To George Washington from John Tayloe, 29 April 1799
From John Tayloe
Mount Airy 29th April 1799
Dear Sir
I find I shall be detained in Virginia much longer than I expected—& when I set my face north shall pursue the nearest route by Hooes ferry to Annapolis—This being the case—I am compelled to ask the favor of you to forward the letters you promised me for Phi[ladelphi]a under cover to me in Annapolis1—as I shall go immediately on to Phia from thence—I have peculiar satisfaction in informing you of the Election of Generals Marshall & Lee—the former by a majority of 111 votes—the latter by a majority of 332—The representation to our Assembly in this District is altered for the better—tho’ not up to our wishes3—I beg to be very particularly presented to Mrs Washington. In haste—I am very respectfully Your Obliged & Obedt Se⟨rvt⟩
John Tayloe
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. In his letter of 5 May GW reported to Tayloe that he was forwarding to him at Annapolis the letter that he had written to the secretary of war on his behalf. GW’s letter to James McHenry, dated 5 May, is printed in note 1 of the letter to Tayloe. See also Tayloe to GW, 14 June.
2. On 25 April Edward Carrington reported to GW from Richmond that John Marshall had won his seat in Congress by 108 votes. See note 1 to that document. The next day Bushrod Washington wrote that Henry Lee had won by 32 votes.
3. Tayloe himself was reelected to the Virginia senate from the district comprising Lancaster, Richmond, and Northumberland counties. For the delegates elected to the house from Lancaster and Richmond counties, see note 2 to Bushrod Washington’s letter of 26 April. In the third county, Northumberland, William Ball replaced Thomas Hurst, both of whom voted consistently with the Republicans in the legislature, and the Republican William Claughton was reelected. For sources of data about the 1799 elections in Virginia and for correspondence regarding the elections, see John Marshall to GW, 1 May, n.3.