601To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 24 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the [ ]. Young La Fayette is now with me—I had before made an offer of money in your name & have repeated it—but the answer is that they are not yet in want and will have recourse when needed. Young La Fayette appears melancholy and has grown thin—A letter lately received from his mother which speaks of something which she wishes him to mention to you (as I learn...
602To George Washington from James McHenry, 29 June 1796 (Washington Papers)
I beg you to sign the within authority to borrow for the use of the City of Washington and to have it returned to me with a power signed by the three commissioners. You may recollect that the one sent me for a duplicate contained only the names of two of them vz. Mr Scotts & Mr Thorntons. The Willinks may consider that power as imperfect as the law and your authority have reference to three....
603To George Washington from Harriot Washington, 26 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
I now take up my pen to answer my dear and Honord Uncle’s letter of February 17th though when it will reach you I cant pretend to say as I am now at Matipony where there are very seldom opportunity to Fredericksburg also to express my thanks for your unbound’d kindness in sending the money requested it did not get here time enough but Aunt Lewis was so kind as to trust me therefore I paid her...
604To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 22 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to submit to the consideration of the President [a report] of the 4th inst. from the Commissioner of the Revenue on the subject of compensations to Keepers of Light houses, being the result of an enquiry some time since instituted. When this business was first organised, the only guide which presented itself was the previous arrangements of the respective States. It is found...
605To George Washington from Michael Hodge, 8 July 1789 (Washington Papers)
having been informed that your Excellency was making arrangements for the appointment of the officers in the revenue department, and being desirous to fill one of them, I would beg your Excellencys patience, while I state a few facts, That in an early period of the revolution I was chosen the naval officer for this port, and was continued in that office for more than seven years, and during...
606To George Washington from James Iredell and John Sitgreaves, 8 June 1792 (Washington Papers)
We the Judges now attending at the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of North Carolina, conceive it our duty to lay before you some important observations which have occurred to us in the consideration of an act of Congress lately passed, entitled, “An Act to provide for the settlement of the claims of widows and Orphans barred by the limitations heretofore established, and...
607From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 12 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson has the honor to submit to the President his answer to Mr. Genet on the subject of the French debt. He had prepared it yesterday morning, but unluckily left it at home, which has delayed it a day. RC ( DNA : RG 59, MLR ); addressed: “The President of the US.”; endorsed by Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr. Tr ( Lb in same, SDC ). Not recorded in SJL . Enclosure: TJ to Edmond Charles...
608To George Washington from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 5 September 1796 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury has the honor most respectfully to report to the President of the United States. That by an Act of Congress passed on the sixth day of May 1796, the President of the United States is authorised to cause other Revenue Cutters to be built or purchased in lieu of such as are or shall from time to time become unfit for further service and to cause such Revenue Cutters...
609To George Washington from Henry Knox, 18 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
In pursuance of the desire of the Secretary of State, I have the honor to submit to your consideration the following names, out of which it might be proper to nominate a character as Minister to the republic of France. Mr Pinckney provided he should not be deemed essential to Mr Jays negociations, and also provided, it should be judged the measure would not be disagreable to him. But in either...
610To George Washington from J. Huiberts, 23 July 1790 (Washington Papers)
When Mr DeClercq (at whose house the Duke of Brunswyk kept his quarters, during the time that his Prussian Majestys troops, under his commands, insulted this, in former times, free country) shew’d me the map, upon which all the operations of the Prussian Army are marked, I thought your Excellency should not be displeased by having a copy, nor think it too forward in me, when I offered Mr...
611To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19–20 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive your letters of the 12th & 15th of this month. The former of which I should have acknowleged by the last post had I not been absent on a journey to New York when it arrived in this City. The cause of my Journey to New York was to attend my mother to this place where she proposes to spend a week or two on a visit to Mrs Lear & myself. She had a favorable...
612To George Washington from Clement Caines, 24 October 1795 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Clement Caines, 24 Oct. 1795 . On 16 Nov., Timothy Pickering wrote to Caines: “The President of the United States sent me on the 13th instant your letter to him dated the 24th ulto.” In that letter, Caines apparently sought compensation for property seized by the privateer Sans Culotte Laveaux ( DNA : RG 59, Domestic Letters).
613From John Jay to George Washington, 11 August 1794 (Jay Papers)
The Letter herewith enclosed from M r . Wangenheim came to me enclosed from him, requesting me to transmit it to You— it was and now is, without a cover— of this Gentleman I have no Knowledge or information but from these Letters. I have written to him, that the Issue of his application to You could not be foreseen; but that as the united States interposed no Impediments to Emigrants, so on...
