11To George Washington from Daniel McCarty, 2 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your propositions with which I was honor’d a few days ago, respecting an exchange of Lands between us, I have considered with that deliberation which the importance of the subject requires, and am concerned at their not appearing so advantageous to me as to justify an acceptance of them —This exchange has long been the object of my wishes and has often been revolved in my mind, from which...
12To George Washington from David Shepherd Garland, 24 December 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am informed that there is a quantity of Land lying between the Great Kanhawa and Sandy River in this State which was set a part for the payment of some Officers and Soilders who was on an Expedition Against the Indians about or before Braddocks Campain; which Land still remains undevided. I am some what interested in that claim, but from it’s antiquity can meet with no person who can give me...
13To George Washington from William Stoy, 28 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Some months ago you Send your Christopher to me on account of the bite of a mad dog, and by him a letter in which you Said you had directed Mr Slough in Lancaster to pay my charge for Christophers cure. consequently i had no right to charge Christopher, nor did Christopher offer to pay me, and when he went away, I told him what I charged desiring him according to your request to tell Mr Slough...
14To George Washington from William Washington, 30 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Since my Letter of the last Post, John Parker of Charleston, the Son of William, has expressed a desire of entering the Army; He is a young Man of good Character and I think that he may with propriety be placed on the List of Ensigns. John Green of Augusta in Georgia has lately been strongly recommended to me, by General Glascock & Colonel Gordon of that State, as a person well qualified for...
15To George Washington from William Roberts, 22 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
Sir—I Can Now inform you Captn Macnemara has had my Witness[’]s affedev. gaven in to Mr Hay for fare of his Death & Mr Hay Seems Much pleasd with it & Says thare is Not the Least Danger in Recovering the property from those Base Desining Men—Our Cort Coms on the first Monday in August. & After Cort I Shal Let you know how I am Like to Come off—& what Time you May Expect Me Up to Mount Vernon...
16To George Washington from Paul Ferdinand Fevot, 16 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Though I have not the honour of being known personally to Your Excellency Yet I flatter myself you will grant me your protection in consideration of a letter of recommendation which Marechal Count of Rochambeau has been kind enough to give me for Your Excellency. I hope that when you’ll be further informed of my circumstances & character Your Excellency will comply with my Protector’s wishes...
17To George Washington from William Price, 15 November 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from William Price, 15 Nov. 1799. On 20 Nov. GW wrote Price that his “favour of the 15th instant” had come “duly to hand.”
18To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 25 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
Much rain last week and some other matters prevented my Sending to the post office until last Tuseday (the 23d) when I got both your favors of the 15 & 20 Inst., which I shall proceed to Answer, begining first with your private concerns. The administrators of James Mercer decd are Mr John Brooke, and James Garnet—the former lives 13 Miles from me, the latter, 36—and you may rest assured I will...
19To George Washington from Matthias Slough, 20 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honour to acknoledge the receipt of your Esteemed favour of the 14th Currt by your Domestick Christopher and to mention to you that I paid Imediate attention to its Contents by writeing to a Friend at Lebanon where Mr Stoy resides to render every assistance to the Lad which may be Necessarry during his Stay With the Docter and to pay any Expence attending the Cure, He has however...
20To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 19 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Upon my return to this place I met with a Commission from the President of the United States appointing me one of the Judges of the supreme Court. This appointment I have accepted, and was induced thereto by the strongest motives. I was very unwilling to abandon a profession, to which I was much attached, and to the study of which I had devoted the greatest part of my life. A situation which...
21Samuel Stanhope Smith to GW, 18 May 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: Samuel Stanhope Smith to GW, 18 May 1797. On 24 May GW wrote Smith : “Your favour of the 18th instt was received by the last Post.”
22To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 20 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Recollecting your anxiety that General Pinckney might [not] feel satisfied with the military arrangements of General officers proposed by you, I seize the first moment to relieve you from it. This morning Mr McHenry has received from Genl Hamilton a letter dated yesterday, in which is the following passage: After mentioning the arrival of General Pinckney, Genl Hamilton says— “You will learn...
23To George Washington from John Trumbull, 18 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
By the Ship Nancy, Captain Davidson bound to Alexandria, I have sent a small Box, addressed to you, and containing the Four Pair of Prints for which you did me the honour to subscribe so long since, and two Volumes which I was requested by my friend Mr West to forward to you with his best Respects: the prints are the finest impressions and, for security are rolled, and enclosed in a Tin Case....
