To George Washington from John Gill, 26 March 1795
From John Gill
Alexandria [Va.] 26th March 1795
Sir!
Since I had the Pleasure of seeing you here, I have been up & examined your Land on Difficult, I therefore now have it in my Power to make you an offer for it, vizt Three hundred Dollars ⅌ Annum on Lease of Twenty One years, with the Priviledge of having a fee Simple when I may wish it, by paying you five Thousand Dollars, when the rent of course ceases, which I believe is nearly your own Terms If this Suits you I should be glad of a Line saying so1 & any further necessary Agreement can be executed when you come to Mount Vernon, which I understand from my Neighbour Dr Craik will be in the course of the Spring, I have only to add that the rent shall be pointedly & punctually paid, when & where you shall require, I am Sir Yr Mo. Obed. servt
John Gill
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. GW replied to Gill on 1 April: “Having had a more advantageous offer for my land on Difficult run, than that which is contained in your letter of the 26th ultimo; it follows of course, that the one made by you, cannot be agreed to.
“I have not acceded to the offer wch I have just alluded to, nor shall I dispose of the Land until I come to Virginia and can obtain more accurate information, than I am able to do at this distance, of the rise, & present price of lands within the distance mine is to the federal city &ca, with the advantages it possesses.
“If you should think proper to co⟨me⟩ forward again, when I am there, w⟨ith n⟩ew propositions, I shall be ready to hear them” (ALS [letterpress copy], DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW).