Title: From George Washington to George William Fairfax, 25 June 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Fairfax, George William

dear Sir,
Mount Vernon June 25th 1786

Since I had the honor of writing to you in November last, I have been favoured with your letters of the 23d of June in the last, and 23d of Jany in the present year. The first was handed to me by Doctr Baynham, and the other by Mr James Bloxham.
Your conjectures respecting the fate of our letters, are, I am persuaded, too well founded. Such frequent miscarriages would not have resulted from negligence alone—but why after the prying eye of curiosity, or the malignant hope of trapanning an individual, or making useful discoveries were disappointed, the letters should not have been permitted to proceed to their address, is not easy to be conceived. Being well apprized of the delicacy of your situation I have studiously avoided every expression in all my letters which might, if known, have involved you in the smallest difficulty or embarrassment. It is wantonly unfeeling therefore to destroy, as well as to have inspected, such as were founded in friendship and so contained occurrences which related to the parties only, for their bases. In future I will always place my letters to you, under cover to Mr Athawes.
In a former letter I informed you, that Mr Pine’s reception in this Country had been favourable; and indicative of a plentiful

harvest in the line of his profession. Consequent of your good report of this Gentleman, I furnished him with letters to many of the first characters in Philadelphia & Annapolis; & have every reason to believe that his success will not fall short of his expectations if it is not injured by any act of his own—against which his prudence will, no doubt, secure him.
Though envy is not among the ingredients which compose my constitution, yet the picture you have drawn of your present habitation & mode of living, is enough to create strong desires in me to be a participator of the tranquillity and rural amusements you have described. I am gliding into the latter as fast as I can, being determined to make the remainder of my life easy let the world, or the concerns of it, go as they may; & I am not a little obliged to you, my good Sir, for the assurance of contributing to this by procuring me a Buck & Doe of the best English Deer; but if you have not already encountered this trouble I would now wish to relieve you from it, as Mr Ogle of Maryland has been so obliging as to present me Six fawns from his Park of English Deer at Bell-Air. Of the forest Deer of this Country I have also procured six, two bucks & four Does—with these & tolerable care, I shall soon stock my small Paddock. In this release, I do not mean to acquit my good friend Mrs Fairfax of the offer she has made me. I will receive with great pleasure & gratitude the seeds of any Trees or shrubs which are not natives of this Country but reconcileable with the climate of it, that she may be so obliging as to send me; and while my attentions are bestowed on the nurture of them, it would, if any thing was necessary to do it, remind me of the happy moments I have spent in conversations on this and other subjects with that Lady at Belvoir.
My Friend in New England having, since the date of my letters to you, in November, engaged a young Gentlemn for me of decent appearance & respectable family as a tutor for the two little Custis’s (who live with me), I have to pray that the trouble I was about to give you on this occasion may cease, and that the letter which I put under your cover for a Mr Chapman, may be burnt.
I have now, my dear sir, to beg you to accept my particular thanks for the early attention which you paid to my request respecting a Farmer; and for directing Mr Bloxham to offer himself

to me before he should engage with any other. The character given of him by Mr Peacy is full & ample, & his appearance and conversation being much in his favour, I have agreed to give him Sixty Guineas pr Ann. for his services, & find him and family in Provisions, a house to live in, a garden to work, and two Cows to furnish them with Milk. In consequence thereof he proposes to write for his wife and children to come to him. With his assistance & advice I shall be able to dispense with a Steward. I have now taken the management of my Farms into my own hands, and shall find employment & amusement if not profit, in conducting the business of them myself.
The Postscript to your letter of the 23d of Jany has given me pain, It would seem from the tenor of it as if you conceived I was not well pleased at your giving Mr Thos Corbin a letter of introduction to me; be assured my dear sir, nothing was ever further from me than to express such a sentiment. My intention, however incautiously it was communicated, was only to inform you that his brother Dick had determined to play nothing short of the whole game, & therefore was resolved to be as early with his narrative in this Country as Tom could be. And now, whilst I am upon this subject, let me once for all entreat you not to be so scrupulous, or backward in your introductions, for I can assure you with much truth that every occasion which affords the means of hearing from you & Mrs Fairfax will give pleasure in this family; & no person who shall bear your passport will be an unwelcome guest in it. So many come hither without proper introductions that it is a real satisfaction when I am able to discriminate. This will be the case when Mr Ansly, or any other shall present a letter from you to me—No inconvenience can arise from these things—my manner of living is plain and I do not mean to be put out of it—A glass of wine and a bit of mutton is always ready—such as will be content to partake of it are welcome—those who look for more will be disappointed, but no change will be effected by it.
In every wish that can contribute to the happiness and pleasure of yourself & Lady Mrs Washington joins me—and with sincere regard and Affection I am—My dear Sir Yr Most Obedt Hble Sert

Go: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Alexander McCabe, 26 June 1786
From: McCabe, Alexander
To: Washington, George

Sir
Elizabeth Town [N.J.] June the 26th, 1786

I take the liberty to write to your Excelly about a gentleman that I have some letters for from Ireland, the Revd John Wallace. I am informd by a letter I recd a few days ago, that he is under an appointment of yr Excellency’s as presedent of an academy in Verginea, I shall therefore be much Oblig’d if your Excellency will be so good to inform me what part of Verginea he is in.
I hope your Excellency will excuse the freedom I take in enclosing a letter of Colonel Persse’s of Roxborrow a gentleman of extensive fortune a particular friend & well wisher of yours, was so the most precarious times in Ireland I could tell yr Excellency many Anecdotes of the Colonels good Sentiments love & Esteem for you. one in particular every day after dinner the first toaste was his Excy George Washington, he has compell’d yr greatest Enemies to do the same. There is no beautifull spot on his Estate but will bare your memory to the latest ages as they have some appellation from every Victorious Engagement your Excellency was in.
Coll Persse begs to know how you are I am convinc’d he would rather receive a line from your Excellency than any honour the first Monarch in the universe could Confer on him I will

write to the Coll when I receive your Excellencys ansr relative to Mr Wallace, will be much oblig’d if your Excellency will enclose back Coll Persse’s letter to me. I am yr Excellency’s most humble & most Obedient se⟨rvt⟩

Alexander McCabe

P.S. Please to direct to the Care of Jacob Cooke Esqr. Lancaster, State of Pennsylvania.


Title: To George Washington from William Brown, 27 June 1786 [letter not found]
From: Brown, William
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from William Brown, 27 June 1786. On 30 June GW wrote Brown “In answer to your favor of the 27th.”


Title: To George Washington from Thomas West, 27 June 1786
From: West, Thomas
To: Washington, George

Sir
Alexandria [Va.] 27th June 86

I am sorry that the papers you mention are not ready for your perusal but you may rest Assured that nothing shall be wanting on my part to bring those matters to a final conclusion. since I spoke to you last on the subject have selected a number of the decd Colo. Colvills Papers many of which are of consequence

and shou’d have had the whole ready by this day had proper care been taken of them before they came under my care but in the course of two Weeks expect to be prepared in the mean am sir yr most Obedt & very Hble Servt

Thos West


Title: To George Washington from Rochambeau, 28 June 1786
From: Rochambeau, Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de
To: Washington, George

Calais June the 28th 1786.

I come, my Dear General, to read in the public papers your letter to the general assembly of Virginia, by Which you refuse the fifty shares that have been, by it, offered to you. there I have well Known again your character and your Virtues, and I am very glad to see in a corrupted age how they make Still a great account of this rare exemples of generosity. I come, my Dear general to make a turn in holland, this republick and yours are not much alike. in holland they have done, as god, of a heap of dirt the finest World that can be, by Strength of art and industry; your country, on the contrary, has received all the most generous natural gifts, but it remains yet to be done many things by the art to improve it, Which Should not require a long time With arms, and under the direction of my Dear general, if it Would

follow them. further more, that republick of the Seven united provinces is at present in a great crisis between the patriot party and that of the Stathouder Which has Still Strength and credit.
my neighbours the Englishmen begin to restore themself of their Loss and are governed by a Wise man Who sets their finances in good order—our sovereign is gone to visit the harbour of Cherbourg, he enjoys always in Europe of the consideration that his firm and moderate character inspire with generally. The King of Prussia is at the death, but he Shall have a successor that will continue him. in all, Europe appears to be quiet, and likely will not be disturbed, but after the death of the Elector of Bavaria, and it appears that all the politick prepares itself at that event.
Give me news of you, my Dear general, and be pursuaded of the tender interest that I take of and of the Eternal and Inviolable attachment With Which I have the honour to be My Dear General Your most obedient and very humble servant

le cte de Rochambeau


Title: From George Washington to William Brown, 30 June 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Brown, William

Sir,
Mount Vernon 30th June 1786.

In answer to your favor of the 27th written at the request of the Trustees of the Alexandria Academy, I have the honor to inform you that the education of boys for the purposes mentioned in my letter of the 17th of December, was what I had principally, if not wholly in view at that time. But if it shall appear to the Trustees that there are girls who may Fitly share the benefits of the institution, I will readily comprehend them in a ratio not to exceed one girl for four boys. With esteem & regard I am &c.

