31To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 5 April 1792 (Washington Papers)
Both Mr Blair and Mr Wilson are now at Trenton. I have never heard Mr Blair say a syllable upon the subject of the representation bill. Some days ago I met Mr Wilson in Sixth Street, and he stopped to ask me, whether Mr Blair had communicated to me an idea, which both of them entertained on a late law of the present session, requiring the judges of the circuit courts to hear applications of...
32To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 5 August 1792 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed letter has been delayed, longer than I intended. But whenever I have sat down to finish it, I have been unexpectedly interrupted. I trust, however, that it will reach you, before you shall have taken your definitive resolution. I have seen Fraunces thrice at the house; and he has informed me each time, that every thing was right. Parties run high here in the choice of electors and...
33To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 5 August 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have persuaded myself, that this letter, tho’ unconnected with any official relation, and upon a subject, to the decision of which you alone are competent, will be received in the spirit, with which it is written. The Union, for the sake of which I have encountered various embarrassments, not wholly unknown to you, and sacrificed some opinions, which, but for its jeopardy, I should never...
34To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 13 August 1792 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Edmund Randolph, 13 Aug. 1792. On 26 Aug., GW wrote Randolph “to acknowledge the receipt of your favors of the 5th & 13th instt.”
35To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 26 August 1792 (Washington Papers)
Mr Bordley, who wrote the inclosed pamphlet, thought it too unimportant to present it to you with form. He therefore requested me, if an opportunity offered, to send it to Mount Vernon. Since I had the honor of writing to you last, nothing has occurred, worthy of a special mention. The arrivals from Europe have brought nothing; and no incidents in the political line attract any notice, except...
36To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 10 September 1792 (Washington Papers)
When I had the honor of receiving your favor of the third instant, I was too much indisposed by a fever to answer it by the return of the mail. The movements, said to be meditated at the next session of the Virginia assembly, are the disfranchisement of the excise-officers, by taking from them the right of suffrage, and also the establishment of a state-bank, in opposition to the Branch Bank....
37To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 28 October 1792 (Washington Papers)
On revolving the subjects, with which I am officially connected, I discover none, deserving the notice of congress, except those, which are comprehended in the necessity of reforming our judicial system. The detail of them would be almost infinite; and certainly too minute for a communication from the executive: Nor can the congress forget the admonitions, which they have already received on...
38To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 30 January 1793 (Washington Papers)
Mr Randolph presents his respectful compliments to the President; and incloses a memorandum of some intelligence, which he yesterday procured from Mr Campbell, the district-attorney, on the state of Virginia affairs. Mr R. thought, that it might not be unacceptable to the President; as it comes from a gentleman of Character, just from the theatre of the discontents. AL , DLC:GW . Randolph...
39To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 14 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have revolved with great attention the matter of the letter, which you yesterday did me the honor of confiding to my perusal. Convulsed as we are, I cannot but believe, that there is scarcely a man in the government, whom party will not sooner or later destine for an attack. A communication therefore, which seems even to be tinctured with particular objects, will naturally excite caution. I...
40To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 18 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have made the inquiries, which you suggested this morning, from men, well-acquainted with the three characters. Mr Cook appears to possess integrity, industry, punctuality, and the qualities, suited to a collecting lawyer. Upon the scale of eminence, he has no just pretensions; altho’ his vanity occasions him frequently to discover, that he conceives himself inferior to none of any bar. Mr...
41To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 22 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor of presenting to you some of those views, which the very delicate affair of the removal affords, and the result of a provisional inquiry, which I set on foot. 1. The charges have come in an ambiguous form; half-private, half-public; and it must be uncertain, until the arrival of the new-minister from France, to what extent those charges are to be pressed. To seize so...
42To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 28 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
I did not receive the letter, with which you honored me this morning, until my return from the Statehouse at 4 O’clock this afternoon. I determined last night, not to communicate with Mr H——s; because I suspected his own opinion to have a wrong tendency; and I have not been always satisfied, that his conduct has not savoured of management or perhaps cunning. Mr Madison, who knows the other...
43To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 5 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
The only additional inquiry, which I have been able to make, concerning Mr S——l, was from Mr Brown; who thinks that the inclinations of that gentleman are strong towards peace; but that he would not hesitate to contend with zeal for any boundary, which his instructions might prescribe. Indeed, if a doubt of his tendency on this head should be considered as the only objection to him, I suspect,...
44To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 25 March 1793 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Edmund Randolph, 25 Mar. 1793. GW wrote Randolph on 27 Mar. , acknowledging “your letter to me of the 25t[h] inst.”
45To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, April 1793 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Edmund Randolph, April 1793. GW wrote Tobias Lear on 12 April that the “enclosed from the Attorney General I return to him through your hands.”
46To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 6 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
The attorney-general has the honor of reporting to the President, on the questions propounded for consideration, as follows: Altho’ the questions are separately stated; yet are they in general so interwoven in substance, that the discussion of one must frequently run into others. The proclamation has announced the neutrality of the U.S. With this almost every citizen is in unison; and the few,...
