1To George Washington from “A.B.,” 19 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
Being a Resident of this place and since the prospect of having the seat of a great Empire (which the Rapid Increase of my native Country forebodes, and its Rising consequence among the nations Indicates) is likely to be fixed near us, I have been for one, well pleased. Being under the direction of the man who gave our Infant Empire its Consequence, and whose manly fortitude supports her...
2To George Washington from James Abercrombie, 25 May 1798 (Washington Papers)
Tho’ conscious that the Sermon which accompanies this, is in no degree worthy of your acceptance, yet, while distributing the copies of it among those I most esteem and honor, I cannot resist soliciting permission to offer one to you. With most respectful Compliments to Mrs Washington, I have the honor to subscribe myself Sir, Your mo. obedt hble Servt ALS , PHi : Gratz Collection. GW replied...
3To George Washington from James Abercrombie, 20 October 1793 (Washington Papers)
The death of Dr Frederick Phile the late Naval Officer of this State, occasioning a vacancy in that department, I beg leave to offer myself a Candidate for the appointment. I forbear to trouble your Excellency with testimonials in my favor, as I flatter myself those recommendations which upon my application for the Treasuryship of the Mint, I presented to Coll Hamilton, will operate with equal...
4To George Washington from Henry-Dominique d’Acary de La Rivière, 8 September 1793 (Washington Papers)
d’Acary ler Lieutenant Colonel du 15e Regiment d’infanterie française demende a Son exellence le General Washington la permission de lui aller offrir ces respectueux homages et prendre ces ordres pour france ou il va Se rendre et come le Navire Sur lequel il S’embarque part demain il desire que Son exelence veuilt bien lui accorder un moment d’audience aujourdhuit. AL , DLC:GW . This document...
5To George Washington from Achmed Ben Aly, 12 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have been these four Months in this city without having the Honor of addressing you, about five weeks ago I delivered to the Minister of State a Letter containing a true statement of my Misfortunes & present Situation to be Laid before You. The Spanish ambassador having been kind enough to provide for my Passage to Spain &a, I must in complyance with his orders Set out to Morrow Morning for...
6To George Washington from “A CITIZEN”, 4 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
ONE great advantage resulting from a republican system of government is, the unrestrained privilege of scrutinizing public measures, and candidly investigating the conduct of those men, who are entrusted with the management of public affairs. No character, however dignified, no measure, however important, can possibly escape the exercise of this invaluable right. It is unnecessary, at present,...
7To George Washington from Abraham Ackerman, 5 Oct. 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Abraham Ackerman, 5 Oct. 1779. On 9 Oct., GW wrote Ackerman: “I have received Your Letter of the 5th Instant.”
8To George Washington from James B. M. Adair, 31 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to inclose to your Excellency, a letter, which was entrusted to my care by Sir Edward Newenham of Dublin, who desired me to deliver it in person, an honour which I should certainly have done myself, had I not been detained in this part of the Country by business, & by the contagious fever, which, I am extremely sorry to find, prevails at Philadelphia. As I am thus under a...
9To George Washington from John Adam, 10 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
It gives me uneasiness while I am obliged to intrude, more especially, where objects of greater moment requires your Excellencys Attention. Since ordered by your Excellency’s Command to this Place in Febry 1779, I have at all times made it my study to descharge my duty to the Utmost of my abillity. The Post being a thuroughfare, the Interest in a great measure mutual, laid me under the...
10To George Washington from Robert Adam, 7 January 1775 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with yours and have given particular Attention to the Contents, it gives me some relief, when you say you are not, nor has been prejudiced with me. Concious I am, that to my knowledge I never did any thing to merite it. If I have not been so fortunate for some time past as I had a reasonable prosspect of my endeavours has in no respect been the Less I am Subjected to good & bad...
11To George Washington from Robert Adam, 13 January 1774 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with yours, as Also for Mr Young which I have delivered him; he seems Satissfyed with your proposal and senceable that he will save more than he Could in Such a place as Bladensburgh from the Wages he had there, And now waits upon you himself —I have Dropt two lines to the Doctr desereing to let me know if there was any particular reason for his leaveing his Employ when I receive...
12To George Washington from Robert Adam, 21 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of writeing you the 20th Instant, Incloseing a letter from Mr Lund Washington which he was desireous should be forwarded you by first Opertunity, I then informed you we had not found out the person you depended on for transacting your Bussiness in regard to the Land purchased from Messrs Dow & Makian , but have now the pleasure to Inform you that in Two Hours after the...
13To George Washington from Robert Adam, 16 September 1773 (Washington Papers)
The Pall or Black Cloath that was sent down to you on a late Occation Mr Carlyle Informs me was Originally your property, but as we are yet unprovided with one in town we must request the favour of you to send it by the bearer—Our Friend and Accquantance Mr Joseph Wattson Departed this life last night about Eleven oClock of a Bloody Flux, he neglectd himself much in the begining of the...