614To George Washington from Lawrence Augustine Washington, 7 July 1794 (Washington Papers)
The peculiarity of my situation at present, is such, as to produce a desire to leave this place. I find that, from a cause, which I do not pretend to justify, the worst construction is placed on all my actions. That things which would otherwise, be looked upon, as indifferent, are construed into faults. Having often learnt from your own mouth, that your expenses here, vastly exceed the...
615To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 23 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
I delivered the Letters inclosed in your’s from Baltimore and from mount Vernon of the 17th inst: to Messrs Clark on the receipt of them. I have desired mr Parrish to have a Hatt of the best quality agreably to your directions by the latter End of November. The returns of Inhabitants for the City and suburbs are nearly perfected but one district being incomplete prevents my making up an...
616From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 1 February 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson sends to the President a letter he received from Mr. Hammond, with the general sketch of an answer he had proposed to write to him. He will have the honour of seeing the President on the subject to-day. RC ( DNA : RG 59, MLR ); endorsed by Lear. Tr ( DNA : RG 59, SDC ). Not recorded in SJL
617To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 26 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of War respectfully lays before the President a letter to Mr Adet, in answer to his of the 19th inst. Mr Wolcott approves of it. The Secretary of War will wait on the President at nine o’clock, to receive his orders on the subject. AL , DNA : RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters. The docket states that Pickering wrote the letter “doing the dutyes of the Secrety of State” (see GW to...
618To George Washington from Henry Knox, 16 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
General Irwin has received a letter from Mr Brown of Kentuckey, via Richmond which renders General Wilkinsons success and return indisputable. The following is the extract “Danville 22d Augt 1791. An express from Genl Wilkinson has this moment reached this place informing of his success. He has destroyed a large indian Town, situated on the forks of the Wabash, also a kickapoo Town containing...
619To George Washington from George Lewis, 19 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
Mrs Lewis’s indisposition has detained me in the country for eight dayes past, which prevented my getting your letter of the 7th Inst. untill to day, otherwise it would have been immediately acknowledged. With respect to Mr Parks, he is a young Man in the Mercantile line, appears industrious and attentive to his buisness. I have known him for twelve months past, and from his conduct since...
620From James Madison to George Washington, 20 November 1789 (Madison Papers)
It was my purpose to have dropped you a few lines from Philada. but I was too much indisposed during my detention there to avail myself of that pleasure. Since my arrival here I have till now been without a fit conveyance to the post office. You will recollect the contents of a letter shewn you from Mr. Innis to Mr. Brown. Whilst I was in Philada. I was informed by the latter who was detained...
621To George Washington from Gouverneur Morris, 27–31 December 1791 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 12 Sepr last reached me a few Days ago. In the Proposition of S[chweizer] J[eannerett] & Co: I saw the Means of saving Somewhat to the United States without incurring the Odium of a Payment in depreciated Paper but from the Moment a Determination to pay in Value is adopted I heartily and entirely approve of the Rejection of their Offer. Before the Receipt of your Letter, Mr...
622To George Washington from Henry Lee, 28 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
I return my dear General the papers you gave me having laid the foundation of a future sale if agreable then to you. The previous requisites are the possession of the other shares of the company and a law authorizing foreigners to hold real property in Virginia—Both these can be effected in the course of the year. I would have called & taken leave of you & Mrs Washington, but did not like to...
623To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 4 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
Th: Jefferson has the honor to inclose to the President the draught of a letter to mister Pinckney. also the paper sent to him for the signatures now put to it. AL , DNA : RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB , DNA : RG 59, George Washington’s Correspondence with His Secretaries of State. Later on this date GW approved Jefferson’s letter to Thomas Pinckney of 4 June, whose topics included the...
624To George Washington from Burgess Ball, 1 July 1796 (Washington Papers)
A neighbour of mine having lately made an Excursion over the Mountains, was at the House of Mr Fairfax who formerly lived with you, and from whom the enclos’d Letters came to my Hands, requesting I wou’d forward them to you. We are now in Harvest, and hope to finish tomorrow, our wheat at least; never was there better Weather for the purpose of saving Grain, but the rains some time ago were so...
625To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 10 February 1794 (Washington Papers)
The bill, drawn by Edward Church on the Secretary of State and accepted by me, amounts to one hundred and fifty pounds sterling. The Secretary of the Treasury is disinclined to pay it out of the monies in his hands. I must therefore request you to give an order for the payment, out of the contingent fund at your disposal. The form of the Order may be somewhat in this shape. “The President of...
