To George Washington from David Stuart, 2 May 1799
From David Stuart
Alexa[ndria] 2nd May 1799
Dear Sir,
I was in town yesterday, and have come again today for no other purpose that to see if the note sent by the Bank of this place to Baltimore had been paid—’tho’ the note has been sent near a fortnight, they have not it seems ever heard from their correspendent of its being recieved—This appears to be very strange—I can have no doubt of its being eventually paid when presented; as I gave the person on whom the draft was, notice of it, and recieved a fiew lines informing me, it should be punctually paid—The delay appears to proceed from the negligence of their Correspondent in Baltimore—Expecting it will be here tomorrow evening, I have left a check in the Bank for you amounting to £753.12 which if I am right, is the ballance now due—You will therefore be pleased to send up on saturday.1 By a gentleman who arrieved in the stage last Evening from Richmond, intelligence is recieved that Parker and Evans are reelected, and that Mr Gray Mr Clark and Mr Goode are elected in the places of Harrison, Clayborn⟨e⟩, and Clay—It is allso said that Hancock is certainly elected.2 I am Dr Sir with great respect Your Affecte Servt
Dd Stuart
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Stuart wrote to GW earlier, on 27 April, about the payment of this current balance due from the John Parke Custis estate for the rent of Martha Washington’s dower lands in tidewater Virginia. On this day, 2 May, GW noted in his cash account that he had received $2,512, or £753.12, “from Doctr Stuart on acct of my annuity” (, 52). On 4 May William Herbert, the president of the Bank of Alexandria, wrote GW: “Doctr Stuart Lodged a Note of a Gentleman in Baltimore In Bank, some time ago, which the Cashier sent forward to the Bank of Baltimore, I expect to receive an account this Evening of its being paid, in this Event, the Doctor has directed 2512 Dollars to Be Carried to your Credit, of which I will Advise you” (DLC:GW). Herbert wrote again on 6 May: “I Have the pleasure of Informing you that the Money Expected by Doctr Stuart from Baltimore, is paid, & in Consequence thereof, that the Sum of twenty five Hundred & twelve Dollars Stands now at your Credit, in the Books of this Bank, by his order, & Waits your Disposal” (DLC:GW).
2. GW received confirmation from John Marshall in a letter written 1 May in Richmond of the election to Congress of Samuel Goode and Edwin Gray in the place of Thomas Claiborne and Carter Bassett Harrison. Marshall also reported, correctly, that George Hancock had lost his election. Stuart’s informant was mistaken as well about the defeat of Republican Matthew Clay (1754–1815) of Pittsylvania County: Clay kept his seat in Congress. Mr. Clark is probably William Clarke of Pittsylvania County who had served in the Virginia house of delegates from 1796 to 1798, first as a Republican and later as a Federalist. For references to the elections, see John Marshall to GW, 1 May, nn.2 and 3.