451From George Washington to George Augustine Washington, 27 May 1787 (Washington Papers)
In my last I acknowledged the receipt of your first letter; and I have now to do that of the 20th instt. And once for all I will desire that you will not let your anxiety to carry on my business well, or fatigue in the accomplishment of it, go too far. This would not serve me, and may injure yourself. By attempting too much you may get sick, and do nothing effectual for me or yourself. It gave...
452From George Washington to George Steptoe Washington, 27 February 1787 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to George Steptoe Washington, 27 Feb. 1787. On 2 Mar. George Steptoe Washington wrote GW : “I receiv’d your letter dated 27th Feby.”
453From George Washington to Lund Washington, 7 May 1787 (Washington Papers)
Company, and several other matters which pressed upon me yesterday, and which has obliged me to postpone my gourney a day longer is the reason why I did not acknowledge the receipt of your letter by Ned. I need not tell you, because a moments recurrance to your own accounts will evince the fact, that there is no source from which I derive more then a sufficienty for the daily calls of my...
454From George Washington to Mary Ball Washington, 15 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of your communication to George Washington, of your want of money, I take the (first safe) conveyance by Mr John Dandridge to send you 15 Guineas which believe me is all I have and which indeed ought to have been paid many days ago to another agreeable to my own assurances. I have now demands upon me for more than 500£ three hundred and forty odd of which is due for the tax of...
455From George Washington to Warner Washington, 9 November 1787 (Washington Papers)
Having received an Official acct (from Mr Athawes) of the death of Colo. Geo: Wm Fairfax, together with the enclosed letter, I take the safe conveyance afforded by Mr Muse, of forwarding them to you. On this occasion I sincerely condole with Mrs Washington and yourself. Colo. Fairfax has appointed me an Executor of his Will in this Country; but the multiplicity, & perplexed state of my own...
456From George Washington to William Washington, 17 September 1787 (Washington Papers)
The Coachmaker who have furnished me with the enclosed Card have done work for me and having executed it well—and promising to work as cheap [as] any others in the City, I do their request, recommend them, that if you, or any of your friends should have occasion for Carriages you may if you think proper apply to them. with affectionate regard I am &c. LB , DLC:GW . The addressee probably is...
457From George Washington to Noah Webster, 4 November 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 17th ulto, together with your remarks on the proposed Constitution; for which you will please to accept my best acknowledgments—and the assurance of being Sir AL[S] , NN : Washington Collection. Letter not found. Webster published in Philadelphia on 17 Oct. his 55–page pamphlet entitled An Examination into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution...
458From George Washington to George Weedon, 25 March 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favor of the 19th. and thank you for the trouble you have taken to procure for me the Jerusalem Artichoke, but as Captn. Grymes has been so obliging as to send me five Bushels of them which I expect are enough to plant an acre of ground (which will be sufficient to make the experiment I had in contemplation) as there is no way of getting them but by the Stage or sending on...
459From George Washington to George Weedon, 3 December 1787 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 25th Ulto enclosing the proceedings of the Cincinnati of this State, which I am much obliged to you for forwarding to me. I will, agreeable to your request, send some cuttings of the Golden willow to Alexandria to be forwarded to you, but I imagine this is an improper season to put them out, for as they are to be propagated from the slip the spring seems to...
460From George Washington to James Wood, 29 October 1787 (Washington Papers)
I beg you to accept my thanks for the friendly information contained in your letter of the 20th Instt but from an entire unacquaintedness with business of the land office, since the Alterations which have taken place consequent of the Revolution, I really know not how to avail myself of it. The case you allude to is—on the 2d of April 1752—I surveyed for one Thomas Mullen (under authority of...
461From George Washington to Arthur Young, 1 November 1787 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 1st of Feby came to hand about the middle of May last. An absence of more than four months from home, will be the best apology I can make for my silence ’till this time. The Grain, Grass-seeds, Ploughs &ca arrived at the sametime agreeable to the list; but some of the former were injured (as will always be the case) by being put into the hold of the Vessel; however, upon the...
462The New Jersey Plan, 15 June 1787 (Washington Papers)
[Philadelphia, 15 June 1787]. GW made and retained a copy of Propositions from the Delegates of New Jersey to the Convention which William Paterson presented on 15 June. AD , DLC:GW . GW probably made his copy of the New Jersey plan of government on the day that William Paterson presented it to the Convention. On 15 June Madison reports: “Mr. Patterson, laid before the Convention the plan...
463The Virginia Plan, 29 May 1787 (Washington Papers)
[Philadelphia, c.29 May 1787]. GW’s Copy of the Original Plan for a New Government as Given into Convention by the State of Virginia appears in CD-ROM:GW . AD , DLC:GW . It is not known when GW made his copy of the document, but as a member of the Virginia delegation, he probably made it before Edmund Randolph presented the Virginia Plan to the Convention on 29 May. Randolph’s copy of the...
464Notes on the Sentiments on the Government of John Jay, Henry Knox, and James Madison, April 1787 (Washington Papers)
Mr Jay Does not think the giving any further powers to Congress will answer our purposes. for among reasons, Because some of the members will have partial & personal purposes in View; which, and ignorance—prejudice and interested views of others will always embarrass those who are well disposed. Because Secrecy and dispatch will be too uncommon—and foreign as well as local interests will...
465Draft of the Federal Constitution: Report of Committee of Style, 12 September 1787 (Washington Papers)
[12 September 1787]. GW (or, in a few instances, the secretary of the convention William Jackson) entered on his printed copy of the draft of the Constitution presented to the Convention on 12 Sept. by the committee of style, all of the various changes in form and content adopted by the Convention between 12 and 15 Sept. when the Constitution took its final form. D , DLC:GW . On 8 Sept. the...
466Philadelphia Cash Accounts, 9 May–22 September 1787 (Washington Papers)
Money recd by me from sundry persons while in Philadelphia between May 27th & Septr 18th Cash May 27— To Mr Mathew Whiting for Mr William Hunter Junr’s Draft on Robt Morris Esqr. 50. 0. 0 To The Estate of Jno. Parke Custis Esqr. recd from Doctr Stuart by Alexr Donnald Esqr. for his draft on Robt Morris Esqr. 894 85/90 Dolls. & Mr Morris’s Note for 200 Dollars 410.12. 0 June 8— To the State...
467Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
Editorial Note David Humphreys wrote GW from France on 30 Sept. 1784 about the utility of having a biography of George Washington, particularly one written by GW himself. In early 1785 Humphreys began suggesting himself as a possible biographer, to which GW agreed ( Humphreys to GW, 15 Jan. 1785 , GW to Humphreys, 25 July 1785 ). Humphreys apparently started work on the biography when he...
468Draft of the Federal Constitution: Report of Committee of Detail, 6 August 1787 (Washington Papers)
6 August 1787. On 6 Aug. John Rutledge delivered the report of the “Committee of detail” in the form of a printed draft of the proposed federal constitution and provided copies for the members. GW and the secretary of the Convention, William Jackson, entered on one printed copy those deletions and additions that were adopted by the Convention between 6 Aug. and 3 Sept. and were included in the...