George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-21-02-0113

From George Washington to William Pearce, 27 November 1796

To William Pearce

Philadelphia 27th Novr 1796.

Mr Pearce,

Your letter of the 17th under cover from Mr Lear came duly to hand, as did the Weekly reports of the 19th yesterday.1

I am disposed to let Mr Smiths debt stand upon the security you have placed it—unless before the 24th of next month any circumstances should occur to render other measures necessary—or, on that day he should be unprepared to make payment & require further indulgence. In either of these cases, it is my desire that you will consult with Mr Lear & pursue effectual measures by requiring additional personal, or real Security, or both, to place my debt out of danger.2

As you mentioned nothing relative to the Farms in your last letter I have nothing to add in this but to request information, and answers to the queries contained in my last letters3—and a wish to know how the Winter grain & Vetches look, & How your Wheat & Corn is likely to yield. I am Your friend

Go: Washington

P.S. In one of your letters, you mentioned, that you had recovered eleven dollars of Jas Kirks money, but do not say whether it was returned to him or not. If it was not, give me credit for it, as he will be paid here.4

ALS, ViMtvL. No reply from Pearce to GW has been found.

1Pearce’s most recent letter to GW, dated 17 Nov., was enclosed with Tobias Lear’s letter to GW of 20 November. The farm reports for 13–19 Nov. are in DLC:GW.

2For recent efforts to secure Alexander Smith’s debt to GW, part of which was to be paid by 24 Dec., see Pearce to GW, 17 Nov.; see also GW to Smith, 14 Nov., and n.4 to that document; Lear to GW, 17 Jan. 1797, and GW to James Anderson, 29 Jan. 1797.

3GW’s most recent letters to Pearce are dated 14 and 20 November.

4GW’s hired servant James Wilkes recently was the victim of theft at Mount Vernon (see GW to Pearce, 14 Nov.). No letter from Pearce to GW on the subject of the theft has been found, but a 2 Dec. entry in GW’s presidential household account book reflects a payment of $7 to Wilkes “for so much stolen from him at Mt V. & recov’d by Mr Pearce” (Household Accounts description begins Presidential Household Accounts, 1793–97. Manuscript, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. description ends ).

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