791[Diary entry: 1 May 1786] (Washington Papers)
Monday first. Rid to the Fishing landing and to the Plantations at the Ferry, Dogue run, and Muddy hole; perceived the Siberian Wheat at the two first had come up thinly which I attributed partly to bad seed and partly to too thin sowing as the Oats and Barley at all three were also too thin and where the ground had been wet, and hard baked none appeared. Set them to drilling the common Corn...
792From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 22 August 1787 (Washington Papers)
Since I came to this City, if I recollect rightly, you asked me if I now had, or could put up, a quantity of Herrings next season, for Sale. Having revolved the matter in my mind, I wish in turn to be informed, if there is any responsible character who would enter into a contract for a number, to be delivered next Season? What number of Barrls he would contract for?—and at what price; to be...
793From George Washington to Rufus King, 29 February 1788 (Washington Papers)
I have received the letter with which you were pleased to honor me from Boston, and pray you to accept my thanks for, & congratulations on, the important information it contains. Happy, am I, to see the favorable decision of your Convention upon the proposed Government; not only on acct of its adding an important State to the number of those which have already accepted it, but because it must...
794To George Washington from William Gordon, 7 November 1785 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from William Gordon, 7 Nov. 1785. GW wrote Gordon on 6 Dec. : “I come now, my good Doctor, to acknowledge . . . the receipt of your obliging favor of the 7th ulto.”
795To George Washington from William McWhir, 24 December 1787 (Washington Papers)
Patronage and Bounty has so very essentially contributed to the growth and respectability of our school, that it would be highly blamable and imprudent in me, who am supported by it, to think of undertaking any thing which might have the smallest probability of injuring it, without taking the liberty of consulting you. Especially as your approbation or disapprobation of the measure, would...
796[Diary entry: 7 February 1785] (Washington Papers)
Monday 7th. Mercury at 39 this morning—44 at Noon and 48 at Night. Day clear, perfectly calm, Warm & pleasant. The Snow began to dissolve fast.
797To George Washington from Jean Le Mayeur, 14 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
among the many civilities I had the honor of reciving in your Excellencys family there was one which little master George frequently showed in lending me his blue horse when I had occasion to ride—I have been so fortunate since my return to this City as to meet with a little red horse which I beg to have the pleasure of presenting to him as a token of my regard. this little horse is just big...
798[Diary entry: 4 October 1785] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday 4th. Thermometer at 63 in the Morning—62 at Noon and 66 at Night. Wind at So. West, veering more Westerly. Morning wet, and till Noon dripping; Clear afterwards, and wind fresh.
799[Diary entry: 25 May 1787] (Washington Papers)
Friday 25th. Another delegate coming in from the State of New Jersey made a quoram; and Seven States being now represented, the body was Organized and I was called to the Chair by a unanim. vote. Major Jackson was appointed Secretary—and a Com[mitt]ee consisting of Mr. Wythe, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. Chs. Pinkney chosen to prepare rules & regulations by which the Convention was to be governed. To...
800To George Washington from David Humphreys, 11 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
I had the honour to receive, last evening by the Post, your letter of the 23d of Jany, and am happy to relieve you from your apprehension, by informing that your confidential favor of the 26th of Decr with its enclosures had long since been safely received; & duly acknowledged in a private letter which was forwarded more than a fortnight since, by Colo. Wadsworth. But as he has business at New...
801From George Washington to Henry Knox, 8 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
Count Wengiersky, a Polish Gentleman travelling the Continent for his amusement, will have the pleasure to deliver you this; he comes recommended to me by the Marquis de la Fayette and by the Minister of France and as he proposes to take West-point in his tour I take the liberty to Request your civilities to him during his stay there. Mr Vernon, an English Gentleman lately from Europe travels...
802From George Washington to Joseph Wright, 30 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
It has so happened that your card of Septr 1st, with the Bust which accompanied it, did not get to my hands until some time in the course of last month: & that a letter from your good mother dated Decr 8th 1783, only reached me the 12th of last December. For the first you will please to receive the united acknowledgements & thanks of Mrs Washington & myself. The large one she prays may give...
803[Diary entry: 21 January 1785] (Washington Papers)
Friday 21st. Mercury at 52 in the Morning—54 at Noon & 55 at Night. More or less rain all night and variable wind—which, at times, blew exceedingly hard. In the Morning the wind was at No. Et. attended with rain. Before Noon it shifted to the Southward—blowing pretty fresh. The weather then cleared. This day a large Ship went up—on Tuesday last 4 square rigged vessels also went past wch. was...
