To George Washington from the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 1 September 1792
From the Commissioners for the District of Columbia
George-town 1st Septr 1792
Sir
Esteeming it necessary to have your written order for Sales in the City we have enclosed a Draft, a Copy of that given last year, to be Signed against the approaching public Sales—An Idea has been pretty generally entertained, that it would be prudent to Sink a part of the price on condition of Speedy Improvement, and we have presumed to enclose the Draft of an Order calculated for that End, which we only wish to be Signed on its meeting your fullest approbation1—We are Sir, with the greatest Respect &c.
Th. Johnson
Dd Stuart
Danl Carroll
Copy, DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Letters Sent.
1. The enclosed drafts have not been found. The official records of the commissioners for 1 Sept. 1792 indicate that two orders were sent for GW to sign, “one for Sale of Lots on the eighth of October next, the other for private Sales” (DNA: RG 42, Records of the Commissioners for the District of Columbia, Proceedings). For the previous year’s sale order, see Proclamation, 17 Oct. 1791. For the 1792 orders for public and private sales, see GW to D.C. Commissioners, 29 Sept. 1792, n.1. For the various regulations concerning the “Materials and Manner of the Buildings and Improvements” on these lots, see Broadside: Sale of Lots in the Federal City, 8 October.