89101To George Washington from Samuel Hanson, 16 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have just been informed by Mr McWhir that it will be utterly inconvenient to him to accommodate your Nephews any longer. After your late indulgence of me upon this Subject, it will appear extraordinary that I should so soon apply to you to let me have them again. The fact is the Gentlemen whom I had engaged, have quitted me; one, on acct of his marriage; the other, to make an unexpected...
89102To George Washington from Thomas Smith, 17 March 1788 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Thomas Smith, 17 Mar. 1788. GW wrote Smith on 3 April : “your letter of the 17th ulto has come to hand.”
89103From George Washington to Samuel Hanson, 18 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 16th Inst. was handed to me yesterday in Alexandria as I was going to dinner: previous to that I had seen my Nephew George Washington, and asked him if he had heard of any suitable place for himself and Lawrence to board at after their quarter with Mr McWhir expired; he told me that it was probable a place might be obtained at a Mrs Sandford’s; I desired him to inform...
89104To George Washington from Lafayette, 18 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I wish I Could Begin this letter With the Aknowledgement of a late favour from You, But None Having Come to Hand I Have No other Comfort But to Attribute it to ill fortune and Not to Any fault of Yours. I am so Happy to Hear from You, My Beloved General, and so Uneasy When I do not, that I Hope You Will Never Willingly deprive me of a Satisfaction so dear to me, Yet so short of the Happy...
89105To George Washington from Carl von Leuchsenring, 18 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
The known fame throughout the World of your Excellencies humanity, emboldens me to Address myself to you; and altho unknown to recommend me to your particular favors. from various papers I have remark’d that the United States intending to establish a Chore of Six thousand regular Infantry Troops, I have therefore determind within my self, that should I receive a favorable account from the...
89106To George Washington from Benjamin Lincoln, 19 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I was this morning honoured with the receipt of your Excellencys favor of the 29th Ulto. Nothing very material has taken place since the convention was dissolved, saving the meeting of our General court. An attempt was made by some in the house of representatives, in a proposed answer to the Governours speach, to reprobate the doings of the convention held at Philadelphia and of the one in...
89107To George Washington from Battaile Muse, 19 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I stand Indebted in acct Current with you at this Time about Seventy pounds on acct of my Collection of rents—I wish it was in my Power To Convey the money as it’s on hand—I shall be down the First of may and Expect with the above Sum I shall be able To Pay £130 altho what is not in hand is Very [un]Certain—if you have not Paid in your Propotion To the Potomack Company—Mr Hartshorne Drawing on...
89108To George Washington from Edward Pemberton, 21 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
The Distinguishd Rank which You will hold in the Annals of Mankind, might rather descourage me from an address of this kind to Yr Excellency, was it not, that Your Merit as a Man, is not inferior to that of a Statesman or Soldier. I know that Your Excellency is above Flattery which You stand not in need of, as I am above Flattering. What I have said in the few Verses, which I have herewith...
89109From George Washington to Nathaniel Ingraham, 22 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
When I requested you to procure a Gardener for me in Holland, which you was so obliging as to promise to do, I fear I was not explicite enough with respect to the terms &c. upon which I would wish to have him. If one properly qualified for the business, could be obtained to come over in the nature of a redemptioner or which will be more certain, who will indent himself for a certain term years...
89110To George Washington from Edward Newenham, 22 March 1788 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Edward Newenham, 22 Mar. 1788. On 29 Aug. GW wrote Newenham : “your obliging letters of the 22th and 25th of March afforded me particular satisfaction.”
89111To George Washington from Samuel Hanson, 23 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 18th Inst. did not come to hand ’till last Night; an account that has given me some concern, lest you should have concluded that my Silence has been owing to any difficulty in replying to the charges made by the Boys. with respect to the 1st “their being obliged to go sometimes to School without breakfast” I will not deny that it has been sometimes the Case. that it has not...
89112From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 24 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 16th Inst. enclosing the Bill of Lading & Certificate of the Articles shipped on my Acct came duly to hand. The Packet has not yet arrived unless she passed by here yesterday. I thank you for your attention to the letters which I committed to your care. As I do not know whither you may have received the Interest due upon my Certificate in your hands, and some charges will...
89113To George Washington from James Rumsey, 24 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
With this you will Receive five pamphlets Respecting My Boat and other plans, the Subject is not handled Quite to my wish as I was Obliged to get a person to Correct my Coppys In Doing which my Ideas in Several places ware new modled but not So much as to Injure the truths I wished to Introduce, But has made Sum things Rather Obscure. I hope Sir that the nessisaty there was of Such an...
