter to Clinton’s secretary, Benjamin Walker, dated 24 March.
3. See GW to Morris, 4 Jan., n.1, and James Milligan to GW, 9 Mar., n.3. GW notes the payment of this amount to Clinton on 25 Feb. in , 206.