George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Thomas Newton, Jr., 17 July 1789

From Thomas Newton, Jr.

Norfolk [Va.] July—17—1789.

Sir

I beg leave to recommend to your Excy Capt. Taylor who commands the State boat Patriot, the wounds he received during the war at times afftect him much & having a large family makes him solicit an imployment.1 I can assure your Excy his attention has been such as to give general satisfaction, having heard that the light houses are to be ⟨ta⟩ken on the United States acct if necessary I can furnish an acct of the costs of the materials placed on the cape Henry by the Commissrs appointed by our Assembly. I am Sorry to inform your Excy I have not as yet reed one shilling of yr out standing debts here, but am using my indeavors to secure them. I shall be happy to serve yr Excy & am with the greatest respect Yr Excy most Obt Servt

Thos Newton Jr

ALS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters.

1Richard Taylor was appointed to superintend Virginia’s public boats the Liberty and the Patriot on 4 June 1787 (Journals of the Council of State of Virginia, description begins H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds. Journals of the Council of the State of Virginia. 5 vols. Richmond, 1931–82. description ends 4:103). When section 62 of the 1790 Collection Act provided for the establishment of federal revenue cutters, GW wrote Hamilton, 20 Sept. 1790, that “there is a Mr Richard Taylor of this State, an applicant for one of the appointments, who from my knowledge of him, appears to be a proper person both as to character, and experience in the profession.” Taylor was appointed to the Virginia cutter and, after at first declining, he later accepted the command (“An Act to provide more effectually for the collection of the duties imposed by law on goods, wares and merchandise imported into the United States, and on the tonnage of ships or vessels,” 1 Stat. description begins Richard Peters, ed. The Public Statutes at Large of the United States of America, from the Organization of the Government in 1789, to March 3, 1845 . . .. 8 vols. Boston, 1845-67. description ends 145 [4 Aug. 1790]; GW to Hamilton, 4 and 8 Nov. 1790; Taylor to GW, 25 Oct. 1790). See also Miles King to GW, 19 July 1789.

Index Entries