To George Washington from Hudson Muse, 27 January 1794
From Hudson Muse
Virginia. Port Tappa. Jany 27 1794
Sir⟨e⟩
I have been imprudent in giving Gentlemen Credit at the Office, for duties, and made myself liable by my returns, in expectation that the Money would be ready When Call’d for;1 by which, I am not at present prepared to take up draughts forward’d last week by Messrs Lovell & Urquahart for five Thousand dollars, in Consequence of which presume they will be returned, as they have Signified they could not wait any time.2 I can not pretend to Say any thing in Justification of myself for Such Conduct, but if I may be excused for not being pointed to my duty in this Instance, I flatter myself You Will do me the favour to Speak to the Secretary of Treasury on the Occasion, to grant me a Small indulgence, and he may rest Assured that the money Shall be ready for his order in less than two months from this date, and I will take care for the future never to be in the like Situation.3 I am Your Excellencies Most Obt Hble Servt
Hudson Muse Colon[el]
ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters.
1. Hudson Muse was the customs collector for the District of Tappahannock, Va., and inspector of the port of Tappahannock on the Rappahannock River (GW to U.S. Senate, 3 Aug. 1789 and 6 March 1792 [third letter]).
2. William Lovell and Charles Urquhart were merchants in Fredericksburg, Va. (Virginia Herald and Fredericksburg Advertiser, 11 April 1793).
3. GW sent this letter to Alexander Hamilton for review shortly after its receipt (Hamilton to GW, 10 Feb.). Muse wrote GW on 16 Feb. that of the drafts presented at his office for $5,000, “only three thousand were returned, the other two, being retained, have since been provided for” (DLC:GW). Despite this second letter’s attempt to present a more positive impression of Muse’s performance, he was removed from office in early March (GW to U.S. Senate, 5 March).