G: Washington


Title: From George Washington to George William Fairfax, 30 June 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Fairfax, George William

My dear Sir
Mount Vernon 30th of June 1786

Better late than never, is an adage not less true, or less to be respected, because it is old.
The letter I am now about to write to you, ought to have been written many a day ago; but however strange it may seem, it is nevertheless true, that I have not had leizure (though more than two years have elapsed since my return to what the world calls retirement) to overhaul papers, & inspect transactions, which preceeded the revolution.
Having abundant reason to distrust my memory, I did not incline to write to you fully respecting the trust with which you had invested me, till I could go into a thorough examination of all the papers to which it had given birth; that I might not only satisfy you in the best manner the nature of the case would admit; but myself also with respect to the transactions. How, methinks

I hear you say, could the inspection of these papers be a work of so much time? It would not, indeed, Sir, if the papers had been properly arranged, and my time had been more at my own disposal; but a house never clear of Company—a continual reference to me of old matters (with which I ought not to have been troubled)—& corrispondencies innumerable, following several hasty removals of my papers from book presses to Trunks, and thence into the Country when the British armed Vessels would make their appearance, had thrown the whole into such disorder & confusion that it was next to impossible to come at any paper that was wanting.
I have now taken up the business with your letter of the first of Jany 1773, with which it commenced, and having gone through all the papers respecting it, from that date to the present moment, I am exceedingly sorry to find that the greater part of it has been managed so little for your interest, & so repugnant to my wishes. Till my Country called my Services to the field (in which I spent almost nine years,) I acted, in every respect for you as I should have done for myself; but after bidding adieu to my family & home (to which in case of adverse fortune I never expected to return) a general wreck of my affairs, as well as yours, succeeded—Aware of the probability of this, I perceive by the copy of a letter which I wrote to you from Cambridge the 26th of July 1775 (so soon as I had taken the command of the Army) that I informed you in strong terms of the indispensable necessity of appointing another Attorney, as I could not, from my then situation, give any attention to private concerns. A little before that, from Philadelphia, in a letter dated the 31st of May, I inclosed you several Bills which I then mentioned, and ever since have thought, were to the full amount of what I owed you, till the late investigation of the papers hath discovered that I am yet indebted to you in the sums of £169.12.6 for Goods bought at your Sale the 15th of August 1774, and £91.11.9 for those purchased at the subsequent one on the 5th of december following; which with some other credits, make the balle due to you £207.13.
That I should have informed you in that letter, that the remittances were to the full amount of what I then owed is easily accounted for, and was proper at the time; because the sums just mentioned did not become due (according to the conditions of

the sale) till twelve months thereafter; but why it should not have occured to me afterwards, is most difficult to solve; and is of no great importance to do it now; yet, I can assure you with much truth, that till within these few days I thought the accts betwn us were so near a ball[anc]e as to render it of little consequence when they were exhibited. I was led into this belief from two circumstances: first, having omitted to credit you in my Ledger by the amount of my purchases at the sales, I wanted that remembrancer of a fact which a variety of occurrances, & close attention to other matters had entirely obliterated. And 2d by having recurrence to the copies of my last letters to you, written after I had left home and which were always at hand, I was deceived by the information there given that the remittances were competent. The inclosed acct, commencing with the balle of the one transmitted the 6th of April 1775 does, I believe, comprehend every thing between us; for the balle I give you a draft on Wakelin Welch Esqr. of London for £155.14.9 Sterling. I have drawn this at the legal exchange as settled by Act of Assembly, altho the currt exchange is 40 pr ct, which would have reduced the above sum to £148.6.5[.] I have allowed no interest on what I am owing you; The reasons I will frankly communicate. If they are not satisfactory, it may be drawn for hereafter. first, even if there had been any person appointed by you to have received the money from me when it became due, I could not have reconciled it with my conscience to have paid the nominal sum in paper bills of credit (which was the only money in circulation) thereby giving the shadow for the substance of a debt. 2d because I am, in a manner, rendered unable to do it by the ungenerous, not to say dishonest practices of most of my debtors, who paid me with a shilling or Sixpence in the pound, by which, & other means, I have sustained a loss of at least ten thousand pounds during my absence, and 3d because my creditors let their claims sleep till the annihilation of paper money and are now receiving, as indeed every person ought to do, specie, or its equivalent, to the full amount.
A Mode so unequal, has pressed hard upon me under the Deprivation of Crops, & want of a market for the little that were raised.
The Bonds that were taken at the Sales beforementioned were put into the hands of Mr Craven Peyton to collect, as appears

by his receipt to Lund Washington of the 7th of April 1776; copy of which I will send Colo. Geo. Nicholas that he may see how they have been accounted for; as I will also do the receipts from the same person for Colo. Stephen’s bond for £230, and Majr McDonalds for £56. The other Bonds remain where you informed me they were deposited, subject to the conditions, & directions, pointed to in your letter of the 10th of Jany 1774.
With respect to your Book Debts, my letters of the 10th of June, 20th of Augt, & 15th of Novr 1774 will have informed you of the difficulties which then occurred in every attempt that was made to collect the ballan[ce]s & these difficulties encreased as often as they were thereafter renewed; nothing therefore could be done without going into Courts of Justice, which soon, thereafter, were shut; and were not opened before I left home; after which, upon the first intimation of your wish that Robt Carter Nicholas Esqr. or Colo. Fielding Lewis might be empowered to direct your affairs, I addressed both those Gentn on the subject. The latter, on acct of his declining state of health, desired to be excused; from the former I never got an answer. Equally unsuccessful was I in my application to his son, (after I had heard of his entering upon the duties of the trust) when I informed him that papers were in my possession which might be necessary for his government. In April last however, I saw Colo. Nicholas in Richmond, & repeating what I had before written, he assured me that every attempt to recover debts that were not reduced to specialties, were altogether unavailing; but that he would direct your Manager (Mr Muse) to receive the Books, Papers &ca from me. As these were not necessary for any purposes he could have, and no inconvenience would attend their remaining with me (for they are in your own Escroitore) I thought it better, & advised, that they should remain here; which Colo. Nicholas readily consenting to, here they will be, till you may think proper otherwise to dispose of them. No settlement having been made of the Bloomery Accts by Messrs Adam & Campbell before I left home, though the matter was repeatedly pressed upon them as may appear by the letters which have passed, I was restrained by your instructions of the 31st of March 1774 from executing deeds for the Land belonging to that concern, & Colo. Carlyles bond depending upon this Settlement, as you will perceive by the letter before alluded to, remains as it did; for I have heard nothing of this business since my return.

Among other papers which I have found in my researches is the inclosed letter from Mr Athawes. as it is of no use here, but may serve to compare with the transactions of that date respecting your estate in England, I send it. The Pictures, for directions concerning which I applied in my letter of the 20th of Augt 1774 were (not having recd any before my departure) left standing at Belvoir; and, unfortunately, perished with the house.
For the furniture of your blue room—which had been removed to this place (out of Mr Morton’s way) during my absence—for which I intend to allow whatever you might think it was worth (as we were under the necessity, it seems, of using it)—and of which you have been pleased to request my acceptance, my grateful acknowledgements of thanks are due—but as it was used under full expectation of paying for it I am very willing, & ready to pay for it accordingly.
There is, with the papers in my possession, a sealed packet endorsed “A copy of G.W. Fairfax’s last Will and testament, which he begs not be opened untill his death is confirmed, or a subsequent one is produced” It shall remain sealed as desired; & be kept safe, unless you should incline to recall it.
I might, my dear Sir, have gone more into the detail of this business. I might have given you the corrispondencies between your Steward & your Collectr, & myself; & between me & others, respecting your concerns in this Country; but from the recurrence which I have had to the copies of my letters to you, I perceive it is sufficient to refer to them. The letters of the 25th of Septr 15th of Octr & 30th of Decr 177⟨3⟩—15th of May, 10th of June, 20th of Augt & 15th of Novr 1774—and 6th of Apl and 31st of May 1775 previous to my taking command of the Armys of America, contain a full, & accurate acct of every thing that had occurred relative to your business, which had fallen under my notice—They transmitted copies of all the Accts which had been rendered to me by yr Steward & Collectr. They inclosed Bills which had been purchased with your money. And they gave an Acct of all the monies wch had been paid me for your use. And my letter of the 26th of July 1775 informed you of my then situation—the impracticability of my giving further attention to your business—& the indispensable necessity therefore of your employing another Attorney.
From that period, untill my return to Virga in the beginng of the year 1784, I remained in total ignorance of yr business; &

had nearly as little knowledge of my own. How much my own suffered in that space, I have already informed you; and I have reason to suspect, from what I have heard, that yours was not under the best management—Willis with his family are removed to the state of Georgia & Peyton is dead—but all these matters you are, doubtlessly, informed of in a more regular & authentic way by Colo. Nicholas. With sentiments of very great regard & friendship, I am, My dear Sir, Yr Most Obedt & Affecte Hble Servant

Go: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Thomas Fairfax, 30 June 1786
From: Fairfax, Thomas
To: Washington, George

Sir
Annapolis 30th June: 1786

Mr Cary who Came Passenger with me does me the favor of taking charge of four Vols of Annals for you; they were Sent to me at London by Mr Young—inclosed is two Letters from a Lady in London (one of which directed to Mr Lyons, shoud be much obliged to you to put in some good channel of Conveyance) also a Letter for Bloxham the Farmer who my uncle Sent out to you and who I hope to hear is Safely arrived—The Letter is from his wife and I dont doubt will give the poor man great pleasure.
We have had a pretty good passage of about Seven weeks—when I parted with my uncle & aunt at bath, which was about the last of march, they were tolerable well and entrusted me with their most affecnt. good wishes to yrself and Mrs W——n—my uncle is amazingly Broke since he left this Country and I think in a very infirm State of health.
I Shall defer any further Particulars till I have the pleasure of Seeing you and the interim I remain respectfully Sir, yr obedt humle Sert

Tho: Fairfax


Title: From George Washington to William Fitzhugh, Sr., 2 July 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Fitzhugh, William Sr.

Dear Sir,
Mount Vernon 2d July 1786.

Your letter without date was handed to me last night by your servant. With one of your mares, he returns—the other I detain: the latter was among the very few which were early favoured by the Spaniard, but is not yet satisfied. The other, which went to Magnolio, my Groom seems confident is with foal, which is the reason of my sending her.
A female ass which I have obtained lately, has excited desires in the Jack, to which he seemed almost a stranger; making use of her as an excitement, I have been able to get several mares served, which otherwise would have gone uncovered by him this Season: this expedient, unluckily, was hit upon too late for me, as I had put almost the whole of my mares to Magnolio before it was tried; it will be practiced with your mare that is left, & I hope with success.
I have advised your Servant to try the mares he carries back by some horse in your neighbourhood, & if she should discover an inclination to him, to bring her to Magnolio when he returns for the other. If this should not happen before the latter end of this month when I shall send to Mr Reynolds for the ewe lambs, I will contrive your mare that far, unless you forbid it in the interim.
I am much obliged to my good friend Perry for the trouble he is about to take by his enquiries for ewe lambs for me; & will give him an answer the moment he advises me of the result, which I shall be enabled to do as soon as I hear from Genl Smallwoods Manager, who sent me word that there were a number of Lambs belonging to the Genls Estate, which he believed were to be disposed of; about which he was desired to enquire & to let me know when the Govr came into Charles Coty which has happened.
I am much obliged to you for the sample of Barley. Mine that I sowed this Spring is come to nothing; occasioned I believe by the continual rains.

