351To George Washington from Rufus Putnam, 5 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Being unavoidably prevented from attending the General meeting of the Cincinnati, at Philadelphia as I had intended; and where I once more expected the oppertunity in person to pay my respects to your Excellency: I cannot deny my self the honnor, of addressing you by letter; to acknowledge with gratitude the ten thousand obligations I feal my self under to your goodness, and most sincearly...
352To George Washington from Edmund Clegg, 6 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I took the liberty to Address a Note to you when in this City, on the Subject of my Scheme, to establish the Weaving Manufactories of British Goods in these States —I am happy to find the plan may be executed with greater Success than I did at first expect—I have got some Looms to Work & some Machines for Spining, and the Assembly have partly determin’d to Support the Undertaking—That is a...
353To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 6 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I am obliged to you for your query as to the distance from New York to Cayahoga, as it has occasioned my reexamination of that matter & detection of an error of 150 miles. the distances from New York to Niagara I collect from information as follows. from N. York to Albany 164 miles Oneida 165 Oswego 171 Niagara 180 680 from Niagara to Cayahoga 140 820 This last distance [from Niagara to...
354To George Washington from William Moultrie, 6 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
By comparing the date of the Letter with which you honored me as Senior officer in the state of South Carolina, with the Period of Colonel Morris’s arrival at Philadelphia it appears that the Dispatches from the Society of the Cincinnati of this State, with which he was charged came unfortunately too late to anticipate your Excellencys Enquiry concerning the Measures taken to Establish the...
355To George Washington from William Smallwood, 6 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Commodore Brook who will address this acquaints me that you desired him to request me to inform you of the Circumstances of Mr Stromats taking out a Warrant to affect Vacancy contiguous to your Lands on this Side the Patowmack —I know very little of the Situation and Courses of your Lands or the adjoining Vacancy—but since Stromat took out his Warrant I have understood from Mr Dunnington the...
356To George Washington from Benjamin Walker, 6 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 24 March was handed to me too late on Monday last to reply to it by that post. The mention of 2080 80/90 Dollars in the Governors Letter was a mistake it should have been 4080 80/90—it was receivd in two Notes one are for 3500 Dols. & one for 580 80/90 the last must have been for the ballance of your account but calculated in Pensilva. Currency instead of Lawfull Money. I had...
357From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 6 April 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I am obliged to you for your query as to the distance from New York to Cayahoga, as it has occasioned my reexamination of that matter and detection of an error of 150 miles. The distances from New York to Niagara I collect from information as follows. from N. York to Albany 164. miles. Oneida 165. Oswego 171. Niagara 180 680 from Niagara to Cayahoga 140 this last distance I collect 820 by...
358IV: From the Countess of Huntingdon, 8 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I live in hopes that before this you must have Received, by the means of our mutual & most excellent friend Mr Fairfax, the gratefull acknowledgements of my heart for your most Polite, & to my feelings the yet more Welcome Testimony of your kind & Friendly letter —an excuse therefore for this further Trouble must be due, & which arises from the Kindness of Sr James Jay’s offering to take the...
359To George Washington from Lafayette, 9 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Among the Numberless Applications I Have Had for our Society, there is One which, in duty to My feelings, I Cannot decline to present, on my first Voyage to America, Monsieurs de Mauroy, Lesser, Valfort, and du Boismartin were with me, and Altho these Meritorious officers Had an Engagement with Mr Deane, Congress did not think it in their power to Employ them —My instructions Being positive, I...
360To George Washington from Edmund Pendleton, 9 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Colo. Muse shewed me yr letter to his son requesting I would take charge of his Deeds to you, and procure them to be proved and recorded in the General Court, which I would most cheerfully have done, but do not go to Richmond ’til after that Court rises. I have seen the Deeds Executed before 5 Witnesses, and they are to be carried by one of them who is our Sherif & a careful man, to be lodged...
361To George Washington from Nicholas Simon van Winter and Lucretia Wilhelmina van Winter, 10 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
From the Extremity of the Earth, Deign to accept, the Sincere Hommages of Two Persons more closely united by the Bonds of Mutual Affection than by those of Hymen; Admirers of Virtue, we were impelled by an irrestistable desire to testify to you our Veneration, as Soon as we were informed that your magnanimity of Soul had Shewn forth So conspicuously, in your relinquishing the Honourable charge...
362To George Washington from John Harvie, 12 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Mr Griffith is so good as to present me an opportunity of answering your Letter of March the 18th. the Survey you Inclosed in it for 587 Acres call’d the Round Bottom must by Law lay in this Office Six Months before a Grant can issue upon it, at the Expiration of that time (unless a Caveat is hereafter Enterd) a Grant will be issued to you reciteing the date of the Survey and the Nature of the...
