451From 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...
452From 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...
453To 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,...
454To 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...
455From 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...
456From 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...
457From 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.”
458To 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...
459To 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...
460From 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...
461To 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...
462Martha 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...
463From 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...
464From 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...
465From 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...
466To 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...
467To 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...
468To 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...
469To 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...
470To 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...
471To 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...
472From 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...
473To 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...
474To 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...
475To 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.”
476To 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...
477To 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.”