51From George Washington to Gustavus Scott, 22 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
I should not have taken the liberty of giving you the trouble wch the enclosures must occasion, but for the request of Genl Lee who left this yesterday and is implicated in the business to which they relate. Messrs Reed & Fords obligation, paid me by Genl Lee to discharge in part a debt he owed me, the letter of the latter with Mr Lingans note (all of which are enclosed) will be sufficient I...
52From George Washington to Paul Revere et al., 24 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry that the enclosed answer to the Affectionate Address of the Grand lodge of Ancient, Free and accepted Masons, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts—transmitted under your Signatures—should appear so much out of season; but from the lapse of time between the date & reception of the Address (from what cause I know not) it was not to be avoided, and is offered as an apology for the...
53From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 28 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
Owing to my not sending to the Post Office in Alexandria with the regularity I used to do whilst I was in the exercise of public duties, I did not receive your favor of the 21st instt until yesterday:nor have I before, acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the 11th, which also came safe. Not expecting to have much business to transact in Philadelphia I appointed no Agent there; and if...
54GW to Gustavus Scott, 28 April 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: GW to Gustavus Scott, 28 April 1797. On 29 April Scott wrote “I had the Honor of your favor of the 28th.”
55From George Washington to John Eager Howard, 30 April 1797 (Washington Papers)
Not sending to the Post office in Alexandria with the regularity I used to do (while I was in the discharge of public duties) I did not receive your favor of the 10th instant so soon as I should otherwise have done; & is the reason why the acknowledgment of it has been delayed. I thank you for making the enquiries relative to the Cattle of Mr Gough, wch you have taken the trouble to detail;...
56May—1797 (Washington Papers)
1. Went to Alexandria to settle some matters at the Bank. Day warm—wind at So. Wt. matters at the bank : “To Cash recd. from the Bank of Alexa. dividend on 10 Sh:—100 Dollrs.” (GW’s Cash Memoranda, 29 Sept. 1794–17 Aug. 1797, RPJCB ). 2. Blew violently hard all day from the No. Wt. & grew very Cold. 3. A frost in the morning—Weather variable & cold. Wind So. Wt. & fresh. 4. Warm, with very...
57[Diary entry: 1 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
1. Went to Alexandria to settle some matters at the Bank. Day warm—wind at So. Wt. matters at the bank : “To Cash recd. from the Bank of Alexa. dividend on 10 Sh:—100 Dollrs.” (GW’s Cash Memoranda, 29 Sept. 1794–17 Aug. 1797, RPJCB ).
58From George Washington to Enoch Edwards, 1 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
No good opportunity ’till now, afforded by Mr Craik, has offered to return the Pamphlets you were so obliging as to send me by Mr Jefferson. I now do it with thanks for the perusal of them. and with compliments to Mrs Edwards am Sir Your Obedient Hble Servt ALS , owned by Mr. Peter V. Daniel, Sweet Briar, Virginia. A native of Ireland and Dr. Benjamin Rush’s first pupil, Enoch Edwards...
59From George Washington to Mary White Morris, 1 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
The lustre which stood suspended in our large Drawing Room in Philadelphia, I pray you to accept from Mrs Washington and me, as a small testimony of our affectionate regard for you, Mr Morris & family. To bring it from Philadelphia, and then to send it back, carries with it an appearance so singular, as to require explanation—the following, though uninteresting, & may appear tedious in detail,...
60[Diary entry: 2 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
2. Blew violently hard all day from the No. Wt. & grew very Cold.
61[Diary entry: 3 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
3. A frost in the morning—Weather variable & cold. Wind So. Wt. & fresh.
62[Diary entry: 4 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
4. Warm, with very little Wd. and that So. Wt.
63[Diary entry: 5 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
5. Warm in the forenoon with the wind at So. Wt. Rain in the Afternoon. Went to Alexa. on business. Retd. in the afternoon. on business : GW had “Dinner &ca.” at Gadsby’s tavern today (GW’s Cash Memoranda, 29 Sept. 1794–17 Aug. 1797, RPJCB ).
64[Diary entry: 6 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
6. Warm with the Wind at So. Et.—but not hot.
65[Diary entry: 7 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
7. Wind, after the morning very fresh from the N. W. & turning very cold.
66From George Washington to George Ball, 7 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
By the Post of friday I received, with no small degree of surprise, your letter dated the 24th Ulto with a Post mark on the back dated Lancaster Courthouse the 29th. Had not the matter you complain of been discussed and explained, at the time our bargain was closed for the Gloucester Land there might, in appearance, have been more cause for the observations you have been pleased to make than...
67From George Washington to James McAlpin, 7 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
Mr Custis will present you with an order for Cloaths, &ca which please to have made according to his directions—and the amount of cost shall be paid on demand. Finding I shall have occasion for an Agent to do such little matters as I shall want in Philadelphia, I shall soon appoint one, who will be instructed to pay your Account. By depending on you to procure the dozen pieces of Nankeens I...