363To George Washington from Henry Knox, 12 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I received your favor of the 20th ultimo yesterday. I am fully persuaded of the importance of a general attendance at the meeting at Philadelphia, and I have now written to those concerned in this State, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, urging their attendence to the utmost of my power. If General Greene shall not be gone before I reach Newport I will endeavor to bring him along....
364To George Washington from John Harvie, 14 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Mr Griffith’s staying a day longer in this City than he expected to do when I first saw him, has allow’d me time to make out and forward your Grants by him, I am to Apoligize for there being on Common paper, by Assureing you that it was not in my power to procure as much Parchment at this place as was Sufficient to Contain the Grants, I have Written to Europe for a large Quantity of Parchment...
365To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 16 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I received your favor of the 8th inst. by Colo. Harrison. the subject of it is interesting, and, so far as you have stood connected with it, has been matter of anxiety to me: because whatever may be the ultimate fate of the institution of the Cincinnati, as in it’s course it draws to it some degree of disapprobation I have wished to see you stand on ground separated from it; & that the...
366From Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 16 April 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I received your favor of the 8th. inst. by Colo. Harrison. The subject of it is interesting, and, so far as you have stood connected with it, has been matter of anxiety to me: because whatever may be the ultimate fate of the institution of the Cincinnati, as in it’s course it draws to it some degree of disapprobation, I have wished to see you stand on ground separated from it; and that the...
367To George Washington from Jethro Sumner, 18 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
It was with pleasure, we recd your circular letter, the eleventh of March last, and in a few days, a conveyance offered to the Gentlemen, Lt Col. Archd Lyttle, Majr Reading Blount, and Majr John Griffith McRee, who were appointed delagates in October last, to attend the Genl meeting of the Society of the Cincinnati. This states society, being appointed to meet on the second monday of this...
368To George Washington from Lachlan McIntosh, 20 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencys very obliging and kind favor of the 15th December last was delivered to me four days ago, inclosing Copy of the Letter you humanely wrote to the Minister of France in behalf of the unfortunate Captain DuCoins, who I hope through your Excellencys powerful Intercession may be restored again to his friends and Country & made happy. Please to accept my Sincerest Thanks for that as...
369To George Washington from Lachlan McIntosh, 20 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to your Excellency the 20th December in answer to your favor of the 24th October last which I hope you received —and since, your Circular Letter of the 1st January with its duplicate came to hand at the same time, & only four days ago, which I laid before our State Association of Cincinnati whose Quarterly Meeting was held here Yesterday and this Day—and in...
370To George Washington from Arthur St. Clair, 20 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I was favoured with Your Letter of the 22d of February—if any thing could have induced me to postpone my Journey it was your Wish that I should do so—indeed I should have been extremly glad to have met the Society of the Cincinnati, but I had made such Arrangements last fall, previous to my being appointed a Representative, that I cannot dispense with going to the back-Country at this time,...
371To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 20 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Having had the satisfaction to accord with you in the Sentiment of retiring from the busy Cares of public Life, to the tranquil Scenes of private Enjoyment, I anticipate with much pleasure the Reflections which such a State will enable us to make upon the happy issue of those anxious & perplexing vicissitudes through which, in the Course of an Eight Years unusual War, you & I have had the Lot...
372To George Washington from Nathanael Greene, 22 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Your two letters of the 20th and 27th of March both came safe to hand. My indisposition is such I fear it will not be in my power to comply with your wishes if there was no other obstacle. I have a constant pain in my breast and am now so weak as to be incapable of bearing the fatigues of a Journey. Besides which the Doctor thinks it would be dangerous to go by water for fear I might burst a...
373To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 24 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
No opportunity having presented during the winter, of sending your barge to Potowmack; when last in New York I left fresh directions to find a conveyance by the first vessel bound to Alexandria. I have this moment received advice that such a conveyance is engaged. Captain Brothes has agreed to deliver the barge at Alexandria, to colonel Fitzgerald, for whom I left a letter, requesting him to...
374To George Washington from Armand, 25 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Armand request his Excellency to Compare the two inclosed papers then to send him the original in Philadelphia at the french ministre & to keap the Copy by him—if his Excellency thought more proper to keap the original, armand request him to send him the Copy attested by his Excellency —the purpose of armand in communicating thoses papers to his Excellency is to preserve his Esteem when he is...
375To George Washington from David Stuart, 25 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I send you translations of two letters only—the third written by a Merchant, is so full of the abbreviations in use by the Gentlemen of that Profession, that I can only make it out, here & there —And from what I have been able to make out in this manner, I imagine, you will not consider a translation very necessary—It begins with informing you, of his having been persuaded by his brother to...