24To George Washington from Peyton Short, 22 July 1798 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of receiving your Letter of the 16th inst. directed to the care of Genl Spotswood, on last Evening. Be assured, Sir, I will pay the strictest attention not only to the execution of the power to be vested in me by Genl Spotswood, but to the object also of your request respecting your two tracts of Land on Rough Creek. I will communicate with Colo. Marshall, who is a near...
25To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 21 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have lately recieved a letter from Mr Thomas Turner of King George, in which he expresses an ardent desire to enter into the service of his Country in the military line, and requests that I would mention him to you. This I do with much pleasure, because a long and intimate acquaintance with him assures me that there are few candidates who can possess more worth than he does. Warmly and I...
26Farm Reports, 23–29 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
1797 April 23d Morning 57 Thunder & Rain 59 W. Rain 57 W. cloudy 24 57 N.E. cloudy & rain 58 N.E. cloudy & showers 56 S. cloudy 25 57 S. & Rain 60 W. & clear 58 S. clear 26 60 W. clear 62 W. clear 60 W. clear 27 62 S.E. clear 64 E. clear
27To George Washington from Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 20 May 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 20 May 1799. On 5 June GW wrote Pinckney : “Your favor of the 20th Ulto from Mulberry Grove, came duly to hand.”
28To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 13 August 1797 (Washington Papers)
Since my return home I have seen charles Davis, The man that I had in view, to procure for you, as a Butler, and house keeper—he Tells me his Wages is raised from £50 to £90—so that my expectations is baffled as to him—I shall go to Town to morrow—and shall make application to another young man in the Same line of charles Davis; he is a neat decent young man—of Reputable parents—and I beleive...
29To George Washington from James Welch, 29 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I will lease Your Land on the Great Kanawa (viz.) 23,000 Acres in the Manner following (to Wit) I will give You Annually $9583.34 C. The lease to Commence in the Year 1800 And I will pay you in the following Manner[:] in the Year 1801 $19,166.68. the next payment to be made 1807 [$] 47,916.70. In the Year 1810 [$]28,750.[0]2. And after that time I will pay Annually [$]9583.34 for 30 Years &...
30To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 22 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have waited here two weeks cheifly to try to finish my engagement with you—But all my endeavors are vain—I shall never recede from my exertions till I do accomplish the end, for no event of my life has given me more anguish. I would if you consider yr sale injurious rather relinquish the contract & give up the payments made, than to be the instrument of damage to you—The loss of money I am...
31To George Washington from Ferdinando Fairfax, 2 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
Want of leisure has prevented my making full inquiry, as to the number of Mares that may be engaged to a Jack standing at Shan[no]n hill; but as far as I have enquired, I am not encouraged to calculate on as many as wou’d allow me to engage any considerable sum to you on a certainty. Perhaps fifty may be had at 15 Dols. a price which is considered by the Farmers to be too high, but less than...
32To George Washington from William Hamilton, 6 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
Having been told you intend leaving Town tomorrow I have sent the Clod of Grass, together with a plant of the upright Italian Myrtle & one of the Box leaved Myrtle for Mrs Washington. The plants will very safely bear the Journey as they are packed in the Basket, provided it is kept in an upright position out of the reach of Frost which would injure the Myrtles in their present growing State...
33To George Washington from Philip Rootes, 16 November 1798 (Washington Papers)
I was at Mountvernon Some time ago but was disappointed in seeing you. the caus of my tiakning this liberty is to beg the favour which I waited on you to ask, I will unfold the subject matter to you, my Father John Rootes made the Campaigns of 1757 and 1758 in Colo. William Byrds Regiment and was a Capt. in the said Regiment during the Campaigns—this is Certified by Colo. William Bronaugh, my...
34To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 24 March 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 24 March 1799. On 26 Mar., GW wrote Lear : “Your letter of the 24th. Inst. . . . was delivered to me last night.”
35To George Washington from Madame Bacler Van Berckel, 6 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
Quoi que Les Circonstances m’aient Empechée de participer a toutes Les fettes publiques, ou Se Sont manifesté a La fois deux Sentiments bien diffirent; La joise de votre naissance et Le regrés de votre retraïte, croyes Monsieur que je n’ai pas moins été affectée des mème Sensations, et quoi qu’Etrangere et Sans interet personnel au dernier de ces Evenements important, il m’est impossible de ne...
