1From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 3 March 1797 (Washington Papers)
Three things relative to the City of Washington call for my decision, and this is the last day I have Powers to give any. The first respects the dispute with Mr Law, touching the conveyances of Lotts; the second, to my approbation of the Plans for the Executive Offices; and the third, to the Instrument you transmitted to me in your letter of the 31st of January. With regard to the first,...
2From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 27 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
As the curtain is about to close on the political scenes of my life; and consequently to terminate the agency I have had in the affairs of the Federal City; I will, as far as a very hurried situation will permit, take notice of such parts of your several letters as remain undecided on. Having already informed you, that a Bill is pending in Congress for incorporating the Commissioners of the...
3From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 20 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
Reasons which I have frequently assigned, have prevented me from acknowledging sooner, the receipt of your letter of the 3d instant; relatively to the memorial of Mr Davidson. Indeed I have so often expressed my unwillingness to depart from the engraved plan in every instance where it could be avoided, that I had hoped no repetition of this sort would have been made to you, by any of the...
4From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 17 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
In looking over the press copy of the letter I wrote you by the Post of Wednesday last, which was penned in great haste, to be in time for the Mail; I perceive some ambiguity in the expression of my sentiment respecting the building designated for the President of the U. States; and therefore these lines are given in explanation. It was not, nor is it my intention, that the work on that house...
5From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 15 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
Several of your letters have been received within these few days; and notwithstanding the accumulation of business, consequent of the near epoch for my quitting the chair of government, the receipt of them should not have remained so long unacknowledged had I not placed such as related to the Power of Attorney, and to some disputed points, into the hands of the Law Officer of the United States...
6From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 29 January 1797 (Washington Papers)
Having received a letter from Mr George Walker, of which a copy is enclosed, with my answer; a sense of duty to the public, and of propriety as it relates to yourselves; requires the transmission of both, to you; for the purpose which is expressed in the latter. After the severe weather we have had, I think it probable there will be an early Spring: In which event, I persuade myself that great...
7From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 26 December 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 30th & 30th of November, and 5th of the present month, are now before me; the receipt of which have, until now, remained unacknowledged. I have not been unmindful however, of the contents of that, which relates to public property, &ca in the federal City; but, laying it with the two former Powers , & other Papers before the Attorney General of the United States, you will...
8From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 1 December 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 25th Ulto came to hand on tuesday last, but it was not in my power to give it an earlier acknowledgment: and now, I must do it without resorting to papers (to be perfectly correct)—The pressure of my business, with the different Departments, previous to the meeting of Congress; and my own preparation for that event, leaves me but little time to attend to other matters. The...
9From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 27 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 21st instant, with its enclosures, came duly to hand; previous to which, I had dispatched the Power, authorising an application to the Legislature of Maryland, for the loan of money; accompanying it, however, with a request that, it might not be carried into operation until you should have learnt the result of an application contemplated to be made by the Secretary of the...
10From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 21 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 11th Instant has been duly received. The altered One to Messrs Wilhem, and Jan Willink has been forwarded to its address, and the former is herewith returned. Your application to the Bank of the United States for the loan of money, having failed (as I presume the Secretary of the Treasury has informed you, and as I had always supposed would be the case) I have executed the...
11From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 11 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed is the Act with my signature, requesting Thomas Beall of George, and John M. Gantt to reconvey to the Commissioners of the Federal City all the lands within the same which had been vested in them, in trust. Yesterday the Secretary of the Treasury shewed me the copy of the letter he had written to you on Monday last, as also of the one he had addressed to the President & Board of...
12From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 7 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your two letters, dated the 31st Ulto, with their several enclosures, were received on thursday last. The one to Mr Wolcott has been delivered to him; but he seems to have no sanguine expectation of obtaining a loan from the Bank of the United States, for the purposes of the Federal City. He intended to communicate your offer to the President and Directors on Saturday and to support it with an...
13From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 21 October 1796 (Washington Papers)
According to my promise, I have given the several matters contained in your letter of the first instant, the best consideration I am able. The following is the result: subject however to alterations, if upon fuller investigation, and the discussion I mean to have with you on these topicks on my way to Philadelphia, I should find cause therefor. Had not those obstacles opposed themselves to it,...