I am very sorry to hear of your long confinement by the fall you got in this State, but glad to find you are begining to overcome it. With every good wish for Mrs Fitzhugh, yourself & family, I am Dear sir &c.

Geo: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 3 July 1786
From: Lee, Henry Jr.
To: Washington, George

My dear Genl
New York July 3rd 1786

I had the honor of your letter four days past, and would have sooner replied but waited in the expectation of learning something about the package you enquire after. The letter from Mr Arthur Young came in the packet, but was not accompanied by any thing else. The british Consul here tells me it is not customary to send packages of any sort by the packets as they sail from Falmouth or Portsmouth 300 miles from London, but that they come in vessels directly from London—perhaps the letter is only meant as a letter of advice & that its copy will arrive in Potomac with the books, tho it is strange how Mr Athaws could think of sending the letter via New York. Unaccountable as the procedure appears I hope no loss may accrue, as Mr Young’ works are the most valuable production of the sort extant. Solicitous to gather all useful knowledge respecting farms & farming I sought this author out, on my arrival here, I could only obtain his tour thro Ireland, which I take the liberty to transmit to you now by favor of Doctr Griffith. Before my return it is very probable you may receive the whole of the authors work, and these two volumes will in the mean time afford you an oppertu⟨nity⟩ of putting into practice Mr Youngs system of culture.
If you should be in want of a new set of china it is in my power to procure a very genteel set, table & tea—what renders this china doubly valuable & handsome is the order of the eagle engraved on it in honor of the Cincinnati—It has upwards of 306 pieces, and is offered at the prime cost, 150 dollars.

Your reasoning on the navigation of the Missisippi is perfectly conformable to the prevalent doctrine on that subject in Congress. We are very solicitous to form a treaty with Spain for commercial purposes; indeed no nati[o]n in Europe can give us conditions so advantageous to our trade as that kingdom. The carrying business they are like ourselves in, & this common source of difficulty in adjusting commercial treatys between other nations does not apply to America & Spain. But my dear Genl I do not think you go far enough. Rather than defer longer the benefits of a free liberal system of trade with Spain, why not agree to the occlusion of the Mississippi. This occlusion will not, cannot exist longer than the infancy of the western emigrants, therefore to those people what is now done, cannot be important; to the atlantic states it is highly important, for we have no prospects of bringing to conclusion our negotiations with the Court of Madrid, but by yielding the navigation of the Mississipi—their Minister here, is under positive instructions on that point, in all other arrangements the Spanish Monarch will give to the States testimonys of his regard and friendship, & I verily beleive that if the above difficulty could be removed we should soon experience the advantages which would flow from a conn⟨ect⟩ion with Spain—Mrs Lee returns her most respectful compliments to the ladys of Mount-Vernon and repeats thro me, an offer she before made of executing any command which Mrs Washington may please to favor her with. I beg my return of esteem to Mrs Washington, and am with unalterable attachment and respect your most obt servt

Henry Lee jur


Title: To George Washington from Timothy Dwight, 5 July 1786
From: Dwight, Timothy
To: Washington, George

May it please your Excellency,
Greenfield, in Connecticut, July 5 1786

I have delayed an answer to your Excellency’s letter, which I duly received, from an expectation of having a conveyance by Col. Humphry’s, of whose design to visit Mount Vernon I was early informed after the receipt.
Had the Conquest of Cannan been published, on the plan of a subscription, I should have taken the earliest opportunity to forward a paper of proposals to your Excellency. But that mode of supporting a publication, after repeated trials, has been found, in New England at least, to answer the purpose in view but indifferently.
A preposterous but habitual mode of considering the subject, partly derived from failures of publishing, or forwarding, the book proposed, has established a general conviction, thro’out this country, that a publisher is at liberty to purchase, or neglect, the book he has engaged to buy. For this reason, I followed the advice of my Friends, & determined to venture the work upon the Laws, which in most of the United States, secure to the writer a copyright in his productions.
Since I had the honour of addressing your Excellency, on this subject, the book, so far as I have been able to learn, has met with a friendly reception from the publick; more friendly, I confess, than my own hopes had ventured to presume. The pleasure I had derived from this quarter was not a little heightened by your Excellency’s favourable opinion, & assurances that it is not unfavourably received in the neighborhood of Mount Vernon.
The natural carelessness of my character would easily explain, to my particular acquaintance, the omissions of date, & place, in my letter; but if I had been possessed of a character much more attentive, the feelings, with which I wrote, would have explained it to myself. It was written from New York, the last of October; & forwarded by a person, who engaged to convey the letter, &

books, by a very direct progress, to your Excellency. The partial miscarriage of that induced me more especially to wait for the present safe opportunity, by Lieut. Col. Humphrys. With the most respectful sentiments, I beg leave to subscribe myself, your Excellency’s most obedient, & most humble servant,

Timothy Dwight


Title: To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 7 July 1786 [letter not found]
From: Randolph, Edmund
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from Edmund Randolph, 7 July 1786. On 12 July GW wrote Randolph: “Your letter of the 7th is this instant come to hand.”


Title: From George Washington to Thomas Johnson, 8 July 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Johnson, Thomas

Dear Sir,
M[oun]t Vernon 8th July, 1786

It was not ’till our return to the great Falls, that Colo. Gilpin and myself discovered the error of the propos’d meeting of the Directors of the Potomac Company at Alexandria on Monday preceding the first day of August. The general Meeting of the company it seems is, by Law, to be held on the first Monday in that month; & this not happening, in the present year, ’till the 7th day of it—we wish that the Meeting of Directors may take place on the Saturday before; of which I pray you to give Mr Lee notice. I am &c.

G: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Peregrine Fitzhugh, 10 July 1786
From: Fitzhugh, Peregrine
To: Washington, George

Dear General
Effingham Kent Island [Md.] July 10th 1786

Upon a Visit to my Father some little time ago I was informed by him you wanted a number of Ewe Lambs and as there was a prospect of my being able to make a considerable collection in my neighbourhood I promised to make enquiry on my return and address you upon the subject—this Letter is to comply with my promise to my Father and to execute a pleasing duty to

you—If I had fortunately been acquainted with your desire a fortnight sooner it would have been in my power to have purchased for you an hundred fine lambs at 10s. each, this was done in my Absence by a Butcher from Baltimore who I found upon the Island at my return and who had purchased upwards of an hundred and fifty—This draught from the inhabitants has made my attempts to accomplish your wishes not so successful as I could wish—from 20 to 30 are all I have been able yet to engage, these are very good at 12/6 each, should you not yet have supplied yourself elsewhere and incline to have the above as you have a number at Mr Reynolds’s if you will give me a week or ten days notice previous to your sending for them—I can without the least inconvenience send them across the Bay in my Boat and have them lodged with my Brother in Law Mr Saml Chew of Herring Bay which is only a few Miles from Mr Reynolds’s to be delivered to your order—My Father informed me you proposed sending over the last of the present month—as I can at any time collect the Lambs engaged here in a day so if I have timely notice of your inclination they can be in place by the forementioned period—I will still continue my enquiries and may very probably add to the number—A letter sent from Alexandria to Annapolis by the Post will meet a ready and quick Conveyance. Be pleased to offer Mrs Fitzhugh’s and my respectful Compliments to Mrs Washington and permit me to add that I shall embrace with anxiety and pleasure every opportunity and am happy in this tho’ a trifling one of testifying the very grateful sense I do and shall ever retain of your friendly services to me and the perfect respect with which I have the honor to be Dr General Yr aff. and obedt Servt

Peregne Fitzhugh


Title: To George Washington from Richard Harrison, 10 July 1786
From: Harrison, Richard
To: Washington, George

Sir,
Cork [Ireland] 10 July, 1786.

Passing through Madrid some time since Mr Carmichael encharged me with two Toledo Blades for your Excelly which I hoped for the pleasure of delivering in person. But the period of my return to America being yet uncertain, I now commit them with this to the care of Capt. Sullivan of the Union, bound to Alexandria. Wishing them safe, I have the honor to remain, with the most perfect respect, Sir, Your most obt & humble Servant

R. Harrison


Title: To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 11 July 1786
From: Lee, Henry Jr.
To: Washington, George

My dear Genl
New york 11h July 1786

Your friend and servant, the patriot and noble Greene is no more—on the 19th June after 3 days fever he left this world.
Universal grief reigns here—how hard the fate of the U. States, to loose such a son in the middle of life—irreparable loss—But he is gone, I am incapable to say more—May health attend you my dear General Yours most affy

H. Lee junr


Title: To George Washington from Benjamin Ogle, 12 July 1786
From: Ogle, Benjamin
To: Washington, George

Dr sr
Annapolis July 12 1786

It was not the least inconvenient to spare six fauns as I am at present fully stocked, & I shall think you lucky if you raise half—It would have been a very difficult matter to have got that number had I not this Spring forced the deer intirely out the Woods & great part of the Park, tending it in Tobacco with a view of laying it down in Grass in the fall it having grown over with Sedge I hope you received the fauns safe. I am Sr with great Esteem Sincerely yrs

Ben. Ogle


Title: To George Washington from William Gordon, 13 July 1786
From: Gordon, William
To: Washington, George

