1To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 4–5 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to the directions given in your letter of the 27th of October, I have endeavoured to get the rent of the house in which you are to reside fixed with the Committee; but my endeavours have been ineffectual. The footing upon which they have placed the matter with Mr Morris puts it out of their power to ascertain the rent at present. I am informed by Mr Mires Fisher, one of the most...
2To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have just returned to this place from Mount Vernon, where I found and left poor Whiting in a situation that his life could not be counted upon from one hour to another. He was unable to move without assistance, and could only speak a few words at a time. He could give me but little information of the state of the matters under his care; but observed, generally, that he trusted they could be...
3Tobias Lear to Alexander Hamilton, 13 October 1792 (Washington Papers)
By the President’s command T. Lear has the honor to inform the Secretary of the Treasury that the President has appointed William Lewis to be keeper of the Light-house on Cape Henry, with a salary of four hundred Dollars per annum. The President does not conceive that the circumstance of mister Cormicks being employed to oversee the building of the Lighthouse, tho’ in his favor, as...
4To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 20 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor to write to you on the 17th Inst. I have received a letter from Mr Morris, in which he thinks it best that the furniture should not be removed sooner than the first of next month. This is about the time I had fixed upon for our departure from this place; and everything will then be in perfect readiness for shipping. It is a work of more time than I had any idea of, to...
5Tobias Lear to Alexander Hamilton, 18 December 1789 (Washington Papers)
I am directed by the President of the United States to send you the enclosed letter from General Hazen dated Decr 16th—and likewise a memorial from the same person of the 12th inst: together with the Copy of a letter written by the Presidents command in answer to the enclosed Memorial. I have the honor to be with perfect consideration Sir Your most Obedt Servt LB , DLC:GW . None of these...
6To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 26–27 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 20th instant, and therein acknowledged the receipt of your respected favor of the 17th instant. Since which I have applied for your account with the Commissioners, and informed that I would settle it when presented. It has not yet been handed in; but as soon as there is a little leisure from the present press of business at their office I presume it...
7To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 9 November 1793 (Washington Papers)
A thousand times after my letter to you, enclosing Observations on the Potomack &c. had gone, did I wish to recall it: for the more I reflected on your situation at this moment, in point of business, the more did I see the impropriety, as well as the unfriendliness of my adding to that burthen, which I could not but know was at least as great as it ought to be, and more especially as mine was...
8To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 24 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment been honored with your respected favor of the 21st instant—and shall, as soon as possible, obtain information on the several points therein mentioned, which shall be immediately communicated to you. The law for extending the time for opening the navigation of the Potomac has been passed in this State as well as Virginia. I take the liberty to enclose a packet for Mr...
9Tobias Lear to Thomas Jefferson, 14 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
By the President’s command T. Lear has the honor to transmit to the Secretary of State the enclosed letters & papers from the Judge of the District of Rhode Island relating to the Ship Catharine. After the Secretary shall have considerd the enclosed documents the President wishes his opinion of the measures which should be taken on the subject. AL , DLC : Jefferson Papers. Jefferson’s docket...
10Tobias Lear to Alexander Hamilton, 13 October 1789 (Washington Papers)
The sum of two thousand five Dollars is necessary to be advanced to take up notes which were given for money advanced for the household of the President of the United States previous to the organization of the Treasury Department. This sum added to two thousand Dollars which you have already advanced for the purpose of taking up Notes, will compleat the payment of all Monies advanced for the...
11To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 20 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
I received your kind & respected favor of the 16th inst. with much pleasure. No apology, my dear Sir, can be necessary for your not having recollected my having put the Certificate for one hundred Bank Shares into your hands. I only wonder, that, under the multiplicity of important, and often anxious, cares which lay on your mind, you can recollect one half you do. I am rejoiced, however, that...
12Tobias Lear to Henry Knox, 11 December 1792 (Washington Papers)
By the President’s command T. Lear has the honor to return to the Secretary of War the Speeches to the Chiefs of the Six Nations and to the hostile Indians which have been submitted to the President, and to inform the Secretary that their contents embrace the President’s ideas on that subject. The President observes that the Secretary will write to General Wayne respecting Corn Planter, and to...
13To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 21 July 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that we arrived here yesterday, and had the pleasure to find all our friends in good health. Our passage from New York to Providence was a very pleasant one, and performed in about 36 hours. We met with no accident during the journey, and were highly favored in the weather. Agreeably to your directions I called upon Mr Morris before I left Philadelphia, and...
14To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 26 February 1796 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 26 Feb. 1796 . On 2 March, Lear wrote to GW: “I had the honor to address you under date of the 26th ultimo”; in GW’s letter to Lear of 13 March , he acknowledged receipt of “letters of the 26th Ulto and 2d Instant.”
15To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
Could I beleive, for a moment, that you thought my Opinions were grounded on interested motives, or influenced by party views, I should blush to appear before you; but having long known the liberality of your mind, I have never hesitated to declare my sentiments to you, without reserve, on such points as occasionally occurred between us; and I am pleased to think that you do not esteem me less...