376To George Washington from John Allison, 26 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting of the Officers of the Continental line in October last to appoint officers of the State Society of Cincinnati; It was there resolv’d, that no officer not holding a Continental Commission should be entitled to become a member —As I saw it in a different light from the Gentlemen that compos’d that Body; I beg leave to lay before your Excellency the State & progress, of the Regiment...
377To George Washington from Laval de Montmorency, 27 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
je n’ai pas voulû quitter ce pays ci Sans témoigner a votre Excellence La reconnoissance que j’ai de Ses bontés, je regreterai toute ma vie de n’avoir pû en profiter plus Longtems. j’ai recû infiniment d’honnêtetés de la part des personnes pour Lesquelles Elle a bien voulû me donner des Lettres de recommandation, C’Est un remerciment de plus que j’ai a Lui faire. je parts demain sur Le...
378To George Washington from John Lewis, 27 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
According to your request I made every enquiry I cou’d when on the Monongahela and at Fort Pitt respecting the Situation of your Lands on the western Waters, as also of your Plantation under the care of Mr Simpson. I cou’d get no satisfactory account of either indeed the short time I was in that Country put it out of my power to get the information I cou’d have wished, it being only four days...
379To George Washington from Gilbert Simpson, 27 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 13th of February lays before me (and I shall Note its Contents) which did not come to hand till April the 8th my Self and Family laying down then in the Small Pox and not able to Read your Letter for Six days after which put it out of my Power to fulfill your Request to wait on You by the Time Present’d, at Present we have all got well over the Disorder and as Soon as I can get my...
380To George Washington from Thomas Paine, 28 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
As I hope to have, in a few days, the honor and happiness of seeing you well at Philadelphia, I shall not trouble you with a long letter. It was my intention to have followed you on to Philadelphia, but when I recollected the friendship you had shewn to me and the pains you had taken to promote my interest, and knew likewise the untoward disposition of two or three members of Congress, I felt...
381To George Washington from Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, 29 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to inform your Excellency of my arrival at this place after a passage of 43 days from france which I left on the 16th of march last after having finished Every thing respecting the society, the diploma is Engraved and many prints of it already drawn together with a number of stamps of the bald eagle or sign of the association Exceeding by more than two hundred the number for...
382To George Washington from Rochambeau, 4 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
The letter Which you have honoured me With, the 1st of february ultime, has made the greatest pleasure to me, and your title of particulary Citizen Cannot but increases the Sentiments of Veneration, and of the most tender affection that I have devoted to you for all my life, it is the finest End of the highest Employement that ever man has filled. I owe to let you Know, my Dear Général, that...
383To George Washington from William Smith, 5 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
In the Name & Behalf of the Visitors & Governors of Washington College and by their Order, I beg Leave to acquaint you that their annual Visitation is to be held on Tuesday May 18th instant. At that Meeting they hope for the Presence of the Visitors in General, who are Gentlemen of the first Distinction from every County on the Eastern Shore of this State. As the General Assembly have...
384To George Washington from Nathanael Greene, 6 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
Since I wrote you by Col. Henley I took a ride to Boston to try my strength and see how traveling would affect me. It increased my complaint but not so much as to discourage my attempting to be at the Cincinnati had not my complaint increased since my return. The Doctor thinks my life would be endangered by attempting to cross the Water and my pain in my stomach increased by riding by land. In...
385To George Washington from Philip Schuyler, 6 May 1784 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Philip Schuyler, 6 May 1784. On 15 May GW wrote to Schuyler : “I cannot but thank you . . . for . . . your letters of the 6th & 12th Instt.”
386Appendix II: From Armand, 10 May (Washington Papers)
When mr l’enfant returned lately from france, he communicated to me a lettre which he was to lay before the Grnl assembly of the Cincinnati & of which I have the honor to inclose an Extract —as he does Express the desire of the Cincinnati in france to form a society there similar to those of the respectives states of america, & that their representatives a[t] this time, be taken from amongst...
387Appendix III: From Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, 10 May (Washington Papers)
As the reading of the Several Letters of Thanks & petitions which are now before you, may easily convey to you an Idea of the high consideration which the Cincinnati enjoy in Europe, give me leave in the name of all my countrymen to assure you of their sincere and heart felt gratitude, no pledge of friendship can be dearer to them than that which they have received at the hands bf the Society...
388To George Washington from Ebenezer Hazard, 11 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of Congress transmitted me a Copy of the enclosed Resolution, which I received with singular Pleasure as an Act of Justice due to your Excellency, and at the same Time relieving me, as I had desired, from the very disagreeable Situation with Respect to your Excellency’s Letters to which I was reduced by the Ordinance for regulating the Post Office of the United States. The...