36From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 3 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Agreeably to your letter of the 25th of March, which with its inclosures have come duly to hand, I have written to the Pay Master General to repair to the Seat of Government. Your letter to Col Hamtranck goes by the same opportunity. The arrangements for beginning to recruit in the States of Connecticut, New York, Jersey, Pensylvania and Delaware, are so mature that it will be very...
37To George Washington from Jacob Read, 13 August 1798 (Washington Papers)
A desire to fulfill the Wishes & to further the Veiws of a Friend who I most Sincerely Esteem and who I believe possesses much of your good opinion must be my appology for troubling you with the present Letter—In doing so I cannot omit the pleasing opportunity of offering you my most Sincere respects & good Wishes, and of expressing to you the happiness I felt on receiving the Intelligence of...
38To George Washington from James Ross, 2 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of your letter of the 22d Ulto I lodged your bonds in the Bank of Pennsylvania & received the enclosed receipt, so that in future there will be no difficulty when the debtors offer money to the Bank. Your lands on the Kenhawa are well sold if the purchaser is an industrious & wealthy man. Altho the lands are certainly of the first quality & the credit very considerable, yet I...
39To George Washington from John Gardner Ladd, 8 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
Impressed with the highest sense of veneration for your Person and Character, and moved with a lively regard to the memory of an unfortunate Brother; permit me sir, to approach you with my respects & to solicit your acceptance of the inclosed Volume: The writer of this little tract claimed not the advantages of education or Fortune: but relying on his own merit & enterprize aided by the...
40To George Washington from Thomas Law, 28 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
If you approve of the enclosed plan, you will be kind enough to give it some aid, & with the fostering support of your name no doubt all the Shares will be taken—should you disapprove you will tear it & excuse the liberty I take to which I am prompted by a wish to adopt every means for the promotion of this new Establishment. A good Tavern will answer to the keeper of it & will encourage a...
41From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 28 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed is a copy of a letter which I have written to the Secretary of War on the subject of a military Academy. Two reasons have prevented me from communicating it to you at an earlier day. My avocations rendered it imposible for me to complete the letter till very lately, and I had had opportunities of knowing your opinion on the subject generally. Any alterations in the plan which you may...
42To George Washington from James Anderson, 25 February 1799 (Washington Papers)
Received Bu. Bu. lb. 1798 Novr 122 by Measure And by Weight 109 15 p. Bu. 8/2 53 139 by do And by do 127 25 p. do 56 1799 Feby 16 177 by do And by do 163 1 p. do 8/6 55 438
43To George Washington from James McHenry, 2 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
I was too much hurried with business before leaving Philada to answer your last letter of the 14th of Augt and since my arrival here I have had a bilious fever, and more business than if I had remained in Philada, according to which reasoning I ought not to answer it now. The fact is I perhaps should have suspended the pleasure a little longer, if I had not received to-day the enclosed letter...
44To George Washington from Henry Lee, 5 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Mr Custis presented me with yr letr last night. Be assured I shall offer you no property not clear in title unless I may be imposed on, to prevent which am I here daily engaged in exploring the truth. I have a tract of land near gunston recd from W. Steptoe at valuation for money lent to him some years past. this I propose to offer among other property all of which will be submitted to you...
45To George Washington from George Turner, 14 January 1799 (Washington Papers)
Conscious of my very limited pretensions to military acquirements, I cannot, without great diffidence, presume to offer my Services to the Commander in Chief, as one of his Aides: Yet, Sir, if attachment to your person and the Service, and a wish to improve under your auspices in the Field, may be considered as an Earnest towards the attainment of other needful Qualifications, I would beg...
46To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 30 August 1797 (Washington Papers)
The immediate publication of Govr Blount’s letter to Carey, after the receipt of the copy sent you by Colo. Henley seemed to render of little consequence this copy, which, however, I return, agreeably to your request on its transmission. To morrow I move my family and office to Trenton. Not that I think the danger of the contagious fever in any measure considerable: but persons are...
47To George Washington from Henry Hollingsworth, 25 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
after geting throug the buisey Scean of the war and closing my Accounts which was done with some dificulty, as my worthy Friend General Green who was at the Head of the Department in which I cheefly acted [was] dead, those persons who had the Setlement of my accounts knew little of the dificultys we had in transacting buisenis at its commencment and of course made no allowance for the Hurry...
48To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 28 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 18th I duly received. I could not obtain from the Auditors Office the information you desire, so as to communicate it by this post, nor do I expect to receive it for some days—The Auditor promises to give it me as soon as his other business will permit, which he thinks will be in the course of a week or ten days, observing at the same time that you cannot be injured by the...
