31From George Washington to George Clinton, 20 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
I promised you a letter by the last Post, but it was not in my power to fulfill it, business not my own, & with which I really ought not to be troubled, engrosses so large a portion of my time (having no assistance) that that which is essential to me, is entirely neglected. I now send you Hooe & Harrisons second Bill upon Mr Sylvanus Dickenson; altho’ I hope, & expect the first will have been...
32From George Washington to George Clinton, 8 December 1784 (Washington Papers)
When the Marqs de la Fayette left this place, he expected to embark abt the 14th or 15th Instt on board the Nymph frigate, at New York, for France. Therefore, as this event may have taken place before this letter gets that far, I take the liberty of putting the enclosed packet under cover to you, with a request, if he should have Sailed to forward it by the first French Packet which follows....
33From George Washington to George Clinton, 25 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
A few days ago I had the pleasure to receive your favor of the 12th Instt. Altho’ I felt pain from your Silence, I should have imputed it to any cause rather than a diminution of friendship. The warmth of which I feel too sensibly for you, to harbour a suspicion of the want of it in you, without being conscious of having given cause for the change—having ever flatterd myself that our regards...
34From George Washington to George Clinton, 5 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
A few days ago I had the pleasure to receive your favor of the 5th Ulto—Your other letter of the 26th of December came duely to hand, and should not have remained so long unacknowledged had I not been in daily expectation of accompanying my answer with a remittance. Disappointment followed disappointment, but my expectation being kept up, I delayed writing from one Post day to another until...
35From George Washington to John Craig, 29 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
If I could give you any useful information on the subject of your letter to me, I would do it with pleasure; but, altho’ I have a good general knowledge of the Western Country, I am very little acquainted with local situations—& less with those on the Susquehanna than any other. Monongahela, of which Cheat river is a branch, is gentle in its current—easy of navigation—& besides, is supposed,...
36From George Washington to James Crane, 20 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed letter which is left open for your perusal, will give you my sentiments respecting the sale of the Widow Bartletts Lease. Please to seal, before you send or deliver it. I shall have no objection to a transfer of the purchaser, if likely to fulfill the objects I had in view—& the conditions of the Lease are complied with. I am Sir &c. LB , DLC:GW . James Crane of Berkeley County,...
37From George Washington to Jacob Gerhard Diriks, 15 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 24th of January came duly to hand; but being written in French (a language I do not understand) some time elapsed before an opportunity presented to get it translated—This I hope will be received as an apology for the delay of my answer. However much your merits deserve recommendation—& however pleasing it might be to me to offer my testimony to such facts as have come to my...
38From George Washington to William Drew, 20 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
My inducements to lease Land were, to encourage emigration & to improve my property by planting industrious settlers on it; who, while they were working the soil would, for their own convenience, add value to the Tenements by buildings &c.—with this view I restrained the sale of my leases without my consent. Having premised this, I wou’d next ask if you mean to build & reside on the Land, you...
39From George Washington to James Duane, 10 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed you have my answer to the Acts of your Corporation, which I pray you to present. I thank you for the Arguments & judgment of the Mayor’s Court of the City of New York in the Cause betwn Elizabeth Rutgars & Joshua Waddington —I have read them with all the attention I could give the subject, and though I pretend not to be a competent judge of the Law of Nations, or the principle &...
40From George Washington to Duportail, 20 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
The Marqs de la Fayette who arrived at this place on tuesday last, gave me the pleasure of receiving your letter dated at Paris the 16th of June—& of learning from it, that you had not relinquished the idea of visiting a Country, on whose theatre you have acted a conspicuous part. Be assured Sir, that at whatever time, & under whatever circumstances this may happen, I shall be among the first...
41From George Washington to George William Fairfax, 27 February 1785 (Washington Papers)
In a letter of old date, but lately received, from the Countess of Huntington, she refers me to a letter which her Ladyship says you obligingly undertook to forward to me: never having received one from her to the purport she mentions, there can be no doubt but that this letter with your cover to it, have met the fate of some of mine to you; as I have wrote several within the last twelve or...
42From George Washington to John Filson, 15 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
It was but a few days ago that I was favor’d with your letter of the 8th of Feby accompanied by your Map & history of Kentucke, for which you will please to accept my thanks. Those which you expect were handed to me by Mr Page of Rosewell, are not yet arrived; nor have I heard anything from that gentleman respecting them. Previous to the receipt of the above letter, I had written to you &...
43From George Washington to John Filson, 16 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
I have been favored with two letters from you: that which was first written came last to hand, & neither of them long since. Your history & map of Kentucke I have not yet seen. For the honor you have done me in the dedication of them, you will please to accept my acknowledgments; & for the favourable sentiments you have been so polite as to express for me in both your letters, you have my...
44From George Washington to John Fitzgerald and William Hartshorne, 18 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
At my return from Alexandria yesterday afternoon, I found the letters & papers herewith enclosed. I send the whole, as well private as public—the former for your satisfaction—the latter for you to act upon. As these, with the Maryland Act & resolutions which I left in the hands of Mr Lee for the purpose of communicating them to the Gentn in town (well wishers to the inland navigation of the...
45From George Washington to Thomas Freeman, 23 September 1784 (Washington Papers)
The situation of my affairs on the Western Waters in the State of Pennsylvania & Virginia, requireing a Superintendant; & you having been pleased to accept the appointment, I must beg leave to point out to you the performance of such duties as are particularly necessary. These will be to settle Tenants upon my Land; collect the rents which will arise therefrom—the Debts which will proceed from...