My dear Sir
London July 13. 1786

Your favour of Apr. 20th was forwarded from Boston in May, & was received the beginning of this week, upon my returning from Ipswich in Suffolk, where I had the pleasure of hearing that a complete farmer had been forwarded to you, in whom I hope you will have satisfaction, though not capable of filling up Mr Lund Washington’s place. Such a steward as you have described & wish to have, is not easily found; but your friends, who are numerous even in this country, will be looking out for one that will answer. Till you can happen of a person, that is capable of taking off the additional burden from your

shoulders, it cannot be expected that you can be so frequent in corresponding as otherwise.
You have my most sincere thanks for the honour you have done me in subscribing & in promoting subscriptions; & must pray your Excellency to present my compliments to the Honle James Mercer, & make my acknowledgments to him for his paronage. My friend Jonathan Mason Esqr. of Boston or Mr James Jackson of Jamaica Plain, will transact the business of the bill. Doubt not but the gentlemen at Warren are possessed of more honour, than to attempt the payment of it in paper. The step that Rhode Island has taken in issuing paper &c. must be reprobated by all who are both honest & judicious. Such measures instead of lessening will increase difficulties, & are like drinking water in the dropsy. The mention of the dropsy has reminded me of my intention to write about bilious complaints, with which your Lady is troubled. Being in company sometime back with an apothecary of my acquaintance & a clergyman, they were the subject of conversation. The clergyman mentioned the case of a gentlewoman whom he knew, that, after consulting the first physicians in England & trying the waters in different places & obtaining no cure, was effectually cured by taking the yolk of a new laid egg in the morning fasting, for some considerable time. The apothecary turning to me said, “I apprehend many of our disorders arise from the contents in the stomach being of such a nature, that they will not incorporate with each other; & I can easily conceive that the egg may be of service by producing that incorporation, as it mixes both with oil & water, & compounds each with itself in one mass.” The thought pleased me, & the last friday while at Ipswich I made the following experiment. Having the yolk of a new laid egg, I procured the gall of a sheep hot out of the body, poured a quantity of the bile upon the egg, & with the motion of a tea spoon not exceeding the motion in the stomach, soon united the two bodies; upon that a good quantity of oil was added which was soon incorporated thro the like agitation; then followed a large portion of water, which succeeded as well. I then tried what effect salt of wormwood would have upon the mixture; it produced no fermentation whatsoever. The whole was left all night in the bason, & by morning the oil appeared to be much separated & risen to the top; but in the body such a mixture would have been subject to a continual

motion & would not have cooled. Should your Lady be induced to try the effects of the yolk, it will afford me the greatest pleasure to hear that she is benefited by it, so as to have her complaints wholly removed.
Am glad that the key & its appendage are safe. Before I forget it, would observe that as your writing is probably known at the Post Office, & I am very obnoxious to the promoters of the late war, & they have too great influence in the cabinet, it may be best that when you honour me with a letter it should be directed by another hand, that there should be no suspicion of a correspondence, so that should I have occasion to write upon any particular subjects that may possibly turn up, such suspicion may not prevent my letters coming to Mount Vernon. The nation is loaded with taxes & what with these & the dearness of provision the people are hard put to it to procure a livelihood. There are at present fine prospects upon the ground—appearances of great plenty, except the article of apples which have failed in general.
We left Boston Apr. 16, but the wind changing we did not reach the grand bank of Newfoundland till the 4th of May. On the 5th we had a fine fair breeze, & from that day we had a most charming run to the channel. On the 26th we landed at Gravesend, took a post chaise & got to London in the ⟨late⟩ evening. It pleased God to grant us upon the whole a good voyage. We were sea sick only the first day; with no storms or tempests; met with no accidents; had plenty of good provision; were well accommodated; & enjoyed good company.
Upon our arrival found as many of our relations & friends living & in health, as could be reasonably expected after a sixteen years absence. A fortnight back the last tuesday, we paid a visit to Ipswich, where we were first settled & lived thirteen years. We were received with the greatest cordiality & affection; for they were opposed to the war & hearty Americans. The next Saturday I set out for my native place Hitchin in Hertfordshire, to see my sister & a few other relations. I mean to finish all journeys before the month is out, that I may apply myself without interruption to the Work in Hand; but before I go to the press must wait till I have received from Mr Hazard at New York further accounts of subscriptions. The publications of the printers at Boston & elsewhere proved very injurious; but abuse & ingratitude,

when persons are vexed at the disappointments they meet with; are nothing uncommon. I shall guard against being warped by any provocations or favours from exercising faithfulness; & flatter myself that impartial judicious part of mankind will approve the goodness of my intentions & the uprightness of my conduct. I design doing myself the honour of writing shortly to the Marquis La Fayette. I have been almost in one continual hurry since my arrivall; & shall be most heartily rejoiced when it is over. The plants you was so good as to send me I brought over; they are ⟨still⟩ alive shewing out near or at the root. They are at Newington about three miles from the city where we ⟨live⟩ with Mrs Gordons brother; but when you direct let it be at Mr Field’s Apothecary No. 95 Newgate Street London. We are wholly at a loss as to our future settlement but the same kind Providence that has hitherto cared for us I desire to rely upon for comfort during my remaining pilgrimage. Should you think of any way in which I can be the least serviceable to you, pray you to do me the honour of imploying me. Mrs Gordon joins in most affectionate regards to your Excellency, your Lady, your friends at Alexandria, the last married couple (whose fruitfulness I wish to hear of) my young friend, Mr & Mrs Lund Washington, & whoever else of my acquaintance you may occasionally fall in with, particularly Dr Craik. I remain with the sincerest esteem, My dear Sir, Your most obedient & humble servant

William Gordon


Title: To George Washington from Macarty de Marteigne, 18 July 1786
From: Macarty de Marteigue (Marteigne), ——
To: Washington, George

My Lord
Baltimore 18th July 1786

As a Father to this Country, You ought to be One, to those who had the Honour of defending it, I Served under the Command

of Monsr le Compte, d’estaing, & was afterwards aboard the Ship of Monsr le Marquis de Vaudreuil: My Brother Commanded the Magnifique, which the Pilote unluckily lost in Boston River, he has at the Same time the happiness to be adorned with your Order, whc. I have not had. I now find myself, My Lord, in this Country by the loss of a Ship, whc. I was aboard of, & whc. Going into the Missisipi, without knowing that New Orleans belongs at present to the Spaniards; a person is thought little of in this Country, when in Distress, but that whc. embarrasses me most, is being without Succour in this Country. I have had the Honour of Seeing the French Consul, who has not made me the least offer of Assistance, I hope more, from Addressing myself to you, My lord, & am perswaded that you will make me an Offer of your Assistance, & will not Abandonn a person in Distress, & with these Sentiments, I have the Honour to be your Excellys My lord Very Hble & Obedt servt

le Chevalier Macarty, Macteigue


Title: To George Washington from Edward Peyton, 18 July 1786
From: Peyton, Edward
To: Washington, George

Sir,
Spotsylvania 18th July 1786

That your Excellency will be somewhat surprised, at the reception of this epistle is an event, natural to my expectations—That it may be perused, with candor, and not be productive of the least offence is the utmost of my wishes.
At the house of Mr Man Pages of Spotsylvania, I understood your excellency was in want of an assistant in yr office—a person had applied but was rejected on account of his assuming and exorbitant demands; in consequence of which I have taken this liberty. and should my writing suit any business, of your excellency’s,

or if upon trial I have abilities suitable in any other department I shall esteem myself happy in your employ.
As to demands I pretend not to any, only require an emolument adequate to the servises I might render.
For diligence and sobriety I can procure the testimony of Mr Wm Stanard—a Gentlman of indisputable veracity with whom I have lived near nine months as Tutor to his children and still remain in that capacity: but would prefer an employment wherein there is a greater variety.
Should your excellency require a further Recommendation, I am sorry to say, it is out my power to furnish you with any: unless being subject to the capricious Necessitudes of Fortune will plead an advocate in my favor. if that would have any influence I can produce a certificate dated ten years back. If your excellency concieves this application merits an answer I shall esteem it an honour in recieving one, directed at the Post Office Fredricksburg. I am With Great Respect Your Excellency’s Most Obedient Humble Servat

Edw: Peyton


Title: From George Washington to Henry L. Charton, 22 July 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Charton, Henry L.

Sir,
Mount Vernon 22d July 1786

The rude draughts herewith enclosed will, in some degree, comply with your request; because it will shew the shape of the lands about which you have been treating. The Ship by which they are sent, heaving in sight before I had notice of its coming, I could do no more than send them in the unpolished state in which they are now handed to you.
The descriptions & situations of them you already have.
It may not be amiss to repeat, that the price set upon these lands, was on the supposition that the whole were to be taken; if part only is wanted (if I consent to separate them at all) the price by the acre, according to its situation & value, will be encreased; for to be relieved of the trouble of seating them was my principal motive & only inducement to offer them at a price which I conceived to be much under their intrinsic value. I have the honor to be &c.

Go: Washington


Title: From George Washington to Battaile Muse, 25 July 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Muse, Battaile

Sir:—
[Mount Vernon, 25 July 1786]

I want to change my seed wheat, but do not incline to sow any but of the white kind, I shall be ready to commence my seeding in a few days and if you have of this kind, ready, either of this, or the last year and will receive payment for it out of your collection of my Rents, I should be glad to have sent me from one to

three or four hundred Bushels.—I will give the Alexandria price at this time (be it what it may) or the price it may be hereafter, you at the moment, saying you are content with it—The Wheat must be clean & good & as I said before, white, & for the reason assigned I must have it sent to me immediately if at all; Pray let me know by Post what I have to trust to. I am Sir Yr very Hble Servt

Geo Washington.


Title: To George Washington from Richard Thomas, 25 July 1786
From: Thomas, Richard
To: Washington, George

Hond Sir
Charleston [S.C.] 25th July 1786

Your Letters of the 5th December 85 & 25th March 86 in answer to mine of 13th August & 10th December 85, are come safe to hand, & should think myself wanting in gratitude to Your Excellency did I not instantly on the receipt of the last, acknowledge the due sence I have of the generosity & condescension you have been pleas’d to show on this occasion.
I was so unfortunate as not to get the first till the 5th of March, & should not have repeated my application had it arrived in the time there was the greatest reason to expect it, except in case of miscarriage, or some unavoidable delay.
I have to inform Your Excellency these Letters have sufficiently convinced me, as well as every other person to whom the affair has been communicated, that you are a stranger to the whole matter; and I cannot think a further examination necessary or justifiable, knowing the immaculate character in which Your Excellency is so eminently held by every Englishman.
I was actuated by no motive in this pursuit beyond a desire of discharging one of the duty’s of humanity, not having any knowledge of Mr Richards, nor the least information how that premature report respecting the Executor was first brought into existance. As to the Estate I beleive there is some truth in: for by an enquiry among the Virginians here, I have found that Lawyer Haynes is still living, & resident in Meclenburgh County, where I am to suppose the Estate lies; a Letter has been sent, & an answer is daily expected: so if any further information will be

satisfactory to Your Excellency, I will transmit it with a boundless pleasure. I have the Honour to be With Gratitude & Respect Hond Sir Your Excellency’s Obedt Humble Servt

Richd Thomas


Title: From George Washington to William Grayson, 26 July 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Grayson, William

Dear sir,
Mount Vernon 26th July 1786.