804From George Washington to Robert Townsend Hooe, 27 November 1786 (Washington Papers)
The plank I want is to floor a room 24 by 32 feet. It must be 24 feet long & 1½ inches thick—all of a colour, and entirely free from Knots & sap. More than the nett quantity is requisite, for allowances. If it were seasoned, so much the better; but this is hardly to be expected in plank of this particular kind. If Mr Swift can supply me, it will be better than to send to the Eastern shore; if...
805[Diary entry: 5 June 1787] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday. 5th. Dined at Mr. Morris’s with a large Company and spent the evening there.
806[Diary entry: 11 February 1785] (Washington Papers)
Friday 11th. Mercury at 46 this Morning—51 at Noon and the same at Night. The first part of the Morning was hazy & rather cool. Before Noon it grew clear, warm, and pleasant and towards the Evening it lowered & the Sun set in a bank. The Wind in the Morning was Northwardly. Afterwards it got round to the Southward but there was very little of it. Employed all day in marking the ground for the...
807To George Washington from Tench Tilghman, 18 August 1784 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your Excellency’s letters of the 4th and 11th. The first inclosing Bank Bills for 90 dollars which I beleive is more than sufficient—but Mr Peters has been so ill, that I have not been able to procure the Cost of the wheat Fan. My Clerk remembers shipping the Handle from hence. I am glad your Carpenter is like to please you—Having not met with a Bricklayer, I shall desist looking...
808[Diary entry: 29 July 1785] (Washington Papers)
Friday 29th. Thermometer at 78 in the Morng.—80 at Noon and 78 at Night. A Squall of Wind and a little fine Rain came on about 6 oclock in the Morning; both of which were soon over: but the former continued pretty fresh from No. West until the Evening, when it became Calm. Cut the Weeds, wild grass &ca. which had intermixed with the Clover that I sowed at the home house and at Muddy hole—this...
809From George Washington to Wakelin Welch, 5 August 1786 (Washington Papers)
On the other side is a copy of my letter to you of this date under cover to Arthur Young Esqr. of Bradford Hall, near Bury in Suffolk. The articles which I have written to him for are, 2 ploughs, with spare shares & coulters; & a mould to form others on. A little of the best kind of cabbage seeds for field culture. 20 lb. of best Turnip seeds. 10 bushels of Sainfoin seeds. 8 Do of the winter...
810From George Washington to David Stuart, 12 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
At length I have received the sheriffs acct against me for Taxes—a copy of which I enclose you. Mr Ratcliff supposes I am well acquainted with the manner of discharging it, but in truth I am not—nor whether his charges are right, or not; I shall thank you therefore for your Inspection, & comparison of it with the revenue Acts; and then, for providing me with the means for discharging it to the...
811From George Washington to François Barbé de Marbois, 7 November 1783 (Washington Papers)
Mr Frondeville President of the Parliament of Normandy has transmitted me the enclosed Letter, with a desire that I would convey it to Mr Lambert—I have some reason to suppose that Gentleman to be at Philadelphia, and shall be much obliged to you to inform me whether I may assure Mr frondeville of the letter being delivered to its address. With much Regard I am Sir Your very Obedt Servt AAE :...
812To George Washington from Henry Knox, 31 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
I have the satisfaction, my dear Sir, to acknowledge the receipt of your kind favors of the 5th of Decr and of the 5th instant for which I beg you to receive my warmest thanks. I regard these letters as fresh proofs of your unchanging friendship and kindness, which I shall ever esteem among the cheif blessings of my Life. The Indians being in a bad temper when you went to the Westward I felt...
813From George Washington to Presley Nevill, 27 November 1786 (Washington Papers)
Accept my thanks for the information given me in your letter of the 25th ulto from the Court House of Washington, respecting the decision of one of my Ejectments. I have, since, been informed by Mr Smith, of the favorable issue of the whole, and of the necessity there is of my paying immediate attention to the Tenements to prevent the waste & damage which otherwise will follow. Consequent of...
814From George Washington to Elizabeth Powel, 6 June 1787 (Washington Papers)
Gen. Washington presents respectful compliments to Mrs Powell, & prays her acceptance of the Vision of Columbus which he promised some days ago, the Copies thereof, for which he subscribed some years since, having just come to hand. AL , ViMtvL . GW had subscribed to twenty copies of Joel Barlow’s The Vision of Columbus , several of which he gave away in Philadelphia. See the entry for 18 May...
815To George Washington from William Paca, 20 December 1783 (Washington Papers)
Amidst the general Joy on the happy and honourable Termination of the War we beg Leave to welcome your Excellency’s return to this City with Hearts Full of Gratitude and Affection. As long Sir as Mankind shall retain a proper Sense of the Blessings of Peace Liberty and Safety, your Character in every Country and in every Age will be honor’d admir’d and rever’d: but to a Mind elevated as...
