From George Washington to John Fitzgerald, 19 August 1796
To John Fitzgerald
Baltimore 19th Augt 1796.
Dear Sir,
I intended to have written to you on the subject of the enclosed letter, from the Federal City,1 but by dining in a large company at Mr Laws (the day I parted with you) and examining the public buildings afterwards, I was prevented:2 and letters from the Secretary of State which I met on the Road, and which required my attention yesterday afternoon3 I was again prevented from doing it in time for the Mail of this morning.
After giving this information (wch is designed principally for Mr Gill) let me request the favor of you to inform, that I am willing to accomodate his wishes for a Deed in Fee, for the land he leased of me, upon the Security of Bank-stock (agreeably to the proposal in his letter) Provided the said Stock is transferred, or so secured to me at his expence, in such a manner as the Attorney-General shall deem proper and adequate; and provided also, I receive my proportion of the Dividends when paid, or they become due, in proportion to the quantum of Rent which may be due at the time—for instance, my Rent being £130 pr annum—if the dividends are paid half yearly, I shall expect to receive £65 at each of those times—and if quarter yearly £32.10. This it may be said will amount (calculating interest thereon) to more than the simple Rent; I acknowledge it; but as no security in my estimation is to be compared with that of Land, the difference and advantage of these payments are not an equivolent.4
I have mentioned the Attorney General (Mr Lee) because he drew the former writings, and is better acquainted with the principles by which I was governed than any other: but it is not my intention to incur any expence in effecting this change—nor shall I make any apology for the trouble I am giving you in doing it5—being with great esteem & regard Dear Sir Your Affecte Servant
Go: Washington
ALS, PPRF; ADfS, PPRF.
1. The enclosure has not been found, but it evidently was a letter from GW to John Gill (see n.5 below).
2. GW left Mount Vernon on 17 Aug., passed through Alexandria, Va., and apparently spent the night at Thomas Law’s residence in the Federal District before continuing his trip on 18 Aug. (see ).
4. For John Gill’s agreement to lease and ultimately purchase GW’s land along Difficult Run, Va., see GW to Gill, 17 May 1795, and n.1 to that document, and Charles Lee to GW, 18 July 1795.
5. Fitzgerald replied to GW from Alexandria on 29 Aug. 1796: “On Monday the 22d Inst. I was honor’d with your letter of the 19th. Mr Gill set out for Baltimore on Monday & did not return ’till friday night, I waited on him on Saturday & now take the first opportunity of forwarding his answer.
“The Bank Shares which he proposes to put you in possession of as a security for your land are not yet in his power, nor will they perhaps for some time—Upon the Sale of this Land & what he purchased from Doctr Dick, which he thinks can be readily effected, when he can give assurance that a deed in Fee simple will be given, he entertains no doubt but the security offer’d to you can be immediately obtained but could not make this promise untill your consent was first had[.] Mr Gill does not seem to have the most distant Idea of getting a deed from you untill he fully complies with his proposal untill which time the Property of course is security to you.
“The day after I had the pleasure of seeing you I had an opportunity of writing to Mr Anderson by a Mr Garnet (the present proprietor of traveller’s rest) he assured me that it should be deliver’d in a short time after he got home, & same time spoke much in Anderson’s favor[.] I mention’d to him that it was your desire he should be informed that you would be at Mount Vernon about the first of Octor when he might have an opportunity of an interview & you might form a more just opinion of his pretensions & expectations[.] It will always afford me the greatest pleasure to have an opportunity of being the least serviceable to you here” (ALS, DLC:GW; see also GW to James Anderson, 18 Aug.).
Thomas Garnett (d. 1798), formerly a merchant in Fredericksburg, Va., later owned Traveller’s Rest, an estate off the King’s Highway in Stafford County, Virginia.