1From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 22 September 1788 (Washington Papers)
(Private) Dear Sir, Mount Vernon Septr 22d 1788 Your letter of the 13th instant was of so friendly & confidential a complexion, as to merit my early attention and cordial acknowledgments. I am glad Congress have at last decided upon an Ordinance for carrying the New government into execution. In My Mind, the place for the meeting of the new Congress was not an object of such very important...
2To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 13 September 1788 (Washington Papers)
at length the new govt has received the last act necessary to its existence. This day Congress passed the requisite previous arrangements. The first Wednesday in January the ratifying states are to appoint electors, on the first Wednesday in february the president is to be chosen, & the first Wednesday in March is the time, & this city the place for commencing proceedings. Some delay has...
3To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 24 July 1788 (Washington Papers)
The misery of my situation in consequence of the continued ill health of Mrs Lee, has prevented me the gratification of congratulatin you on the auspicious prospect which the adoption of the new constitution presents to our country. Indeed I am now so inadequate from my temper of mind to execute a task so agreable, & on which I wish to say much, that I should have posponed the satisfaction,...
4To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 20 May 1787 (Washington Papers)
It is with reluctance that I trouble you on any matter of a private nature, but the peculiar hardship of Mr Heards case I hope will fully apologize for this interruption. Mr Heard was an officer in my regiment—in the year 1780 I received an order from the Quartermaster General to impress a Number of horses in Monmouth county in obedience to an order from you on the subject, it being probable...
5From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 4 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
I thank you for asking my commands to Fredericksburg. It is not my wish to be your competitor in the purchase of any of Mr Hunters tradesmen: especially as I am in a great degree principled against increasing my number of Slaves by purchase and suppose moreover that Negros sold on creadit will go high. yet if you are not disposed to buy the Bricklayer which is advertized for Sale, for your own...
6To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 11 November 1786 (Washington Papers)
I have your letter of the 31st octr besides the pleasure we all feel in knowing the health of Mount Vernon I am delighted and edified by your sentiments—This moment Genl Knox & Mr King left me having perused the part of your letr which respects the Insurgents—They expressed the highest satisfaction in finding that your retirement had not abated your affectionate zeal for the prosperity of...
7From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 31 October 1786 (Washington Papers)
I am indebted to you for your several favors of the 1st 11th & 17th instt, and shall reply to them in the order of their dates:But first let me thank you for the interesting communications imparted in them. The picture which you have drawn, & the accts which are published, of the commotions & temper of numerous bodies in the Eastern States, are equally to be lamented and deprecated. They...
8To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 17 October 1786 (Washington Papers)
In my last letter I detailed the eastern commotions and communicated my apprehensions of their objects & issue. G. Knox has just returned from thence and his report grounded on his own knowledge is replete with melancholy information—a majority of the people of Massachusetts are in opposition to the government, some of their leaders avow the subversion of it to be their object together with...
9To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 11 October 1786 (Washington Papers)
In the full confidence you receive my letters as testimonials of my unceasing respect, and from a solicitude to acquaint you with all material contingencys in the administration of our national affairs, that you may be able to form your judgement on authentic documents, and consequently that your opinions being bottomed on truth may not fail to produce the most beneficial effects to our...
10To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 1 October 1786 (Washington Papers)
I have not written to you for a long time having nothing important or agreable to communicate. Nor have I now any thing agreable, but alas the reverse. The commotions which have for some time past distracted the two eastern states, have risen in Massachusetts to an alarming height—In New Hampshire the firmness of their President the late General Sullivan has dissipated the troubles in that...
11To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 8 September 1786 (Washington Papers)
By Col. Humphrey I had the pleasure to receive your letter acknowledging the receipt of the china account paid here by me, and at the same time got one hundred and fifty dollars payment in full for the money advanced. Before this Mr Gardoquis box must have reached you; it was sent to the care of Mr C. Lee in Alexandria and I hope your China has also got to hand—It had left this for Norfolk...
12To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 12 August 1786 (Washington Papers)
Since writing my last I have an opportunity of sending the small box given to me by Mr Gardoqui for you under care of Mr Wilson of Petersburgh by the stage, to be delivered to Mr C. Lee. I prefer this conveyance to the one intended, & now enclose the letter which accompanyed the box. It is probable that the China will leave New York for Norfolk next week. I am most respectfully Yours ALS ,...
13To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 7 August 1786 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of hearing from you last week, and have complied with your wishes respecting the china. No conveyance at present offers for Alexandria, but every day presents one to norfolk, from which place the correspondance up your river is frequent. I intend unless I should meet with a vessel for potomac, to send the box to Col. Parker naval officer at norfolk, and ask his special...
