1To George Washington from Francis Deakins, 28 December 1797–7 January 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Francis Deakins, 28 Dec. 1797–7 Jan. 1798. On 15 Jan. 1798 GW wrote Deakins : “Your letter of the 28th of Decr with a P.S. of the 7th instt was delivered to me the 12th.”
2To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 30 December 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Alexander Spotswood, 30 Dec. 1797. On 9 Jan. GW wrote Spotswood : “A few days ago, Mr [William] Herbert handed me your letter of the 30th ulto.”
3To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 28 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 18th I duly received. I could not obtain from the Auditors Office the information you desire, so as to communicate it by this post, nor do I expect to receive it for some days—The Auditor promises to give it me as soon as his other business will permit, which he thinks will be in the course of a week or ten days, observing at the same time that you cannot be injured by the...
4To George Washington from Lafayette, 27 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
It is a Melancholy thought to Me that While I Could Be So Happy at Mount Vernon, I am Still Almost As much Separated from you as I have Been for five Years in the Coalitionary prisons—But Altho’ I Lament, yet I Cannot Repent the determination we Have Been obliged to take—Much Less on Account of My Health which Has Been Recovering fast Enough, than for the very Bad and Lingering Condition in...
5To George Washington from James Wilkinson, 26 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Should this Letter be presented to you, it will be from the Hands of the Miamis Chief the Little Turtle, who in ballancing between a visit to the Town of Boston, or Mount Vernon, has decided in favor of your Seat. I think Sir, you will find Ideas more correct, and a mind more capacious in this Chief, than any of his race. It was He who conducted the action of the 4th November against Genl St...
6To George Washington from Joseph Cooke, 25 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Permit a Mecanick Formerly in yr Imploy To Take the Liberty of wishing you & Famley the Compliments of The sesaon & many hapy Returns Theaerof—and at the Saem time to Inform you that from various Lossis & misfortunes of this life that I have been Oblidged to Sell all my property For to Sadisfie my Crs. & of Coures unable From want of Cap[ita]l to Carey on my former Buisness and That I have Com...
7From George Washington to Thomas Law, 25 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 22d instt came to hand last night. The Pointer shall be taken care of at this place until you may find it convenient to send for him; for he certainly would not long remain with Mr Atkinson if sent thither, and if he should not return here again, it is more than probable he would be carried off by some Waggoner or Waterman from Alexandria and be lost to you. It is very...
8To George Washington from Alexandria Masons, 22 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
The Members of Lodge No. 22 Solicit your Company, to Partake of a refreshment at Mr Gadsby’s Tavern, on the 27th Inst, at 6 OClock in the Evening in Celebration of the Anniversary of Saint John—on behalf of the Brethren. Henry Rose } Managers G. Deneale Wm. B. Page Robt Young W. Jones M. Flanery L , DLC:GW . The letter is dated “22 Decr 5797.” The Ancient Craft Masons commence their era with...
9To George Washington from Burwell Bassett, Jr., 22 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 13th reached me to day you would not have been disappointed in your expectation of hearing the event of my application to Major Burwell but that I had not an answer myself untill meeting with him here a few days scince when he told me the supposed desire in him to part with his cook was a mistake. Colo: Finne shall have your answer. The time of the Legislature have been hitherto...
10To George Washington from Thomas Law, 22 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am favored with your informn respectg my Pointer which I was afraid had been stolen—you will oblige me by ordering it when any one goes to Alexandria to be delivered to Guy Atkinson. Eliza joins me in expressing affe. regards & a grateful sense of your kindnesses—We unite in wishing you & Mrs Washington health & happiness for many Years to come, & that you may enjoy the pleasing prospect of...
11From George Washington to James Anderson, 21 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
As the present year is about to close, it is my desire that all the accompts from the commencement of your Management, up to the first of January, may be fully stated and laid before me on, or about that day. In doing this, I shall expect to see, at one view, all the monies which you have received, and all that you have expended (on my a/c); together with the balances which may be due for...
12To George Washington from George Washington Motier Lafayette, 21 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
You will I have no doubt be surprized, to receive a letter from me dated from an English port, and I myself little expected to have wrote to you, from this place, we have had a very long and disagreable passage. In the Ocean we had a contrary wind, for twenty days together which at last carried us to the north of the scilly Islands. we had then to sail back again round them to enter the...
13To George Washington from Gustavus Scott, 21 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am happy to have it in my power to inform you that by the casting vote of the Speaker of the house of Representatives We have succeeded in our Application for a Loan for the City: the Resolution has also past the other branch without Opposition. Interesting as this Measure is to the U.S. I can not deny myself the Pleasure of communicating it to you. I shall remain here untill a final...
