1From George Washington to James Anderson, 16 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am too much hurried and perplexed by the variety, and importance of the correspondence which I am thrown into, by recent & unexpected events, to find time to be answering long letters of complaint & remonstrances, at my expressing a sentiment at any time, respecting matters in which my interest is deeply concerned; when a personal conversation of five minutes would, at any time, in the...
2From George Washington to James McHenry, 16 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Private & confidential My dear Sir, Mount Vernon 16th Sepr 1798. Your confidential letter—dated Trenton the 10th Instant, with its enclosures, have been duly received. The latter are returned. The contents of them have filled my mind with much disquietude & embarrassment; but it is impossible for me to make any move, in consequence, at this time, from the want of Official ground; without...
3To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 16 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
your favour of the 14th was forwarded to me last evening by Mr Park—and which I now proceed to answer—tho not so Fully as you or myself wish. My overseer Roger Farril accepts your Terms—and will be with you Soon after christmas—but Says, should Richard Rhodes decline your Bussiness—he shall give the preference to the Farm at £45 pr year &c. From Rhodes I have received no Answer to my letters;...
4To George Washington from Benjamin Stoddert, 16 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
You will I know, pardon me for trespassing on your time, my object being the Public good. If we are to create such a navy, as will make our Commerce respected, and this I cannot doubt, will be the policy of our Country, one Navy yard at least must be established for building Ships. This subject will probably engage the attention of Congress at the ensuing Session, and it will be my Duty, to...
5To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 18 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you a hasty letter on the 13th—Upon further consideration, we have judged it most advisable that a letter should be written by Mr Wolcott alone; in order that the strong point of view in which the facts and arguments in the case may be placed, may be presented by Reason only, to which the mind yields more willingly than to formal advice, in the semblance of official authority. This is...
6To George Washington from John Trumbull, 18 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
By the Ship Nancy, Captain Davidson bound to Alexandria, I have sent a small Box, addressed to you, and containing the Four Pair of Prints for which you did me the honour to subscribe so long since, and two Volumes which I was requested by my friend Mr West to forward to you with his best Respects: the prints are the finest impressions and, for security are rolled, and enclosed in a Tin Case....
7To George Washington from James McHenry, 19 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I received your letter of the 14th instant yesterday evening. Be assured I regret and lament from the bottom of my soul the delays, and heart distressing obstructions which have prevented the nomination of the field and other officers for the 12 additional regiments and cavalry. It is not however (whatever the public opinion may be) to me that any of them can be ascribed; for whatever depended...
8To George Washington from John C. Ogden, 20 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
More than ten years have elapsed, since from time to time, I have most respectfully and circumstantially, stated the doings of Calvinists in The United States, in their concerted endeavors to defeat that liberty, toleration and protection in religion, which our laws establish, and upon which our national honor, happiness and safety depend. The moderation, caution, prudence, polite & respectful...
9To George Washington from James McHenry, 21 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
(Confidential) My dear Sir Trenton [N.J.] 21 Sepr 1798 I received your letter of the 16 inst. yesterday evening. I thought it of consequence to make another effort, and acquaint the President with a part of its contents, in aid of the representation signed by Mr Wolcott, and to lose no time in conveying it to him. Inclosed is the copy of what I have which you will be pleased to return. I...
10To George Washington from Bushrod Washington, 21 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have lately recieved a letter from Mr Thomas Turner of King George, in which he expresses an ardent desire to enter into the service of his Country in the military line, and requests that I would mention him to you. This I do with much pleasure, because a long and intimate acquaintance with him assures me that there are few candidates who can possess more worth than he does. Warmly and I...
11To George Washington from Thomas Law, 22 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Unless you are irrevocably fix’d, as the Lots are so nearly equal in respect to prospect & nature of the ground permit me to observe that a House in the South Lot will rent better & promote the object you have in view more —Vizt the encouragemt of accomodations for Congress, as it will be forming an Avenue by cooperating in building & all the digging will be for public improvement—If you...
12To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 23 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
My last—dated I think on the 16—informed you, that my overseer had accepted your Terms—but that he Should Take the farm in preference to the home house—should Rhodes decline Takeing yr bussiness—From Whoom I have recd no answer to my Several letters, the first of which I am certain was lodged at his house—Consequently you had better look out—but should Rhodes come to my house, or write me...
13From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 24 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Private My dear Sir, Mount Vernon 24th Sep. 1798. I have seen the correspondence between the President of the United States & Secretary of War, on the subject of the relative rank of the three Major Generals first appointed. But as it was given in confidence, unaccompanied with an Official letter, I had no ground on which I could proceed, without betraying that confidence. I have therefore...
14From George Washington to Alexander Spotswood, 24 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
As the Season is far advanced for good Overseers to be disengaged, and as you had heard nothing from Richard Rhodes at the date of your last—Septr the 16th—and a Man in your neighbourhood one —— Garrett Overseer for a Mr Fontain Murray at a ⟨place⟩ called White Plains near Fredericksburgh, has been strongly recommended to me by Mr Betton & others, & who was willing to come to me, but informed...
15From George Washington to John Adams, 25 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
With all the respect which is due to your public station, and with the regard I entertain for your private character, the following representation is presented to your consideration. If in the course of it, any expression should escape me which may appear to be incompatible with either, let the purity of my intentions; the candour of my declarations; and a due respect for my own character, be...
