26511To George Washington from Brigadier General William Smallwood, 19–20 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to your orders I sent Capt. Norwood to obtain a List of the Stores at the head of Elk, who returned this Evening with the Inclosed Lists from Hollingsworth, Rodolph & Huggins who could give no Acct of the Stores in the Peninsula below and at Charles Town, but Colo. Hollingsworth informs Capt. Norwood there were near as much more at those Stages & that he daily expected Several...
26512To James Madison from Caesar Augustus Rodney, 11 May 1807 (Madison Papers)
On my arrival here, I found that the District Attorney was at Princeton, & I determined if Burr had not left the city to apply immediately for a warrant & arrest him for treason, so as to secure & have him sent on in custody to Richmond for trial, unless some good natured judge released him upon Hab. Corpus. He has been obli ged in order to elude the Sheriff’s officers who ha ve been in for...
26513General Orders, 5 July 1776 (Washington Papers)
Those Regiments who have not made a Return of their officers, their ranks and dates of their Commissions, agreeable to a former order are now called on to do it without delay and to mention in such Returns the Colony in which such Regiment was raised; the time when and period in which they inlisted, together with the vacancies in their respective regiments. Varick transcript , DLC:GW ....
26514From George Washington to Robert Rutherford, 29 July 1758 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Robert Rutherford, 29 July 1758. On 31 July Rutherford wrote to GW : “I Received Your kind favour of the 29th.”
26515To Thomas Jefferson from Archibald Campbell, 13 August 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed letter came under cover to me by a late arrival here from Bordeaux—and accompanied a bill of Lading for 14 Cases of wine Shipt for you by my friends Messrs. Fenwick Mason & Coy. who write me to take your direction where to forward the wine after arrival here. If you have an invoice of its cost—you will please Send it me—or a copy thereof—in order to have the necessary entry made...
26516To James Madison from Jacob Read, 20 February 1812 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 February 1812, Charleston. Mentions the recent and long anticipated death of district judge Thomas Bee. Uses “the freedom of an Old Acquaintance” to seek the position for himself. Mentions that President Adams nominated him for this office and that he was confirmed by the Senate in February 1801 and received a commission from acting attorney general Levi Lincoln, which “has never been...
26517To James Madison from James Barbour, 10 February 1820 (Madison Papers)
The Missouri question in its consequences threatens the tranquility if not the dissolution of the Union. Altho in the Senate we have a large majority against restriction yet in the House of Representatives the majority is decidedly the other way. And upon the exclusion of Slavery from the territories there is a Majority in both Houses. It has been proposed by the most moderate to compromise...
26518Abigail Adams to Cotton Tufts, 18 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
Captain Lyde is to Sail this week. I will not let him go without a few lines to you, tho Captain Callihan has arrived without a Single Letter from my Friends. Mr. Adams received 3 by Monssieur Le Tomb, from his Boston Friend’s. If my son had been lucky enough to have had such a passage as I hoped he would, I should have heard of his arrival by Captain Callihan or the New York packet which...
26519From George Washington Adams to William Smith Shaw, 10 November 1821 (Adams Papers)
For your favour of the 23rd October I am greatly indebted; it should have been acknowledged before were it not that subjects are constantly accumulating in which we are led to apply to you and I thought it better to delay for a short time the answer to your letter in order to take an opportunity at the same time reluctantly to trouble you with some request or other. Such an opportunity has...
26520To Thomas Jefferson from Joel Barlow, 2 February 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty to present you with a short treatise of mine on the present circumstances of Europe, which by a kind of moral reaction may stand a chance to be of some use in America; as a habit of reflecting on the subjects here treated may induce us to prize such of our own institutions as are good, and to improve those that are defective. I hope to sail for America in a short time;...
26521Thomas Jefferson to Louis H. Girardin, 21 October 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 7 th has been recieved, and I now send you the letter of mr Page which you requested, and will subjoin to this letter the comparative view of some of Longman’s prices with what Congress paid me for the same books. Longman’s book itself shall go by the same mail— I thank you for your attention to the Microscope. it was well repaired and safely recieved. to your Weekly...
26522To Alexander Hamilton from William Ellery, 10 February 1794 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Newport, Rhode Island ] February 10, 1794 . “By the last post I recd. your letter of the 31st. of Dece. last acknowledgg. the receipt of two duplicate Rects of the Bank of Providence No. 49. 53 amountg. to Fifteen thousand Dollars. Your letter too of the 23d. of Jany. last, concerning the forwardg. by the district Atto. of New york of the documents relative to the papers of the Enterprize...