14From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 18 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 26th Ulto came safe in the usual course of the Mail, and about a week ago Mrs Forbes arrived; and from her appearance, and conduct hitherto, gives satisfaction to your Aunt. Having, as she says, obtained ten dollars of you, to defray her expences to this place; I herein return them, with thanks for the aid it afforded to get her here. and as you may have paid for the copies...
15Martha Washington to Elizabeth Willing Powel, 17 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
It is unnecessary, I persuade myself to assure you, that with whatsoever pleasure your letters may be received, the satisfaction to be derived from them, will fall far short of that which your company wd give: but as stern winter (which has commenced with uncommon severity) has closed all expectation of the latter, I can only offer my thanks for your kind remembrance of us in your letter of...
16From George Washington to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 17 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 24th Ulto has been duly received; but one cause or another has prevented the acknowledgment until now, when I thank you for the Presidents Speech which it enclosed, and your obliging offer to render me any services I might need, in Phila. One reason why I did not sooner notice the offer of a Mr Barker—to pay you on my A/c $500 in behalf of Colonl Shreve, was my expectation...
17To George Washington from William Strickland, 16 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
The object of the present letter is little more than to acknowledge the receipt of his of July 15. sorry to find the seeds I gave him have not grown—tho conveyed in a box in the Cabbin—have experienced the difficulty of conveying seeds across the Atlantic. Hope Mr Smith will find an opportunity to wait upon him—he will find him capable of communicating much that is valuable. Mr Parsons has...
18From George Washington to Richard Parkinson, 15 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Since my last of the 28th Ult., a copy of which you will find on the other side, I have received your letter of the 27th of Septr to which, I find little to add, further than to assure you, that it would be very pleasing to me to have my Farms in the hands of skilful Agriculturalists, who are able, & willing, to manage them properly. Such, if their capital be sufficient to afford me the...
19To George Washington from George Gilpin, 14 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Peter has been with me to enquire my Opinion about the State of the navigation with respect to the Ice, one Ship and two brigs & Several other Vessells have waited for Some days for the River to Clear to morrow they intend to try, but I think it is not Safe for a Scow to Venture[.] two days hence if this weather hold I think She may Venture. I tryed for three days past to get a Craft to go to...
20To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 14 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am just honoured with your letter of the 11th. The William Penn will, I am told, sail from this port directly for London, in two days, if the present soft weather continues. If I am disappointed in this conveyance, I will send the letters for Mr King & sir John Sinclair to New-York, to be forwarded by the first vessel for London. The letter for Mr Murray I shall forward in like manner by the...
21From George Washington to Burwell Bassett, 13 December 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Burwell Bassett, Jr., 13 Dec. 1797. On 22 Dec. Bassett wrote GW : “Yours of the 13th reached me to day.”
22From George Washington to Timothy Pickering, 11 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
At the sametime that I acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 20th Ulto enclosing a translation of the Spanish letter and one from Mr King, let me beg the favour of you to forward those which go under cover with this, to their respective Addresses, along with your own if you should have occasion to write soon to our public characters abroad; or by the first conveyances if you should...
23From George Washington to James Keith, 10 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have just concluded a bargain with Mr James Welch of Greenbrier County, for four tracts of land of which I am possessed on the River Kanhawa, & in the County of Kanhawa (as you will see by the Patents, & Conveyance herewith enclosed) on the following terms; that is to say, I agree to lease the said lands, to the saidjames [Welch], for the term of 30 years; to commence on the 1st day of...
24To George Washington from John Nicholas, 9 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your’s of the 30th Ultimo came safe to hand; and altho’, from a view of the papers inclosed, Mr Langhorne was not so direct in his scheme for extracting something from you to answer the purposes of those to whom I know him to be a servile tool; yet from the fulsome contents of his letter to you, & my knowledge of his sentiments being in direct contradiction to those contained in that letter,...
25To George Washington from James Welch, 9 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
I am Satisfyed to lease your Lands Agreeable to Your proposition in part that is I am Willing to comply with your first proposition I’ll give You $5000 for the first year the lease to commence in Ja[nuar]y 1st 1798 & $8000 for the 2nd Year—$11143 After that Yearly for the Term of 30 Years at the Expiration of which time I will pay You Annually $22286 untill the Expiration of 99 Years with the...
