From George Washington to William Pearce, 7 September 1794
To William Pearce
German Town [Pa.] Septr 7th 1794.
Mr Pearce,
Your letter of the 31st ulto with the Reports, I have received.
A few days ago I received a letter from Mr Pyne dated in the City of Washington still expressing a desire to be employed at Mount Vernon, and a wish to be there some short time before Butler left it, that he might get a little insight into the nature of the business, previous to his entering upon duty.1 I referred him for his being employed at all, & for the terms and time, to you, not chusing to enter into any agreement with him myself lest it might militate with any views of yours; desiring him to shew you the letter I wrote to him on this subject, that you might be acquainted with my ideas thereon.2
Enclosed is a certificate for Mr Butler.3 The latter part I suppose he wd have dispensed with; but in my opinion it is necessary that the whole truth on such occasions should be told; for I have no idea that with a view to serve one person it is justifiable to deceive another: and without that part, it might with propriety be asked why I parted with him. If his activity, spirit, & ability in the management of Negros were equal to his honesty, sobriety & industry there would not be the least occasion for a change.
It is not possible for me, at this distance, to say when the Carpenters & Negros on the respective farms will be most at leisure for removing the Negro quarters at Union, & River Farms; but if this work is not set about before the weather gets cool, it may be dangerous (as the daubing & filling in will be green, & not sun enough to dry them before winter) to put the Negros in them; and besides, after the ground gets soft & slippery, the trouble, and time necessary to accomplish the removal of the houses will be double. I have nothing further to add at present than to wish you & family well. Being Your friend &ca
Go: Washington
ALS, ViMtvL; ALS (letterpress copy), DLC:GW.
1. See Henry Pyne to GW, 26 August.
2. GW’s letter to Pyne has not been found.
3. James Butler was informed in August that he would not be retained as overseer (GW to William Pearce, 3 and 17 Aug.). In the certificate, dated 7 Sept., GW wrote: "At the request of Mr James Butler I certify, that he has lived at Mount Vernon & superintended the hands at the mansion house since the first of January 1793. It is justice due to him I should add, that as far as I know, or believe, his conduct during that time has been honest, sober, and industrious. That he has practiced advantageously, & with success, the knowledge he possesses of raising & transplanting quicks for hedges. And that I part with him for no other cause than for his not being accustomed to the management of negros prone to, & who had been long in the habits of idleness—and because he has not bodily activity sufficient for such a concern as mine is at the abo. named place" (ALS, letterpress copy, DLC:GW).