68[Diary entry: 8 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
8. Wind No., a little Easterly and Cool with a shower of Rain abt. 1 Oclock & squally.
69[Diary entry: 9 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
9. Disagreeably cool—tho’ the Wind was shifting to the Southward.
70[Diary entry: 10 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
10. Very pleasant—warm & clear.
71[Diary entry: 11 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
11. Brisk So. Westerly Wind & warm.
72[Diary entry: 12 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
12. Wind in the same quarter but not so much of it but very warm.
73[Diary entry: 13 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
13. Wind No. Westerly and much cooler with appearances of Rain.
74[Diary entry: 14 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
14. Wind at No. Et. & rather Cool—indeed quite so.
75[Diary entry: 15 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
15. Very pleasant, & but little wind—that however was from the No. Et.
76From George Washington to Stephen Milburn, 15 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
Having in a great measure given up the idea of Renting my Farms (from an apprehension that I could not dispose of the whole of them, & that unless I did this my objects wd not be answered) I was not as explicit as I might have been in my answers to some of the questions you asked on friday last. Revolving on the matter since, & believing if I wait until an offer is made for the whole—I may not...
77From George Washington to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 15 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
I thank you for the information contained in your letter of the 19th Ulto; and infer from it, with pleasure, that you must be better, if not quite recovered of the indisposition of which you complained, by your being enabled to write. To know this however would give me satisfaction as I entertain an affectionate regard for you. Various conjectures have been formed relatively to the causes...
78[Diary entry: 16 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
16. Wind No. Easterly, & then to the westward of No. but not much of it. Appearances of Rain but none fell.
79[Diary entry: 17 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
17. Wind Easterly all day and pretty fresh & cool.
80[Diary entry: 18 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
18. Very cloudy all day with the Wind at So. Et. Showers with thunder & lightening in the afternoon.
81[Diary entry: 19 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
19. Wind at No. Et. & cloudy all day with moderate Rain from ½ after 10 until near two.
82From George Washington to Reed & Forde, 19 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 20th Ult. came duly to hand, and through the medium of a friend in George Town to whom I sent it & who made application to Mr Walter Smith for the fulfilment of your obligations, I have obtaind followg result. “I have seen Mr Smith and had conversation with him respecting Messrs Reed & Ford, and the probability of their producing the residue of the shares due to you. They...
83[Diary entry: 20 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
20. Wind from the So. Et. with appearances of Rain but none fell—very warm.
84From George Washington to William Heath, 20 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your kind and friendly letter of the 17th Ulto has been duly received, and I beg you to accept my sincere thanks for the affectionate sentiments you have been pleas’d to express for me, therein. I can assure you, Sir, I never ascribed a motive to the letter you wrote me, on my Election to the Chair of Government, so unworthy of you as to suppose it was written with a view of: “Pressing...
85[Diary entry: 21 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
21. Wind more Southerly with great appearances of Rain but none fell here.
86[Diary entry: 22 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
22d. Morning rather cooler but warm afterwards with but little wind.
87From George Washington to George Washington Parke Custis, 22 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
Having heard nothing from you, or of you, since you left the Federal City, but hoping you got safe to Princeton, the sole intention of this letter is to cover the enclosed. The one from your Sister will, I presume, detail the little occurences which have happened since you left us. and the other arrived after your departure —We are much in the same situation as when you left us. AL , ViHi :...
88[Diary entry: 23 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
23. Wind Easterly & rather Cool.
89[Diary entry: 24 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
24. Wind Southerly and warm with appearances of Rain but none fell.
90From George Washington to Samuel Stanhope Smith, 24 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 18th instt was received by the last Post —the contents of which, relatively to Mr Custis, filled my mind (as you naturally supposed it would) with extreme disquietude. From his infancy, I have discovered an almost unconquerable disposition to indolence in every thing that did not tend to his amusements: and have exhorted him in the most parental and friendly manner, often,...
91[Diary entry: 25 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
25. Very brisk Southerly wind & still great appearances of Rain but none fell here.
92[Diary entry: 26 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
26. Wind at No. W. & fresh in the morning, but less of it & at So. Wt. in the Afternn. Cool till evening.
93[Diary entry: 27 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
27. Wind at So. Wt. Clear and warm all day. In the evening Sultry.
94[Diary entry: 28 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
28. Wind in the forepart of the day very high, from the No. W. and cold.
95From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 28 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
The business I shall have to transact in Philadelphia will, more than probable, be of so piddling & trifling a nature, as to produce more trouble, than profit from the Commission, to whomsoever undertakes it. Notwithstanding (this being premised) as it has always been done by you, while I was not myself in Philadelphia as a Resident [,] I could not think of applying to another without first...
96From George Washington to Thomas Pinckney, 28 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
I rely more upon your goodness than upon any excuse I can make, for not having given an earlier acknowledgment to the receipt of your obliging letters of the 10th of January & 12 th of Feby. The truth is, they were rather long on their passage; but a more weighty reason than this is, they arrived towards the closing scenes of my public life, when every moment of my time was occupied either in...
97[Diary entry: 29 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
29. Clear & rather Cool with but little Wind.
98From George Washington to James McHenry, 29 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am indebted to you for several unacknowledged letters, but ne’er mind that; go on, as if you had them. You are at the source of information & can find many things to relate, while I have nothing to say that could either inform, or amuse a Secretary of War in Philadelphia. To tell him that I begin my diurnal course with the Sun; that if my hirelings are not in their places at that time I send...
99From George Washington to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 29 May 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 18th instant with its enclosures, and thank you for both. The President has, in my opinion, placed matters upon their true ground in his speech to Congress. The crisis calls for an unequivocal expression of the public mind, and the Speech will, mediately, or immediately, bring this about. Things ought not, indeed can not remain longer in their present state;...
100[Diary entry: 30 May 1797] (Washington Papers)
30. Cloudy & much like rain all day with the Wind at No. Et. In the afternoon & night a little rain fell.