89114To George Washington from Richard Bland Lee, 25 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
After what passed between your Excellency and Col. Lee, and our subsequent conversation touching my undertaking to write a memoir of the events of the late revolution, for some time past you may have expected my determination: and undoubtedly I should have written to you long ago, if I could have removed those struggles in my mind, which were excited by the grandeur of the subject, and the...
89115To George Washington from Edward Newenham, 25 March 1788 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Edward Newenham, 25 Mar. 1788. On 29 Aug. GW wrote Newenham : “your obliging letters of the 22th and 25th of March afforded me particular satisfaction.”
89116From George Washington to Moustier, 26 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have received the letter wch your Excellency did me the honor of addressing to me by the hand of Mr Madison. While I am highly gratified with the justice you do me in appreciating the friendly sentiments I entertain for the French Nation; I cannot avoid being equally astonished & mortifyed in learning that you had met with any subject of discontent or inquietude since your arrival in...
89117To George Washington from John Ettwein, 28 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
May it please your Excellency to spend a few moments in kind remembrance of Bethlehem in Pensilvania and to accept as a Small Token of my continuing thankfulness for your Excellencys kindness during the War, a copy of some remarks or annotations concerning the customs, Language &c. of the Indians, which I took from the memoirs of our Missionaries, to gratify an enquiring Gentleman; As also a...
89118From George Washington to Henry Knox, 30 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 10th came duly to hand, and by Mr Madison I had the pleasure to hear that you had recovered from a severe indisposition, on which event I sincerely congratulate you. The conduct of the State of New Hampshire has baffled all calculation, and happened extremely mal-apropos for the election of delegates to the Convention of this State; For be the real cause of the adjournment to...
89119From George Washington to John O’Connor, 30 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I was favored with your polite letter, and ticket of admittence to Mr OConners lecture on Elequence, at a time yesterday when it was not in my power to give it an acknowledgment. Business (and indeed disinclination to leave my own bed when I am within a few miles of it) would not permit my attendence at the lecture last evening for the invitation to which you will please to accept the thanks...
89120From George Washington to Francis Speake, 30 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
Mr Lee requested that the enclosed letter and bag accompanying it, might be sent to your care which is the cause of the trouble you now receive from me. I cannot omit the occasion of communicating a piece of information I have received—to wit—that your Boat is engaged to meet passengers on this side to take them to the other by which I am deprived of the Ferriages—I hope the practice will not...
89121To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 31 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your esteemed favour of 24 Inst. with 40 Ds. in Bank Notes Came to hand by last post. No other vessel has yet offered for Alexandria. Mr Peters having sent me two Letters & a small Box to forward and the Letters containing some Garden seed I have covered them by post & shall not fail to send the Box which Contains some Roots by first Conveyance I am &c. ADfS , ViMtvL : Clement Biddle Letter...
89122To George Washington from David Griffith, 31 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed paper contains a Statement of your Subscription to the first of August last, when, by a resolution of the vestry, at their last meeting, the Pew rent was to commence in lieu of it. If it be convenient, should be greatly obliged to you for the balance. With respectful Compliments to Mrs Washington, I am, Dr Sir Your most humble & obedt Servt ALS , DLC:GW . GW wrote in his diary on...
89123From George Washington to Battaile Muse, 31 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 19th Inst. and Mr Lear has, agreeable to your request therein, called upon Messrs D. & I. McPherson & Wm Hunter Junr Esqr. who have informed him that the money shall be paid conformable to your advice. It would have suited me exceedingly well to have discharged my proportion of the assessment on the Potomack Company in the manner mentioned in your letter,...
89124From George Washington to John Langdon, 2 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 28th of February came regularly to hand. The conduct of New Hampshire respecting the proposed Government was a matter of general surprize in this, and I believe in every other part of the United States; for her local situation, unconnected with other circumstances, was supposed to be a sufficent inducement to the people of that State to adopt a general Government which...
89125From George Washington to Benjamin Lincoln, 2 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge the reception of your favor of the 24th of Feby; which I have delayed answering till this time in expectation of being able to give you some information of what will probably be the determination of this State, upon the Constitution; but the proceedings of New Hampshir, so directly opposite to what we had reason to hope for, from every account, has entirely baffled all...