26523To George Washington from Anne-César, chevalier de La Luzerne, 7 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
Je prends la liberté de vous demander vos bontés pour Le Cte Wengiersky, Gentilhomme Polonois, qui voyage uniquement pour son instruction. Le respect universel de ses Concitoyens pour votre Excellence et plus encore le desir de connoitre l’homme qui a réuni par ses grandes qualités le suffrage de tous les Pays et de toutes les Nations, l’engageront à rester quelques jours à Princeton. j’ose...
26524[Diary entry: 9 January 1771] (Washington Papers)
9. Rid to the Mill in the forenoon and Afternoon.
26525To Thomas Jefferson from Johann Ludwig de Unger, 10 May 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Salzliebenhalle, 10 May 1788 . Thanks TJ for his letter of 16 Feb. 1788 and for granting the favor asked of him; says he is deeply affected by TJ’s remarks “sur le Bonheur et les Avantages propres à l’Amerique.” “Un tel Eloge de la Part de Votre Excellence est garant de la Prosperité de ces Contrees si interessantes a tant d’egard, et inspire en meme Tems des Voeux ardens pour la Durée de...
26526From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Udny Hay, 15 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
Upon looking to a General Return of Qr Masters Stores I find there were 1200 lb. of Oakum and 164 Barrels of Tar at Albany the 7th January last —As the repair of the Boats upon the north River was delayed for want of the above Articles you will be pleased to order them down, and set every hand who understands the Business to work upon the Boats —I am exceedingly anxious to have them put in...
26527To John Adams from William Cunningham, 11 March 1809 (Adams Papers)
On the first of the month I received your favour of the 22d. ult. with a copy of a speech of a ci-divant Minister to the Six Nations. Having been ill of the prevailing influenza, and expecting, mail after mail, to receive your answer to my letters of the 20th. and 23d. of Feb. I have delayed this acknowledgment. I hope that this evening will relieve my impatience to see the speculations you...
26528From Alexander Hamilton to James Watson, 9 October 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I was very glad to find your name on the list of Directors of The Manufacturing Society. I trust it will be in your power to give a portion of your time and attention to it; from which I am persuaded it will profit. When I was last at New Ark, I thought I perceived something like an intention to bring forward Mr. Samuel Ogden as Superintendant of the Manufactory. To you I do not scruple to say...
26529To George Washington from Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 27 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
The secretary of the Treasury respectfully transmits to the President of the United States a Letter from the Commissioner of the Revenue dated the 19th Instant, covering the copy of one to him from the Collector of Washington, on the subject of sundry Contracts made by the said Collector, for placing & Keeping up the stakes under his superintendence, and shifting & clearing the Buoys at the...
26530Notes and Plans for Western Defense, [23 July 1779 and after] (Jefferson Papers)
Plan for regimenting & stationing the two Western battalions. Joseph Crocket & James Knox Lt. Colonels commandants } appointed by the Council George Walls, Robert Powell. Majors. William Cherry, Samuel Gill. Captains. Thomas Walls, Peter Moore. Ensigns. no. of men supposed they will raise Officers to be recommended by the feild officers of the respective countries Destination . Yohogania. a...
26531To Benjamin Franklin from Thomas Livezey, 18 November 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Tho’ I have not the happyness of an Intimate Acquaintance with thee, yet time I hope will alter that Circumstance, and bring us better acquainted; I only know thee from Some of thy Writings, the Author of which I Greatly Esteem. As thou art one of the Agents for this Province in Great Britan, I Sent a Dozen of American wine by Caaptn. Falconer, the Last...
26532To George Washington from Colonel David Mason, 1 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Col. David Mason, 1 July 1778. On 1 July, Mason wrote GW : “I this Day by favr of Mr John Sewall Junr of Gloster wrote You.” No other letter of that date from Mason to GW has been found.
26533To Alexander Hamilton from Henry Laurens, 29 July 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
In addition to the lines which I troubled you with the day before yesterday by Colonel, or should I say, Doctor McHenry, he is an honest Man, with either, or without any Title, permit one to inform you—I presented to Congress this Morning, Colo. Fleury’s earnest request for the Flag which he had the glory of lowering at Stony point, that there was not a single voice heard in second to my...
26534From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 20 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment recd your favs. of the 19th and 20th My Accounts from New York by way of Staten Island agree in the main with yours, and General Wayne just now informs me that he is of opinion that the evacuation of both Verplanks and Stoney points is in agitation. You must exercise your own judgment in pitching upon a position, I have only one general Rule to lay down for you, which is, to...
26535To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 18–19 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
The Instructions, and other papers relating thereto, I returned to General Knox on Thursday forenoon. And immediately on my return home, after accompanying you out of town, I secured your room in a manner agreeable to your wishes, and took the key into my possession; so that before I had the pleasure of receiving Mr Dandridge’s letter from Chester, the directions contained in it had been...