14To George Washington from Robert Adam, 17 May 1774 (Washington Papers)
Our Rum Petition and also one for the Inspection of herrings was forwarded to you yesterday by Post and hope it will be in time. along with each there is a little Memorandum for your peruseall, As the greatest difficulty seems to Arise in raiseing a Sum equivolent to that now raised on Rum imported I am in great hopes that will in some measure be Obviated when the Mode now proposed is duely...
15To George Washington from Robert Adam, 12 January 1774 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with yours and Observe the Contents I am very senceable of the dissadvantages a person must Labour under who wants experimental knowledge in any undertakeing whatever & more especially in the plan that you have to execute at present. And that James Clievland is by farr a properer person for such Bussiness, but what Induced me to think of recomending Mr Young, was you mentioning...
16To George Washington from Robert Adam, 10 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
The many Obligations I have been, and Still think my[self] under to you Oblidges me by this Opertunity to truble you with a few lines And for a Moment Interupt from Matters of Much greater Consequence. Mr Lund Washington and I have Settled all the Acctts that Subsisted between you & I, and has received the Ball[anc]e in full for which I have his receipt. I cannot help Observeing to you, that...
17To George Washington from Robert Adam, 24 June 1771 (Washington Papers)
Im favoured with yours and Observe the Contents your Orders by the Adventure shall be pointedly and particularly taken notice of —I was this Morning a good deal Alarmed when we began to Overhaul your Herrings the first 3 or 4 Barrels we opned were in exceeding Bad Order On the top they were laid in promisscously without either form of packing or Salt and most of those they were filled up with...
18To George Washington from Robert Adam, 14 February 1774 (Washington Papers)
In regard to your Design of importing Palantines into Virginia I beleve it would be attended with some difficulty from severall Circumstances, they are in generall much prejudiced against comeing into Virginia or Maryland as in either they are not allowed the same liberty of Concience in enjoying their own Religion, this Naturealy Inclines them more to Pensilvania, as well as the Number of...
19To George Washington from Robert Adam, 28 July 1774 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Robert Adam, 28 July 1774. The letter is described in the Parke-Bernet catalog no. 63, entry 380, 16–17 Nov. 1938: “Introducing a gentleman who wanted to establish a general post office through America, and about a dispute with Colonel Fairfax.” The dispute with George William Fairfax was undoubtedly over the sale of the bloomery. See Samuel Athawes to GW, 8 April 1774 ,...
20To George Washington from Robert Adam, 26 December 1783 (Washington Papers)
Whilst all Denomination’s of People bless the happy occasion of your Excellency’s return to enjoy private and domestic felecity, Permit us Sir, (the Members of Lodge No. 39 lately establish’d in Alexandria) to assure Your Excellency that We as a Mystical Body rejoice in having a Brother so near us, Whose pre’eminent Benevolence has secured the Happiness of Millions, and that We shall esteem...
21William Ramsay, Robert Adam and Carlyle & Dalton to GW and John West, 16 May 1774 (Washington Papers)
With this you will receive three petitions to be laid before your honorable House respecting the duty on Rum, an inlargement of our Town, draining the Marsh lots &c. the other is relative to the Herring fishery which you well know, is become very considerable and therefore worthy of Attention. Perhaps it may be only necessary to say something respecting the inlargement of our Town & the other...
22To George Washington from Robert Adam, 9 January 1774 (Washington Papers)
The bearer hereof Mr Young is a young man that came a perfet Stranger to me about three years ago enquireing for employmt as an Assistant or Clerk And from his appearance then I thought there was something promiseing in his looks or that bid fair for doing well haveing at that time no occation for any person my self I recomended him to Doctr Ross who I had heard say wanted such a person, he...
23To George Washington from Daniel Jenifer Adams, 4 February 1775 (Washington Papers)
Since I saw you last, I have Wrote to my Uncle at Anapolis, Acquainting Him of my Sisters contending for the Land you Attach’d. He has Since Wrote to them Touching the Matter, and they are Agree’d to give the Land up on conditions they can keep it this Year, as they are prepareing for a Crop and has Sew’d some considerable Quantity of Wheat, and I immagine it will make no Odds with you, as it...
24To George Washington from Major Daniel Jenifer Adams, 31 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am extreamly sorry to inclose you my Commission at this unseasonable time of the Campaign, with a signification of my resignation—I Observe Colonels Howard & Tillard who was Captains in the Flying Camp at the same time I was Brigade Major with the rank of Major from the State, with their promise I should rank Agreable to my Commission, The Board of Genl Officers who your Excellency was...