49To George Washington from Priscilla Beale, 2 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have been called on repeatedly by Mr Hezekiah Veach your Collector for the Rents Due you I have Long since sent some wheat to Baltimore for the Purpose of paying you the Rents due you. But when I sent it there wheat had fallen in Consequence of which I stowed it for a better markett. since Then I have been Afflicted with a very sick Family. one of my sons have been Down with the Consumtion...
50To George Washington from Israel Shreve, 21 December 1798 (Washington Papers)
Although you forbid me Writeing any more to you in your Last Letter to me dated the 1st of Octr Last But my Situation is So intolerable I cannot forbear[.] my aproaching Punishment is Greater than any crime I have Committed, the Cruel Change of times in respect to the Circulating of Cash is the whole cause of my failure of Punctuality [.] at this time I have as I have Said before as much money...
51To George Washington from Alexandria Poor Relief Committee, 30 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
We received some time ago from your Manager Mr Anderson, One hundred Dollars to be used for the benefit of the poor in this place. There were many poor among us whom the severity of last winter greatly increased. We sought out the most needy upon whom we bestowed your Charity. Widows with a number of Children, Industrious persons prevented by sickness from earning their daily bread, were...
52To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 24 December 1798 (Washington Papers)
I received a letter last Week from Mr Short, dated Novr 1st—he Says Mr Hites absence from home, has prevented his doing any thing towards the purchase of Andrew Woodrows Survey—but so Soon as hite returns, he will have the bussiness closed to your Satisfaction. I have also recd a letter from Mr Feild, he acknowledges the Rect of mine, covering Sundry papers to enable him to find out the...
53To George Washington from David Stuart, 2 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I was in town yesterday, and have come again today for no other purpose that to see if the note sent by the Bank of this place to Baltimore had been paid—’tho’ the note has been sent near a fortnight, they have not it seems ever heard from their correspendent of its being recieved—This appears to be very strange—I can have no doubt of its being eventually paid when presented; as I gave the...
54To George Washington from James Anderson (of Scotland), 15 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Isleworth, near London, April 15th, 1799. In a very long and repetitious passage Anderson expounds on the military, naval, and commercial advantages to Britain, and disadvantages to France, of France’s public policy. He then writes: “To such persons as believe that the stability of States, and the happiness of a people, are to be measured exactly by the amount of their wealth, and the extent...
55To George Washington from Lafayette, 5 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I Have Had some time Ago the pleasure to write you a letter the duplicate of which shall Accompany this —The intelligence Has Since Come to Us of your Having Accepted the Command of the Armies—But you will Not be the less pleased to hear of the dispositions to a fair Reconciliation on the part of the French directory which I Hope will be Reciprocated By the American Governement—To what I took...
56To George Washington from Samuel Chase, 28 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor to receive your favor of the 17th Instant, about a Week past, enclosing an Extract of a letter to You from the Reverend Mr Belknap, of New-Hampshire. I have been very unwell, with very little Interval, for some Months, and confined to my House for the last Nine Weeks, with the Sciatica and Gravel. I have no knowledge of the Family of Calvert than what I obtained in a Cause,...
57To George Washington from Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 2 November 1798 (Washington Papers)
Many thanks, my dear Sr, for your very friendly congratulations on my return to my Country —The apprehensions you mention I have reason to think would have been realized had not our Government followed up the publication of the dispatches by energetic measures. My Daughter’s health (thank God) is restored—Mrs Pinckney & myself are both well. I enclose you a copy of a Letter which I wrote to...
58To George Washington from James McHenry, 3 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
You will hardly stand in need of the inclosed paper to convince you of its writers principles altho’ it may be necessary as a proof of his criminal intentions. It is to be laid before Congress to-day. There are some circumstances that would induce a belief that there is more of French in the plot than British; altho’ Chisholm actually had conversation last winter with the British minister on...
59To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 16 January 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Clement Biddle, 16 Jan. 1798. On 29 Jan. GW wrote Biddle : “Your letter of the 16th has been received.”
60To George Washington from Daniel Morgan, 24 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to transmit you a duplicate of a letter sent to the Honble the Secretary of War and Major Genl Hamilton. Dear Sir I beg leave to say something in favor of Major James Stephenson who I have recommended to the commander in chief. Although his conduct in the military line speaks louder in his praise than I can yet at the same time I would wish to say something. I think he would...