From George Washington to Edmund Randolph, 11 October 1794
To Edmund Randolph
Carlisle [Pa.]
11th Octr 1794. past 3 Oclock p.m.
(Private)
Dear Sir,
When I wrote to you yesterday,1 I did not expect to be in this village at this hour. But finding it difficult to get even part of the Troops off, that were ordered to March yesterday, I resolved to see the residue in motion to day before I left this place, myself. This dilatoriness does not proceed from any disinclination in the Troops themselves, to proceed; but for want of arrangement, and system in some of the principal characters among the officers of this State, and the disjointed manner in which the former have arrived here. Those however which marched yesterday—with what has followd to day—will make a respectable corps. An Officer of respectability will be left to Organize the remaining detachments of this State’s Troops as they shall arrive, & to forward them on. The Jersey Troops came on in Compl. Corps but are bad clothed.
I had scarcely dispatched my letter to you yesterday, when the Commissioners or deputies—(Findley & Redick) from the Insurgent Counties arrived2 My Public letter, written by Colo. Hamilton will inform you of the result—I believe they are scared.3
All the Papers which may be deemed necessary & proper to accompany my address to Congress, at the opening of the Session, I pray you to have ready; for there will not be time to do it between my arrival in the City & the meeting of that body. From present appearances—It is not likely I shall proceed beyond Bed⟨ford⟩ & my return to Philadelphia even i[n]4 that case can be but a day or two before the first monday in next month.5 Sincerely & Affectionately I am Yours
Go: Washington
ADfS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.
1. GW probably was referring to his letter to Randolph of 9 October. No letter to Randolph of 10 Oct. has been found.
2. GW originally continued with the following text at this point: “arrived with the resolves of the meeting at Parkinsons ferry on the 2d instant; and their ideas of the sentiments of the people in the four Western Counties of this State. From which it is very evident they are not a little panic struck and now are or soon will be ready to do any thing and every thing that is required of them—But it is to be feared that all those of whom fit examples could be made will have left the Country; as they are disposing of their property at any rate and many have actually (according to their accts) fled.” However, after revising the second sentence to read, “From which it is very evident they are not a little panic struck but not yet come to thr proper sens⟨es⟩ this I hope will soon happen & that they will be ready to do any thing and every thing that is required of them” and making minor changes in the third sentence, he struck that text and substituted the remainder of this paragraph.
3. The “public letter” has not been identified. For more extensive discussion of GW’s meetings with these delegates, see the entry for 6–12 Oct. in GW’s diary (, 6:183–86) and , 169–89.
4. GW wrote “it.”
5. The first Monday in November 1794 was 3 November.