From George Washington to Robert McMickan, 12 February 1773
To Robert McMickan
Mount Vernon Virga Feby 12th 1773.
Sir,
On the 12th Ulto I troubled you with a Letter respecting my Consignment of Flour to D: J: Adams in the Brig Fairfax to which I beg leave to refer; since the date thereof I have been advis’d to send a more Authentick power of Attorney; which I now do, and shall, if you can serve me in this affair acknowledge it as a very singular favr.1
It is not in my power to make out an Acct with any precision against Mr Adam’s—The 273 Barrels of Flour weighd 63308 lbs. Nett, and in one of his Letters to me he says he had sold 220 Barrls of them at 20/ a hundd and should sell the residue immediately at the same price—His debt to me on Acct of Herrings sold him I gave you a full acct of in my last.2 I am Sir, Yr Most Obedt Servt
Go: Washington
ALB, DLC:GW. The letter is marked “Under Cover to Thos Newton Esqr. of Norfolk.”
1. On this date Robert Hanson Harrison advised GW that the power of attorney that he intended to give to McMickan probably would be accepted as valid in the Jamaica courts if GW executed it “before a Credible person” in Alexandria and then had it proved before the mayor of Norfolk and stamped with the mayor’s seal. GW promptly wrote McMickan that he was enclosing his power of attorney to McMickan and sent both his letter to McMickan and the executed power of attorney to Thomas Newton, Jr., who was to get the mayor to affix his seal to the power of attorney before forwarding it along with GW’s letter to McMickan in Jamaica. Although his letters to McMickan and Newton are both dated 12 Feb., GW entered in his letter book at the end of his copy of his power of attorney to McMickan: “Note, The above Power of Attorney had the County Seal, & the Clerks Certificate of its being acknowledgd in Court, on the 15th day of Feby, annexd to it.” By the document GW appointed “Robt McMickan Esqr. of Kingston in the Island of Jamaica, my true & lawful attorney . . . to ask, demand, Sue for, recover, & receive of Danl Jenifer Adams all Sums of Money, debts and demands whatsoever, which now are due or owing unto me” (ALB, DLC:GW). A transcription of the power of attorney is in CD-ROM:GW.
2. GW enclosed his account with Daniel Jenifer Adams in his letter to McMickan of February 1773, where it is printed as note 2. See also GW to Adams, 20 July 1772.