816To George Washington from Charles Vancouver, 10 May 1785 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Charles Vancouver, 10 May. GW wrote Vancouver on 30 June : “Your favor of the 10th of last month came safely to hand.”
817[Diary entry: 1 March 1785] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday 1st. Mercury at 34 in the morning 38 at Noon and 42 at Night. Wind at No. West all day, & sometimes pretty fresh; at others very moderate. In general clear with some flying clouds. Planted the remainder of the Poplars & part of the Ash Trees—also a circle of Dogwood with a red bud in the Middle close to the old Cherry tree near the South Garden Ho[use]. Began with my two Tumblers to...
818[Diary entry: 19 August 1785] (Washington Papers)
Friday 19th. Mercury at 79 in the Morning—82 at Noon and 82 at Night. Morning lowering, and very like for rain, but about noon it cleared after a very slight sprinkling, not enough to wet a man in his shirt. Doctr. Craik returned from John Alton’s, took breakfast, & proceeded home. Encouraged by the little rain which had fallen, and the hope that more would fall I sowed about half an Acre of...
819Enclosure: Floridablanca to William Carmichael, 24 November 1784 (Washington Papers)
The King has not only condescended with pleasure to permit the extraction of the Jack Ass which you sollicit on acct of General Washington But further his Majesty desirous that this Commission should be executed to the entire Satisfaction of so distinguished a personage, has ordered me to look out for & place at your orders two of the best of those Animals, in case that an accident should...
820From George Washington to Simeon DeWitt, 3 March 1784 (Washington Papers)
By the interruptions of the post, your letter dated the 12th of Jany never got to my hands until Sunday last. I have urged, not only in public, but private conversations with individual members of Congress, the policy, indeed necessity of having accurate Maps of the United States—& they know full well my opinion of your worth, and ability to execute them. All seem sensible of these, but the...
821Appendix VI: From Du Bouchet, 17 May (Washington Papers)
Being of all the petitioners for Becoming Members of the association of the Cincinnati, the only officer Whose case stands so pecular as to advocate for an exception to the General Rules of the society, I ardently Beg your Excellency to Be pleased to Reccollect, that I have on no other purpose, that to Get admittance to the order, Cross’d the atlantick, and that Returning home disapointed in...
822To George Washington from Thomas Newton, 5 November 1788 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Thomas Newton, 5 Nov. 1788. On 17 Dec. GW wrote to Newton : “I have received your letter of the 5th Ulto.”
823From George Washington to John Fitzgerald, 13 June 1786 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to John Fitzgerald, 13 June 1786. Fitzgerald wrote GW on 13 June : “I am honoured with your letter of this date.”
824From George Washington to Richard Henry Lee, 12 June 1784 (Washington Papers)
Unsolicited by, and unknown to Mr Paine, I take the liberty of hinting the Services, and distressed (for so I think it may be called) situation of that Gentleman. That his Common Sense, and many of his Crisis[e]s were well timed and had a happy effect upon the public mind, none I believe, who will recur to the epocha’s at which they were published, will deny. That his Services hitherto have...
825From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 30 January 1786 (Washington Papers)
I embrace the good & safe oppertunity afforded me by Colo. Grayson to send you Ten half Johan[ne]s—the application of which shall be the subject of a Letter by the Post, when I have more leizure to write—not being able to mention the purposes for which they are intended at this time —With much truth I am Dr Sir Yr Obedt Hble Servt ALS , PHi : Washington-Biddle Correspondence. The letter was...
826To George Washington from John Spotswood Moore, 25 February 1789 (Washington Papers)
I take the Liberty of addressing Yr Excellency in order to Sollicit Yr Interest in continuing me in a post which I have for some time enjoyed under the present Constitution of Government, but which, I am now informed, devolves on Yr honourable Body to conferr —namely the office of Searcher at the Port of West point—Tho’ the Sallary annexed thereto is but small being £50 per Annum, Yet to a...
827[Diary entry: 9 September 1785] (Washington Papers)
Friday 9th. Thermometer at 66 in the Morning—72 at Noon and 72 at Night. Clear and rather warm, with but little Wind. Rid up to Alexandria with Mrs. Washington, who wanted to get some cloathing for little Washington Custis; and for the purpose of seeing Colos. Fitzgerald & Colo. Gilpin on the business of the Potomack Company. Returned home to Dinner. GW and the directors, after discussing...
828To George Washington from William Barton, 28 August 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency may probably recollect that I had the honor of waiting on You, at the Winter-quarters of the Army, early in the year 1779, with letters from Mr Laurens and the late Genl Reed. Altho’ barely known, however, to You, I take the liberty of inclosing, for your own perusal, a short treatise on a subject little understood, or attended to, in this Country—namely, Heraldry or Blazon....
