1From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 21 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 21st of March and 11th instant are both before me. By the first, it appears that you had shipped by Captn Hand for Alexandria, on my a/c, 12 lbs. of white Clover Seed and the like quantity of Lucerne; but none has been delivered by him at the Custom house, or elsewhere that I can discover, which is a considerable disappointment to me; for depending thereon I enquired for no...
2From George Washington to William Thornton, 21 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 19th is before me, and for the details it contains respecting my buildings in the City, I thank you. As I do for directing the exterior door Cills thereof to be made of Stone. I never attended so closely to the specification of the work, as to know they were, originally, intended to be of Wood; On the contrary, as the Frontispiece was to be of Stone I took it for granted that...
3From George Washington to Jesse Simms, 22 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Until I see General Lee (which according to his promise may be expected early in next month), I shall give no definitive answer to your letter of the 19th instant. It may not be improper, however, in the meantime to add, that your deceptious treatment of me, has not impressed me with the most favorable sentiments of your candour; and if a report which I hear has been propagated by you, or some...
4From George Washington to James McHenry, 23 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Private My dear Sir, Mount Vernon 23d April 1799 Six days do I labour, or, in other words, take exercise and devote my time to various occupations in Husbandry, and about my Mansion. On the seventh, now called the first day, for want of a place of Worship (within less than nine miles) such letters as do not require immediate acknowledgment I give answers to (Mr Lear being sick & absent). But...
5From George Washington to Roger West, 23 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
I will answer the queries contained in your letter of this date, to the best of my recollection. In the morning visit you did me the honor to make, sometime last Autumn, at which you delivered me a letter from Colo. Hooe, intimating your desire to engage in the Military Service of our Country, I understood, from the conversation that passed on that occasion, that your object was to enter into...
6From George Washington to Doddridge Pitt Chichester and Daniel McCarty Chichester, 25 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
I shall be obliged to you, or either of you, who may be in the practice of hunting, or driving Deer on my land, for desisting from that practice. My Lands have been Posted, according to Law, many years; and never has, nor while I possess them, will be revoked. Besides this, in order to have the notification better understood by those who bordered on me, I had (as you will perceive by the...
7From George Washington to Ludwell Lee, 26 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your occupation on Wednesday last, put it out of my power to speak to you without giving interruption to more important business than I am now about to communicate. Having good information that some land which I hold on four mile run was much depredated on, I went up some short time ago to run round the Lines, and found the fact to be as reported; but not being able to ascertain all the...
8From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 28 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
Since my last I have receiv’d the Seeds which you sent me by Captn Hand—after several fruitless enquiries after them. There was a Manufactury of Machines for raking Meadows, and Harvest fields after they are cut, at Kensington while I resided in Philadelphia—These are worked by a horse, and were, in my opinion useful impliments on a Farm, for expeditiously gleaning the fields of the scattered...
9From George Washington to James McHenry, 5 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Private My dear Sir, Mount Vernon 5th May 1799 Your private letter of the 29th Ulto was received yesterday, and requires but a short reply. From an observation of yours, in answer to my letter of the 23d Ulto, I perceive my meaning with respect to the settlement of relative Rank, has been misunderstood; or, if taken properly, I must adhere to the opinion I gave of the injustice which would be...
10From George Washington to John Marshall, 5 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
With infinite pleasure I receiv’d the news of your Election. For the honor of the District, I wish the Majority had been greater; but let us be content; and hope, as the tide is turning, the current will soon run strong ⟨in our⟩ favor. I am sorry to find that the publication you allude to, should have given you a moments disquietud⟨e⟩. I can assure you, it made no impression on my mind, of the...
11From George Washington to Thomas Peter, 5 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have had the enclosed Tobacco note by me sometime. Too long perhaps for the best Market. If Mr Peter (your father) whom I presume is a good judge of these matters, should be of opinion that it had better be sold now than wait longer, for a rise in the price of that article, I pray you to sell it for what it will fetch. I give you this trouble because the Tobacco is in the Warehouse at George...
12From George Washington to John Tayloe, 5 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I received, yesterday, your favour of the 29th Ult.; and by tomorrow’s Post for Baltimore, the enclosed will be dispatched, to meet you at Annapolis. I hope the contents of it will meet your ideas—I have given these, as nearly as I could recollect them, in my communication to the Secretary of War. With sincere pleasure I received the information of Generals Lee & Marshall’s Elections. Had the...
13From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 5 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 26th Ulto—as also that of the 10th, have been duly received. The Elections of Generals Lee and Marshall are grateful to my feelings. I wish however both of them had been Elected by greater majorities; but they are Elected, and that alone is pleasing. As the tide is turned, I hope it will come in with a full flow; but this will not happen if there is any relaxation on the...
14From George Washington to William Booker, 6 May 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to William Booker, 6 May 1799. On 15 May Booker wrote GW : “Your letter of the 6 Inst. I duly receivd.”