26536To George Washington from John Keon, 20 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
When Elevated Characters are Solicited to grant the request of their Humble Petitioners the abuse of time and words wasted in Compliments Eulogiums &ca to the great annoyance of the Petitioned in my mind deserves reprehension—From your Excellency’s general character in these Realms without any such frippery or parade I take leave to call on your Excellencys Humanity if possible to direct me. I...
26537Alexander Garrett to James Madison, 19 August 1828 (Madison Papers)
Annexed I send for your approval, my check upon the President & Directors of the Literary Fund, for Five thousand dollars; the last of the present years annuiety. This will be wanting very shortly, to meet the approaching quarter payments to the Professors. Very Respectfully RC (DLC) .
26538From Benjamin Franklin to William Smith, 19 April 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your Favour of the 11th Instant, with your new Piece on Education, which I shall carefully peruse; and give you my Sentiments of it as you desire, per next Post. I believe the young Gentlemen, your Pupils, may be entertain’d and instructed here in Mathematics and Philosophy to Satisfaction. Mr. Allison (who was educated at Edinburgh, or...
26539To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 31 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
An unexpected demand is made of 40 Waggons & 200 horses, to transport artillery & military stores to the Southward exclusive of what are attached to the troops destined thither. To that number are to be added probably six waggons for quarter masters stores—There is no possibility of furnishing them without taking both horses & waggons from the troops going to the northward. If your Excellency...
26540From George Washington to Joseph Chandler, 21 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
By an accidental conveyance I recd some time ago the Representation you was pleased to address to me on the 25 Ulto respecting the apprehension of Lt Stone of the 1st Masstts Regt for the murder of Capt. Hitchcock of the same Regt, having been until then, totally unacquainted with the circumstances of that unhappy affair some time has been unavoidably consumed in investigating & pointing out...
26541To George Washington from Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski, 23 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
The desire which I have of fulfilling my Duty, leads me to make frequent representations to Your Excellency of matters which regard the Service of the Cavalry. What follows is my opinion, and if I am so happy as to find it agreeable to Your Excellencys Views, it will be necessary to carry my Plan into execution as soon as possible. As in all appearance it will be late before we retire to...
26542To George Washington from Thomas William Ballendine, 9 March 1792 (Washington Papers)
Under expectation that appointments are now going on of Officers for the war against the Indians I offer myself for such an one as it may be judged I am capable of doing justice to my active Service as a Soldier is yet to learn, and as an Officer too but as I apprehend the Duty of a Captain to one desirous of being taught is but little more difficult than that of an Ensign, a Captain I would...
26543To James Madison from Richard Taylor Sr., 26 September 1816 (Madison Papers)
I have for Several years past been in a State of Suspence, respecting Some Claims I have on the General Government. Colo. Rd M. Johnsons friendly attention to me when I was at the Citty, relieved me from much fatigue, I told him my wish to petition Congress for an allowanc to defray the freequent, & expensive Surgical, & medical bills I had to pay, almost every year, on acct. of the old wound...
26544From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 15 November 1775 (Washington Papers)
Cambridge , 15 November 1775 . “Inclosed you have a Copy of instructions given to Genl Sullivan on his departure for Portsmouth New Hampshire.” LS , in Stephen Moylan’s writing, NjMoHP ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . The contents of this letter are nearly identical to the third, fourth, and fifth paragraphs of GW’s letter to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., of this date. See Circular Instructions for...
26545To James Madison from Stephen S. Hallet, 9 September 1809 (Madison Papers)
I beg leave to propose to your Excelency what I think an Improvement to the President’s House. It is Montgolfier’s hydraulic ram improved, for which I have lately with a partener, obtained a patent of the United States. Dr. Wm. Thornton examined it Very Carefully, witnessed Some trials and was So kind as to take an active part in the Experiment we have exhibited in the City. As I could not...
26546To Benjamin Franklin from Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand, [after 22 May 1781] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. De Veymerange demeure rüe neuve des maturins— Jai fait Ecrire chez lui monsieur Franklin ainsy que moy, cest Sans doutte par un retour de Politesse qu’il est venu icy. Mr Grand prie monsieur Franklin fils de vouloir bien lui envoyer Les Etats des payements quil a Laissé hier Sur son Bureau. Il à besoin de faire un nouveau travail dessus. See the...
26547From Alexander Hamilton to Ebenezer Stevens, 26 June 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, June 26, 1799. “In consequence of the reference to me by the Secy. of War in the letter which you shewed me, respecting Mr. Mangin’s compensation, I give it as my opinion that you pay him the four Dollars per day for the times of his employment which you have heretofore stated to me.… You have informed me that at the time of employing Mr. Mangin you promised him compensation at the...