25To George Washington from Daniel Jenifer Adams, 25 June 1790 (Washington Papers)
With very great diffidence, I beg leave to address your Excellency, on a subject to which I am moved, more from necessity, than either from real inclination, or ambition. Your Excellency I presume, is not unacquainted, that after near five years perilous & hard Service under your Command (in which I hope I merited your good opinion, in the station I held) I was one of those unfortunate...
26To George Washington from Daniel Jenifer Adams, 3 October 1772 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Daniel Jenifer Adams, 3 Oct. 1772. GW wrote in his account with Daniel Jenifer Adams (printed as note 2 in GW to Robert McMickan, February 1773 ): “In a Letter dated Kingston Jamaica Octr 3d 1772 he [Adams] accts for.”
27To George Washington from Daniel Jenifer Adams, 15 March 1775 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 8th Instat, came safe to hand, wherein you mention, you have come to the resolution of taking upon your Self the payment of my Father’s debts, provided I will Suffer a Condemnation of the Attach’d Effects—join my Sisters in Conveying the Lands to you—& Surrender possession of the Negroe &ca. To all this I and my Sisters will comply with, but Sir I think it will be very Necessary...
28From John Adams to George Washington, 6 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
As your Excellency has asked my Opinion of General Lees Plan, as explained in his Letter of the fifth instant, I think it my Duty to give it, although I am obliged to do it in more Haste than I could wish. I Suppose the only Questions which arise upon that Letter are whether the Plan is practicable; whether it is expedient; and whether it lies properly within your Excellencys Authority,...
29From John Adams to George Washington, 24 April 1793 (Adams Papers)
Captain John of Harvard in the Massachusetts, has been recommended to me, by so many respectable characters, and in such handsome terms, that I cannot refuse his request of a Line to the President of the United States in his favour. He has the merit of long and early Services, though he is said to have been lately unfortunate. As his application is entirely out of my Department, and to a Judge...
30From John Adams to George Washington, 29 August 1790 (Adams Papers)
That New Orleans, and the Spanish Posts on the Missisippi, will be among the first attempts of the English, in case of a war with Spain, appears very probable: and that a combined operation from Detroit, would be convenient to that end cannot be doubted. The Consequences, on the western Settlements, on the commerce with the West Indies, and on the general Security and tranquility of the...
31To George Washington from John Adams, 6 January 1776 (Washington Papers)
As your Excellency has asked my Opinion of General Lees Plan, as explain’d in his Letter of the fifth instant, I think it my Duty to give it, although I am obliged to do it in more Haste than I could wish. I Suppose the only Questions which arise upon that Letter are whether the Plan is practicable; whether it is expedient; and whether it lies properly within your Excellencys Authority,...
32XIII. Opinion of the Vice-President, 29 August 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
That New Orleans, and the Spanish Posts on the Missisippi, will be among the first attempts of the English, in case of a war with Spain, appears very probable: and that a combined operation from Detroit, would be convenient to that end cannot be doubted. The Consequences, on the western Settlements, on the commerce with the West Indies, and on the general Security and tranquility of the...
33From John Adams to George Washington, 7 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
Mr Mc Henry the Secretary at War, will have the honor to wait on you, in my behalf to impart to you a step I have ventured to take, & which I should have been happy to have communicated in person, if such a journey had been at this time in my power. As I said in a former letter, if it had been in my power to nominate you to be President of the United States, I should have done it, with less...
34From John Adams to George Washington, 19 June 1775; 20 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
In Complyance with your Request, I have considered of what you proposed, and am obliged to give you my Sentiments, very briefly, and in great Haste. In general, Sir, there will be three Committees, either of a Congress, or of an House of Representatives, which are and will be composed of our best Men, Such, whose Judgment and Integrity may be most relyed on. I mean the Committee on the State...
35John Adams’ Reply to George Washington’s Queries Regarding Presidential Conduct, [17 May 1789] (Adams Papers)
The Vice President of the United States has the honour to present his humble Opinion, on the Points proposed, for his consideration. 1. That an Association with all kinds of company, and a total Seclusion from Society, are extreams, which, in the actual Circumstances of this Country, and under our form of Government, may be properly avoided. 2. The System of the President, will gradually...
36From John Adams to George Washington, 19 February 1799 (Adams Papers)
Although I received the Honor of your Letter of the first of this month in its Season, I determined to postpone my Answer to it, till I had deliberated, on it, and the Letter from Barlow inclosed in it, as well as a multitude of other Letters and Documents official and unofficial, which relate to the Same Subject, and determined what Part to act. I Yesterday determined to nominate Mr. Murray...
37To George Washington from John Adams, 10 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed Letters No. 6. 7 8 and 9, especially the last, contain Information of so much Importance that, although they are written in great confidential Freedom from a Son to a Father, I think it my Duty to transmit them to you. I beg the favour of having them returned to me at your Leisure by the Post. The unnatural Effervescence against the Treaty which broke out in Boston has made little...