46From George Washington to Thomas Freeman, 11 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
Not having heard a tittle from you since I left Mr Simpsons in Septr last, I wish for the detail of your proceedings in my business since that period, particularly with respect to applications, if any, for my Lands in your neighbourhood or elsewhere, & what has been done with the mill. I have obtained, some time since, a Patent for the round bottom above Captenon, which may be rented upon the...
47From George Washington to William Gordon, 3 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
The last post brought me your favor of the 18th ulto, & gave me the pleasure to hear you were well. My return from our Western territory was sooner than I expected when I left home. The Indians from accounts were in too discontented a mood to have rendered an interview with them agreeable, if chance should have thrown us together. I therefore returned from the Neighbourhood of Fort Pitt, where...
48From George Washington to William Gordon, 8 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to you, I have been favored with several of your letters, which should not have remained so long unacknowledged, had I not been a good deal pressed by matters which could not well be delayed, & because I found a difficulty in complying with your request respecting the profiles—the latter is not in my power to do now, satisfactorily. Some imperfect miniature cuts I send you under...
49From George Washington to William Gordon, 10 August 1784 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to William Gordon, 10 Aug. 1784. On 30 Aug. Gordon wrote to GW : “Your obliging letter of the 10th instt was recd the last thursday.”
50From George Washington to William Gordon, 20 December 1784 (Washington Papers)
I am indebted to you for several letters; & am as much so for the Fish you kindly intended, as if it had actually arrived, & I was in the act of paying my respects to it at table—the chance, however, of doing this would be greater, was it at Boston, than in York-town in this State, where, I am informed it was landed at the time the Marqs de la Fayette did; who proceeded from thence to...
51VII: James Jay’s Copy of His Letter to the Governors of North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, c.20 … (Washington Papers)
If the Plan be adopted, it will give us an opportunity of getting over, with the other Setlers, a number of good manufacturers in any branch of manufactury we please: and of course it will enable us to introduce and establish such manufacturies among us, as the circumstances of our Country will admit of doing with success and advantage. It is an obvious Truth, that a Nation, in order to be...
52VI: Lady Huntingdon’s Circular Letter to the Governors of North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, c.8 … (Washington Papers)
When a Person has no other Object in applying to the Supreme Authority of a State, than to interest the State in an extensive Design, expressly formed to promote the great Cause of Religion and Humanity, there can be no doubt but such an application will be favourably received, though the circumstances of the Country should not permit it to engage in the Undertaking, or to contribute largely...
53From George Washington to William Grayson, 25 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
I will not let your favor of the fifteenth, for which I thank you, go unacknowledged, tho’ it is not in my power to give it the consideration I wish, to comply with the request you have made; being upon the eve of a journey to Richmond to a meeting of the Dismal Swamp company, which by my own appointment is to take place on monday next; & into that part of the country I am hurried by an...
54From George Washington to William Grayson, 22 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your letter, with the Books, Potomac bill & other papers, did not reach this until past eleven o’Clock on monday forenoon; at which hour having set off for Alexandria—I did not receive the dispatches until my return in the evening. The next morning I forwarded the Bill to Messrs Fitzgerald & Hartshorn to act upon, & to get a number of copies struck for promulgation, & the benefit of those who...
55From George Washington to David Griffith, 29 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
Colo. Fitzhugh informs me that the Academy at George town is upon a good establishment—that the Gentn at the head of it is very capable, and clever in conducting of it—that the school is in high estimation, & that the terms are £25 for board, & £6.10 for teaching, Maryland Curry. Under these circumstances, let me pray you to inform Mr Nourse that I think it a desirable place to fix my Nephews...
56From George Washington to Benjamin Harrison, 22 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
It is not easy for me to decide by which my mind was most affected upon the receipt of your letter of the 6th inst.—surprize or gratitude: both were greater than I have words to express. The attention & good wishes which the Assembly have evidenced by their act for vesting in me 150 shares in the navigation of each of the rivers Potomac & James, is more than mere compliment—there is an...
57From George Washington to Benjamin Harrison, 10 October 1784 (Washington Papers)
GW’s letter to Governor Harrison marks his return to public life as the leader of a movement to form a public company for improving the navigation of the upper Potomac and linking it with the waters of the Ohio. He first became deeply involved in schemes for opening up the Potomac in the early 1770s (see particularly the source note and its references in Thomas Johnson to GW, 18 June 1770 )....
58From George Washington to Benjamin Harrison, 22 July 1784 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive your favor of the 2d—What you have asked of the Secretary at War, if obtained, is all I conceive essential to illucidate the accounts of the old & present impositions on the public—the rolls in the pay office might serve as checks to those of the Musters; but where all these are to be met with, I know not, as the Troops of Virginia were, by order of Congress,...
59From George Washington to Reuben Harvey, 25 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
Captain Stickney has presented me with your favor of the 25th of May—together with the mess-beef & ox tongues, for which you will please to accept my best thanks. I do not raise Tobacco on my Estate nor am I possessed of a pound at this time; otherwise I would with pleasure consign a few Hogsheads to your address, under full persuasion, that no person would do me more justice in the sale of...
60From George Washington to John Harvie, 19 March 1785 (Washington Papers)
If I recollect right, I mentioned when I had the pleasure of seeing you at Mr Jones’s the first of last October, that I was reduced to the necessity of bringing ejectments against sundry persons who had taken possession of a tract of Land which I hold, not far from Fort Pitt in the State of Pennsylvania, by Patent under this Governmt for 2813 acres. I have lately received a letter from my...