183141To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 3 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Upon an accurate research into the several laws past by the Legislature of Maryland respecting that part of the City formerly known by the names of Carrollsburgh and Hamburgh, it is thought, that the order lately made by you for a reconveyance, may not be extensive enough to include those Lots—We therefore take the liberty of requesting your signature to the enclosed, which will include all...
183142From John Adams to United States Congress, 17 January 1801 (Adams Papers)
I have received from Elias Boudinot Esq Director of the mint of the United States a Report of the Second of January instant, representing the State of it, together with an Abstract of the Coins Struck at the mint, from the first of January to the thirty first of December 1800: an Abstract of the Expenditures of the Mint, from the 1st of January to the 31. of December 1800 inclusive: a...
183143From George Washington to Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski, 4 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your two Letters of 29th and 31st of last month; the forming any considerable Deposit of Forage at Trenton, while you have so small a Force to protect it does not appear to me advisable, as the Enemy may with the greatest facility destroy it. My approbation of Capt. Craigs appointment was signified in my last Letter; I cannot at any rate consent to your giving Mr Zelienski the...
183144To George Washington from Henry Knox, 8 September 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to acknowledge Your favor of the 3d instant. It really gives me great pain to learn the deplorable situation of your amiable Nephew. Although the tax of death be inevitable, so premature a demand, while it afflicts, perplexes and confounds us as to the arrangement upon this subject by the great author of our natures. Poor Mrs Smith, paid this debt, to the inexpressible...
183145General Orders, 17 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Regiments under marching orders, to march to morrow morning at sun-rise. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . The British evacuated Boston this morning, and the fuller set of orders that appear under this date in Artemas Ward’s orderly book indicates GW’s immediate response to that event: “The Guards on plowed hill are to be removed to Bunker Hill, & Sentinels placed so as not only to observe any...
183146To George Washington from William Irvine, 6 October 1788 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor to enclose a sketch of the waters of the Alleghany, which approach near to Lake Erie it is taken from an actual survey made by the persons who ran the line between the states of New York & Pennsylvania—These gentleman say that the main branch of the Alleghany falls in Pennsylvania and that there is only seven or eight miles land carriage between it and the heads of a...
183147To James Madison from Peder Blicherolsen, 11 April 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
11 April 1803, Philadelphia. Has just received two royal ordinances from Copenhagen, one detailing quarantine regulations for Americans and the other stipulating laws and rules prescribed for Danish and all other ships. Has had the former translated in full and seven articles connected with and explanatory of it extracted from the latter. Encloses translations. Believes a knowledge of them...
183148From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 7 May 1810 (Madison Papers)
The inclosed letter from Jarvis accompanied one to me on the subject of the Merinos. I learn that they have arrived safe; but the vessel is aground a few miles below Alexanda. Jos: Doherty is gone to bring them up, making the selections warranted by Mr. Jarvis. As the means I shall employ to have my pair conveyed to Virga. will suffice for yours, it will be unnecessary for you to attend to the...
183149To Benjamin Franklin from Elkanah Watson, Jr., and Wanton Casey, 22 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Messrs. Watson & Casey, present their respectfull compliments to his Excellency Doctr. Franklin, & beg leave to congratulate him on the important news of the capitulation of Cornwallis; and acquaint Your Excellency that we shall part for Nantes t’morrow afternoon or the ensuing morng. without fault, and shall be happy to be charg’d with any commands You may...
183150To Alexander Hamilton from John Jay, 10 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Albany, March 10, 1800. Jay’s endorsement on Hamilton’s letter to him of March 4, 1800, reads: “4 March and. 10 1800.” Letter not found. ]
183151To George Washington from John Gibson, 24 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
Just as I was closing the packet to your Excellency I Reced two letters from the Revd Mr ZeisBerger at the Moravian Towns on Muskingum, a Copy of which I now inclose, the intelligence therein contained is very alarming. I have sent to alarm the Country and hope they will turn out. I am apt to Believe that part relative to Johnson is without foundation as the French Creek is so low that they...
183152To Thomas Jefferson from Robert Fulton, 9 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
As I leave this for New York, On wednesday the 15th Inst. I have invited some members of the senate and house of representatives, to call at Kalorama on Sunday next At One Oclock to see the experiment of harpooning, and investigate the principles of Torpedo attack; As this will probably be the Only good opportunity which I Shall have of exhibiting to you my system, by model and experiment, by...
183153To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 7 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you last post and am still without anything from Mr. C[haumont] relative to the Prizes, but as I find the Courier has been stopped I expect to hear per next post. Mr. C. you say has obtained an order for the payment to the owners in America. If Government absolutely stipulate that the money should be paid in America I should be extreemly Glad to...
183154Thomas Cooper to Thomas Jefferson, 31 May 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I say nothing about the affairs of Europe , for they are so clouded that no reasonable conjecture can be afforded by present facts. I am most willing to believe that the progress of knowledge cannot be stopt, and the dark ages renewed, even should the Bourbons again ascend the throne, but there is nothing to be expressed but hope and good wishes. Yet from the beginning of history, it appears...
183155To James Madison from John Quincy Adams, 4 April 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
4 April 1801, Berlin. No. 188. Reports Danish occupation of Hamburg on 20 Mar. and Prussian plans to seize territories belonging to Hamburg. Conveys news, just received, of Czar Paul’s sudden death. “What its effect will be upon the politics of Europe it would for the present moment be presumptuous to conjecture.” Notes that Prussians have received British reply to Count von Haugwitz’s message...
