31To George Washington from John Fitzgerald, 20 January 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Fitzgerald, 20 Jan. 1798. On Monday, 22 Jan., GW wrote Fitzgerald and referred to “your letter of Saturday.”
32To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 20 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive your letter of the 12th covering one for Mr Williams, late American Consul at Hamburg. He is appointed to succeed Mr Johnson in the Consulate in London, and in connection therewith, on the pressing application of Mr King, and indirectly of Mr Gore, to whom Mr Williams is personally and intimately known, to the agency of Mr Bayard, who has resigned. I shall therefore...
33To George Washington from Alexander White, 20 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
After writing you on the 8th instant I concluded to remain till we should know the sentiments of the Presidt on the subject mentioned in that letter—had he written in course of Post, we should have had his answer on Wednesday Week, but we have not yet heard from him—The Mail which ought to have come in yesterday did not arrive till this Evening I think it in vain to wait longer, and shall set...
34To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 21 January 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Bushrod Washington, 21 Jan. 1798. On 30 Jan. GW wrote Bushrod Washington : “your letter of the 21st instant was received.”
35From George Washington to James Ross, 22 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 12th Instt has been duly received; and an Order from the Treasury of the United States on the Collector of the Port of Alexandria for $1,961.30 has also been received; a receipt for which (for your satisfaction, or that of Colo. Shreve) is herein enclosed; with my acknowledgments, & thanks for your kindness in negociating this business for me. The delay, occasioned by the...
36From George Washington to David Stuart, 22 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Washington leaves this today, on a visit to Hope Park; which will afford you an opportunity to examine the progress he has made in the studies he was directed to pursue. I can, and I believe do, keep him in his room a certain portion of the 24 hours, but it will be impossible for me to make him attend to his Books if inclination, on his part, is wanting: nor while I am out, if he chuses to be...
37From George Washington to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 22 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 12th instant enclosing one from Mr Ross, and the Treasurers draught on Colo. Fitzgerald for $1,961.30, came duly to hand; & for your kindness in thus accomodating me with the Order, in lieu of the like sum received from Mr Ross on my account, I feel much obliged. In the enclosed letter which I have taken the liberty of putting under cover to you (that I may be certain of its...
38To George Washington from Alexandria Poor Relief Committee, 24 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
We the Committee with whom the donation from you for the poor of this place was entrusted, beg leave to inform you in what manner that trust has been discharged. Inclosed is a list of the persons who have been relieved; and of the Sums given to each. Some of the persons in the inclosed list are widows with Children; others have sick husbands and Children to support; all of them are extremely...
39To George Washington from John Mason, 24 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
The Letter you did me the honor to write me on the 2d Inst. reached me at Annapolis, in due time, on the Day after its date. It had the fullest Effect to do away an opinion with some that you were not so sanguine as formerly as to the Importance of the Potomak Navigation & disposed many to be more friendly to the Petition of the Company, but unfortunately for some time before, the Members in...
40To George Washington from James Welch, 24 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty of sending to you for Copies of the Plats of the Land I leased of you[.] Doctor James Craig informs me you have Copies of the Plats. I’ll take Particular care of them & return them to you as quick as I get them Copyed, a few days ago I happened in Company with Mr Joseph Massey Surveyer in the North Western Territory he mentioned that You wou’d not hold the Lands you claim’d...
41To George Washington from William Gordon, 25 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your friendly letter of 15th Ocr last was highly acceptable, but before I enter upon a particular answer I mean to transcribe one of our friend Monsr La Fayette’s dated two days before. Upon hearing He was safe in the neighbourhood of Hamburgh I wrote to him on the 9th of Novr to which he answered from Lehmkhul near Ploin, as follows “My dear Sir With heart-felt satisfaction I have received...
42From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 25 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
The period for payment of the second Instalment of your Bond is past, & the first Instalment is only partially complied with. Mr Simms’ note, endorsed by you for $1000, is protested at the Bank, where it was deposited for collection. It Cannot be more unpleasant for you to hear, than for me to remind you of these things, but it is necessary for me to do so, & to express a hope that some...
43From George Washington to Robert Lewis, 26 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
The return of your brother Howel, affords me a direct & safe opportunity of enquiring whether any, and if any, what money you have of mine in your hands? What are your prospects of collecting the past years Rents, seasonably —and when I may look for the receipt of them? I have been induced, by the experience & advice of my Manager, Mr Anderson—to erect a large Distillery at my Mill; and have...
44To George Washington from Albin Rawlins, 26 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
In Octr last my brother who lives at this place was desired by General Spotswood to procure a young man of good character for him whom he said was to live with you: I was applied to by my brother to know, if I wou’d live with you or not. I told him I shou’d prefer living with you to any other—he then wrote General Spotswood he had a brother who appeared desirous to live with yourself, and...
45To George Washington from David Stuart, 26 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I find it a subject far from easy, to say what I think had best be done with Washington—His habits and inclinations are so averse to all labour and patient investigation, that I must freely declare it as my opinion that not much is to be expected from any plan—I had got his Mother on former occasions to add the weight of her injunctions to my advice and remonstrances. He has allways appeared...