16To George Washington from Marmaduke Leigh, 25 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am told you wish to dispose of your Lands on the ohio river in the State of Virginia, I would willingly become a purchaser of a tract of your Land, particularly that tract below the Little Kenhawa river. Should the price and terms of payment suit me, As I am acquainted with the quality of your Lands on the ohio river, If you will Let me know your price and the terms of payment I will Let you...
17From George Washington to James McHenry, 26 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Private My dear Sir, Mount Vernon 26th Sepr 1798. Your confidential letter of the 21st instant is before me; but the long letter which is promised therein, has not got to hand. Probably the messenger who carries this, and other letters to the Post Office this afternoon, may return with it. As you have given extracts of my letter of the 16th to the President, & informed him, that you thought it...
18From George Washington to Benjamin Stoddert, 26 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
It will afford me pleasure to give you any information in my power, and any opinion, so far as I am able to form one, on the subject of your letter of the 16th instant; which did not come to my hands till the 24th. I cannot entertain a doubt, but it will be the policy of this Country to create such a navy as will protect our commerce from the insults and depredations to which it has been...
19To George Washington from Charles Carter, 27 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
When we set out for the upper Country, Mrs Carter and I indulged the pleasing Thoughts of paying our respects to the good people of Mount Vernon before we return’d to the Place of small Comfort, but Alas, How often are our most sanguine Hopes, Inclinations and Expectations baffled and prove abortive—an unlucky accident which you have heard of, has deprived us of that pleasure, and very nearly...
20To George Washington from the District of Columbia Commissioners, 27 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
We do ourselves the pleasure of enclosing you the number of square feet contained in your two purchases made of the public and Mr Carroll. We received Mr Carroll’s answer in writing, on the monday after you left the City, giving his full consent to confirm the Sale of the Lot on the terms proposed, and promising to execute the proper conveyance in the course of the present Week. It may be well...
21To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 27 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Mr Peter favoured me with his Company at Newpost last Tuseday evening; and delivered me your letter of the 24th; with one Inclosed from Mr Anderson to garret; an overseer now in the employ of Mr Fontaine Maury. which letter I forwarded the next day, and this morning had an interview with Garret—he would not determine whether to receive your offer or not until he returned home and Consulted his...
22From George Washington to William Washington, 27 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Late this afternoon Major Simons presented me with your letter of the 22d of July; and anxious to proceed on his journey, proposes to continue it in the morning early: this allows me but little time to say any thing, when I wished to have said a great deal to you. I have never yet heard whether you have accepted, or declined, your late appointment. The crisis is important, and if the French...
23From George Washington to the District of Columbia Commissioners, 28 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of yesterday’s date is received. and enclosed are checks on the Bank of Alexandria for $428.40 amount of payment for the lot had of Mr D. Carroll, which you will please to deliver when the Conveyance is received; and $178.57 being the third of $535.70 to be paid for lot No. 16 in square 634 purchased from you. I feel very much obliged by the trouble you have taken in this business;...
24To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 28 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have at length got to this place & will do myself the pleasure to call at Mt Vernon on my return home. In the mean time I shd be happy to hear whether you accede to my proposition when last with you of taking good property for the whole debt due to you. I have houses & lots in the fœderal city: well situated & which to close our business I would part with even at this present dull period,...
25From George Washington to Zechariah Lewis, 28 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
The best apology I can make, for suffering your letter of the 11th of July to remain so long unacknowledged, is to offer a plain & simple detail of facts. Soon after it came to hand, I requested a Gentleman of my acquaintance in Alexandria, to obtain for me the route & distance from that place to the Natural Bridge. This though promised, from causes unnecessary to enumerate, was not...
26From George Washington to William Russell, 28 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 8th instt is received, and I thank you for your obliging attention to the articles promised me, when I had the pleasure of seeing you at this place. I will direct twenty of my best ewes to be reserved for the Ram you have kindly promised me; which, with the Chaff machine, I shall look for when an opportunity will allow you to send them. The cause which has prevented their...
27From George Washington to Henry Lee, Jr., 29 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of yesterday’s date from George Town is received. You know perfectly well what my inducements were to part with the property you purchased of me, but rather than have any difficulty, or unpleasant disputes respecting the payments, agreeable to contract, I would take productive property in the Federal City—in Alexandria—or almost anywhere—or any thing productive, or unproductive, at...
28To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 30 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your obliging favour of the 24th instant has duly come to hand. I see in it a new proof of sentiments towards me which are truly gratifying. But permit me to add my request to the suggestions of your own prudence, that no personal considerations for me may induce more on your part than on mature reflection you may think due to public motives—It is extremely foreign to my wish to create to you...
29From George Washington to James McHenry, 30 September 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have lately received information, which, in my opinion, merits attention. It is that the brawlers against Governmental measures in some of the most discontented parts of this state, have, all of a sudden, become silent; and, it is added, are very desirous of obtaining Commissions in the Army, about to be raised. This information did not fail to leave an impression upon my mind at the time I...
30To George Washington from Landon Carter, 1 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Health is a grand object with man; but it becomes all important when the preservation of it in any one person comprehends all the relations of a People; when like a focus the views of all direct to a single point: Permit me therefore to lay before you some leading principles; some conclusions; and some consequent practice, for the security of health. I believe it is a fact generally admitted,...