26From George Washington to James Welch, 7 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have revolved the subject of our yesterdays conversation, and as you disclosed a spirit of liberality in it, I wish we may agree; but I shall inform you with frankness that to part with the fee simple in my Kanhawa lands is the greatest impediment in the way of our bargaining; and I will, as frankly assign the reasons. It has got about, I do not know how, that eight dollars pr acre is the...
27From George Washington to Rufus King, 6 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 6th of September has been duly received, and for the information contained in the enclosure, respecting Genl Lafayette, I offer you my thanks. The footing on which his releasement is placed by the Emperor, & the succeeding event in Paris, on the 4th of September, renders his proceedings after he gets to Hamburgh, problematical. Should these circumstances (for it is not easy...
28From George Washington to Lafayette, 5 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Not knowing when, where or whether ever this letter may reach your hands the contents will be small, and the purport merely congratulatory on your releasement from a cruel imprisonment; the official acct of which we have at length received. On what principle you have under gone this rigorous treatment, I have been unable to divine, but be this as it may, no one rejoices more than I do that a...
29From George Washington to George Washington Motier Lafayette, 5 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
With that pleasure which I shall always feel at hearing from you, or of any thing which may contribute to your happiness, I received your several letters from New York—dated in October, and that of the 2d of November from Sea, by Mr Latimer. If my best vows would have contributed to a prosperous Voyage, and a happy meeting with your Parents and Sisters in France, both must have happened to the...
30From George Washington to Felix Frestel, 4 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your conjunct letters from New York, and 2nd of Novr from Sea, and your separate letter of the 22d of October from the former place, have all been received with that satisfaction which I shall always feel in hearing that you are well, & happy; as I sincerely wish you may be in a meeting of your friends in the bosom of your native Country. For the flattering terms in which you have expressed...
31From George Washington to John Marshall, 4 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your very interesting and obliging favour of the 15th of September from the Hague, came duly to hand, and I thank you sincerely for the important details with which it is fraught, & pray for the continuance of them. I congratulate you too on your safe arrival from Ship-board; and, as the Newspapers tell us, at Paris; and I wish, a little while hence, I may have it in my power to do the same on...
32From George Washington to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 4 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
With much pleasure I received your letter of the 19th of September from Rotterdam; and that pleasure proceeded in a great measure from the congeniality of sentiments which prevail between you and Genl Marshall; having taken the liberty of introducing him to you as a Gentleman, in whom you might place entire confidence. What has been the reception of the Embassy by the French Directory, is, to...
33From George Washington to Charles Carter, 3 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
I was very glad to find by your favour of the 14th Ulto that you and Mrs Carter had returned in safety to your own fireside before the commencement of the freezing spell in which we are now inclosed. I can assure you, my good Sir, that I felt myself much honoured and flattered by the friendly visit you made me, and regretted the shortness of it, and your not bringing Mrs Carter with you. You...
34From George Washington to Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., 3 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 18th of June has been duly received, and gave us the first certain account of your arrival in Holland, which we received with pleasure. My family are much as you left them, and my avocations being altogether of a domestic nature, I concern myself little in matters beyond my outer Inclosures; indeed I find enough to do within them, for upon a more critical examination of my...
35From George Washington to Louis La Colombe, 3 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 21st Ulto came duly to hand; for the pleasing and interesting contents of it, I offer you my best thanks; notwithstanding I had received, by the same Mail, similar accounts from our Ministers at London & the Hague, inclosing extracts of letters to them from the Consul of the United States at Hamburgh. I congratulate with you, on the happy event of the liberation of our...
36From George Washington to William Vans Murray, 3 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favors of the 26th of August (and a duplicate) and 16th and 17th of Septr with the enclosures, have been duly received; and meet, as they ought, my particular thanks. The letter alluded to in the first, is yet missing, but may, notwithstanding, get to hand. I feel much obliged by your polite attention to me; and though in retirement, you can receive little more in return from me than...
37To George Washington from James Craik, 1 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Every Since the rect of your Letter yesterday I have been trying to obtain the necessary information, which you required; but cannot say that I have recd any Satisfactory information with regard to the Person—He says himself that he is an honest man but Some Seems to doubt it—He has been trading with Some of the people in Town but I have not been able to learn ⟨any⟩ thing from any of them...
38From George Washington to James Welch, 1 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your proposition to Lease my several tracts of Land on the Great Kanhawa, containing by the Patents 23216 acres, being handed to me by Mr James Cooper while I had company, and was just going to dinner, allowed me scarcely time to make a few hasty remarks then; nor am I much better enabled now I have considered them, to answer your propo[sa]l —first, because I do not understand the principle...