46To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 27 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
In my last I forgot to mention, that Mr Nancrede from Boston, had just left with the three volumes of the Studies of Nature which he dedicated to you, without your permission, but for which you desired me to subscribe, in your behalf. I did so. But the set he has left with me for you are elegantly bound in red Morocco and gilt; and from the manner of the delivery (sending them to my house...
47From George Washington to Winthrop Sargent, 27 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
A few days since, a Mr Jos[ep]h Massey (said to be a Surveyor) of the North Western Territory, passed through Alexandria on his way to Philadelphia, and there said to a Gentleman, without assigning reasons, or having them asked, that I should lose my lands on the little Miami in that Country. Never having heard of any claim to it, or being able to conjecture on what ground it can be...
48From George Washington to George Thacher, 27 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
It is not long since the Papers herewith sent have been in my possession, altho’ from the date they bear, one would be led to think otherwise. If the statements are just, the case merits attention; and as Mr Goodwin has mistaken the road by which the application (if redress can be afforded) is to be made, I have taken the liberty of transmitting them to you, on the supposition that he is a...
49From George Washington to James McHenry, 28 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Knowing that the War Office has an Agency in the Western Lands, I take the liberty of putting the enclosed letters to General Putnam and Colo. Sargent under cover to you, open. By doing so, it supercedes the necessity of a repetition of what is therein mentioned. Another reason for giving you this trouble, is, that if Mr Massey is a Surveyor in the Northwestern Territory, it is highly probable...
50From George Washington to Rufus Putnam, 28 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
The letter, of which the enclosed is a copy, I had written to Colo. Sargant; but it having occurred to me since, that if my right to the Lands therein mentioned should be called in question—or any ungenerous advantage attempted to be taken from any defect, or informality in my title, of which, and the ground on which it is questioned I am entirely in the dark, that it must, in some shape or...
51From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 29 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 16th has been received, & the Music Strings came safe. If you conceive any advantage will result from a delay in the sale of the old Coach, until the Spring, it will be quite agreeable to me that it should be postponed. To avoid the accumulating expence of Ho. room, and the injury such articles sustain by lying, & often by neglect & tossing about was my inducement to the...
52To George Washington from Rufus King, 29 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor today to receive your Letter concerning young la fayette, who arrived at Calais about three weeks since—this I have learnt from an american who saw him there. As it was well known in France that his father & family are in Holstein, I presume that the young man must have left France, and gone to his family—I understand that General La fayette intends imbarking for america Early...
53From George Washington to Frederick Kitt, 29 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 15th instant has been duly received, and we were glad to hear that you & Mrs Kitt were well, and had escaped the malady with which the City has been afflicted. But sorry to be informed that two, who had been my domestics, had fallen victims to it. Continue your enquiries, I pray you, after Herculas; and if you should find it necessary, hire some one who is most likely to be...
54From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 30 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I had heard with much concern, before your letter of the 21st instant was received, of your illness; and congratulate you on your recovery. Be careful in guarding against a relapse, by taking cold. I hope my letter of the 19th of this month got safe to your hands (by the Post); contained therein, were $120 to enable you to do the needful relative to the taxes of my Western Lands; accompanied...
55To George Washington from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 30 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favour of the 22d instant and feel much chagrin that I did not reply to your private Note: the fact is, that I destroyed it, after perusal & forgot the contents at the time I wrote: Mr Biddies Credit is as good as it has ever been; the misfortunes of the times have rendered his business more profitable than usual—he is understood to possess a handsome property. No Letters have...
56Robert Lewis to GW, 31 January 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: Robert Lewis to GW, 31 Jan. 1798. On 11 Feb. GW wrote Lewis : “Your letter of the 31st Ulto came safe to hand.”
57From George Washington to Albin Rawlins, 31 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 26th instant came to my hands yesterday. There has been some misconception of the application from General Spotswood to your Brother, for it was not a person to be employed in writing and riding he was desired to enquire after—but for a house keeper—or, if a housekeeper could not be had—then for a man who was qualified for the Office of Butler—who could set out a...
58From George Washington to James Anderson, 1 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Observations in going over Mr Andersons Accounts 1. That there is no Cash A/c raised in his Ledger, which is as essential as any other A/c; because, in a greater or less degree, it is the foundation of all others, or nearly allied to them: and is the one from whence the balance of the receipts and expenditures of money is to appear. And if a column in this a/c be instituted for correspondent...
59To George Washington from James McHenry, 1 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have been for a long time past so hurried and so loaded with business as not to have a moment which I could devote to private correspondence. This is not an apology for neglect or indolence. I am exceedingly sorry it is true, because I foresee, it may without some change become quite unsupportable. Enjoy your happy situation; or if it is to be disturbed, let it be only by transient domestic...
60To George Washington from James McHenry, 1 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have received this moment your letter of the 28th ulto. The land business being with Mr Wolcott I shall give him the letters and see that they are forwarded by to-morrows mail and the inquiry aluded to made of the Deputy Surveyor if found. Munroe’s memoir has been little read and has made no converts to his party. He has I think sunk in the public opinion. Fauchets publication has done no...