16Tobias Lear to Timothy Pickering, 3 May 1792 (Washington Papers)
I enclose the translation of the letter which was transmitted to the Secretary of War by the Governor of New York—The translation was made yesterday in great haste, and if it should not be sufficiently clear, referrence had better be had to the original, in the possession of the Secy of War. The President wishes, in your conversation with Colo. Louis, that you would learn the precise time of...
17To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 14 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I am yet without information as to the result of the potomac business in the legislature of this State. Of course the board can come to no determination respecting Mr Myres. I have conversed with the Directors on the subject of that Gentleman’s services and it appears to be the universal wish to have him here, if he shall be disengaged when we feel able, from funds, to make engagemts. I have...
18To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 November 1795 (Washington Papers)
I should ere’ this have acknowledged the receipt of your respected favor of the 2d inst. but waited for a further communication, or for the arrival of Colo. Rochefontaine. The latter has just taken place. And I have informed Colo. Gilpin thereof, who told me a few days ago that he would be ready at a moments’ warning to accompany that Gentleman to the junction of the Potomac & Shanandoah; I,...
19To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 27 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor to write to you on the 24th Inst. I have been informed that the Indians on the frontier of New York have lately given indications of a hostile disposition—and that the legislature of that State were about to take some measures of a temporary nature for conciliating the Indians—or, if that should prove ineffectual, to defend their frontiers. These measures, however, it was...
20Tobias Lear to Thomas Jefferson, 13 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
The President sends to the Secretary of State the Counter part of An Agreement with the Bank of the U.S. for 800,000 dollars, to have the ratification prepared in the usual way for the President’s signature. AL , DLC : Jefferson Papers. Jefferson’s docket reads “Washington President June 13. 93. rec’d June 13.” The enclosure was an agreement of 31 May 1793 between Alexander Hamilton and the...
21Tobias Lear to Henry Knox, 1 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
By the President’s command T. Lear has the honor to transmit to the Secy of war a letter from Mr Andw Ellicott, to the President, proposing that Mr Joseph Ellicott should proceed immediately to Georgia to explore the head of the Oconee River preparatory to Mr Andw Ellicott’s executing his business of running the line between the territory of the Creeks & the U.S. Should the Secretary of war...
22Tobias Lear to Clement Biddle, 2 October 1789 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 30th ultimo came to hand last evening accompanied with the Padusoy for Mrs Washington, the bill of which was enclosed. The President will thank you to get from Mr Bartram a list of the plants & shrubs which he has for sale, with the price affixed to each, and also a note to each of the time proper for transplanting them, as he is desireous of having some sent to Mount Vernon...
23To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 1 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
I know of nothing relative to public affairs that has transpired since your departure. In our domestic concerns we go on as usual. General Knox is mending; but he has not yet been out of his room. I saw him yesterday, when he told me he had just received a letter from General Lincoln, and that he might be expected here about the middle of the present week. As General Knox observed that he was...
24Tobias Lear to Alexander Hamilton, 9 July 1791 (Washington Papers)
Philadelphia, 9 July 1791. “The President has received a letter from Mr Rue, who was appointed second Mate of the revenue Cutter on the Delaware station, declining his appointment & returning his commission.” LB , DLC:GW . The letter of resignation from Benjamin Rue to GW has not been found but must have been written between 28 June and this date. Tench Coxe wrote to Tobias Lear on 28 June...
25Tobias Lear to Clement Biddle, 22 July 1790 (Washington Papers)
New York, 22 July 1790. Encloses a draft on the Bank of North America for $200 to be credited to GW’s account. ALS , PHi : Washington-Biddle Correspondence; ADfS , ViMtvL ; LB , DLC:GW . Biddle acknowledged receipt of the bank check on 26 July 1790 ( PHi : Clement Biddle Letter Book).
26To 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...
27Tobias Lear to William Allum and William Talbot, 17 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
The President of the United States has this day received your letter of the 19th ultimo with the pamphlet accompanying it; for your politeness in sending of which to him he directs me ⟨to⟩ beg your acceptance of his best thanks. I have the honor to be Gentlemen, very respectfully Your most Obet Ser. ADfS , DNA : RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB , DLC:GW . The text in angle brackets is from the...
28Tobias Lear to Thomas Jefferson, 31 March 1792 (Washington Papers)
By the President’s command T. Lear has the honor to transmit to the Secretary of State, letters from Mr Seagrove, that the Secretary may take extracts therefrom for the purpose mentioned this day. The President wishes to know if the Copies of Mr Hammond’s letter which have been sent to the President were intended to be put into the hands of the Secretary of War to be transmitted by him to Mr...
29To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you on the 15th Inst. Young Fraunces has informed me that he has received a letter from his father, in which he mentions his intention of coming on here to take the place of Steward in this family, agreeably to the answer given to his application for that purpose. The reason which he assigns for not having made known his determination on this subject sooner,...
30Tobias Lear to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, 3 February 1791 (Washington Papers)
I will thank you to send me, from time to time, two copies of such bills as may be printed by order of the Senate, previous to their passing into laws; and likewise two copies of your Journals as they are printed. I am induced to make this request from a wish which the President of the United States often expresses to see the bills in this stage. If there are any bills of this description now...