47Memorandum from Edmund Randolph, 17 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
The attorney general has the honor of submitting to the President the following opinion. It appears, that a privateer has been equipped and commissioned at Charleston in South Carolina, under the authority of the French government; and was at the same time manned in part by American citizens: that on the high seas she captured an English vessel; and that both of them are now in the port of...
48To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 18 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
(Private) [Philadelphia] May 18. 1793. E. Randolph presents his sincere respects to the President. I was from home, sir, on the business of your letter, when you did me the honor of stopping at our house. I really believe, that restitution is the wish of the majority of the merchants. But I find, that they do not distinguish the cases very accurately. Some, when they speak of restitution,...
49Cabinet Opinion on Sending an Agent to the Choctaws, 1–5 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
That an Agent be sent to the Choctaw nation to endeavor secretly to engage them to support the Chickasaws in their present war with the Creeks, giving them for that purpose arms and ammunition sufficient: and that it be kept in view that if we settle our differences amicably with the Creeks, we at the same time mediate effectually the peace of the Chickasaws & Choctaws, so as to rescue the...
50To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 11 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
On my arrival at Baltimore, Colo. S. Smith gave me a very early and easy opportunity of conversing with him on the subject of his letter to Colo. Hamilton. He repeated the same alarm, as still existing in the breasts of the merchants; adding, however, a confidence in the executive, as being better qualified to judge, from a comprehensive view of our situation. My explanations were apparently...
51To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 24 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
Soon after I had the honor of writing to you from Annapolis, I found an occasion of entering into discourse with the governor of Maryland on the subject of our political situation. He appeared to have been caught by the same apprehensions, as had taken hold of the people of Baltimore; and was very minute in his inquiries. Some hours afterwards he called at my lodgings, and in the presence of...
52To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 24 July 1793 (Washington Papers)
Mr Randolph has the honor of returning to the President Colo. Smith’s letter. Mr R. begs leave to suggest, whether it may not be proper to add to the instruction, to be given to Mr Jefferson concerning Mr Genet’s conduct, that he should state the verbal conversations with him, which respected the granting of commissions within the U.S., and the order, that the privateers, so commissioned,...
53To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 2 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed letter from A. G. Fraunces contains insinuations, which are undoubtedly without grounds, as I verily believe. Still they are of such a nature, as to render it too delicate, to pass them by without notice. On the other hand, the gentleman, who is spoken of, has a title to know a charge, like that expressed in the letter. Permit me therefore to suggest, that the papers be put...
54Cabinet Opinion on the Rules of Neutrality, 3 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
August 3. 1793 The foregoing rules having been considered by us at several meetings, and being now unanimously approved, they are submitted to the President of the United States. DS , in George Taylor, Jr.’s writing, DLC:GW ; copy (letterpress copy), DLC : Jefferson Papers; LB , DLC:GW ; Df , in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC : Jefferson Papers; copy, DNA : RG 46, Third Congress, 1793–1795,...
55Cabinet Opinion on French Privateers, 3 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
That The Minister of the French Republic be informed that the President considers the U. States as bound pursuant to positive assurances, given in conformity to the laws of neutrality, to effectuate the restoration of, or to make compensation for, prizes which shall have been made of any of the parties at war with France subsequent to the fifth day of June last by privateers fitted out of...
56To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 5 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
Mr Randolph presents his respectful compliments to the President; and has the honor of inclosing to him the paper, on which he had committed his opinion, as to the calling of congress, and which he intended to have transcribed. But as he is now engaged in consultation with the heads of the departments, and is on the point of being called to the court, he begs the favor of the President to...
57Enclosure Edmund Randolph’s Opinion on Convening Congress, 5 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
On the question, whether congress be now called, At a past day this question was agitated; and it was an unanimous opinion, that congress should not be then called. A revision of that opinion confirms me in its propriety. Some farther reasons therefore, amounting to what the constitution calls an “ extraordinary occasion ” must have occurred since; before if that opinion is to be relinquished....
58To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 13 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
I am perfectly satisfied, that the conduct of the treasury as to Mr Fraunces has been right in all its parts. The kind of paper, which he holds, is suspicious; the particular paper is suspicious; it may have been already paid by the public; at any rate the extent of the allowance of such a claim, as circumstances now appear, cannot be foreseen. Fraunces himself ought to be convinced, that he...
59To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 21 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
Recollecting an expression in the letter, which was considered yesterday, respecting the motives of the jury in acquitting Hanfield, I made a particular enquiry this morning. I find, that the leading man among them expressed himself thus: “People must not suppose, that because Henfield was acquitted, every person in his situation would be. On the contrary, his declaration, that he would never...
60Cabinet Opinion on the Recall of Edmond Genet, 23 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
At meetings of the heads of departments & the Attorney General at the President’s on the 1st & 2d of Aug. 1793. On a review of the whole of mister Genet’s correspondence & conduct, it was unanimously agreed that a letter should be written to the Minister of the U.S. at Paris, stating the same to him, resuming the points of difference which had arisen between the government of the U.S. & mister...