1From George Washington to William Thornton, 16 June 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 5th instant came duly to hand. Mr Blagdens last call for $1000 is, I must acknowledge, sooner than I had contemplated; but I will make arrangements with the Bank of Alexandria to meet it by the first of next month. If his progress in the buildings, & faithful execution of the work, keep pace with his demands (and this is all I require) he shall have no cause to complain of my...
2From George Washington to Thomas Parker, 28 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
In a letter from General Hamilton, enclosing the one I now forwd to you, I am requested to change, or modulate his directions to you, in any manner which to me shall appear most conducive to the Public Service. His directions comport with my ideas; but I shall be more pointed in drawing your attention to the Site at, or as near, as one can possibly be obtained, to the Arsenal which is...
3To George Washington from James McHenry, 29 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
I received, this morning, your letter of the 23d inst. for which I am much obliged to you. I did not in my own mind consider you dilatory in your answer, aware of the nature of your employments, and the incessant interruptions, by company to which you are subject. There are one or two points you mention which I shall say a few words to. The officers of the additional Regiments were put upon...
4To George Washington from William Smith, 12 August 1799 (Washington Papers)
It may be justly expected that I should make some Apology for giving you this Trouble. I am embolden’d to it, from your Character in the World, & from a persuasion that the recollection of an Old Friend, & fellow Soldier, may afford you some Pleasure. The reason of my Application will best be explained to you by the perusal of a Letter I received last March—a Copy of which I shall now...
5To George Washington from William Roberts, 22 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
Sir—I Can Now inform you Captn Macnemara has had my Witness[’]s affedev. gaven in to Mr Hay for fare of his Death & Mr Hay Seems Much pleasd with it & Says thare is Not the Least Danger in Recovering the property from those Base Desining Men—Our Cort Coms on the first Monday in August. & After Cort I Shal Let you know how I am Like to Come off—& what Time you May Expect Me Up to Mount Vernon...
6To George Washington from William Price, 15 November 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from William Price, 15 Nov. 1799. On 20 Nov. GW wrote Price that his “favour of the 15th instant” had come “duly to hand.”
7To George Washington from Alexander Spotswood, 25 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
Much rain last week and some other matters prevented my Sending to the post office until last Tuseday (the 23d) when I got both your favors of the 15 & 20 Inst., which I shall proceed to Answer, begining first with your private concerns. The administrators of James Mercer decd are Mr John Brooke, and James Garnet—the former lives 13 Miles from me, the latter, 36—and you may rest assured I will...
8From George Washington to William Thornton, 18 November 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 13th inst: came duly to hand. I am now making arrangements at the Bank of Alexandria for obtaining money. When this is accomplished, I will forward a check, on that Bank, for the $1000 required by Mr Blagden, & hope it will be in time to answer his purposes. I have no objection to Mr Blagden’s frequent calls for money; but I fear the work which is not ennumerated in the...
9To George Washington from Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 20 May 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 20 May 1799. On 5 June GW wrote Pinckney : “Your favor of the 20th Ulto from Mulberry Grove, came duly to hand.”
10To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 22 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have waited here two weeks cheifly to try to finish my engagement with you—But all my endeavors are vain—I shall never recede from my exertions till I do accomplish the end, for no event of my life has given me more anguish. I would if you consider yr sale injurious rather relinquish the contract & give up the payments made, than to be the instrument of damage to you—The loss of money I am...
11From George Washington to James Anderson, 8 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
Mrs Washington passed a good night—is clear of a fever to day—and is taking the Bark—which I hope will prevent a return of it. I am much hurried, and pressed with one thing—or another, but do what humanity requires for Roberts: who ought not to have engaged, in the situation he is in, without first informing me of it. Doctr Craik is not now here, nor expected if Mrs Washington should not...
12From George Washington to Thomas Peter, 3 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
Have you succeeded, or are you likely to succeed, in procuring the Hemp seed I required? The fly has got into my Wheat, very generally this Fall; and I lay my account for great ravages thereon next Spring; which makes me more desirous of laying (to use a Sea term) an anchor to windward for something else. I congratulate you and Patcy on the birth of a “Manchild” —My best wishes attend the...
13From George Washington to William Herbert, 21 October 1799 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed are Two negociable Notes, sent to the Bank of Alexandria for collection. The amount of which, when received, to be placed to my credit. I begin to feel the necessity more clearly, of renewing my note, than I do a prospect of receiving what is due to me from others. I mention it now that measures for accomplishing of it may be taken in time. Having forgot the name of the person who has...
14From George Washington to Benjamin Lincoln, 1 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favours of the 11th of May and 4th Ulto have come ⟨late⟩ to hand. The last the day before yesterday only. The cost of the Glass therein enclosed, shall be immediately paid to Messrs Solomon Cotton & Co. Merchts in Baltimore—and for your agency in this business I pray you to accept my thanks. The mistake will, I trust, soon be rectified as the wrong box of glass was returned to Baltimore...
15From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 26 October 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 21st instant, enclosing a letter to Colo. Parker, which I have forwarded to him, and at the same time repeated my instructions for hutting the Troops, in conformity with the idea which you originally suggested. I presume that the impression made on your mind by Colo. Parker’s letter, respecting Winter Quarters for the three Regiments, must have been...
