1From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 8 July 1784 (Washington Papers)
Strange as it may seem, it is nevertheless true, that I have not had it in my power to transmit the enclosed Statement of accots between your Father’s Estate & Brothers, & myself, before this; & now it is possible there may be omissions, for I find my affairs (as far as the little leisure I have will enable me to look into them) in very great disorder, requiring at least a Winter’s close...
2From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 27 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
Mr Stone gave me your favor of the 20th. When I had the pleasure of seeing you at this place, I informed you fully, & truly, of my want of money—I am at this moment paying 7 prC. interest for a pretty considerable Sum which I borrowed in the State of New York (through the means of the Governor) —& not being able to obtain a surety of holding it for more than one year from the establishment of...
3From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 20 December 1785 (Washington Papers)
From the assurances you gave me I had flattered myself that I should ’ere this have received a payment from you; & I had no doubt of it after Colo. Fitzgerald informed me, five months ago that £200 had passed thro’ his hands from Mr White to you; which was the fund, if I understood you rightly, which you had appropriated for this purpose. I beg you to be assured that the disclosure I made to...
4From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 30 January 1786 (Washington Papers)
The letter which you dropped for me at Alexandria I have received. If you can make it convenient to lodge the money in the hands of any person at that place, it would oblige me. I lie quite out of the line of opportunities to Annapolis—and to send there on purpose, would cost me 2½, or perhaps 5 prCt to fetch it. If Mr Pine, the Portrait Painter, should still be at Annapolis (which is scarcely...
5From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 6 March 1786 (Washington Papers)
The Treasurer of the Potomack Company being desired by the Directors of it to send a careful hand to Annapolis for the advance due on the State subscription; I pray you to pay the Bearer (who will be that person) the £200—for which you requested me to draw on you at that place. I am Dr Sir &c. P.S. Since writing to you the 30th of Jany on this subject—I have myself sent the 20 guineas &c. to...
6From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 12 August 1786 (Washington Papers)
The Clerks notes in the Suits ordered by you on the Bonds taken at Colo. Geo: Mercer’s sale, are (many of them) brought against me; some of wch without adverting thereto, I have paid, supposing them to have arisen on distresses made by Mr Muse for my rents. A few days ago a Bill from the Clerk, I believe, of Berkley, was handed to me amounting to near six hundred pounds of Tobacco, which not...
7From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 9 September 1786 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 20th ulto did not reach me till about the first inst. It found me in a fever, from which I am now but sufficiently recovered to attend to business. I mention this to shew that I had it not in my power to give an answer to your propositions sooner. With respect to the first, I never mean (unless some particular circumstances should compel me to it) to possess another slave by...
8From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 6 November 1786 (Washington Papers)
It was not till after you had left this place that I received your letter of the 4th Ulto. Altho’ I have great repugnance to encreasing my Slaves by purchase, yet as it seems so inconvenient to you to make payment by other modes than those you have proposed, and so injurious as not to be accomplished at a less loss than 50 or more prCt; I will take Six or more Negroes of you, if you can spare...
9From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 24 November 1786 (Washington Papers)
Your servant having this moment put your letter of the 20th inst. into my hands, & appearing to be in great haste; I shall not detain him, especially as it is neither my wish nor intention to enter on the justification of my last to you. The evidence, on which the charge of unfairness &ca was grounded, you have enclosed in Colo. Symm’s own hand writing—(the amount of the other bonds in his...
10From George Washington to John Francis Mercer, 5 December 1786 (Washington Papers)
As I have not yet received a reply to my last letter, but, since the date of it, have made some enquiry into the prices of negroes at the ready money sales of them, I take the liberty of informing you, previously to your writing, or my receiving an answer to the above letter, that as it is not likely we shall agree on a price, (in case you should be disposed to spare such negroes as would have...