26548The Committee for Foreign Affairs to the American Commissioners, 18 October 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society, Haverford College Library; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two) We have the pleasure of inclosing to you the copy of a letter from General Gates containing the circumstances of a Victory gained over General Burgoyne on the 7th. This event must defeat the main views of General Clinton in proceeding up Hudsons River. He has, it is true, got...
26549To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Carter, 17 July 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Ludlow Farm, 17 July 1791 . He is obliged for the information in TJ’s of the 10th. He will leave it to his son to decide, but his own choice would be for an American education. “The prejudices formerly imbibed, by the Americans…sent to Brittain for an education, I always thought, were too strong, ever to be overcome. But since our Independence, I hope that no such consequences will derive....
26550Ferdinand R. Hassler to Thomas Jefferson, 1 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
With the present I have the honor to forward You two Boocks which M r Warden , Consul general of the Un: St: at Paris charged me to deliver to You, & I hoped to have the honor to present to You myself; but an as my mission here is not so near at its end as I expected at that time, the Instruments being not yet near finished as I expected, I take the Liberty to forward them to You to avoid...
26551From Alexander Hamilton to John F. Mercer, December 1792 (Hamilton Papers)
I called upon you this morning, at your lodgings, to resume and finish the subject of our late conversation; but not having seen you, I have concluded to put what I had to say upon paper. Since our last interview I have perused the papers to which you referred me. They exhibit the affair in a form essentially different from that under which it had come to me; yet they do not entirely free what...
26552To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, c.26–29 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to send you inclosed two letters one from Young La Fayette the other from his Preceptor —They appear reconciled to some further delay. I take the liberty to inclose copy of a letter to the Secy of State respecting Mr Cutting —I do not know upon the whole what sort of a man Mr Cutting is, and I have heared unfavourable whispers—But as to the particular subject of his ⟨claim⟩...
26553To Thomas Jefferson from John Mason, 7 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Having this day sent in my Resignation, to Mr. Madison as Commissioner of the Cumberland-Road, I feel that, I owe to you some personal explanation on that head— In the beleif that I could have rendered Services in that business, I undertook the Duty you were pleased to assign me, with great chearfulness, looked forward to its Execution, with much pleasure, and was successfully making my...
26554From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 16 February 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Nationalbibliothek, Vienna I wrote to you per Packet, and also by Mr. Ayres, who goes in Sparks. But I must send you a Line per Capt. Falkener, and another per Capt. Story, if ’tis only to say over again that I am well, and to acknowledge the Receipt of your kind Letters and Presents of Meal, Apples, Nuts, Cranberries &c. I have written to Sally too by Mr. Ayres, My Love to her and all...
26555To Thomas Jefferson from William Stephens Smith, 22 September 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of addressing you on the 18th. inst. in answer to your favor of the 9th. of August, since which I have received yours of the 13th. inst. Mr. A. returned here on the 7th. or 8th. He took up the subject on which you impatiently wait an answer on his arrival, a short letter on which, you must have received before this. However he is still thinking on it, and you will hear more...
26556From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 12 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 5th. The operations to the Southward have been of so much longer duration, than was at first apprehended, and no certain accounts being yet received, that have come to my knowlege, induces me to think, that the probability of an attempt against the enemy in this quarter, more especially considering the advanced state of the season, is a...
26557To George Washington from Sylvanus Bourne, 28 December 1791 (Washington Papers)
As the Legislature of the United States, appears not to contemplate, either an adequate regulation of the powers of their Consuls, or reward for their services, and the present state of St Dominique, being less favourable to mercantile pursuits, than heretofore, I have reason to think that my return to that Country, would only tend to increase the weight of those Disbursments, which my former...
26558To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College: Degree of Master of Arts, 25 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
DS : American Philosophical Society Franklin’s first academic honor was from Harvard. On July 23, 1753, the President and Fellows recommended him to the Overseers for the degree of master of arts, citing his “great Improvements in Philosophic Learning, and particularly with Respect to Electricity, Whereby his Repute hath been greatly advanc’d in the learned World, not only in Great-Britain,...
26559[Diary entry: 9 June 1775] (Washington Papers)
9. Clear after the Morning and very warm.
26560From John Adams to F. C. Schaeffer, 25 November 1821 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your favour of Nov 19. & for the address inclosed. The Ceremonial for at laying the corner Stone of St Mathews church & the address pronounced on that occasion, were solemn affecting & impressive. You have not in my humble opinion given too much credit to Luther I love & revere the memories of Huss Wickliff Luther Calvin Zwinglius Melancton and all the other reformers;—how...