It is a fact that your favor of the 27th of May was long getting to me; but why it happened so, I am unable to inform you; as I generally send to the Post Office in Alexandria twice in every week.
Is it not among the most unaccountable things in nature that the representation of a great Country shou’d, generally, be so thin as not to be able to execute the functions of Government? To what is this to be ascribed? Is it the result of political manouvre in some States, or is it owing to supineness, or want of means?
Be the causes what they may, it is shameful & disgusting. In a word it hurts us; our character as a nation is dwindling; & what it must come to if a change should not soon take place, our enemies have foretold; for in truth we seem either not capable, or not willing to take care of ourselves.
For want, I suppose, of competent knowledge of the Connecticut claim to Western territory, the compromise which is made with her, appears to me to be a disadvantageous one for the Union; & if her right is not one of the motives (according to your account) for yielding to it, in my humble opinion, is exceedingly dangerous & bad; for upon such principles, might, not right, must ever prevail, & there will be no surety for anything.
I wish very sincerely that the Land Ordinance may answer the expectations of Congress. I had, & still have my doubts of the utility of the plan, but pray devoutly, that they may never be realized, as I am desireous of seeing it a productive branch of the revenue. That part which makes the waters & carrying places common highways, & free for all the States, is certainly valuable.

I thank you for the other articles of information; such as you have disclosed confidentially, you may rest assured will proceed no further, ’till it becomes public thro’ other channels; & this shall always be the case with paragraphs which are so marked. The answer to the Memorial of Mr Adams, by Lord Carmarthen, I have seen at large. It was impolitic & unfortunate, if it was not unjust in these States to pass laws, which by fair construction might be considered as infractions of the treaty of peace.
It is good policy at all times, to place one’s adversary in the wrong. Had we observed good faith, & the western Posts had then been withheld from us by G: Britain, we might have appealed to god & man for justice, & if there are any guarantees to the treaty, we might have called upon them to see it fulfilled. But now we cannot do this—tho’ clear I am, that the reasons assigned by the British ministry are only ostensible—& that the Posts, under one pretence or another, were intended to have been detained, tho’ no such acts had ever passed: but how different would our situation have been under such circumstances? With very sincere regard & Affection, I am Dr Sir, &ca

G: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Samuel Brandon, 27 July 1786 [letter not found]
From: Brandon, Samuel
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from Samuel Brandon, 27 July 1786. On 20 Nov. GW wrote Brandon that he had received “your letter of the 27th of July.”


Title: To George Washington from William Moultrie, 30 July 1786
From: Moultrie, William
To: Washington, George

Dear Sir
Charleston [S.C.] July 30. 1786

The Gentleman who favors me with the delivery of this letter, is the Honle Wm Drayton Esqr. Council for this State, he will be on his return from the Federal Court, called to determine a dispute between this State & Georgia respecting their boundary lines, he wishes to be introduced to your Excellency. I have therefore taken the liberty of giving him this letter of introduction.
Mrs Moultrie begs leave to join me in our best respects to Mrs Washington. I have to honor to be Dr Sir Your Excelly Most Obt hume Servt

Willm Moultrie


Title: From George Washington to Lauzun, 31 July 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Lauzun, Armand-Louis de Gontaut Biron, duc de

Monr le Duc,
Mo[un]t Vernon July 31st 1786.

I have had the honor to receive your letter to me of the 25th of Augt 1785. by the hand of Mr Michau, of whom it was introductory. The scientific object which occasioned the voyage of that gentleman to America, his personal character, & the recommendation of the Duke de Lauzun, conspired to make me extremely happy in forming an acquaintance with him. I should be made still more so by his complete success in his botanical pursuits. Any assistance in my power will be most chearfully accorded

as a tribute to his merit, & as a demonstration of the attachment & esteem with which I have the honor to be &c.

G: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Battaile Muse, 31 July 1786
From: Muse, Battaile
To: Washington, George

Honourable Sir,
Berkeley C[oun]ty July 31st 1786

your Favour dated the 25th of Instant I this moment received—It’s out of my Power To Furnish you with the Seed wheat in Time as the wet seasons will not give me Time To get out wheat for my own Seeding—besides if I had the wheat now out, I could not get it down for the want of waggons unless I give £4 a Tripp the price will not afford that deduction of waggonage—If your own wheat is but midling it’s better To sow it as the wheat in Genl this year is Very Fowl—unless you can get from a neit Farmer—was I To send any it should be good—but it’s out of my Power without Ingureing my Imployers—I expect To be at Alexandria next month if so, I shall call on you—I have not received one shillings since my last Letter wherein I enclosed and order on Colo. Gilpin for £50. I am sir Your Very Humble Servt

Battaile Muse


Title: From George Washington to Rochambeau, 31 July 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Rochambeau, Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de

My dear Count,
Mount Vernon July 31st 1786.

I have been duly honored with the two letters you were pleased to write to me in the months of Jany and March last: I need scarcely tell you that your communications always afford me the sincerest gratification—because they are always replete with the most friendly sentiments—because they insensibly bring to remembrance some circumstances of that pleasing & important period we so happily passed together—and because you frequently have it in your power to give such informations,

as in my present retirement from the busy & political world cannot fail of being acceptable to me.
It must give pleasure to the friends of humanity even in this distant section of the globe to find that the clouds, which threatned to burst in a storm of war in Europe, have dissipated & left a still brighter political horizon. It is also to be hoped, that something will turn up to prevent, even at the death of the Elector of Bavaria or the King of Prussia, the effusion of human blood, for the acquisition of a little territory.
As the rage of conquest, which in the times of barbarity, stimulated nations to blood, has in a great degree ceased; as the objects which formerly gave birth to Wars are daily diminishing; and as mankind are becoming more enlightened & humanized, I cannot but flatter myself with the pleasing prospect that more liberal policies & more pacific systems will take place amongst them. To indulge this idea affords a soothing consolation to a philanthropic mind, insomuch that altho’ it should be founded in illusion, one would hardly wish to be divested of an error, so grateful in itself & so innocent in its consequences.
The Treaty of Amity which has lately taken place between the King of Prussia & the United States marks a new æra in negotiation. It is perfectly original in many of its articles. It is the most liberal Treaty which has ever been entered into between independent Powers; and should its principles be considered hereafter as the basis of connection between nations, it will operate more fully to produce a general pacification than any measure hitherto attempted amongst mankind. Superadded to this, we may safely assert, that there is at present less war in the world than ever has been at any former period.
The British continue to hold the Posts ceded by the late Treaty of Peace to the United States. Each of these powers does not hesitate to criminate the other, by alledging some infractions of that Treaty. How the matter will terminate time must disclose. Every thing remains tranquil on this side of the Atlantic, except that the Savages sometimes commit a few trifling ravages on the frontiers.
General Green lately died at Savanna in Georgia. The Public, as well as his family & friends, has met with a severe loss. He was a great & good man indeed. With sentiments of the purest

esteem & attachment, I have the honr to be, My dear Count, Yr most Obedt and affecte Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: From George Washington to Antoine-Félix Wuibert, 31 July 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Wuibert de Mézières, Antoine-Félix

Sir,
Mount Vernon 31st July 1786.

I have been favored with the receipt of triplicate copies of your polite letter dated at Cape-françois the 15th of Novr last.
While you do me the justice to acknowledge the zeal with which I desired & attempted to promote the interest of all the individuals composing the army I had formerly the honor to command; permit me to express my regret that, from peculiar circumstances, I had it not more fully in my power to attain that desirable object.
It was doubtless the intention of Congress to establish funds for the punctual payment of the interest as it became due on the public securities given to the officers & Soldiers of the Army for arrearages of pay & commutation: Their designs however have hitherto been unfortunately frustrated by the delinquency of some of the States, which could not be induced to comply with their requisition of 5 ⅌ Cent impost. All the States in the Union have at length granted that impost, but there are still some difficulties respecting the collection &c. Whenever these can be removed, it is to be hoped the interest will be regularly paid on your Certificates. In the mean time Congress are taking measures for surveying the Lands ceded to them; out of wch the officers & Soldiers will undoubtedly receive what has been promised.
Having, as you know sir, long since retired from all public employment, I have it not in my option to interfere with public measures by making recommendations. Indeed I do not think it probable that any Corps of Engineers will be established at present. But I am very happy in all events to find that you are so agreeably situated with an old acquaintance & friend.

As to medals & Diplomas for the Cincinnati, the former I believe are to be purchased in Philada, & the latter to be obtained thro’ the State Society of wch an officer is member. I have none of either at my disposal. With sincere wishes for your health & happiness, I remain Sir, &c.

G: Washington


Title: Articles of Agreement with Thomas Mahony, 1 August 1786
From: Washington, George,Mahony, Thomas
To:

[Mount Vernon, 1 August 1786]

An Agreement made this first day of August Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and eighty six between George Washington of the County of Fairfax of the one part, and Thomas Mahony of the other part, Witnesseth; that the said Thomas Mahony, for the wages and priviledges herein after expressed doth agree, and oblige himself to work one year from the date hereof for the said George Washington as a House-Carpenter, Joiner, and (when not employed in either of these) in other jobs which he may be set about; and will, during said term, behave himself quietly, soberly, and orderly in the family, pursuing the business about which he may be employed with diligence and fidelity.
In consideration of these things well & truely performed and done on the part of the said Thomas Mahony, the said George Washington doth hereby oblige himself, his heirs, and Executors to pay the said Thomas Mahony Thirty pounds in Specie for his year’s service (or as the same shall come due) estimating dollars at six shillings each and other Gold and Silver in that proportion. And will furnish him the said Thomas Mahony with board, washing, and lodging as he has been usually accustomed to in the family; and will give him the same allowance of spirit with which he had been served, and will do it weekly if the said Thomas shall prefer it. That he will cause to be made four shirts and two pair of Overalls (the linnen and materials to be found by said Thomas) and will cause his shirts, stockings and linnen to be mended as usual. That whilst he has a Taylor and Shoemaker in the family of his own, they shall, without any other cost

to the said Thomas than his finding the materials, mend and repair his body-cloathes and shoes. And moreover, will pay the publick taxes, and the County and parish levies—to which the said Thomas is exposed, and which will become due and, payable within the year for which he stands engaged. And lastly, will allow the said Thomas Mahony one day each quarter of the year (at such times as can be best spared) to provide himself with necessaries, and execute his own lawful business. In testimony of all these things the parties have hereunto set their hands & seals this day and year first written.