14From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 5 October 1796 (Washington Papers)
The bad weather (rather rain) on Monday, prevented my sending to the Post Office as usual, that afternoon, of course it retarded your receipt of the enclosed request of the Trustees. I will give the Several matters contained in your letters of the first instant due consideration, and inform you of the result as I pass through the City, on my return to Philadelphia, wch I expect will be on, or...
15From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 18 September 1796 (Washington Papers)
More than once, the Spanish Minister expressed, with pleasing solicitude, the intentions of his Government to erect in the Federal City a suitable Building for the accommodation of its Representative, near the Government of the United States; provided a convenient & agreeable Site could be obtained for the purpose. I always answered that this measure would be very pleasing & agreeable to me; &...
16From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 8 July 1796 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 8 July 1796. The commissioners wrote GW on 12 July : “We had the honor of your two Letters, first and eighth Inst.”
17From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 1 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your two letters, dated the 29th Ulto, have been received. The enclosures for the several Printers, to whom they are directed, are franked; and will go with this, and other letters to the Post Office this afternoon. I do not think it would be amiss to add Hartford, in Connecticut (a paper of extensive circulation altho’ I do not recollect the name of the Editor of it) and some Gazette in North...
18From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 26 June 1796 (Washington Papers)
On thursday last I received your letter of the 22d instant, with its enclosures; and should have answered it by the Post of next day, but for many letters which I had to write by that Mail; which prevented my doing it till the succeeding one. Approving of the proposed Suspension (until the first Monday of the year 1800) of the first and third articles of the terms and conditions declared on...
19From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 10 June 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 31st Ulto and 3d Instant, came to hand by the same Mail, on tuesday last. The Duplicate of the Powers to Messrs Willink’s, have been handed over, for the purpose of transmission. Triplicates, signed by a full board may not be amiss. I will receive them however at the City. I am very glad to hear that you have re-commenced your operations on the public buildings: exceedingly...
20From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 30 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
As no Mail southward of Baltimore was received at the Post Office in this City on Saturday; and as you may not have understood by my letter of the 22d instt, that the duplicate of the Power of Attorney to Messrs Wilhem and Jan Willink was required to be forwarded through me , I address this to you, in order to remove the doubt if any there be; as copies of the other papers are ready, and only...
21From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 22 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 13th and 14th instant have been duly received, and the Attorney General of the United States having given his opinion relatively to the Powers of Attorney; And having pronounced the proceedings to be accordant with the Act for Guaranteeing the Loan; matters have been arranged with Mr Gilmore for execution, and the Papers, agreeably to your desire, will be forwarded to...
22From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, September 1795 (Washington Papers)
At this place, yesterday afternoon, I received the letter herewith enclosed from Mr Morris, in answer to one I wrote him; as much of a private as an official nature. It is for your information only I send it, to avoid a lengthy detail of its contents: to give which I have not time at present. When you have read it, be so good as to return it to Gentlemen Your Obedt Hble Servant ALS...
23From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 18 September 1795 (Washington Papers)
The copy of the Letter which you wrote to the Secretary of State on the 21st ulto, enclosing regulations relative to the wharves and buildings in the federal City, came to my hands yesterday. If the proprietors of water-lots will be satisfied with the rules therein established for the extension of wharves & buildings thereon, the regulations will meet my entire approbation; and of their ideas...
24From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 29 July 1795 (Washington Papers)
On friday last I received your several dispatches with different signatures; and should have answered them by monday’s post; but Doctr Thornton promising to assign his reasons for the dissent he had given to the proposed regulations respecting wharves & water lots, I postponed giving any opinion thereon until I should receive these —which I did yesterday morning. Since which I have been so...
25From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 29 July 1795 (Washington Papers)
The memorial dated the 24th instt and subscribed by Messrs Scott & white, with other papers relating to water lots, and for regulating the buildings on wharves, in the federal City, came duly to hand; as did Doctr Thornton’s letter of the same date, informing me that he had dissented in some respects from his colleagues on these topics; but, that he had not time by that Post, to assign his...