89126To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 3 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I expected from what Mr Dunlap had informed me that your papers had been forwarded you regularly since I wrote on that subject but on enquiry at the post office & finding they had not been sent (owing to some misunderstanding between the office & Printers) I have directed the papers to be brought to my Office & now put up in a Bundle with those of last month & shall inclose them in future by...
89127From George Washington to Richard Butler, 3 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 13th ulto —My not acknowledging the reception of the printed Vocabulary must have been an omission, for it came safely to hand with the manuscript one. Your observation respecting the instability & inefficacy of our general Government is very just; they are not only apparent in the instances which you mention, but have, for a long time, strongly marked all...
89128From George Washington to Samuel Chamberline, 3 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have been favored with your letter of the 10 Ulto and feel myself much obliged by the communication of your mode of cropping, which you have been pleased to make to me. Every improvement in husbandry should be gratefully received and peculiarly fostered in this Country, not only as promoting the interest and lessening the labour of the farmer, but as advancing our respectability in a...
89129From George Washington to Caleb Gibbs, 3 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 24th of Feby and the enclosed news papers came duly to hand. The conduct of New Hampshire has I believe, been a matter of surprize in eve[r]y part of the Country, and from what I can learn, wholly unexpected by a considerable part of the Convention themselves; The adjournment was, however, (circumstanced as they were) a very prudent step, for it appears that the great...
89130To George Washington from William Gordon, 3 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I had proposed writing by the present opportunity, before I received your letter of Jany the 1st on tuesday last. Return you my most sincere thanks for your good wishes. The second volume will be printed off I expect by the end of the week after next. The first begins with the settlement of the several colonies, & comes down to & takes in the Lexington engagement. The second finishes with the...
89131To George Washington from Thomas Mahony, 3 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I woud esteem it as a great Favour if you have considered that Affair of my working with your (Honour) I am willing to Engage for the Year at Twenty Six pounds with all other Articles wch was made mention’d of your Honour’s Answer I Humbleley waite for. Copy, DLC:GW . On 1 Aug. 1786 Mahony (Mahoney) first signed Articles of Agreement to serve GW at Mount Vernon as a house carpenter and joiner...
89132From George Washington to Thomas Smith, 3 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
Previous to the reception of your letter of the 11th Inst. Colo. Biddle advised me of his having received from you £192.13.4 on my acct he mentioned £200 having been brought to him by the Gentleman into whose charge you had given it but £7.6.8. being in bad gold, he did not incline to receive it, and had therefore returned it to the Gentleman by whom it was sent —I am &c. P.S. Since writing...
89133From George Washington to François Barbé de Marbois, 4 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have regularly received the letter you did me the honor to write to me on the 30th of November last, accompanied by one from the Count de la Luzerne, respecting the claim of the M. de Saqui des Tourets to be admitted a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. I should certainly find myself extremely happy in an opportunity of gratifying the wishes of so meritorious an officer as M. des...
89134From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 4 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
The articles which you shipped on my Acct on board of the Charming Polly have arrived safe & in good order. As I am under the necessity of purchasing, every year, a quantity of coarse Linen, Blanketings &ca for the clothing of my negroes, and sundry other articles for various purposes, and Goods of every kind being sold in Alexandria at a high advance, I am desireous of knowing if I could not...
89135From George Washington to Charles Lee, 4 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I am very sorry that I have not yet been able to discharge my acct with the James River Company for the amount of which you presented me with an order. The almost total loss of my crop last year by the drought which has obliged me to purchace upwards of eight hundred Barrels of Corn, and my other numerous and necessary demands for cash, when I find it impossible to obtain what is due to me, by...
89136From George Washington to James Wilson, 4 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
You will please to accept of my best thanks for the copy of the debates of your late convention which you have been so polite as to send me—That, together with your favor of the 11 Ulto was handed to me by Mr Madison. The violent proceedings of the ememies of the proposed constitution in your State are to be regreted as disturbing the peace of society; but in any other point of view they are...
89137From George Washington to Richard Peters, 6 April 1788 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Richard Peters, 6 April 1788. On 27 April Peters wrote GW : “I was honoured yesterday with yours of the 6th instant.”
89138To George Washington from John Porter, 9 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
With the advice of many of my military frinds of rank & respectability I am induced to address this on a subject of which I but too sinsibly feel the misfortune—’Tis that of my discharge from the Army, by a Court Martial for going beyond sea without proper leave for that purpose, &c. which will no doubt immediately occur to your mind; I have been mostly in Europe & the West Indies since the...
