53461To George Washington from Timothy Pickering, 3 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
In the inclosed proposition for general orders, I have these objects in view: To ascertain the quantity of forage consumed in this county, by knowing the numbers of cattle fed there—To find who are possessed of public horses—To see who keep horses to whom public forage is not allowed, or who keep more horses than are allowed them, or than your Excellency shall judge necessary; that what are...
53462To Thomas Jefferson from Albert Gallatin, 17 January 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I will thank the President for the loan of the survey herein mentioned & which relates, I presume, to the intended communication between the Chesapeake Bay & Albemarle Sound. Respectfully DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
53463Virginia Delegates to Joseph Reed, 13 July 1781 (Madison Papers)
RC (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Written by JM, except for the other delegates’ signatures. Docketed, “1781 July 13th. from Honble Delegates of Virginia.” The Underwritten Delegates from the State of Virginia have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s letters of the 10th. & 12th instant, and to express their entire satisfaction at the readiness shewn by the Supreme...
53464From Alexander Hamilton to Jonathan Trumbull, 18 February 1793 (Hamilton Papers)
It is with much regret, I find myself under an impossibility of presenting to day, conformably to the expectation given in my last, the concluding communication in answer to the late resolutions of the House. I trust nothing will delay it beyond tomorrow. With perfect respect, I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient and humble servant, Copy, RG 233, Reports of the Treasury...
53465[Diary entry: 12 September 1784] (Washington Papers)
12th. Left Daughertys about 6 Oclock, stopped a while at the Great Meadows, and viewed a tenament I have there, which appears to have been but little improved, tho capable of being turned to great advantage, as the whole of the ground called the Meadows may be reclaimed at an easy comparitive expence & is a very good stand for a Tavern. Much Hay may be cut here when the ground is laid down in...
53466To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Haddaway, 29 January 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Le Havre, 29 Jan. 1787. With “these few illiterate Lines” he is compelled by necessity to ask TJ’s assistance in getting to America. Was mate on the brig Sally , Shuball Coffin, master, from Nantucket. Is willing to work his passage across, but has been told “to procure an order from you.” Is a native of Boston. Assures TJ that he will “ever while Life Be ready and Willing to Compensate … for...
53467New York Assembly. Remarks on an Act for Regulating Elections, [27 January 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Hamilton observed they were going on dangerous ground. The best rule the committee could follow was that held out in the constitution; which it would be safest to adhere to without alteration or addition. If we once depart from this rule, there is no saying where it will end. To-day, a majority of the persons sitting here from a particular mode of thinking disqualify one description of...
53468From Thomas Jefferson to Charles McPherson, 25 February 1773 (Jefferson Papers)
Encouraged by the small acquaintance which I had the pleasure of having contracted with you during your residence in this country, I take the liberty of making the present application to you. I understood you were related to the gentleman of your name Mr. James Macpherson to whom the world is so much indebted for the collection, arrangement and elegant translation, of Ossian’s poems. These...
53469From John Quincy Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, 3 May 1824 (Adams Papers)
I have recieved your letter of the 26 ulto. If the proposition which you say has been made to you, is the express desire of my father & it was by his direction that you made it me; & if on the receipt of this letter, he continues to desire that the house should be painted white, I authorize you to comply with his wishes; provided it can be done without inconvenience to the tenant of the house;...
53470To Thomas Jefferson from Stephen Sayre, 21 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
When I wrote from Brandon, the propositions in that letter were made, on the presumption, that war would keep Bonaparte fully employed; by the rapidity of his conquests, it bears only the name of war. I therefore offer the following thoughts to your consideration, believing you will feel the force of them The state of Europe is so totally changed, that tho’ we are distant, the future...
53471From Thomas Jefferson to Jones & Howell, 10 July 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
If I recieved from you a bill for the two tons of nail rod shipped (I believe) in the latter part of April, it has got mislaid, so that I cannot find it. I therefore inclose you 250. D. which must be about the sum, in a post note on the bank of the US. drawn by the branch bank here. Accept my friendly salutations. PoC ( MHi ); at foot of text: “Messrs. Jones & Howell”; endorsed by TJ. Notation...
53472From George Washington to Colonel Daniel Morgan, 24 July 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Enemy’s Fleet having left Sandy Hook & gone to Sea, you are, immediately on receipt of this, to march with the Corps under your Command to the City of Philadelphia & there receive Orders from the Commanding Officer—You will proceed as expeditiously, as you can by the shortest Routs—You will take no Heavy Baggage with you, but leave it to follow with an Officer and a proper Guard. I am Sir...
53473To Thomas Jefferson from John Barnes, 6 May 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed $350. will I hope, Accomodate, in lieu of a draft on the Collector. they may be remitted—either— whole or Cut , but by Keeping a Minute of their letter, No: &ca (in Case of Accident) will save the extra trouble of sending seconds—postage &ca— Mr Peales $30. shall be remitted him—and Colo. Hoomes, $300—paid: when presented— I am sir your most Obedt: H st Mr Rapine left word this...
53474Cotton Tufts to Abigail Adams, 12 January 1786 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you last Week by Capt Lyde, expecting that He would have sailed the next Day. I find that He is still here And as Mr. Jenks the Bearer hereof, is going in his Vessell I am loth to omit the favourable opportunity of writing by Him. I propose to send by Him Our December Magazine, in which you will find a succinct Accountt of the Proceedings of the Genl Court in their last Session and...
53475To John Adams from William Lee, 28 January 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 20th. instant which disappointed me a good deal, for I had received much pleasure from being told by Mr. Searle that you were fully vested with the same powers that Mr. Laurens had, which occasion’d my writing what I did in my last. I must confess that I can’t be perfectly easy, however favorable things may appear, while the War continues and the Independence...