38To George Washington from John Adams, 17 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
The Vice President of the United States has the honour to present his humble opinion, on the Points proposed, for his consideration. 1. That an association with all kinds of company, and a total Seclusion from Society, are extreams, which, in the actual Circumstances of this Country, and under our form of Government, may be properly avoided. 2. The System of the President, will gradually...
39To George Washington from John Adams, 19–20 June 1775 (Washington Papers)
In Complyance with your Request, I have considered of what you proposed, and am obliged to give you my Sentiments, very briefly, and in great Haste. In general, Sir, there will be three Committees, either of a Congress, or of an House of Representatives, which are and will be composed of our best Men, Such, whose Judgment and Integrity may be most relyed on. I mean the Committee on the State...
40To George Washington from John Adams, 9 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
I received, yesterday the Letter you did me the Honor to write me on the 25th of September. You request to be informed, whether my determination to reverse the order of the three Major Generals, is final. and whether I mean to appoint another Adjutant General without your Concurrence. I presume, that before this Day you have received Information, from the Secretary at War, that I some time ago...
41Address from the Senate to George Washington, 13 December [1790] (Adams Papers)
At twelve o’clock the Senate attended upon the President of the United States at his own House, when the President of the Senate delivered the following Address. To the President of the United States of America. We receive, Sir, with particular satisfaction the communications contained in your Speech, which confirm to us the progressive State of the public Credit, and afford at the same time,...
42From John Adams to George Washington, 10 August 1795 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Letters No. 6. 7. 8 and 9, especially the last, contain Information of so much Importance that, although they are written in great confidential Freedom from a Son to a Father, I think it my Duty to transmit them to you. I beg the favour of having them returned to me at your Leisure by the Post. The unnatural Effervescence against the Treaty which broke out in Boston has made...
43To George Washington from John Adams, 16 July 1789 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed letters are from two as respectable characters as any in Massachusetts, containing information which I hope has been transmitted to you, through other channels. But as it is possible, it may be otherwise, it is my duty to lay them before you, which I beg leave to do by the bearer Colo: Smith. With all possible defference and respect I have the honor to be Sir your most obedient...
44To George Washington from John Adams, 29 August 1790 (Washington Papers)
That New Orleans, and the Spanish Posts on the Missisippi, will be among the first attempts of the English, in case of a war with Spain, appears very probable: and that a combined operation from Detroit, would be convenient to that end cannot be doubted. The Consequences, on the western Settlements, on the commerce with the West Indies, and on the general Security and tranquility of the...
45To George Washington from John Adams, 24 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
Captain John ⟨mutilated⟩ of Harvard in the Massachusetts, has been recommended to me, by So many respectable characters, and in Such handsome terms, that I cannot refuse his request of a Line to the President of the United States in his favour. He has the merit of long and early Services, though he is Said to have been lately unfortunate. As his application is entirely out of my Department,...
46From John Adams to George Washington, 20 June 1789 (Adams Papers)
Among the Candidates for the Honour of public Employment, under the New Government there is one, whose connection in my family, and public relation to me, in the late legation to S t. James’s would render my total silence on his account, liable to misinterpretation, as proceeding, either from a want of esteem, confidence, or affection for him on the one hand, or to a failure of respect to The...
47To George Washington from John Adams, 1 April 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer of this Letter Francis Dana Esqr. of Cambridge, is a Gentleman of Family, Fortune and Education, returned in the last Packett from London where he has been about a Year. He has ever maintained an excellent Character in his Country, and a warm Friendship for the American Cause. He returns to share with his Friends in their Dangers, and their Triumphs. I have done myself the Honour to...
48The Massachusetts Delegates to George Washington, 22 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
In Complyance with your Request We have considered of what you proposed to us, and are obliged to give you our Sentiments, very briefly, and in great Haste. In general, Sir, there will be three Committees, either of a Congress, or of an House of Representatives, which are and will be composed of our best Men; Such, whose Judgment and Integrity, may be most rely’d on; the Committee on the State...
49From John Adams to George Washington, 12 December 1796 (Adams Papers)
We thank you, sir, for your faithful and detailed exposure of the existing situation of our country; and we sincerely join in sentiments of gratitude to an overruling Providence for the distinguished share of public prosperity and private happiness which the People of the United States so peculiarly enjoy. We are fully sensible of the advantages that have resulted from the adoption of measures...
50From John Adams to George Washington, 31 October 1791 (Adams Papers)
The Senate of the United States have received with the highest satisfaction the assurance of public prosperity contained in your Speech to both Houses: the multiplied blessings of providence have not escaped our notice or failed to excite our gratitude. The benefits which flow from a restoration of public and private confidence are conspicuous and important and the pleasure with which we...