                  Witness
                  Thomas Mahoney

                  Tobias Lear
                  G: Washington


Title: From George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, 1 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Jefferson, Thomas

Dear Sir,
Mount Vernon Augt 1st 1786.

The letters you did me the favor to write to me on the 4th & 7th of Jany have been duly received.
In answer to your obliging enquiries respecting the dress, attitude &ca which I would wish to have given to the Statue in question—I have only to observe that not having a sufficient knowledge in the art of sculpture to oppose my judgment to the taste of Connoisseiurs, I do not desire to dictate in the matter—on the contrary I shall be perfectly satisfied with whatever may be judged decent and proper. I should even scarcely have ventured to suggest that perhaps a servile adherence to the garb of antiquity might not be altogether so expedient as some little deviation in favor of the modern custom, if I had not learnt from Colo. Humphreys that this was a circumstance hinted in conversation by Mr West to Houdon. This taste, which has been introduced

in painting by West, I understand is received with applause & prevails extensively.
I have taken some pains to enquire into the facts respecting the medals of the Cincinnati, which Majr L’Enfant purchased in France. It seems that when he went to Europe in 1783 he had money put into his hands to purchase a certain number, and that conceiving it to be consonant with the intentions of the Society, he purchased to a still greater amount—insomuch that a Committee of the Genl Meeting, upon examining his Acct reported a balle due to him of Six hundred & thirty dollars, wch report was accepted. This money is still due, and is all that is due from the Society of the Cincinnati as a Society. General Knox has offered to pay the amount to Majr L’Enfant, but as it has become a matter of some public discussion, the latter wished it might remain until the next Genl Meeting, which will be in May next. In the meantime Genl Knox (who is Secretary Genl) has, or will write fully on the Subject to the Marquis de la Fayette, from whom he has had a letter respecting the business.
We have no news of importance And if we had, I should hardly be in the way of learning it; as I divide my time between the superintendence of opening the navigations of our rivers & attention to my private concerns. Indeed I am too much secluded from the world to know with certainty, what sensation the refusal of the British to deliver up the Western posts, has made on the public mind. I fear the edge of its sensibility is somewhat blunted. Fœderal measures are not yet universally adopted. New York, wch was as well disposed a State as any in the Union is said to have become in a degree antifoederal. Some other States are, in my opinion, falling into very foolish & wicked plans of emitting paper money. I cannot however give up my hopes & expectations that we shall ere long adopt a more liberal system of policy. What circumstances will lead, or what misfortunes will compel us to it, is more than can be told without the spirit of prophecy.
In the meantime the people are industrious, œconomy begins to prevail, and our internal governments are, in general, tolerably well administered.
You will probably have heard of the death of Genl Greene before this reaches you, in which case you will, in common with your Countrymen, have regretted the loss of so great and so

honest a man. Genl McDougall, who was a brave Soldier & a disinterested patriot, is also dead—he belonged to the Legislature of his State, the last act of his life, was (after being carried on purpose to the Senate) to give his voice against the emission of a paper currency. Colo. Tilghman, who was formerly of my family, died lately & left as fair a reputation as ever belonged to a human character. Thus some of the pillars of the revolution fall. Others are mouldering by insensible degrees. May our Country never want props to support the glorious fabrick! With sentiments of the highest esteem & regard, I have the honor to be Dear Sir Yr Most Obedt & very Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: From George Washington to La Luzerne, 1 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: La Luzerne, Anne-César, chevalier de

Dr Sir,
Mount Vernon 1st Augt 1786

The letter you did me the honor to write to me on the 3d of Feby, has come safely to hand. Nothing could be more satisfactory to me than the friendly sentiments contained in it, & the generous manner in which you always interest yourself in the happiness & dignity of the United States.
I wish I had it in my power to inform you, that the several States had fully complied with all the wise requisitions which Congress has made to them on national subjects. But unfortunately for us, this is not yet the case. Altho’ for my own part I do not cease to expect that this just policy will ultimately take effect. It is not the part of a good Citizen to despair of the republic: nor ought we to have calculated that our young Governments would have acquired, in so short a period, all the consistency & solidity, which it has been the work of ages to give to other nations. All the States however, have at length granted the impost; tho’ unhappily some of them have granted it under such qualifications, as have hitherto prevented its operation. The

greater part of the Union seems to be convinced of the necessity of fœderal measures, & of investing Congress with the power of regulating the commerce of the whole. The reasons you offer on this subject are certainly forcible, and I can not but hope will ’ere long have their due efficacy.
In other respects our internal Governments are daily acquiring strength. The laws have their fullest energy; justice is well administered; robbery, violence or murder is not heard of from N[e]w Hampshire to Georgia. The people at large (as far as I can learn) are more industrious than they were before the war. (Œconomy begins, partly from necessity & partly from choice & habit, to prevail. The seeds of population are scattered over an immense tract of Western Country. In the old States wch were the theatres of hostility, it is wonderful to see how soon the ravages of war are repaired. Houses are rebuilt, fields enclosed, stocks of cattle which were destroyed are replaced, and many a desolated territory assumes again the chearful appearance of cultivation. In many places the vestiges of conflagration & ruin are hardly to be traced. The arts of peace, such as clearing of rivers, building of bridges, establishing conveniences for travelling &c. are assiduously promoted. In short the foundation of a great Empire is laid, and I please myself with a persuasion that Providence will not leave its work imperfect.
I am sensible that the picture of our situation, which has been exhibited in Europe since the Peace, has been of a very different complexion; but it must be remembered that all the unfavorable features have been much heightened by the medium of the English news papers thro’ which they have been represented.
The British still continue to hold the Posts on our frontiers, & affect to charge us with some infractions of the Treaty. On the other hand we retort the accusation. What will be the consequences, is more than I can pretend to predict. To me, however, it appears that they are playing the same foolish game in commerce, that they have lately done in War; that their ill-judged impositions will eventually drive our ships from their Ports, wean our attachments to their manufactures & give to France decided advantages for a commercial connexion with us. To strengthen the alliance & promote the interests of France & America will ever be the favorite object of him, who has the

honor to subscribe himself, with every sentiment of attachment, &c. &c.

G: Washington


Title: From George Washington to Battaile Muse, 1 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Muse, Battaile

Sir,
Mount Vernon Augt 1st 1786

Not till within these two days did your letter of the 11th of last Month get to my hands. I have sent your advertisement to the Printer and as soon as the number of copies are struck they shall be forwarded to you. My former letter containing my sentiments respecting the flour at my mill, I have done nothing in it since rather wishing that you would pursue your own judgment with respect to the sale than to derive any price from me. Neither wheat or flour has started in price that I have heard of as yet.
Your order for Fifty pounds on Colo. Geo. Gilpin which I hereby acknowledge the receipt of will be presented in a day or two.
The Hites can have no claim, I conceive, to the small tract of 183 Acres on which Bailey lives. that was a piece of land which lay waste, after all the surrounding Lands were taken up & Patented and granted without the interference of any one. Nor do I think the determination in favor of the Hites can possibly affect the other Land on Bullskin, because it is in proof that this Land was sold by old Joist Hite to one Lewis Thomas who sold it to Captn George Johnson and is so recited in the Deed from the Proprietors Office—In the former Trial these matters were adduced as evidence; which evidence I suppose is of record; I have in answer to a letter on this head, written to Thornton Washington who lives on part of the Land and who I hope (for I have no idea of attending the Commissioners) will take care of his as well as my interest in this business—if you can assist him in it I shall be obliged to you. I have not had time yet to examine Colo. Fairfax’s Land Papers—nor would I incline to entrust them to any casual conveyance where their can be the remotest danger of delay or miscarriage—If you call here, as intimated, I will

deliver them to you without the formallity of an order from Colo. Nicholas—your receipt for them will satisfy me.
I am very well-satisfied with your settlement with Mr Crane—and I am pleased to hear you had so much better luck with your Clover Seed than I had with that you sent me which was sowed as soon as I got it last fall in a piece of the best ground I had on purpose to raise Seed, not one of wch was up the middle of May when I put the same ground in Timothy—the disappointment I would not have sustained for fifty pounds because fifty pounds will not buy me as much Seed as I expected to raise from the four Acres on which I sowed the bushel of defective Seed which has occasioned me the loss of a Season. I am Sir your Very Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: From George Washington to John Marsden Pintard, 2 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Pintard, John Marsden

Sir,
Mount Vernon 2d Augt 1786.

Since my last to you, the Industry Captn Gibson is arrived, but from the length of the voyage most of the articles you had the goodness to send me have perished The Figs were entirely lost, so were all the malmsey grape. Of the Muscat & Ver[delh]a, some showing signs of feeble life, I have with great care & attention recovered two of the cuttings. These have now put forth leaf, & I hope will do well.
The wines with which I was furnished by Messrs Searle & Co. are of a very good quality, & came to hand in very good order—& supplied, I dare say, upon as good terms as they could have been had from any other House on the Island; these considerations, added to such as you have mentioned, will, I am persuaded, induce me to give it the preference, especially, as from the purport of your letter, you must be connected therewith.
The negotiations which have been set on foot by Congress with the piratical States will, it is to be hoped, put an end to the apprehensions with which the american trade is labouring, from

the conduct of those barbarians towards it. I am Sir, Your most Obedt Humble Servant

G: Washington


Title: To George Washington from John Sullivan, 2 August 1786
From: Sullivan, John
To: Washington, George

Augst 2d 1786

To his Excellency General Washington The humble Petition of John Sullivan Humbly Sheweth—That your Excellencys Petitioner is a Native of the County of Kerry in the Kingdom of Ireland that he had a Brother by the Mothers side whose name was Timothy Mahony who was Clerk to Mr Sullivan of Massachusets Bay as appears by the last Account that came from him.
That—Your Excellencys Petitioner has receiv’d an Account from Cork which was brought by an American Captain that his Brother Timothy is Dead & that he had left his effects in your Excellencys Care.
Your Excellencys Petitioner knowing he is the nearest of Kin to the said Timothy Mahony humbly begs pardon for thus intruding on your Excellencys goodness hoping you will be pleas’d to forgive his rudeness & let him know the truth of the Matter & your Petitioner as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c.
Your Petitioner humbly begs your Excellency will be so Condescending as to let him have an Answer Directd to be left at the Bell Goswell Street London.