15From George Washington to James McHenry, 6 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
It is a point from which I have not deviated, to forward all recommendations, & applications, which have been made to me for Military appointments, to the Department of War. In confirmation of what is said in the enclosed letters from General Morgan, and the Colonels Meade and Parker, I may add that, the same good report of the merits of Major Lawe Butler has, verbally, been made to me by...
16From George Washington to Daniel Morgan, 10 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have just received a letter from the Secretary of War, in which, after giving it as the opinion of the President of the United States, that Officers for the twenty four additional Regiments ought to be had in contemplation; that, in case the exigency of our Affairs should require them, greater dispatch might be used in the formation, is the Extract which follows. Having given these Extracts,...
17From George Washington to James McAlpin, 12 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Having heard nothing from you since my last request (now more than two Months ago) that you would complete, and send on my Uniform Suit so soon as the gold thread, which you informed me was expected in the Spring shipping, should have arrived; I give you the trouble of receiving this letter on the Subject: and to request that no unnecessary delay may prevent the accomplishment of it. Send the...
18From George Washington to John Marshall, Edward Carrington, and William Heth, 12 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Although the letter, of which the enclosed is a copy, is of old date, it has but just been received from the Secretary of War. Without aid, it will be impossible for me to carry his views into effect; which, & the confidence I place in you, is the best apology I can make for asking you to assist me, in the business required. I have, with the exception of short intervals, been so many years...
19From George Washington to James McHenry, 13 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 2d Instt, covering your dispatches of the 10th Ultimo, was brought to me by the Messenger who carried my letters to you (of the 5 & 6th) to the Post Office in Alexandria. That no time might be lost in carrying the Presidents Plan, and the request contained in your letter of the 10th Ult., into effect, I have solicited the aid of Generals Morgan, Lee, & Marshall; & the...
20From George Washington to William B. Harrison, 16 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have given the proposition you have made me, respecting your part of Chapel land, all the consideration that is necessary; the result of which is. That I will give, as a Rent, thirty dollars for every hundred acres within the bounds you shall establish; and in that proportion for the overplus, or add[itional] acres, according to measurement: Provided I receive a Lease for the whole quantity,...
21From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 20 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 2d instant by Captn Bowcock came safe, as the Corn did, in good order; and I should have written to you by his return but the Vessel went from the Landing at which she delivered the Corn unknown to me. But not without the Whiskey and Fish; as I had, previously, directed these to be shipped. The first I hope you will find good, if no pranks are played with it; Mr Anderson (my...
22From George Washington to Benjamin Lincoln, 22 May 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Benjamin Lincoln, 22 May 1799. American Book-Prices Current (1964), 70:884, records that this letter “introducing a Mr. Ralph Wormeley” was sold by Christie, Manson & Woods on 19 Dec. 1963, item no. 241.
23From 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...
24From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 24 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed was written (as you will perceive by the Superscription) to go by General Lee; who, four days ago appointed to be here on his return to Westmoreland, but is not yet arrived. In the meantime; your second letter by Captn Bowcock (dated the 20th instant) has been received. When the enclosed was written I thot the Whiskey had been sent; but Captn Bowcock postponed taking it on board...
25From George Washington to Wilson Allen, 26 May 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Wilson Allen, 26 May. On 29 May Allen wrote GW that he had received “Your letter of date the 26th inst.”
26From George Washington to Jedidiah Morse, 26 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I thank you for your Sermon “Exhibiting the present dangers, and consequent duties of the Citizens of the United States of America” which came to hand by the last Post: and which I am persuaded I shall read with approbating pleasure, as soon as some matters in which I am engaged at present, are dispatch’d. With esteem and regard I am, Revd Sir, Your Obedt & obliged Humble Servant ALS , owned...
27From George Washington to William Russell, 26 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 11th instant from New York, has been received; and the articles therein alluded to got safe to hand yesterday; for which I pray you to accept my grateful thanks. The Ram, though poor, seems to be in good health, and being turned into as good Pasture as the backwardness of the Season would admit, will, I have no doubt, soon recover his flesh. His wool, and other appearances...
28From George Washington to James Welch, 26 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I was not disappointed in the contents of your letter of the 16th instant, because I had formed no hope from the proposed application at Fredericksburgh. Inconvenient, and indeed distressing as it is to me to lay out of the money you were obligated to pay me the first of the present year, and to receive which was the only inducement that led to the Bargain which exists between us for my Lands...
29From George Washington to William White, 30 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
The Sermon on the duty of Civil obedience as required in Scripture, which you had the goodness to send me, came safe a Post or two ago; and for which I pray you to accept my grateful acknowledgments. The hurry in which it found me engaged, in a matter that pressed, has not allowed me time to give it a perusal yet: but I anticipate the pleasure & edification I shall find when it is in my power...
30From George Washington to William Thornton, 1 June 1799 (Washington Papers)
In replying to your favor of yesterday’s date, I must beg leave to premise that, when I left the Chair of Government it was with a determination not to intermeddle in any public matter which did not immediately concern me; and that I have felt no Disposition since to alter this Determination. But as you have requested that I would give you my Ideas on a certain point, which seems to have...