121From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 30 Dec. 1796 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 30 Dec. 1796 . The commissioners’ minutes for 4 Jan. 1797 read: “Letter of the 30th Ulto received from the Prest of the U. S. enclosing his approbation endorsed on the Resolutions approving the Loan made of the State of Maryland” ( DNA : RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Proceedings, 1791–1802).
122To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 2 January 1797 (Washington Papers)
We have your favor of the 26th Ulto, covering the opinion of the Attorney General —It is by no means, our wish that any alterations should be made in the published plan of the City —It may, with great truth, be asserted, that every change occasions infinite trouble to the Commissioners, and creates confusion with the proprietors—We are yet without a full board, and are therefore prevented from...
123From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 29 January 1797 (Washington Papers)
Having received a letter from Mr George Walker, of which a copy is enclosed, with my answer; a sense of duty to the public, and of propriety as it relates to yourselves; requires the transmission of both, to you; for the purpose which is expressed in the latter. After the severe weather we have had, I think it probable there will be an early Spring: In which event, I persuade myself that great...
124To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 31 January 1797 (Washington Papers)
We do ourselves the honor of inclosing to you a Sketch of such description of the public appropriations, as will, we think, be sufficient to identify them in the Deed from the Trustees—It is submitted for consideration. We also inclose a plan of the proposed two buildings for the Executive Departments. One will be sufficient for the Treasury Department, and the other for the Department of...
125To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 3 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
It is with much regret, we trouble you with the enclosures, but as the appropriations will now be finally determined, we hope it will be the last application on that subject—We have only to observe, that Mr Davidson has received payment for his proportion of the President’s Square, as delineated on the engraved plan —We are, with sentiments &c. LB , DNA : RG 42, Records of the Commissioners...
126To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 6 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 29th Ulto did not reach the City till late on friday evening, of course, it could not receive an earlier attention—We hope with you that the Spring will be early and exertions shall not be wanting, on our part, to forward the public buildings—Our own Ideas with respect to the mode of carrying them on, we expressed loosely in our Letter of 31st Ulto. when we say, “we think it...
127To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 6 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
In the course of business, a circumstance has occurred, which appears to us of sufficient importance to justify a reference to the executive—Messrs Morris & Nicholson having made payments to an amount sufficient to entitle them to a conveyance of the property sold by them to Mr Law, requested the Commissrs to convey the same to him —Upon a view of the Several Instruments of writing executed by...
128To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 7 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
We have just received a Letter from Mr Law, of which a Copy is inclosed at his Request, as you will observe & We think it unnecessary to trouble you with any Remarks. We are with sentiments of the greatest Respect sir Yr obt servts LS , DLC:GW ; LB , DNA : RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Sent. The copy of Thomas Law’s letter to the commissioners,...
129From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 15 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
Several of your letters have been received within these few days; and notwithstanding the accumulation of business, consequent of the near epoch for my quitting the chair of government, the receipt of them should not have remained so long unacknowledged had I not placed such as related to the Power of Attorney, and to some disputed points, into the hands of the Law Officer of the United States...
130From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 17 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
In looking over the press copy of the letter I wrote you by the Post of Wednesday last, which was penned in great haste, to be in time for the Mail; I perceive some ambiguity in the expression of my sentiment respecting the building designated for the President of the U. States; and therefore these lines are given in explanation. It was not, nor is it my intention, that the work on that house...
131From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 20 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
Reasons which I have frequently assigned, have prevented me from acknowledging sooner, the receipt of your letter of the 3d instant; relatively to the memorial of Mr Davidson. Indeed I have so often expressed my unwillingness to depart from the engraved plan in every instance where it could be avoided, that I had hoped no repetition of this sort would have been made to you, by any of the...
132To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 20 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
We had the honor of your favor of the 15th Instant—Your Ideas respecting the capitol are those which have been the prevailing ones with us for some time—No step has been omitted to put things in a state for advancing that building, as far as possible during the present Season; and we expect it to progress 30 additional feet, at least, by December next —You would see by our last Letters to you,...
133To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 21 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
We had the honor of receiving yours of the 17th Inst. by last mail —The ideas expressed in your former Letter, were perfectly understood, as you will see, by our answer of yesterday[.] We wish a Bill to incorporate the Commissioners, may be passed by Congress —It will obviate many inconveniencies, & place the property of the United-States in a more eligible situation than heretofore—We had...