89139To George Washington from James Madison, 10 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
Having seen a part only of the names returned for the Convention, and being unacquainted with the political characters of many of them, I am a very incompetent prophet of the fate of the Constitution. My hopes however are much encouraged by my present conjectures. Those who have more data for their calculations than I have, augur a flattering issue to the deliberations of June. I find that...
89140To George Washington from Richard Ratcliff, 10 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I am Sorry that after Serving in the Capacity of a Publick Servant for Eight years Succesfully, and haveing (I flatter myself) Discharged my Duty therein faithfully, that I Shou’d now at this Period be loaded with Injustice threats &c.—& that for no Other Cause, than haveing Innocently given you, or Some friend an Affront, for Sir with Respect to the Tax Recd for yr Slaves in Fairfax Parish...
89141From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 11 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favor of the 31st Ulto enclosing a letter & some seeds from Mr Peters, and will thank you to send me, by the first Vessel bound this way, a good Wheat-fan (if there have been any late improvements on the common sort, which have been found useful, I shall prefer one with such improvements)—and a steel-plated Whip-saw of the best kind, seven & an half feet long; if you are not a...
89142To George Washington from Charles Lee, 11 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive by post your letter inclosing a certificate for sixty nine pounds a moity of what was due for a slave executed in 1781 and I have endeavoured to negotiate it but I find the terms so disadvantageous to you that I have retained it for your further directions. The value of all the state certificates depends upon the laws of taxation & revenue and as tobacco is...
89143From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 14 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 3d inst. and the news-papers accompanying it came to hand by the last mail. In my letter to you of the 11th inst. I requested you to procure a wheat fan for me, but since that time I have found one more than I then knew of[,] which compleated the number of my several farms and supersedes the necessity of your sending the one which I wrote for, provided this letter reaches you...
89144To George Washington from Benjamin Rush, 14 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
Dr Rush presents his most respectful compliments to General Washington, and has the pleasure of sending him herewith a print of the celebrated Mr Napier, which was committed to the Doctors care, for the General, from the Right Honble the Earl of Buchan of Scotland. AL , DLC:GW . The response from Mount Vernon, dated 28 April, was: “General Washington presents his best compliments and thanks to...
89145To George Washington from Samuel Griffin, 15 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor of recieveing your polite favor of the 20th of February, in regular time by the Mail. and on the 26th of March had the pleasure of laying it before a Convocation of the Vissitors, they thought themselves much honord, by the freindly Manner in which you were pleased to Mention that Body, and desired me to make their sincere Acknowledgements to you in behalf of the Convocation,...
89146To George Washington from Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, 15 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
It affords me great pleasure to have it in my power to inform you that our Elections are now over, & in general in favor of the New Constitution. But three Counties in the State have chosen Members Antifederal to wit Ann Arundel Baltimore & Harford & the Elections of these three will be controverted as to these Members to wit Mr Saml Chase for Ann Arundel on Account of being a Non resident....
89147To George Washington from L’Enfant, 15 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
Having already taken the liberty of troubling your Excellency with the particular of my circumstances owing to the Cincinnati affaire —and finding that thier resolutions of the last general meeting in consequences of my application on this subject has been of no relief to me it is become incumbent on me that I should once more sollicite your Excellency patronage on the occasion therefore I...
89148To George Washington from Hector St. John Crèvecoeur, 17 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment receiv’d a Letter by the French Packet just come into this Port—inclosed in one of our Ministers dispatches addressed to you, which he has most particularly requested I shou’d forward to you, not knowing when the Post sets out, I thought it most prudent to inclose it in this, & put the whole into the hands of the Presidt of Congress, I hope it will reach your Excellency’s...
89149To George Washington from Charles Lee, 17 April 1788 (Washington Papers)
Since writing my last I have exchanged your warrant for £69 payable in the aggregate fund for warrants payable in the present taxes as well as the arrears and this being done upon equal terms is an advantage to you. If you choose to apply these to the payment of your taxes for the year 1787, in case there remain any such taxes to be paid by you, I will retain them till an opportunity shall...
89150To George Washington from John Vaughan, 17 April 1788 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Vaughan, 17 April 1788. On 27 April GW wrote Vaughan : “I have received your two letters of the 17th and 21st Inst.”