39From George Washington to James Craik, 30 November 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to James Craik, 30 Nov. 1797. On 1 Dec. Craik wrote GW : “Every Since the rect of your Letter yesterday. . . .”
40From George Washington to John Nicholas, 30 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I know not how to thank you sufficiently, for the kind intention of your obliging favour of the 18th instant. If the object of Mr Langhorne, who to me, in person & character, is an entire stranger, was such as you suspect, it will appear from my answer to his letter, that he fell far short of his mark. But as the writer of it seems to be better known to you, and that you may be the better...
41To George Washington from James Welch, 29 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I will lease Your Land on the Great Kanawa (viz.) 23,000 Acres in the Manner following (to Wit) I will give You Annually $9583.34 C. The lease to Commence in the Year 1800 And I will pay you in the following Manner[:] in the Year 1801 $19,166.68. the next payment to be made 1807 [$] 47,916.70. In the Year 1810 [$]28,750.[0]2. And after that time I will pay Annually [$]9583.34 for 30 Years &...
42From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 28 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have lately received a letter from a Mr Small of Philadelphia, informing me that the Coach I used in the City, was yet unsold; that it was accumulating expence; and not more than two hundred dollars had been offered for it; when, according to his acct $300 was the value fixed thereon. I intended to have sent his letter to you, but it has been mislaid, or lost. I shall beg the favour of you,...
43From George Washington to Richard Parkinson, 28 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter dated “Doncaster August 28th 1797” has been received. In answer thereto, I inform you, that I had engaged my largest farm to a Gentleman in the vicinity of it for the ensuing year (on the terms mentioned in the plan I took the liberty of transmitting to Sir John Sinclair, and which, having seen as you say, it is unnecessary for me to detail) but some circumstances afterwards...
44From George Washington to John Sinclair, 28 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
The Copy of Mr Parkinson’s letter and my answer both of which are enclosed for your perusal and the letter to be forwarded is the best apology I can offer for giving you the Trouble of this Address. As he has taken the liberty of naming you as a Gentleman to whom he is well known I have followed his example (as he writes to me on an interesting subject) in doing the Same to enquire if he...
45To George Washington from Burwell Bassett, Jr., 26 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have to day seen Mrs Forbes who accounts for her delay in geting to Mount Vernon from disappointments by Mr Brokes not having paid her some moneys he is in her debt and without which she cannot come up, but promises to be ready to take the stage early in the week after this if she can be furnished with money for her expences which Mr B. Washington has promised to do and also myself, that she...
46To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 26 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I was very much surprized yesterday to meet with Mrs Forbes at my office—I had no doubt of her having been long since at Mount Vernon. She came to account for her being still in Richmond, to express her anxiety to get up, and her inability to do so from the want of mony. This latter circumstance astonished me still more, as Mr Brook (who she informs me is her debtor[)], promised to furnish her...
47From George Washington to James Anderson, 25 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have given the scheme which you put into my hands for renting some of my land on the Great Kanhawa, such consideration as time and circumstances would permit. What follows is the result. To require such a rent, and to make it progressive to a certain period as is digested in your Plan of a Rental in a country abounding in unsettled Lands which are open to every purchaser on a more moderate...
48To George Washington from James Welch, 24 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
Sir, I will lease Your Land on the Great Kanawa for 99 Years (Viz.) 23,000 Acres for which I will give You £50 ⅌ Thousand Yearly which will amount to £1150 ⅌ Year[.] Total amount 113,850. AL , DLC:GW . On this day James Welch came to Mount Vernon with a letter from Daniel Morgan dated 30 Oct., introducing him as a man “in trade at greenbrear court house” who had come to him with “letters from...
49To George Washington from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 24 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
After a painful & inconvenient dispersion the public Officers have returned to this City & resumed business; Congress has at length formed; the Presidents speech at the opening of the Session is inclosed. It is certain that the Envoys have reached Paris; the report that they have been refered to Fauchet & Adet is not confirmed; though by many it is considered as probable. A Mr Barker, offered...
50From George Washington to John Fitzgerald, William Herbert, and George Gilpin, 22 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
On Monday last, in Alexandria, Colo. Marstellar applied to me to rent my lot with the house on it in that place for three years, from the expiration of the year for wch it is now engaged (at Sixty pounds until Feby). I answered, that I was well disposed to receive him as a tenant and for the term above mentioned, but was unable to fix the rent then; being unacquainted with such as were usual...