626To George Washington from the Board of Treasury, 9 June 1789 (Washington Papers)
We are honored with your letter of yesterday expressing your desire of being furnished with such an account of this Department, as will enable you to form a full, precise and distinct Idea of the various transactions arising under it. It will require some days to make out the necessary Documents, to which such an account must necessarily refer; these are now preparing, and shall, from time to...
627From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 12 June 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson has the honor of inclosing to the President the opinion on the two cases of vessels referred to the heads of the department, and the letter he has prepared in consequence to the Attorney of the district. Genl. Knox will wait on him with his letter to the Governor .— Symmes’s case is to be considered of tomorrow, as it required some enquiry. RC ( DNA : RG 59, MLR ); addressed:...
628To George Washington from John Lathrop, Jr., 29 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
Will the illustrious Washington pardon the ambition of a young citizen, who ventures to lay the enclosed performance at his feet? Much as I have to expect from his candor and his goodness, yet much I have to fear from my own imperfection and presumtion. To intrude one tedious moment into the scanty portion of leisure which the Father of his country enjoys, would be most unpardonably criminal;...
629To George Washington from Benjamin Hawkins, 28 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
Judging from my long acquaintance with and attachment to you, I have decided that a letter from me would not be unacceptable. Since ⟨my⟩ return from Philadelphia, I have been at Halifax during the session⟨s⟩ of one of our sup⟨erior⟩ circuit courts; and at two or three other places of public resort; and I am happy to be able to inform you, that much of that impurity which manifests itself...
630To George Washington from David Humphreys, 3 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
Private. My dear Sir, Mafra [Portugal] May 3d 1791. I write this short letter for the sole purpose of thanking you for nominating & appointing me Minister Resident at this Court. The language of affection & gratitude is brief. It is with a sensibility not expressed in words, that all the instances of your friendship & particularly the kind expressions in the close of your letter of March 16th,...
631To George Washington from the Democratic Society of Washington County, Pennsylvania, 24 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Remonstrance of the Democratic Society of the County of Washington, in Pennsylvania, Respectfully sheweth That your Remonstrants are entitled by nature and by stipulation, to the undisturbed Navigation of the river Mississippi, and consider it a right inseperable from their prosperity. That in colonizing this distant and dangerous desart, they always contemplated the free enjoyment of this...
632To George Washington from Providence, R.I., Citizens, 10 June 1790 (Washington Papers)
From the change of Sentiment which has gradually taken place in the minds of the Good people of this State, and the Happy Effects of the General Government, which begins to Operate so favorably in the Union, under the Auspices of your Excellency’s administration—in Consequence of which the Convention of this State at their late Session were Induced to Adopt the Enlighten’d Policy of confirming...
633Cabinet Opinion on Consulting the Supreme Court, 12 July 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
July 12. 1793. At a meeting of the heads of the departments at the President’s on summons from him, and on consideration of various representations from the Ministers Plenipotentiary of France and Great Britain on the subject of vessels arming and arriving in our ports, and of prizes it is their opinion that letters be written to the said Ministers informing them that the Executive of the US.,...
634From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 4 January 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
Having been in conversation to-day with Monsr. Payan, one of the St. Domingo deputies, I took occasion to enquire of him the footing on which our commerce there stands at present, and particularly whether the colonial arret of 1789 permitting a free importation of our flour till 1793. was still in force. He answered that that arret was revoked in France on the clamours of the merchants there:...
635To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 26 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the President of the U. States, & encloses the draft of a Passport for the American sloop Eliza, now in this port, bound for St Domingo with Passengers, for the Presidents signature. LB , DLC:GW . GW signed the enclosed passport for the sloop Eliza , Capt. William Davis, on this date ( JPP Dorothy Twohig, ed. The Journal of the Proceedings...
636To George Washington from Rodolph Vall-travers, 28 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
Rotterdam, Haring’s-Vliet, 28 Feb. 1793. Recommends “Le chevalier de Limoges, Garde du Corps de feunt Louis XVI . . . il á pris le sage Parti, de chercher, dans l’autre Hemisphére, une nouvelle Patrie, légalement libre; et jouissante, sous la Présidence paternelle de Votre Excellence, de toutes les Benedictions du Ciel, répandües, á pleines Mains, sur l’Industrie de vos Concitoÿens, imitans...
637To George Washington from Louis de Pontière, 6 May 1789 (Washington Papers)
Altho’ I am very uncertain whether this letter will reach you or not, I have nevertheless, taken the liberty to write to you, exposing my situation which becomes more & more deplorable—while I had friends & Relations I asked of them whatever was necessary for me during the American war, & since my return to France while the hope the interest of my Captaincy would be paid I have been received...