829[Diary entry: 5 January 1787] (Washington Papers)
Friday 5th. Mercury at 54 in the Morning—51 at Noon and 46 at Night. Day clear. In the Morning it was calm but by 8 oclock the wind Sprung up at No. Wt. & encreased till it came to blow hard & continued to do so till Night and some time within it. It grew colder but was not disagreeably cold. A Mr. Smith—Boat builder came here to build me a fishing Boat for which I am to allow him 8/. a foot...
830From George Washington to William Hartshorne, 5 July 1785 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to William Hartshorne, 5 July. On this date Hartshorne wrote GW that he had received “your favor of this morning.”
831[Diary entry: 23 August 1785] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday 23d. Mercury at 76 in the Morning—74 at Noon and 75 at Night. Morning lowering, with drops of rain now and then, but none fell to wet the ground. Wind for the most part of the day Easterly. Doctr. Craik came here before Dinner. Visited John Alton in the Evening and returned and stayed all Night. Mr. Shaw returned home in the Afternoon. With the Guinea grass Seed I had on hand, I began...
832From George Washington to Robert Morris, 3 March 1784 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed is your Warrant on Mr Hilligas, endorsed—I thank you for the trouble you have taken to negotiate the matter with Govr Clinton, & have the honor to be with all possible regard, Dr Sir Your Most obedt & affecte Servant LB , DLC:GW . See GW to Morris, 4 Jan., n.1 , George Clinton to GW, 27 Feb. , and James Milligan to GW, 9 Mar., n.3 . Michael Hillegas (1729–1804) was United States...
833Appendix X: From Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, 17 May 1784 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to adresse your Excellency with the inclosed letter from mr duBouchet, who his one of the officer whose particular cases have moved the french Comitee in favour of thier claimes, his suspecting that there as Been in the assembly some opposition to his claimes, is the accasion for is troubling your Excellency with a second adresse —and I could not But Be Confident that your...
834To George Washington from Thomas Smith, 5 February 1788 (Washington Papers)
On my return from the Western Courts, two weeks ago I was honored with your letter of the 3d of December last inclosing a duplicate of another letter dated the 16th Septr. Since my return I have had no opportunity of writing to Philadelphia till now. I did not receive the letter of the 16th Septr till the middle of november & having by my letter of the 26th October anticipated an answer to it...
835From George Washington to Arthur Donaldson, 16 October 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the first inst. did not reach my hands until last night, or I would have replied to it sooner. I am much obliged to you for the Model of your Hippopotamus, and the information which accompanied it,—I have a high expectation of its answering very valuable purposes, if the mud, in the beds of our Rivers, is of that fertilizing nature which the appearance indicate; of which I mean...
836To George Washington from William Fitzhugh, Jr., 15 June 1786 (Washington Papers)
I have communicated to Mr Reynolds by Letter your Determination respecting the Ewe Lambs; since which he has not favord me with his Directions as to the Time of removing them—I mentioned to him that unless I received his particular Instructions on the subject—I should recommend it to you to let them remain with their Mothers until the last week in July; I therefore presume it meets his...
837From George Washington to James Wood, 12 June 1784 (Washington Papers)
In answer to your favor of the 5th, I have to inform you that I can find nothing in my letter or orderly books confirmatory or disapproving the arrangments which have been made of the Virginia line of the army in the year 1782—the presumption therefore is, if they ever came to hand, that they either obtained a silent acquiescence, or that I did not care to intermeddle in them at all, as part...
838From George Washington to Lachlan McIntosh, 20 May 1788 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be presented to you by Mr Stevens, and is introductory of him; He has been an Officer in the Virginia line of the Army during the War, and as far as hath come to my knowledge behaved with zeal and propriety in the Service of his Country. Business carrying him to the State of Georgia, I could not refuse him this recommendation, & myself the pleasure of assuring you that I am Yr...
839To George Washington from La Luzerne, 3 February 1786 (Washington Papers)
Mr Houdon Delivered me the Letter, That Your Excy Honoured me with of the 5th Novr And I have learnd with very great Satisfaction, that you have Enjoyed very good Health, & that you Promise to your Aquaintances a long Life, that has been Glorious, & Usefull to Your Country. I return Your Excy my Most Sincere thanks for the Accurate Account, you have given me of the Affairs of the United...
840[Diary entry: 13 September 1785] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday 13th. Thermometer at 68 in the Morning—72 at Noon and 74 at Night. Calm morning, but a brisk Southerly wind all day afterwards and clear. Began to level the ground which had been spaded up in the lawn fronting the House, having turned it up as far as to where the old cross wall of the former Gardens stood. Colo. Willm. Fitzhugh of Maryland & his Son William and Doctor Marshall came...