James Madison Papers

Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 17 May 1783

Benjamin Harrison to Virginia Delegates

FC (Virginia State Library). In the hand of Thomas Meriwether. Addressed to “Virginia Delegates in Congress.”

In Council May 17th. 1783.

Gentlemen

I have nothing of Consequence to communicate to you by this Post[.] a sufficient Number to constitute an Assembly met on Munday last, but the great Business of the Session is not sufficiently open’d to enable me to form a conclusive Judgment on the Steps that will be taken to improve the present happy Moment.1

I could wish you to hasten the determinations of Congress on the Subject of a revenue as much as possible or they may come too late for the necessary discussion and therefore go perhaps unattended to.2 You some Time ago promised to send me a Copy of the Offer made by N. York of a Teretory to Congress, for the purpose of building a Town for their reception, and to hold their meetings in[,] which has slip’d your Memory, I wish you again to think of it and to send it forward with any proposal that may be made by Maryland, as I like the Idea of fixing it at George Town and have no doubt of our Assembly’s coming into any reasonable Proposition that shall be made to them.3

I am with respect Gentlen: yrs: &c.

B. H.

2Jefferson to JM, 7 May 1783, nn. 6, 13.

3Papers of Madison description begins William T. Hutchinson, William M. E. Rachal, et al., eds., The Papers of James Madison (7 vols. to date; Chicago, 1962——). description ends , VI, 447; 448, nn. 4–7. See also Jones to JM, 28 June 1783.

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