14From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 26 July 1786 (Washington Papers)
Your favors of the 3rd & 11th inst. are both at hand. The last came first—the first only two days ago. The Books by Mr Griffith are also received, & came in good order. My thanks for your kind intention of giving me the use of them ’till you return to Virginia are sincerely offered. Youngs tour thro’ Ireland, I had myself purchased when in New York; and I have just received advice of the...
15To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 11 July 1786 (Washington Papers)
Your friend and servant, the patriot and noble Greene is no more—on the 19th June after 3 days fever he left this world. Universal grief reigns here—how hard the fate of the U. States, to loose such a son in the middle of life—irreparable loss—But he is gone, I am incapable to say more—May health attend you my dear General Yours most affy ALS , DLC:GW . Nathanael Greene died on 19 June at...
16To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 3 July 1786 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of your letter four days past, and would have sooner replied but waited in the expectation of learning something about the package you enquire after. The letter from Mr Arthur Young came in the packet, but was not accompanied by any thing else. The british Consul here tells me it is not customary to send packages of any sort by the packets as they sail from Falmouth or...
17From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 18 June 1786 (Washington Papers)
Under cover of your favor of the 21st of April, which came duly to hand, was a letter from Arthur Young Esqr. (author of the tours thro’ G. Britain and Ireland, with observations on the husbandry of those Kingdoms) informing me that he had sent me a compleat sett of all his works. As these have never yet come to hand, nor any advice of them, you would do me a favor (if you can recollect of...
18To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 21 April 1786 (Washington Papers)
Your very polite reply to my two letters reached me a few days past. It is impossible for my mind so thoroughly impressed with testimonials of your friendship, when that friendship operated both to my honor and happiness to ascribe any act of yours in which I am interested to disregard or neglect. My cheif object in my correspondence with you, was to manifest the unabated respect which...
19From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 5 April 1786 (Washington Papers)
Ascribe my silence to any cause rather than the want of friendship, or to a disinclination to keep up a friendly intercourse with you by letter. Absences from home, hurry of business, company, &ca, however justly they might be offered, are too stale & commonplace, to be admitted. I therefore discard them. Throwing myself upon your lenity, and depending more upon your goodness than on any...
20To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 2 March 1786 (Washington Papers)
I did myself the honor to write to you some days past: since which an Arabian stud horse has arrived in this City & has been announced in the gazettes a present to you, from his Catholic Majesty. I consider it not improper to inform you that the printers have mistaken the matter, the horse being sent to Mr Jay. Our fœderal distresses gather fast to a point. New Jersey has refused the...
21To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 16 February 1786 (Washington Papers)
You desired to hear from me now and then, when I left Virginia. I obey your wishes with pleasure, & must assure you, that I continue to feel the same unabating zeal to administer to your happiness, which my public duty formerly commanded from me. I wish that my communications may be always agreable; I apprehend your solicitude for the honor & prosperity of a nation formed under your auspices...
22To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 25 December 1785 (Washington Papers)
The shallop I ordered your nuts and trees by, has arrived here and brought up one package—there will be another by another vessel. The apple is the Medley russitan, the pear is known among us by the Name of the Chantilly pear, and the cherry is coronation—all excellent in quality and merit good ground and proper exposure to the south. I hope Mrs Lee will be able to set out on thursday. We...
23To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 20 December 1785 (Washington Papers)
I had provided for you all the forest trees we possess except the cypress worthy of transplantation, & joined to them some chosen fruit trees. I directed a label or some designation to be affixed to the fruit trees to shew their kind. Two oppertunitys having offered to send them up to you. I thought it better to leave them, where they were, than to send them to popes creek —A Captain...
24To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 12 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
Apprehending the escape of the season before your vessel may arrive, I have got the favor of Mr Hall to permit his servant to call at Mount-Vernon. He has twelve horse chesnut, twelve box-cuttings & twelve dwarf box-cuttings—you may have any supply of either box, you please to order—I can supply you also with cypress & holly which can be ready at the shortest notice—Perhaps we may have some...
25From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 24 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
Accompanied by the Marquis de la Fayette, Captn Grancheau & the Chevr Caraman, I am just arrived at this place. The Marquis joins me in wishes to see you—come then to Dinner tomorrow, or as soon as you can make it convenient. I have heard since I came home, indeed at Dumfries, of some dispatches which went down for me from the Commee; but none have yet got to hand. I should be glad to receive...
26To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 18 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
I did myself the pleasure of writing to you on the 15th Since which the meeting have concluded their business. they determined to send the petition to the representatives of this county, I beleive, & to trouble you with their bill for perusal, & then to place it in proper hands. However the express who will deliver this, is sent purposely by the meeting with our papers, & will bear a letr to...