16From George Washington to John Cropper, Jr., 17 June 1799 (Washington Papers)
Was I not well assured of your Patriotism and firm attachment to the Government of our Country, I should think it necessary to apologize for the trouble I am about to give you. The Secretary of War has signified to me that the President of the United States thinks it highly expedient that no time should be lost in selecting proper Characters to Officer the twenty four Regiments of Infantry...
17From George Washington to Samuel Lewis, Sr., 29 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
I thank you for the trouble you have taken to explain the omission in the regularity of forwarding the Gazettes. I had ascribed it to the cause you have mentioned before the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant. I am not anxious to complete a file of the Aurora. If however, when Colo. Lear (my Secretary, & at present absent) returns, any of the numbers are missing, I may, probably, give...
18From George Washington to James Anderson, 1 October 1799 (Washington Papers)
When you intimated to me your son’s wish to Rent my Distillery & Mill next year, and your inclination to join him therein—and in that case to relinquish the management of my business; I informed you that I had made Mr Lawrence Lewis (after you had declined taking them) an offer of both; together with the Farm at Dogue-run; and that until I received his answer, I did not conceive I was at...
19To George Washington from Alexandria Poor Relief Committee, 30 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
We received some time ago from your Manager Mr Anderson, One hundred Dollars to be used for the benefit of the poor in this place. There were many poor among us whom the severity of last winter greatly increased. We sought out the most needy upon whom we bestowed your Charity. Widows with a number of Children, Industrious persons prevented by sickness from earning their daily bread, were...
20From George Washington to John Francis, 14 August 1799 (Washington Papers)
It is reported, & generally believed, that the Houses I am building in the Federal City are engaged to you. To your having the houses I have no objection, nor should I have any to the prevalence of the report, if a specific agreement had ever taken place. But as this is not the case, and until it happens may, & doubtless will be injurious to me, inasmuch as they may prevent applications from...
21To George Washington from David Stuart, 2 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
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...
22I, 15 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
The following circumstantial account of the last illness and death of General Washington was noted by T. Lear, on Sunday following his death, which happened on Saturday Eveng Decr 14th 1799 between the hours of ten and eleven. On Thursday Decr 12th the General rode out to his farms about ten o’clock, and did not return home till past 3 oclk. Soon after he went out, the weather became very bad,...
23To George Washington from Daniel Morgan, 24 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to transmit you a duplicate of a letter sent to the Honble the Secretary of War and Major Genl Hamilton. Dear Sir I beg leave to say something in favor of Major James Stephenson who I have recommended to the commander in chief. Although his conduct in the military line speaks louder in his praise than I can yet at the same time I would wish to say something. I think he would...
24From George Washington to James McHenry, 17 November 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your confidential and interesting letter of the 10th instant, came duly, and safely to hand. With the contents of which I have been stricken dumb; and I believe it is better that I should remain mute than to express any sentiment on the important matters which are related therein. I have, for sometime past, viewed the political concerns of the United States with an anxious, and painful eye....
25From George Washington to John Fitzgerald, 27 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
Recollecting that you had some doubt, at the last General Meeting of the Potomack Company, concerning the validity of your Powers to represent the State of Virginia in its interest therein, I wish to know whether those doubts have been removed by the Treasurer now in Office. The Stockholders are called upon, I perceive⟨,⟩ by a Printed (and I presume circular) letter in precise terms to attend...
26To George Washington from Hepburn & Dundas, 19 November 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Hepburn & Dundas, 19 Nov. 1799. GW wrote the firm of Hepburn & Dundas on 23 Nov. : “Your letter of the 19th was recd yesterday.”
27From George Washington to Lawrence Lewis, 20 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
From the moment Mrs Washington & myself adopted the two youngest children of the late Mr Custis, it became my intention (if they survived me, and conducted themselves to my satisfaction) to consider them in my Will, when I was about to make a distribution of my property. This determination has undergone no diminution, but is strengthened by the connexion which one of them has formed with my...
28From George Washington to William Roberts, 17 June 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have caused some enquiries to be made, lately, respecting your present situation, & conduct; and am sorry to learn that the first is not eligable; and that the latter is far from being such as one would have hoped that experience, reflection, & I might add misfortunes, would have produced. Had these enabled you to overcome a practice which has involved you in the most heartfelt distress, and...
29From George Washington to Thomson Mason, 24 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I mean to renew the outer fence, on the line between you and me, & in a manner more substantial than usual. Mr Anderson will explain the method by wch I propose to accomplish this, to you; and ask your leave to profit by your Ditch, & present fence: which can be attended with no temporary inconvenience to yourself—and may, ultimately, be of singular advantage to you, as well as myself; as my...
30From George Washington to Auguste de Grasse, 9 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 20th of August, requesting an Appointment in the Corps of Engineers about to be established. I have made it a point to forward all applications for military Offices, which have been made to me, to the Secretary of War, in whose Office they will be deposited for the inspection and consideration of the President of the United States; and your letter has been...