From George Washington to David Ross and Robert Townsend Hooe, 9 September 1793
To David Ross and Robert Townsend Hooe
Philadelphia Sep. 9. 1793.
Sir,1
The Commissioners of the public buildings in the federal territory having expressed to me their desire to have their accounts settled, I have to ask and to authorize you in conjunction with mister David ross of Bladensburg (& vice versa), as I hereby do, to undertake to examine their accounts and vouchers relative to the expenditure of the monies appropriated to their trust, & to certify to me the result thereof.2
Df, in Thomas Jefferson’s writing, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW. Changes on the draft that do not appear on the letter-book copy suggest that a decision was made to address Ross and Hooe separately after this document was entered into the letter book (see notes 1 and 2).
1. On the draft, Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., struck “Gentlemen” and inserted “Sir,” whereas the letter-book copy reads “Gentlemen.”
2. For the commissioners’ request, see D.C. Commissioners to GW, 5 Sept., and GW to D.C. Commissioners, 9 Sept. For the results of the audit, see Hooe and Ross to GW, 31 Oct. (see also D.C. Commissioners to GW, 3 Nov.). The phrase “in conjunction with mr David Ross of Bladensburg (& vice versa)” was inserted on the draft and does not appear in the letter-book copy.