75871To Benjamin Franklin from James White and Other Would-Be Emigrants, [c. 12 November 1779] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The intriguing letter from James White, published below, is a sample of the appeals Franklin received between November, 1779, and February, 1780, for help in emigrating to America. We have dated it [ c. November 12, 1779] because on that day White sent a covering letter to an unnamed person in Amsterdam (Jean de Neufville, no doubt) asking him to convey his...
75872To Thomas Jefferson from John Shee, 17 October 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
It will not I presume, be unpleasing to you Sir! to learn; that the confidence that you have been pleased to repose in me; The Collection of the Customs in this port; has in a correspondent degree been manifested by two, amongst the most opulent and respected of our Citizens—Mr. Stephen Girard, and Mr. James Vanuxem; who unhesitatingly and to an extensive amount; became surities, for its...
75873From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 20 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The H. of R. having by a resolution requested me to take effectual measures for the completion of the S. wing of the Capitol by the commencement of the next session, it becomes my duty to be under a constant & well supported certainty that the work (except such internal stone carving as may be done at leisure hereafter) is making such progress as will admit it’s being ready by a fixed day....
75874Extract from Francis Childs’s Debates, 1 July 1788 (Jay Papers)
The hon. Mr. Jay rose, and said that he would confine himself to a few remarks, as the question had been pretty fully debated. He begun with a description of the general characteristics of a government proper for the United States. It had, he said, been justly laid down, that a government, which was to accomplish national purposes, should command the national resources. Here a question had...
75875From George Washington to George Mason, 27 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
By some interruption of the last Weeks Mail your favor of the 8th did not reach my hands till last Night—Under cover of this Mr Mason (if he should not have Sailed, &) to whom I heartily wish a perfect restoration of health, will receive two letters; one of them to the Marqs de la Fayette & the other to Doctr Franklin; in furnishing which I am happy, as I wish for instances in which I can...
75876From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 17 February 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your kind Letter of Dec. 11. and rejoice to hear of your Welfare and easy Situation. You will hear before this comes to hand, that I am depriv’d of my Office. Don’t let this give you any Uneasiness. You and I have almost finished the Journey of Life; we are now but a little way from home, and have enough in our Pockets to pay the Post...
75877Thomas S. McCleland to Thomas Jefferson, 1 April 1810 (Jefferson Papers)
since I had the pleasure of seeing you, I have thought it would be better to proceed on your Warrant vs Scott on Friday next—it is probable Scott will Traverse the Force or plead possession for 3 years in bar of Restitution, in case the G. Jury find an Inquisition for the Commonwealth — If he do, & we take issue on either of those pleas the Justice must direct a new Jury to be returned for the...
75878From Alexander Hamilton to Benjamin Lincoln, 19 January 1790 (Hamilton Papers)
I am favored with your letter of the 16th. of last month; which I would have replied to sooner if my time had not been engrossed of late in preparing business for the consideration of the Legislature. The case of Mr. Jefferies (as stated by himself) appears a hard one; but I take the Construction of the law to include the Articles you mention; and there is no authority in any of the Executive...
75879From John Adams to John Lamb, 31 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
M r Randall who proposes to Sail in a few Days for N York, will deliver you this Letter. If, I have not Overlookd any Article in your Account you have drawn Bills upon me which have been accepted & paid to the amount of 32 hundred and 12 Pounds 12 shillings Sterling for the Expenditure of which you will Account with Congress and pay the Ballance into their Treasury after paying M r Randall his...
75880To George Washington from William Denny, 9 October 1757 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is a Copy of Sir William Johnson’s Letter delivered to me by the Person who conducted the Cherokees to this City by which you will perceive that they are upon an important Errand and should not be delayed one moment. I desire that you will be so good as to mention the Day and Hour they arrive with you, This Province chearfully bears the Expenses of their Journey to Winchester. I make...
75881To John Jay from George Washington, 28 April 1779 (Jay Papers)
I have been duly honord with your Excellency’s favor of the 25th and its inclosures. You will percieve by the within Resolution of the Assembly of the State of Massachusetts, that there are several pieces of cannon (18 pounders) the property of the Continent, now in that state. General M c Dougall informs me that only two pieces out of the seven have been recieved. The defenceless situation of...
75882Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 11 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1763–1764 (Philadelphia, 1764), p. 43. The plan of early January to send the Indians lodged on Province Island to Sir William Johnson for safety had failed because the New York authorities had refused to cooperate. Governor Penn received a letter on Saturday, January 21, from Capt. J. Schlosser of the Royal American Regiment...
75883To George Washington from Alexander Johnson, 3 April 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Complacent Attention generally granted to a Cause of Humanity makes me bold in the Liberty of bringing before You one of its Pleas, which were it not founded on the Basis of public Utility, discretion would forbid me to propose, considering the Interruption it must Cause in numerous Weighty Matters that engross Your Attention: Yet as the Subject in its Nature is analogous to a purpose,...
75884To George Washington from the Board of War, 17 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
Congress having been pleased to grant to the Marquis de Vienne (a major in the armies of his most Christian Majesty) the brevet commission of Colonel —we do ourselves the honour to signify it to your Excellency; and to intimate the wishes of the Marquis to be employed in some service of utility to the states, and in which he may have an opportunity to manifest his military talents & zeal for...