134From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 27 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
As the curtain is about to close on the political scenes of my life; and consequently to terminate the agency I have had in the affairs of the Federal City; I will, as far as a very hurried situation will permit, take notice of such parts of your several letters as remain undecided on. Having already informed you, that a Bill is pending in Congress for incorporating the Commissioners of the...
135To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 27 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 20th would have been sooner attended to, but the mails have lately come in, very irregularly, & always late at night —mr Davidson’s will be taken up as soon as we have a full board, which will be the last of this or beginning of next week —what mr Davidson alludes to in his memorial, where he says, deviations have been made since the publication of the engraved plan, we know...
136From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 3 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
Three things relative to the City of Washington call for my decision, and this is the last day I have Powers to give any. The first respects the dispute with Mr Law, touching the conveyances of Lotts; the second, to my approbation of the Plans for the Executive Offices; and the third, to the Instrument you transmitted to me in your letter of the 31st of January. With regard to the first,...
137To George Washington from the District of Columbia Commissioners, 27 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
We do ourselves the pleasure of enclosing you the number of square feet contained in your two purchases made of the public and Mr Carroll. We received Mr Carroll’s answer in writing, on the monday after you left the City, giving his full consent to confirm the Sale of the Lot on the terms proposed, and promising to execute the proper conveyance in the course of the present Week. It may be well...
138From George Washington to the District of Columbia Commissioners, 28 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of yesterday’s date is received. and enclosed are checks on the Bank of Alexandria for $428.40 amount of payment for the lot had of Mr D. Carroll, which you will please to deliver when the Conveyance is received; and $178.57 being the third of $535.70 to be paid for lot No. 16 in square 634 purchased from you. I feel very much obliged by the trouble you have taken in this business;...
139To George Washington from the District of Columbia Commissioners, 3 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
We had the honor of your favor of the 28 th ulto enclosing two Checks on the Bank of Alexandria; the one for D. Carroll for $428 40/100 the other for the Commissioners $178 57/100, and have directed the proper conveyances to be prepared for your purchases of the public; the deed from Mr Carroll was executed this day. Mr Blagdin delivered in his estimate yesterday amounting to $12,982 29/100....
140From George Washington to the District of Columbia Commissioners, 4 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive your letter of the 3d instt, last Night. Mr Blagdens estimate of the cost of the houses I had proposed to build, far exceeds any aggregate Sum I had contemplated; or think I could command; unless more punctuality was to be found in the fulfilment of Contracts than is, I believe, experienced by any one. Eight, or at most $10,000, was the extent of my calculation. The...
141To George Washington from the District of Columbia Commissioners, 15 October 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from the District of Columbia Commissioners, 15 Oct. 1798. On 17 Oct. GW acknowledged the receipt of the commissioners’ “favour of the 15th.”
142From George Washington to the District of Columbia Commissioners, 17 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 15th, enclosing Mr Blagdens statement, relative to my proposed buildings, did not reach my hands until last night. He has not accompanied this Statement with Specific prices; nor has it altered my opinion of the unreasonableness of the former estimates of some of its parts. But being desirous of closing the matter with Mr Blagden some way, or other, I make him the following...
143From George Washington to the District of Columbia Commissioners, 22 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 18th instt, enclosing a letter from Mr Blagdin of the same date, came duly to hand; and although I am perfectly satisfied that by doing the Carpenters & Joiners work with my own People, by a correct Bill of the materials required, & obtained from a reputable Mill on the Eastern Shore to suit the buildings, that I could save a thousand dollars under that head alone—yet, to...
144To George Washington from the District of Columbia Commissioners, 25 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
We received your Letter of 22d Inst., and in consequence, have caused the Draft of an agreement to be made, such as appeared to us to correspond with your ideas, but lest any alterations might be wished, we advised Mr Blagdin to wait on you with it, and to take with him the Plans, specifications &c, so that if you have stamped paper, the duty on which will be seventy five cents per sheet, the...
145From George Washington to the District of Columbia Commissioners, 27 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
When Mr Blagden came here yesterday with your favor of the 25 inst., and the plans, specifications &c. of my houses, I was out on my usual ride about my farms, and when I returned home I found Company, which prevented my answering your letter by him. The sketch of an agreement enclosed in your letter comports fully with my ideas. I have made one or two triffling alterations in it in...
146To George Washington from District of Columbia Commissioners, 13 November 1799 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to your request, we enclose you an account of the second Instalment on your purchase of lot No. 16 in Square No. 634, which became due 25th Septr last —the amount you will please to remit when Convenient to yourself. We are with sentiments of the highest respect &c. Copy, DNA : RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Sent, 1791–1802. When GW bought...