Title: To George Washington from James Tilghman, 2 August 1786
From: Tilghman, James
To: Washington, George

Dear Sir,
Chester Town [Md.] Augt 2d 1786

I am honoured with your letter of the 20th of July[.] When I transmit your Paragraph relating to Capt. Asgill, to Mr Nicols it shall be under the restriction mentioned—I am perfectly satisfyed you will do every thing in your power [to] assist Miss Anderson in the Recovery of Colo. Colville’s Legacy—and shall not trouble you any further on that head—My sorrows multiply[.] I have just heard that my Son Richard died on his passage from India to London and I have too much reason to fear the report is true[.] He was a credit to his family as was poor Tench[.] My Losses I must endeavor to bear[.] Submission is my part which I shall endeavor to act as well as I can. I have the honour to be with very sincere regard Yr Most obt hble Servt

James Tilghman


Title: From George Washington to Henry Hill, 3 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Hill, Henry

Dr Sir,
Mount Vernon 3d Augt 1786.

Inclosed is a letter for Messrs Lamar, Hill, Bissett & Co., and a draft for £43.12.4 on Wakelin Welch Esqr. of London, in payment for the Pipe of Madeira wine sent me by that House. If you accept the Bill please to return me the order with your signature. If you prefer the cash, let me know it, & I will get some gentleman in Alexandria who may have commercial connexions in Philada, to pay it. My compliments if you please to Mrs Hill—with great esteem & regard, I am, Dear Sir, &c.

G: Washington


Title: From George Washington to Lamar, Hill, Bisset, & Company, 3 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Lamar, Hill, Bisset, & Company

Gentn
Mount Vernon 3d Augt 1786.

Your favors of the 6th & 17th of December came duly to hand; & I have also received from Norfolk the pipe of Madeira wine which you addressed to the care of Doctr Taylor of that place for my use. I have not yet tasted it, but presume it is fine: it ought to be so, for the cost of it in the Island, besides the extra charges here, is £7.12.4 pr pipe more than the wines I had from Messrs Searle & Co. in April 1783; than which none, I think, could be better, for it was old, & of an excellent quality.
I remit to Henry Hill Esqr. of Philada a draft for £43.12.4 on Wakelin Welch Esqr. of London, which is the amot of your order on me in favor of the above gentleman. I am Gentn &c.

G: Washington


Title: From George Washington to Wakelin Welch, 4 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Welch, Wakelin

Sir,
Mount Vernon 4th Augt 1786.

The inclosed is a copy of my last letter to you, since which I have drawn upon you in favor of the honble Geo: Wm Fairfax for £155.14:9.—of Henry Hill Esqr. for £43.12.4 and of William Hartshorne Esqr. of this date for £47.12.6. which please to pay with my money in the Bank & there by oblige Sir Your Most Obed. &c.

G: Washington


Title: From George Washington to William Peacey, 5 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Peacey, William

Sir,
Mount Vernon, Virginia Augst 5th 1786

Excuse the liberty I take in putting the inclosed Letters under cover to you. It is to oblige Mr James Bloxham who now lives with me, but who scarcely has sufficient knowledge of his own mind to determine whether to continue more than the present year (for which he is engaged) or not. In a word he seems rather to have expected to have found well organized farms, than that the end and design of my employing him was to make them so. He makes no allowances for the ravages of a nine year’s war from which we are but just begining to emerge, nor does he consider that if our system of Husbandry had been as perfect as it may be found on your Farms, or in some of the best farming Counties in England, there would have been no occasion for his Services.
What the old man has written to you respecting the coming over of his wife—sending over plows, seeds, and so forth, I know not; because at different times he seems to be of different opinions. I can only add therefore, if his family are to come, and by the way of London, that it would be well for some person in their behalf to open a correspondence with Messrs Forrest & Stoddart—Merchan[t]s, of that place, who have Ships that pass by my door in their way to Alexandria, and would render the passage in one of them much more convenient & less expensive than to any other place; tho for a Vessel bound to Norfolk in this State (Virginia) or to Annapolis, Baltimore, or Patuxent in the neighbouring one of Maryland, it would not be very inconvenient. In case of her coming, whatever Impliments, Seeds, &c. may be requested by Mr Bloxham on my Acct had better be paid for by his Wife, and settled for here.
I am sorry to be thus troublesome, but as Mr Bloxham considers you as his Benefactor, and Friend—has addressed one of his Letters to you—and his Wife, if she finally resolves to come, will stand in need of advise and assistance, it is necessary that the best mode should be suggested. A Ship from Bristol to either of the places above named, may probably, be more convenient than the rout by London, but of this you can judge better than I. I am Sir, Yr Most Obedt Humle Servt

Go: Washington


Title: Enclosure: James Bloxham to William Peacey, 23 July 1786
From: Bloxham, James
To: Peacey, William

Vurginua July 23 1786

James Bloxham Sr this is to Inform you that I arived Safe att the Generls Washingtons the 23 of aprel which was Ester monday I have orderd for 10 Bushels of Sanfine Seed and other Seeds from you which the generel Washington will aplie to you for and I should be glad if you would take the Best Care you Can to send it over good ass you Can for he have been Deseved in soom sanfire Seed from England which I recemend him to you and let me have good that the generel sends for of all sorts if posable and send it along with my Wife ass soon ass posable and I sould bee glad If you Could get a Clever Lille Deasant plow which must go whithout a weeal for the Land is not Level and to be shoor to make him Light and Desant and be Shoor to make him to turn the worke well for they have som most Shoking Plows that Ever was Seen in the world the land is Light and very Esey to plow they go with two horses only and Doble the Same ass our norflk plows But no weel but very light but they have no noshun of making of a plou to turn the work thay are very Stupet in thare ane Conscist but send on that is Light an Deasent and that it will turn the work well I Rot in my other Letter to my Wife to Com over but I thinks it not worth wile for I thinks thatt I Shall Not Stay no Longer then my yeare is up which is the forst of next may for things Are verey Desagreable to Do Bisnes it is in posuble for any man to Do Bisness in any form the Genral have a Bout 25 hundard akers of Clear Land under is own ⟨illegible⟩ing Ther is nothing agreble about the plase which I Can not Do no Bisnss on form nore no Credet but I have you Send the plow And the Seeds which the Genearel will Send for to you and send half a Doson of good Clean made sh(ap)sks for thay have nothing but woodon forks I have got

on[e] or two made but in a very bad maner that I Should be glad to Show them a patrn and if my house is not Disposed of I should be glad if you would not for this Contey is verey pore and there is no Chance for any Body to Do any go[o]d and I Schould Be g[l]ad if you and my Brother Thomas would See if these velins would Com to any terms or I would go to any part of England to Be out of thare way But this Contruy will not Do for me but to be shore what the General have oferd in wages is prete Well he Gives for this year we have a Gred for 50 English ginues per yeare and Bord and washing and Lodging and if I Would Send for my wife and famly he would alow me ten Ginues towards thare Coming to this Contry an if I would Stay and to alow me 8 hundard Waite of flower and 6 hunderd Wait of pork and Bef and to alow me two milchs Cows for the youse of my famly and to alow me a Sow to Bred Som pigs for my on yous but Not to sell and to alow me a Comfortouble house to Liven but it apears to me not Any Inheretance the ar is another thing Which is very Disagreable tese Black Peope I am Rather in Danger of being posind among them which I think I shall Leeve the Contrey ass son Ass I Can But the General and I have agreed and articld for one yeare But my Wife may youse one Will A Bout Comming over But I hope Sr you I Hope Will Be A frend to my poor Deer Children and Wife and I Hope you will Remember my brother Thomas to a Sist them what he Can my hart have yarnd for my famly A Gret maney time and I think I am all most Like a Transpart But I hope that the Sun will Shine unon me wonce more the General hve Some very ⟨illegible⟩ Beut badly manedge and he never well have them no Better for he have a Sett of About him which I nor you would Be trobled with But the General is goot them and he must Keep them But they are a verey Desagreable People and I will Leave the Contry But I Should be glad of answwer Inmedally to Know how afares Stand and then I Sail be abetter Judge of the matter the General have Som very Good Shep which he sold for 40 shilings apes of thar money a English ginua is 28 Shiling of mney and I hope mrs and all the famly is Well and I have Whent there a greatt Dele Since I Laft England.
And Lett me have a nanswer Imeadedly Rember me to all frends and no mor from me yr frend and well wisher

James Bloxham


Title: From George Washington to Arthur Young, 6 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: Young, Arthur

Sir,
Mount Vernon 6th Augt 1786

I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 7th of Jany from Bradford-Hall, in Suffolk, and thank you for the favor of opening a correspondence, the advantages of which will be so much in my favor.
Agriculture has ever been amongst the most favourite amusements of my life, though I never possessed much skill in the art, and nine years total inattention to it, has added nothing to a knowledge which is best understood from practice, but with the means you have been so obliging as to furnish me, I shall return to it (though rather late in the day) with hope & confidence.
The system of Agriculture (if the epithet of system can be applied to it) which is in use in this part of the United States, is as unproductive to the practitioners as it is ruinous to the landholders. Yet it is pertinaciously adhered to. To forsake it; to pursue a course of husbandry which is altogether different & new to the gazing multitude, ever averse to novelty in matters of this sort, & much attached to their old customs, requires resolution; and without a good practical guide, may be dangerous, because of the many volumes which have been written on this subject, few of them are founded on experimental knowledge—are verbose, contradictory, & bewildering. Your annals shall be this guide. The plan on which they are published, gives them a reputation which inspires confidence; and for the favor of sending them to me I pray you to accept my very best acknowledgments. To continue them, will add much to the obligation.
To evince with what avidity, and with how little reserve I embrace the polite & friendly offer you have made me of supplying me with “Men, Cattle, Tools, seeds, or any thing else that may add to my rural amusement,” I will give you, Sir, the trouble of providing, and sending to the care of Wakelin Welch, Esqr. of London, Mercht the following articles.
Two of the simplest, & best constructed Plows for land which is neither very heavy nor Sandy. To be drawn by two horses. To have spare shares & Colters—and a mold on which to form new irons when the old ones are worn out, or will require repairing.