389To George Washington from John Jones, 12 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
I have taken the Liberty to Send you by the Brig Fairy Capt. Benjamin Croker which Sailed from hence for James River on the first Inst, a very fine fat Turtle with orders to the Capt. to Deliver the Same to ⟨Wm⟩ [&] Miss Armstead at Hampton, to be forwarded to you. It will give me great pride & pleasure to know you have received it Safe and that it is acceptable to yr Taste. I had the honor in...
390To George Washington from Philip Schuyler, 12 May 1784 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Philip Schuyler, 12 May 1784. On 15 May GW wrote to Schuyler : “I cannot but thank you . . . for . . . your letters of the 6th & 12th Instt.”
391To George Washington from Lafayette, 14 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
To My Great Satisfaction, My departure is fixed Upon the tenth of Next Month, When I intend leaving paris, and Immediately Embarking for America—My Course will be straight to Pottowmack, and I do Most feelingly Anticipate the pleasure of our Meeting at Mount Vernon —there is Nothing New in france, But that the Affair of the free Ports is Quite Settled, and that Nothing yet Has Been done...
392To George Washington from Charles-Louis de Montesquieu, 15 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
Si mon Sang eut coulé, dans la guerre ou Votre Excellence assura dune maniere Si glorieuse la liberté de l’Amerique, je réclamerois avec plus de confiance les marques de l’association dont elle a décoré quelques Colonels francois. j’appris en arrivant en france, que javois ete nommé Colonel en Second du Regiment de Bourbonnois, le 11 de novembre 1782. le vicomte de Rochambeau venoit detre...
393To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 15 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you will receive a letter, which fell into my hands from a gentleman, lately arrived from England. Colo. Bassett is here, and I shall prepare a deed to be executed for the whole of the lands, adjudged to him against you. I was not satisfied, that the proof, which you sent me of improvements, was agreeable to law, tho’ the fact would certainly have acquitted some of the land: and...
394To George Washington from Armand, 16 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
nothing pain me more than to trouble so often your Exellency in requesting new favors while I feel shur if I live long my days will hardly be sufficiant to thank you for thoses you have allready bestowed on me, more particularly thoses which were a proof of your friendship—every step I take now with your Exellency is ambarassing to me, and although I hope to succeed, my fear of displeasing is...
395Appendix VI: From Du Bouchet, 17 May (Washington Papers)
Being of all the petitioners for Becoming Members of the association of the Cincinnati, the only officer Whose case stands so pecular as to advocate for an exception to the General Rules of the society, I ardently Beg your Excellency to Be pleased to Reccollect, that I have on no other purpose, that to Get admittance to the order, Cross’d the atlantick, and that Returning home disapointed in...
396Appendix X: From Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, 17 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to adresse your Excellency with the inclosed letter from mr duBouchet, who his one of the officer whose particular cases have moved the french Comitee in favour of thier claimes, his suspecting that there as Been in the assembly some opposition to his claimes, is the accasion for is troubling your Excellency with a second adresse —and I could not But Be Confident that your...
397To George Washington from Edward Snickers, 17 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
I fulley intendid to aweaighted on you to pay you the Respeckte Due you and to Do Sume bisnees but finding by the paper that you wase not at home and parte of my Bisnees wase to no hume is to make the Deeds for the Lande you Solde at Coll mercers Salle and I have gote the five Lotes that Mr James mercer Boughte and Lote number one that William Hickman Boughte and the Lote number 21 which...
398To George Washington from Armand, 18 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to inclose here a lettre from my mother to your Excellency. I had it for some weeks past in my possession, but as she request in it your patronage of my services in america with the ministre in france, and knowing well as I do, that a tryal of any influence, stranger to your own knowledge of my Conduct would have been disagreeable to you; I did not wish to deliver it untill...
399To George Washington from David Humphreys, 18 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
A few hours after your departure, I received a private communication from a friend in Congress informing me of my appointment as Secretary to the Commissioners for forming Commercial Treaties in Europe —Tho’ pleased with the information I considered myself as unfortunate in not having recd the Letter while your Excellency remained in Town—because I wished to avail myself of Letters of...
400To George Washington from Jean Baptiste Mailhe, 19 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
What higher honor, than the Cincinnatus of America, can be bestowed on the man, who, after avenging the cause of liberty, and establishing the supremacy of his country, by a voluntary act, reduced himself to the condition of a private man? The discourse I venture to present you with, is infinitely below the greatness of the subject: but, it is at least, a sincere testimony, of the general...