638II. Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 8 May 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
The last week does not furnish one single public event worthy communicating to you: so that I have only to say ‘all is well.’ Paine’s answer to Burke’s pamphlet begins to produce some squibs in our public papers. In Fenno’s paper they are Burkites, in the others Painites. One of Fenno’s was evidently from the author of the discourses on Davila. I am afraid the indiscretion of a printer has...
639To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 7 March 1792 (Washington Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his respects to the President and sends him his report on the subject of commerce with Spain, & the form of a message to the Senate. a second copy is now making out for the President’s own use, so that he may send in the one now inclosed to-day, assured of receiving the other the moment it is finished. AL , DNA : RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB , DNA : RG 59, George...
640To George Washington from the United States Senate, 10 March 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Senate agreed that the President of the United States direct the word “Junior” to be annexed to the name of Jonathan Palmer, appointed Surveyor of Stonington in the State of Connecticut August 3d 1790. Attest LB , DLC:GW . See GW to the U.S. Senate, 3 Aug. 1789 .
641To George Washington from Henry Knox, 18 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
I submit to your consideration, the draft of the instructions to the commissioners—After you shall have perused them, and directed any alterations, or additions, it may be proper to deliver them to the commissioners, who may probably suggest some inquiries, or explanations relatively thereto. I have the honor to be Sir, with the highest respect Your most obedt Servt I have also the honor to...
642To George Washington from Richard Claiborne, 10 June 1789 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency will, no doubt, be a little surprized, at receiving a Letter with my Signature—but when the motives which induce me to trouble you, are considered, I trust you will not deem it an improper intrusion. I beg leave to offer Your Excellency my sincerest congratulation on the lately adopted Federal Constitution in the United States. My earnest prayer to Heaven is, that it may give...
643To George Washington from Wakelin Welch & Son, 6 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed we trouble your Excellency with copy of our last of 5th March which we forwarded by the New York Packet since then nothing has transpired from Mr Morris from which we may suppose he is still in France. Mr Young about ten days ago sent us a case containing a Bag of Seeds, Books & some Yarn manufactured from your own Fleece of Wool which he sends ⟨ mutilated ⟩ a curiosity. This last...
644From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [2 May 1793] (Hamilton Papers)
Answers to remaining Questions proposed by the President of The United States on the Question the Answer The War is plainly an offensive war on the part of France. Burlamaqui , an approved Writer Vol II Part IV Chap III Sections IV & V thus defines the different species of War “Neither are we to believe (says he) that he who first injures another begins by that an offensive War, and that the...
645To George Washington from Richmond, Va., Citizens, 30 July 1795 (Washington Papers)
The citizens of Richmond respectfully beg leave to enclose a copy of their proceedings of their meeting of yesterday and this day and to give their reasons in support of the principles therein laid down. They deem the said Treaty to be insulting, Because— At a time when we were most grievously oppressed by the British Nation on the High Seas, contrary to all the rules of national law and...
646From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [8 July 1790] (Hamilton Papers)
Memorandum of the substance of a Communication made on Thursday the Eighth of July 1790 to the Subscriber by Major Beckwith as by direction of Lord Dorchester. Major Beckwith began by stating that Lord Dorchester had directed him to make his acknowlegements for the politeness which had been shewn in respect to the desire he had intimated to pass by New York in his way to England; adding that...
647To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 16 September 1793 (Washington Papers)
We forgot the other day to apply to you for your permission to make sales of the publick property in the City of Washington —We therefore transmit to you a Couple of Instruments for your signature similar to those given at former times —Considering it as a mere matter of form, we shall commence tomorrow, agreeable to advertizement, and expect you will favour us with the return of them by the...
648To George Washington from Isaac Stephens, 23 September 1789 (Washington Papers)
You are not unacquanted of our Long Continueance in a State of Slavery for about four years and more although you Cannot feel for us to Redeem us But have So Much as to allow us a Comfortable Support Whilst we Due Live on the Earth the 13th of September 1789 arrived a Spanish Courier from Spain on the 14th Ditto I wated on the Spanish Consul to Know if any Letters had Com for us americans he...
649To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 6 February 1797 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of State has the honor to inclose a letter of Oct. 16. received this day from Mr Adams at the Hague. The following passage is in a letter recd this day from the Consul of the U. States at Falmouth in England, dated Novr 26th: “A vessel arrived to-day from Lisbon, and the master reports that at Madrid the populace would not permit Lord Bute to depart, and that the Spanish and...
650To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 1 December 1792 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of the Treasury presents his respects to the President has the honor to submit to him the enclosed communications concerning which he will wait upon The President on Monday. LB , DLC:GW . The enclosed papers that Hamilton wished to discuss on Monday, 3 Dec., have not been identified.