I shall take the liberty in this place to observe, that some years ago, from a description, or recommendation of what was then called the Rotheram; or Patent Plow, I sent to England for one of them, and till it began to wear, & was ruined by a bungling Country Smith that no plow could have done better work, or appeared to have gone easier with two horses; but for want of a Mold (wch I had neglected to order with the Plow), it became useless after the irons which came in with it were much worn.
A little of the best kind of Cabbage seeds, for field culture.
20 lbs. of the best Turnip-Seeds, for Do.
10 Bushels of Sainfoin Seeds.
8 Bushls of the Winter Vetches.
2 Bushls of Rye-grass Seeds.
50 lbs of Hop clover seeds,
and
If it is decided (for much has been said for and against it), that Burnet, as an early food, is valuable, I should be glad of a bushel of this seed also. Red clover seeds are to be had on easy terms in this Country, but if there are any other kinds of grass-seeds (not included in the above) that you may think valuable, especially for early feeding or cutting, you would oblige me by adding a small quantity of the seeds, to put me in stock. Early grasses, unless a species can be found that will stand a hot Sun, and oftentimes severe droughts in the summer months, without much expence of cultivation, would suit our climate best.
You see, Sir, that without ceremony, I avail myself of your kind offer; but if you should find in the course of our correspondence, that I am likely to become troublesome you can easily check me. Inclosed I give you an order on Wakelin Welch, Esqr. for the cost of such things as you may have the goodness to send me. I do not at this time ask for any other implements of Husbandry than the Plows; but when I have read your annals (for they are but just come to hand) I may request more. In the meanwhile, permit me to ask what a good Plowman might be had for, annual wages, to be found (being a single man) in board, washing, & lodging? The writers upon Husbandry estimate the hire of labourers so differently in England, that it is not easy to discover from them whether one of the class I am speaking of would cost Eight, or Eighteen pounds a year. A good Plowman at low wages, would come very opportunely with the Plows here requested.

By means of the application I made to my friend Mr Fairfax, of Bath, & through the medium of Mr Rack, a bailiff is sent to me, who, if he is acquainted with the best courses of cropping, will answer my purposes as a director or superintendant of my Farms. He has the appearance of a plain honest Farmer; is industrious; and, from the character given of him by a Mr Peacy (with whom he has lived many years) is understanding in the management of Stock, & of most matters for which he is employed. How far his abilities may be equal to a pretty extensive concern, is questionable. And what is still worse, he has come over with improper ideas; for instead of preparing his mind to meet a ruinous course of Cropping, exhausted Lands, and numberless inconveniencies into which we had been thrown by an eight years War, he seems to have expected that he was coming to well organized Farms, & that he was to have met Plows, Harrows, and all the other impliments of Husbandry in as high taste as the best farming Counties in England could have exhibited them. How far his fortitude will enable him to encounter these disappointments, or his patience & perseverence will carry him towards the work of reform, remains to be decided. With great esteem, I have the Honor to be, Sir, Yr Most Obedt Hble Servt

Go: Washington


Title: To George Washington from Henry Lee, Jr., 7 August 1786
From: Lee, Henry Jr.
To: Washington, George

My dear Genl
newyork 7h august [17]86

I had the pleasure of hearing from you last week, and have complied with your wishes respecting the china. No conveyance at present offers for Alexandria, but every day presents one to norfolk, from which place the correspondance up your river is frequent. I intend unless I should meet with a vessel for potomac, to send the box to Col. Parker naval officer at norfolk, and ask his special attention to forwarding it to Alexandria or Mount Vernon. At the same time I will send a small box put into my Care for You by Mr Gardoqui—I have had it some time and waited to know your intention ⟨as⟩ to the china, that the same conveyance might take both. If you have an opportunity to convey my Young, (as the books are useless to you) to Mr R. H. Lee you will oblige me by doing it.
The Mississippi business is very important and full of difficulty—In the debilitated condition of the fœderal government, it is unwise to risk the offence of any part of the empire, unless to effect great good. My mind has no doubt of the extensive good consequences that would result to the Union from a commercial connexion with Spain, & I am also clear, that in agreeing to the occlusion of the Navigation of the Mississippi, we give in fact nothing, for the moment our western country become populous & capable, they will seize by force what may have been ⟨yielded⟩ by treaty. Till that period, the river can not be used but by permission of Spain, whose exclusive system of policy, never

will grant such permission—Then to be sure, we only give, what we can not use—But the source of all the coils which press these States is the inefficiency of the fœderal government—This can not be altered & remedied but by consent of the states.
Already in every state the amplification of the powers of the Union have too many enemys. Should therefore a treaty take place between Congress & Spain occluding for a term the navigation of the Mississippi, in return for advantages very great, but not so great to the whole as to a part, I apprehend it would give such a tent for popular declaimers, that the great object viz. bracing the fœderal government may be thwarted, and thus in pursuing a lesser, we loose a greater good.
I forwarded by the last post ⟨some⟩ public information some intelligence lately received from Mr Jefferson & I have also sent an extract of a letter from Mr Randall from Algiers—these two papers comprehend all the news here—I transmit the gazette of the day. Bills on ⟨tender⟩ at 60 days sight fluctuate in their value from six to seven per cent præmium—the cost of the china is 150 dollars besides the incidental charge of freight to Norfolk, which can not be much. my best wishes for the health & happiness of Mount Vernon, in which Mrs Lee unites. Most respectfully yours

H: Lee junr


Title: To George Washington from William Moultrie, 7 August 1786
From: Moultrie, William
To: Washington, George

Dear Sir,
Charleston South Carolina Aug. 7 1786

I am honored with your favor of the 14th June last, with Mr Hughes’s letter inclosed.
I must beg leave to apologize for the trouble I have given you in this business of ours.

Your Excellency’s obliging offer to forward a letter to Mr Brindley has induced me to give you this further trouble, by inclosing you a letter for him. I have the Honor to be Dear Sir Your Excellency’s Most Obedt Humble Servant

Willm Moultrie


Title: Potowmack Company Annual Report, 7 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To:

Alexandria Augst 7. 1786

The president and directors of the Potomac Company beg leave to report that they have called for four dividends on the several subscriptions as follows—the 1st of 5 pCt[,] 2—2[,] 3—10[,] and 4—10[,] Amounting in the whole to Twelve thousand four Hundred & thirty Pounds Sterling, of which there has been paid, Five thousand Nine hundred & forty pounds Sterling. The several expenditures will appear by the Treasurers account, who has in hand One thousand Six Hundred Thirty Six pounds 13/7 Virginia Currency equal to One thousand Two hundred Twenty Seven pounds 10/2 Sterling.
With respect to the business we beg leave to refer to the Secretary’s Books which contain all our orders relating thereto.

In consequence of these orders the Work has been carryed on at the Seneca and Shenandoah Falls while the Waters were low enough to admit of it—after the River rose too high, the hands were removed to the Great Falls, where a considerable progress has been made in cutting a Canal, and the most of the men are still employed on account of the uncommon wett Season.
We beg leave to remind the Subscribers that this is the day appointed by Law for electing a President & Directors for the ensuing Year.
In behalf of the Directors

Go: Washington P.


Title: To George Washington from Thomas Smith, 9 August 1786 [letter not found]
From: Smith, Thomas
To: Washington, George

Letter not found: from Thomas Smith, 9 Aug. 1786. GW wrote Smith on 22 Sept. that his letter “to me from Philadelphia the gth Ulto came duly to hand.”


Title: From George Washington to Armand, 10 August 1786
From: Washington, George
To: La Rouërie, Armand-Charles Tuffin, marquis de

Dr Marquis,
Mo[un]t Vernon 10th Augt 1786.

I am to acknowledge the receipt of the agreeable letter you did me the honor to write to me on the 20th of Jany, & at the same time to congratulate you on the happy event announced in it.
Permit me to assure you that nothing affords me more satisfaction than to receive good news of my friends; and you must allow me the liberty of considering your marriage to an amiable lady, with a handsome fortune, in that point of light.
Indeed I was not surprized at this, because I knew the merits of the Marqs de la Rouerie entitled him to such a connexion. But I must confess, I was a little pleased, if not surprised, to find him think quite like an American on the subject of matrimony & domestic felicity. For in my estimation more permanent & genuine happiness is to be found in the sequestered walks of connubial life, than in the giddy rounds of promiscuous pleasure, or

the more tumultuous and imposing scenes of successful ambition.
This sentiment will account, in a degree, for my not making a visit to Europe: other reasons may conspire to prevent me from enjoying the heart-felt satisfaction I shou’d experience in embracing my friends on that continent. Their kind sollicitude & invitations are, however, entitled to my cordial acknowledgments; & you may be persuaded, it will not be among the least of my regrets on this occasion, that the circumstances preclude me from receiving the welcome, & witnessing the happiness, I should expect to meet with at the Château de la rouerie.
I enter so little into disquisitions of politics, that I could hardly do justice to the subject, should I undertake to dilate upon it. I have understood, in general, that Congress have taken arrangements for the payment of the interest due on Securities given to foreigners who served in their Army. A timely & efficacious application to the States will, I hope, in future produce more punctuality, & supercede the necessity of any interference on my part, which it appears to me would be improper on many accounts.
Mrs Washington desires her compliments may be made acceptable to Madame la Marquise de la rouerie & yourself; with a similar request, I have the honor to remain &c.

G: Washington