26From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 24 April 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 20th, with its enclosures, came duly to hand. The dispute between the Commissioners and Mr Johnson having got into a course of legal adjudication, it is unnecessary for me to express any sentiment thereon. I regret that it could not be settled without, because good rarely flow[s] from disputes—evil often. I expect to be in Georgetown on my return to Philadelphia on Monday...
27From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 24 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
As I may have appear’d somewhat indecisive respecting square No. 21 in the federal city, I should not be surprised if you are at a loss to understand my meaning, in that particular. The Commissioners on my application, agreed to let me have—first a quarter—then half—and finally the whole of that square. My mind settled on the last; but not being able (from the accident I met with) when I was...
28From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 28 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
A plan for the establishment of an University in the federal City, has frequently been the subject of conversation; but in what manner it is proposed to commence this important institution; on how extensive a scale—the means by which it is to be effected; how it is to be supported; or what progress is made in it; are matters altogether unknown to me. It has always been a source of serious...
29From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 27 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed letter was put into my hands last night. The writer of it is a gentleman of character, & known I believe to some of you. Whether such a professional character as Mr Hatfield is described to be, is wanting for public purposes in the city, is with you to decide. I mean nothing more than to transmit the information wch the letter contains. In any event, the writer of, or the...
30From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 23 July 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have subscribed to the alteration in the seventh article of the "Terms & conditions declared on the 17th day of October 1791 for regulating the materials and manner of the buildings and improvements on the lots in the City of Washington" and now enclose it to you. I wish, however, you had declared that so much of the stone walls, on which the railing in the street is to be placed, as shall...
31From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 1 June 1794 (Washington Papers)
I had hopes, and at one time strong expectation, that Congress would have closed their Session before this; and that other matters would have permitted my proposed visit to Mount Vernon about the time of your meeting in the Federal City; which (by a letter from Mr Carroll), I understood was appointed to be on the 5th of this month. In this expectation I have been disappointed. Congress are...
32From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 27 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Post of yesterday brought me your favor of the 23d instant. I am obliged to you for the early attention which you have given to the request contained in my letter of the 11th preceeding, and I am perfectly well satisfied with the price which you have affixed on the lot, I have obtained. If it be necessary for me to decide at this moment, whether I will avail myself of the offer you have...
33From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 11 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 23d Ulto came duly to hand, but as you did not expect to meet again until the 12th instt I have, accordingly, postponed my reply to the contents of it ’till now. I am sensible that the No. East quartr of square Number 21. is subject to the disadvantage of a North and East front (not desirable I confess) but these are more than counterpoised in my estimation by the formation...
34From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 14 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
(Private) Gentlemen, Philadelphia, Mar. 14th 1794 My object in giving you a sight of the enclosed letters from Mr Ellicott, is merely to let you see the temper; and tendency of his views; and what may be expected from his representations to others. After reading the letters, be so good as to return them to me. In September last, after having purchased four lots in Carrollsburgh (the doing of...
35From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 1 December 1793 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 3d of last Month came to me by the Post of yesterday with the George Town mark of the 27th of November. What caused such delay in forwarding it, you better than I, can explain. For the reason mentioned therein it is to be regretted. I shall not lose a Post in transmitting the enclosed Order (to you) and wish it may be in time to produce the desired effect at the Treasury of...
36From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 9 September 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your Letter of Septm. 5th and in consequence thereof have Authorised Mr David Ross of Bladensburg & Colo. Robert Townsend Hooe of Alexandria to examine the accounts and Vouchers of the expenditure of the monies appropriated to your trust as Commissioners of the publick buildings of the Federal Territory & to certify to me the result. With esteem, I am Gent. your most Obt...
37From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 5 September 1793 (Washington Papers)
Mr Winstanley, a celebrated Landskip Painter, is disposed to take a view of the Federal City, or of the grounds in the vicinity of it. As you will be there about the time he may arrive, I take the liberty of giving him this letter of introduction to you. His designs are more extensive—and I have suggested the Great & little Falls; the passage of the River Potomac through the Blew Mountains—the...
38From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 29 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
I enclose you an Estimate of the cost of the Capitol for the Federal City upon Mr Hallet’s plan calculated in the Philada prices by Mr Carstairs, one of the architects brought forward by Dr Thornton on the late occasion of discussing the objections offered to his plan. Altho’ it may not be proper to rely entirely upon this Estimate; yet it will probably be found a very useful document in going...