53476From John Adams to Oliver Wolcott, Jr., 1 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have signed the blank e commission, inclosed in your letter of the 23d of July, that you may fill it up with the name of Captain William Taylor of Fredericksburg, in conformity to the recommendation of Gen Thomas Posey, if no other candidate occurs, whose pretensions are superior in your judgment. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
53477To James Madison from Edward Thornton, 24 July 1801 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
24 July 1801, Philadelphia. Encloses letters and papers from Spain addressed to U.S. secretary of state, forwarded to him by Governor Beckwith of Bermuda, together with a copy of Beckwith’s covering note, which explains that they “having been opened at sea found their way to me in their present condition.” RC and enclosure ( DNA : RG 59, NFL , Great Britain, vol. 2). RC 1 p.; docketed by...
53478To Thomas Jefferson from George Hammond, 2 June 1792 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor of acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 29th ulto., which I shall transmit, without delay, to my court, for the consideration of his Majesty’s Ministers. The matter, contained in your letter, being so various and extensive, I fear that much time must elapse, before I can be enabled to communicate to you my observations upon it. You may however be assured, that I...
53479From Thomas Jefferson to Aaron Burr, 12 November 1798 (Jefferson Papers)
Dr. Currie, on whose behalf I troubled you last summer, being anxious to learn something of the prospect he may have of recovery from Robert Morris, I take the liberty of asking a line directed to me at this place where I shall still be long enough to recieve it. I should not have troubled you but that you expected early in the summer to be able to judge what could be done. I am aware at the...
53480Draft of a Letter from an Old Man on the Evils of Licensed Houses, March 1761 (Adams Papers)
Braintree, March? 1761. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 1:204–206 . Third in the series of (unpublished) newspaper contributions on this subject. See entry for the earliest draft in the series, 29 May 1760 , above, and references there. Printed : ( JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and...
53481Republican Ascendancy in 1800: Editorial Note (Jay Papers)
For much of his tenure in office, Jay benefited from working alongside a state legislature and two presidential administrations that shared his Federalist leanings and facilitated his efforts to develop and implement policies for improving New York’s public health, economy, finances, and defenses. The state legislative elections and the subsequent presidential election of 1800, however,...
53482To Benjamin Franklin from ———: a Memorandum, [December? 1776] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Historical Society of Pennsylvania After Franklin reached Paris he received a number of unsigned, undated proffers of services or advice. Many may have gone into the wastebasket, but five that appear to have come soon after his arrival are among his papers. Three of these we have identified, if only tentatively, and discuss elsewhere. One of the remaining two is a brief note in English,...
53483To George Washington from John Jay, 26 January 1796 (Washington Papers)
the British Ratification of the Treaty not having arrived and consequently the Time for appointing the Commissioners mentioned in it not being come, I have thus long postponed replying to yours of the 21 of last month. It certainly is important that the Commissioners relative to the Debts, and also the captures, be men the best qualified for those places. Probably it would be adviseable to...
53484From George Washington to The States, 24 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of a conference held between His Excellency the Count de Rochambeau and myself at this place, the French Army will march as soon as circumstances will admit and form a junction with the American upon the North River. The accomplishment of the object which we have in contemplation, is of the utmost importance to America, and will in all probability, be attained, unless there...
53485To Thomas Jefferson from Albert Gallatin, 11 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The reductions in the allowances to Supervisors, & Officers acting as Supervisors, proposed in my letter of the 3d of September last, to take effect from and after the 1st. of the present month, not having been effected, for want of time, previous to that day, I beg leave now respectfully to submit the propriety of abolishing from and after the 31st. day of December next, the Offices of...
534864th. (Adams Papers)
Blackstone still furnishes me with employment for my forenoon hours; and I this day took up the fourth volume of Hume’s History, which I was reading when I last went from here. This author’s manifest partiality in favour of the Stuarts, his unceasing labours to palliate their faults, and his blindness to their crimes, must be overlook’d or forgiven in favor of the great entertainment which he...
53487From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Fox, 24 February 1766 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Princeton University Library I have now the Pleasure of informing you, that on Friday last, in a Committee of the whole House, Mr. Secretary Conway mov’d that it should be recommended to the House to give leave to bring in a Bill for repealing the American Stamp Act, which Motion was seconded by Mr. Cooper: But an Amendment to the Motion being propos’d by the late Ministry, viz. instead...
53488From Alexander Hamilton to Gouverneur Morris, 6 July 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your favour of the 4th, by express. If I recollect how far my last went, it did not announce the return of the enemy from Westfield to Amboy, nor their evacuation of that place since. After resting and refreshing themselves a night, they decamped the following day and proceeded to Amboy from which place they went to Staten Island as expeditiously as they could; where they still...
53489From John Adams to Samuel B.H. Judah, 25 June 1822 (Adams Papers)
I have heard read your horrible Odofriede; although there are marks of genius and talents, which in so young a man, if hereafter carefully cultivated and applied to more proper subjects, may produce something agreeable and useful, yet I can neither applaud or approve this kind of composition in prose or verse. They serve only to continue in the minds of men chimerical fantasies, which never...
53490To Benjamin Franklin from Robert Grace: Lease, 30 December 1745 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Haverford College Library Robert Grace (see above, I, 209 n), whose parents died when he was young, was brought up by his grandmother and her second husband, Hugh Lowden, in their home on the north side of Market Street, between Front and Second, facing the Jersey Market. Under Lowden’s will, Grace inherited the life use of the property when his grandmother died in 1725. He was living...