75885[undated diary entry] (Washington Papers)
Publick Levy 1767 8 lbs. Tob[acco] pr. Poll—No. No. of Tythables in 1762 – 121022 1764 – 128000 1766 – 131799 Depositum—in 1767 Brunswick 11983 Charles City 15184 Dinwiddie 896 Gloucester 17514 Henrico 5757 James City 5299 Isle of Wight 8522
75886To Thomas Jefferson from John Steele, 28 June 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
About the 10th. of next month, I wish to be favored with your permission to visit my family in Carolina. Hitherto a variety of considerations have restrained me from removing them to this place. Among others, a desire not to do any thing which would render it inconvenient for me to conform to your views, whatever they might be, in relation to the disposition of my office . I thought it my duty...
75887From John Adams to the Comte de Vergennes, 12 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 12 February 1780. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:243–245 With this letter John Adams formally notified Vergennes of his mission. Stating that he had been appointed to negotiate treaties of peace and commerce with Great Britain, he explained, so far as he knew it, the origins of...
75888From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 22 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 13th instt has been duly received, as I believe all your others have. The order for settling my accts as Exr of Colvill was immediately sent to Mr Keith; who asks, as “the order of Court must be published, for a month in the Alexandria Gazette—and the time fixed upon for auditing the accounts made known at the foot of the order, a copy of the order served upon Mr West with a...
75889To George Washington from Major General Artemas Ward, 19 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the twelfth Instant I received Saturday Evening; I gave immediate attention to your Orders, and as it was judged extremely difficult, if not impracticable, to convey the Mortars by land, I gave Orders to the proper persons to prepare every thing necessary for conveying them by water, and to work day and night until they were compleated. This day they will go on board of Lighters...
75890From Thomas Jefferson to St. George Tucker, 22 December 1793 (Jefferson Papers)
I this instant recieve by Mr. Randolph your son in law your favor of the 11th. inst. Had I known the situation you mention I should have taken the liberty, without waiting for authority, to have given him any counsel which his pursuits would have required. I should continue to do it now, with greater confidence, were I to remain here, but I retire from my office the last day of this month, and...
75891To James Madison from the Inhabitants of Westport, Connecticut, 20 August 1812 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 August 1812. “The Inhabitants of the Town of Westport, in legal Town meeting assembled August 20th., 1812. ask leave respectfully to state. That they have endured a series of restrictions upon Commerce, which from principle they have disapproved, being according to their understanding, inefficient as respects Foreign nations, and injurious, Chiefly to ourselves. Yet, we presume not to...
7589227th. (Adams Papers)
I perceive Charles has been guilty of a trick which I thought he would despise; that of prying into, and meddling with things which are nothing to him: and ungenerously looking into Papers, (which he knew I wished to keep private,) because I could not keep them under lock and key. If he looks here, he will feel how contemptible a spy is to himself, and to others. I visited Mr. Thaxter and Mr....
75893[Diary entry: 23 August 1797] (Washington Papers)
23. Very little wind rather inclining to the Westward. Mer. 80. Mr. Richd. Randolph & Mr. Carter Beverly came to dinner & Captn. Blackburn & lady in the Afternoon. Clouds but no R. Richard Randolph, Jr. (c.1758–1799), of Curles in Henrico County was married to Maria Beverley Randolph (1764–1824), daughter of Robert Beverley (1740–1800) and Maria Carter Beverley (1745–1817) of Blandfield....
75894To Alexander Hamilton from James Cochran, 1 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
My Brother who is with me at present has such an inflamation in his Eyes as to put it out of his power to leave this for his station. As his Furlough is at an end, and he can’t write, he requested me to give you the above information and to send you the enclosed Certificate of a respectable Physician of this place. He will leave this as soon as he recovers, which he expects will be in a short...
75895[Diary entry: 20 May 1791] (Washington Papers)
Friday 20th. Viewed the ruins, or rather small remns. of the Works which had been erected by the British during the War and taken by the Americans—also the falls, which are about 2 Miles above the Town; and the Town itself. These falls (as they are called) are nothing more than rapids. They are passable in their present state by boats with Skilful hands, but may at a very small expence be...
My last gave you some account of the situation of affairs in the Southern department. The total defeat of the army under gen l . Gates on the 16 th August left the enemy at liberty to over run S. Carolina without annoyance accept from the militia who being but thinly scattered over an extensive Country could not soon be collected in the face of a powerful and victorious enemy. However the...
75897From Alexander Hamilton to James Duane, [14 September 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
The enclosed was delivered me by Doctr. Schuyler with a request to transmit it to one of the delegates of the state for patronage. He assures me that what he asks has been done in similar cases; particularly for some Hospital surgeons belonging to the State of Pensylvania. If so there will prob⟨ably⟩ be no difficulty in the case. I beg l⟨eave⟩ to recommend it to your attention. Doctor Schuyler...
75898[Diary entry: 13 March 1773] (Washington Papers)
13. Raw & Cool with the Wind Easterly and cloudy withal.
75899From Alexander Hamilton to Joseph Elliott, 5 March 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
The letter of which the inclosed is a duplicate was some time since transmitted forwarded; but remains unacknowleged. As it went by post under cover to the Secretary at War, I am at a loss to account for its miscarriage; but that this has been the case I have no cannot doubt, since it has continued been so long without an answer. A General Court Martial, of which Col Moore has been appointed...
75900Sarah Sober to Richard Peters and Benjamin Franklin: Trust Agreement, 25 June 1754 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Franklin Institute; transcript: Department of Records, Recorder of Deeds, City of Philadelphia June 25, 1754 Abstract: An indenture by Sarah Sober of Philadelphia, widow (called in this abstract the settlor) and Richard Peters and Benjamin Franklin (called the trustees). Whereas the settlor has assigned to the trustees two bonds, one dated Aug. 17, 1753, from Stephen Shewell and Hannah...