39From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 20 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
This will be handed to you by Mr James Greenleaf, a native of Boston, who has resided for some years past in Amsterdam, and has lately been appointed Consul for the U.S. at that Place. This Gentleman, I understand, has it in contemplation to make certain proposals to you for building a number of houses in the Federal City, provided he can have lots upon such terms & conditions as may...
40From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 13 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the first instant, enclosing certain communications to you from the Surveyors of the Federal City, dated the 29th & 31st of July—and have duly considered the alterations suggested in said Communications. With respect to the first alteration proposed vizt—“to stop S. Carolina Avenue, west of South Capitol, at the public appropriation”—I am perfectly of opinion...
41From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 25 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
I enclose, for your information, the copy of a letter from the Secretary of State to me, on the subject of the objections made to Doctor Thornton’s plan of a Capitol. By this letter you will see, that after a candid discussion, it was found that the objections stated, were considered as valid by both the persons chosen by Doctor Thornton as practical Architects and competent judges of things...
42From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 13 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be put into your hands by Mr Lear, who is well known to one, or more of you. He has it in contemplation to make (in conjunction with others) a considerable Mercantile establishment in the Federal City; if he should be able to obtain such a site therein, and upon such terms, as will answer his, and the views of his associates. What these are he can best explain to you; and you...
43From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 3 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
On my way to, and at the landing of George Town yesterday, I had a good deal of conversation with Major Ellicott—who says, if you will give him an opportunity, he will make it appear to your satisfaction that there are not those errors in his work that have been reported; and that the work reported to have been done, and not actually executed he is persuaded he can expln to your entire...
44From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 2 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
I approve of the Plan of Doctr Thornton for a Capitol to be erected in the City of Washington. LB , DNA : RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Proceedings. GW received William Thornton’s partial plan of the Capitol in January, and the architect submitted his final design on 1 Mar. ( GW to D.C. Commissioners, 31 Jan. [second letter] , 3 Mar. [first letter] , to...
45From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 3 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
This will be handed to you by Doctor Thornton of this City, who goes forward to lay before you a plan which he has prepared for the Capitol proposed to be built in the federal City. Grandeur, Simplicity and Convenience appear to be so well combined in this plan of Doctor Thornton’s, that I have no doubt of its meeting with that approbation from you, which I have given it upon an attentive...
46From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 3 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 5th of January and 8th of february. The former enclosing a List of the squares actually divided &c.—copies of two letters from Majr Ellicott; and a statement of your certain funds & probable expenditures for the year 1793. Altho’ I have written to you since the receipt of your first Letter, yet, I have not ’till this moment had time to...
47From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 31 January 1793 (Washington Papers)
The regular course which the affairs of The Federal City are likely to move in by the appointment of a Superintendant, who may relieve you from details, & from all sacrifices of time except your periodical meetings, enables me now to proceed, on more certain ground, to the subject of compensation. That a proper compensation should be made you, must undoubtedly be the public expectation as well...
48From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 31 January 1793 (Washington Papers)
(Private) Gentlemen, Philadelphia January 31st 1793 I have had under consideration Mr Hallet’s plans for the Capitol, which undoubtedly have a great deal of merit. Doctor Thornton has also given me a view of his. These last come forward under some very advantageous circumstances. The Grandeur, Simplicity and Beauty of the exterior—the propriety with which the apartments are distributed—and the...
49From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 18 December 1792 (Washington Papers)
Your letter to the Secretary of State, dated if I recollect rightly, the 5th instant, intimating among other things, that you had failed in an attempt which had been made to import workmen from Scotland, equally with that for obtaining them from Holland, fills me with real concern: for I am very apprehensive if your next campaign in the Federal City is not marked with vigor, it will cast such...
50From George Washington to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 13 November 1792 (Washington Papers)
No. 13. Gentlemen, Philadelphia Novr 13th 1792 . I have duly received your letter of the 13th of October, enclosing a list of the sale of lots in the federal City; with the prices of which I am more gratified than I am by the number which have been disposed of. I am pleased to find that several of your Mechanics were among the purchasers of lots, as they will not only, in all probability, be...