183156To Alexander Hamilton from Tobias Lear, 18 April 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
T. Lear has the honor to return to the Secretary of the Treasury the Contract made with Abijah Woodward to superintend the building of the Light-House on Bald Head, which is approved of by the President. T. L. has likewise enclosed a memorandum of such letters &c. as are in the possession of the President relative to loans &c agreeably to the wish of the Secretary. AL , Hamilton Papers,...
183157To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph-Étienne Bertier, 27 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Vous m’avéz fait grand plaisir de m’adresser M. le Capitaine Houry. Vous m’avéz donné l’occasion de vous marquer ma reconnoissance, mon attachement, et mon estime, et de rendre les services dont je suis capable à un homme de merite, et bien aimable. Pour couroner l’oeuvre, il faudroit faire encore un voyage en france. C’est votre pays autant que...
183158To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 15 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Paine not setting off to Day, as I expected, gives me an Opportunity of sending another Phial of Essence L’Orient which has had the Advantage of standing all Night to depurate and is richer than that I gave Mr. Paine yesterday. Besides this, I put some Spirit of Wine in the Phial of yesterday, which I observe curdles and discolours the Essence. In this there is nothing but a little Volat....
183159The Federalist No. 54, [12 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE next view which I shall take of the House of Representatives, relates to the apportionment of its members to the several States, which is to be determined by the same rule with that of direct taxes. It is not contended that the number of people in each State ought not to be the standard for regulating the proportion of those who are to represent the...
183160From George Washington to the Justices of Morris County, N.J., 27 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had this morning the honor to receive Your Letter of the 25 Instant. You will permit me to assure You Gentlemen, that I entertain the highest sense of the exertions which have been made by the Justices and the Inhabitants of this County to relieve the distresses of the Army in the article of provision; and I think it but right to add, that from these exertions and those of the Justices &...
183161[Diary entry: 1 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
1. Clear wind about So. Wt. & Mer. 28 in the Morning. Pretty brisk from No. Wt, about Noon & calm towards night & clear all day. Mer. 40 at Night & 45 when highest. A Mr. Lad & a Mr. Gibbes from Rhode Island dined here & returned to Alexandria. John G. Ladd was a merchant in Alexandria. GW was possibly referring to George Gibbs (1776-1833) of Newport, R.I., a well-known mineralogist ( Brady,...
183162To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Dunbar, 13 May 1755 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1754–1755 (Philadelphia, 1755), p. 175. May 13, 1755 A sentence from this unlocated letter is printed in the Pennsylvania Assembly’s reply, Sept. 29, 1755, to Governor Morris’ charge, September 24, that the Assembly had done little to support Braddock’s expedition (below, p. 208). Thomas Dunbar (d. 1767),...
183163From George Washington to Major General Lafayette, 20 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
In pursuance of a Resolve of Congress of the 13th inst: a Copy of which is inclosed —I am to desire that you will without loss of time return to Camp, to resume the command of a division of this Army; and that you will communicate a similar order to Major General de Kalb. By the 2d Resolve of the same date you will see that I am impowered to remove Hazens or any other Regiment from the...
183164From Thomas Jefferson to Andrew Jackson, 21 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
In my letter of Dec. 3. answering yours which offered the service of a Corps of Volunteers, I informed you that the Legislature had then under consideration in what way they would authorize the Executive to accept those patriotic tenders. they accordingly passed the Act of which I now enclose you a Copy. Altho’ the present state of things on the western side of the Missisipi does not threaten...
183165To George Washington from the Board of War, 27 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Board have recieved the Order of Congress, on the Subject of Baylor’s Regt, enclosed. We have no other Objection to the directing the Horses to be purchased but the excessive Price. It will cost near sixty thousand Pounds Currency to purchase the Numbers of Horses required. Yet on the Consideration, that the Men are provided with every other Article necessary to enable them to take the...
183166To Thomas Jefferson from John Coles of Boston, 18 August 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
For a Citizen in the low walks of life to attempt to address the first Magistrate of the Nation, must be considered, as the undersigned conceives, great presumption, did not a paliating motive plead in some degree as his excuse,—Namely, the Union of his, and our common Country. Enclosed Sir, is the description of an “Emblem of the United States,” which has receiv’d general patronage in Boston,...
183167From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 10 August 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am this day favor’d with your letter of 7th Instant—I am happy to hear that you are so far recover’d as to be able to Join your Division, & expect the Regimen you propose to follow will effectually remove all your Complaints. I have repeatedly wrote to the Clothier Genl respecting the Articles of his Department, particularly shoes, & have order’d him to search the Continent rather than let...
183168Proportional Representation, [19 December] 1791 (Madison Papers)
On 9 December 1791 the Senate approved the apportionment bill but amended the ratio of representation from 1:30,000 to 1:33,000. When the House considered the Senate amendments on 12 December, “Mr. Madison observed, that the idea of diminishing the fractional parts appears to be the only reason for the alteration proposed by the Senate. The aggregate of these fractions only has been taken into...
183169To Benjamin Franklin from Madame ——— Düeil, 6 February 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Les bonté dont Madame adelaide honnore ma familles mayant atire a versalles pour luy faire des remercimant jesperé profitté de Ce momant pour avoir lhonneur de vous faire ma Cours et vous demandé vos hordre [ordres] pour du vin de chanpangne ayant lieux desperé que vous avés esttes Contans de Celuy que jay heut lhonneur de vous fournir au moy daout quatre...
183170From John Adams to C. W. F. Dumas, 26 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am honoured with yours of the 23d., and percieve by it that the Error I mentioned was not of the Press but of the Copy. I am very much obliged to Mr. Vr. for the proposition, which I have since read with vast pleasure in the French Translation. It breathes the true Batavian Spirit and must have great effects. I think it was right not to mention America, whatever the venerable Magistrates...