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George Washington Papers, Series 2, Letterbooks 1754-1799

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George Washington Papers, Series 2, Letterbooks 1754-1799 George Washington Papers, Series 2, Letterbooks 1754-1799 To JAMES SEAGROVE Philadelphia, September 14, 1791. Sir: Three letters of yours, two bearing the 16 and the other the 25 of August are just come to hand. Your former letters in July have also been received. The Secretary of War will write to you on the subject of Indian affairs, and the Secretary of State will do the same on the business which respects the Negroes, when he returns from the visit he is now making to his family in Virginia. It falls to my province to thank you for your communications of a private nature, which are very interesting and satisfactorily detailed. At all times it will afford me pleasure to receive information with respect to the situation of matters in that quarter, not only as they regard ourselves, but 99 neighhours also, Spaniards and Indians. I am etc. 99. From the “Letter Book” copy in the Washington Papers. In the afternoon of Thursday, September 15, Washington left Philadelphia for Mount Vernon, which he reached September 20. To SAMUEL POWEL Philadelphia, September 20, 1791. Sir: In order to prevent any misapprehension of the purport of the conversation which I had the honor to hold with you today, I beg leave to communicate, in this way, the observations of the President, which I before conveyed verbally. Upon reading in the papers the debates of the Legislature of Pennsylvania upon the bill for granting a sum of money to defray the expences of building a House for the President of the United States &ca. The President observed to me that he was sorry to find some of the Gentlemen had taken up an idea that he was not accommodated to his satisfaction in the house, which he now occupies; and seemed to urge on this ground the necessity of having a house erected for the President. But he wished the Gentlemen to be informed that this was not the case, for he felt himself perfectly satisfied with the house in which he resides. George Washington Papers, Series 2, Letterbooks 1754-1799 http://www.loc.gov/resource/mgw2.018 The President farther observed that if the house in question was even now finished he should not go into it; for he had, at a very considerable expence, accommodated his furniture to his present residence, and it was not probable that it could be made to suit another house so well; and as the time for which he was elected to his present station would expire within two years, his getting new furniture answerable to a house which might be built was out of the question, and again repeated that he was perfectly satisfied with his present accommodations, and should not remove into any other house (if he was permitted to occupy this) during the term of his Presidency. These sentiments the President wished might be known by some indirect communication to the Legislature. But at the same time wished them to be conveyed as sentiments relating to himself personally; for he was apprehensive from the idea held up in the House of Representatives, that measures might be taken to build a house for the President at this moment to accommodate him , when otherwise it might be thought best to delay or defer it. The President likewise wished it to be impressed that he could not have the most distant intention of interfering in any thing which the Legislature of Pennsylvania thought proper to do on the subject, by conveying these sentiments; but, finding the matter had been taken up on the ground of his not being well accommodated, he thought it necessary to give this explanation to do away that opinion. 7 In a conversation with Mr. Gallatin. I communicated these things to him, he informed me that the bill had passed the House of Representatives, and was then before the Senate, and wished to know if he might be at liberty to relate the substance of our conversation. I told him he might, and find that he has done it accordingly. I will take this opportunity to mention that some time before my conversation with Mr. Gallatin, I had, by the President's order, conveyed the same sentiments to Miers Fisher Esq. in answer to some enquiries which he made respecting the President's accommodations, and building a house &ca. The trouble of this letter needs some apology to you Sir, which I hope will be found in my wish to 8 give a clear explanation of the subject of it. I have the honor etc. 7. Albert Gallatin. 8. This letter is signed “Tobias Lear, S. P. U, S.” in the “Letter Book” copy in the Washington Papers. To MIERS FISHER George Washington Papers, Series 2, Letterbooks 1754-1799 http://www.loc.gov/resource/mgw2.018 Philadelphia, September 20, 1791. Sir: As one year has nearly elapsed since the President of the United States first occupied Mr. Morris's house in High Street, I shall be much obliged to you to inform me of the day when the rent commenced, the annual amount of the rent, and to whom it must be paid, in order that a settlement for the first year may take place when that year expires. I have taken the liberty, Sir, of requesting this information from you, because all my communications on the subject have hitherto been with you. I have the honor etc. P.S. You informed me in the spring that the rent would be five hundred pounds currency, and I only 9 mention it now to be clearly ascertained with the other points. 9. This letter is signed “Tobias Lear” in the “Letter Book” copy in the Washington Papers. To JOHN DANDRIDGE Mount Vernon, October 2, 1791. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 6 ultimo found me at this place, but not until it had travelled to Philadelphia and back again. As I never entertained a suspicion of your having any intention to impose upon me by a misrepresentation of the assets of your Father's estate. So you and your good Mother may rest assured that I have no disposition to contribute to her distresses by withdrawing from her the use of those Negroes which were purchased on my account (under the friendly judgment which had been obtained at your desire in my behalf) and left in her possession. When I want the negroes she shall have such timely notice of it as will prevent inconvenience. All I require at present is that the property in them may stand upon such clear and unequivocal ground as to admit of no dispute hereafter. Your Aunt and all the family (except my nephew Major Washington) are well, and join me in every good wish for yourself and Mother, and the rest of the family. 17 With great esteem etc. George Washington Papers, Series 2, Letterbooks 1754-1799 http://www.loc.gov/resource/mgw2.018 17. The original letter, now in the possession of Leonard Opdyke, of Boston, Mass., varies from this “Letter Book” copy in minor verbal details. To JEAN BAPTISTE TERNANT (Private) Mount Vernon, October 2, 1791. Sir: The details with which you have been pleased to favor me (under date of 24. ult.) of the unfortunate insurrection of the negroes in Hispaniola, came duly to hand; and I pray you to accept my best thanks for the trouble you have taken to give them. What the final issue of this affair may be is difficult at this distance, and with the imperfect information we have to foretell; but certain it is the commencement has been both daring and alarming. Let us, however, hope for the best. I would fain hope that this , and your other business may be so arranged as to give me the pleasure of welcoming you to this seat of retirement before I leave it, which by appointment is to happen on the 16 instant. 21 I shall add no more than assurances of the sincere esteem etc. 21. From the “Letter Book” copy in the Washington Papers. To HUGH O'CONNOR Mount Vernon, October 3, 1791. Sir: By desire of the President of the United States I have to inform you that your letter to him of the 22 ult. has been received. The President directs me also to let you know that with respect to the contract, which you say was made with Mr. Deakins for land, it is his opinion that there must have been some considerable misunderstanding in the matter, as no land situated in the part of the country you mention, can be bought for any thing like the price of half a dollar per acre, which is the price the President understands you were to have the lands for. The President not having been concerned in buying or selling land for some considerable length of time, cannot give you any information, with certainty, where or at what price you can suit yourself in land, nor is it in his power (from the multiplicity of business to which he is obliged to attend) to make any enquiries of that kind in your behalf; but being willing to afford you every assistance he can he directs me to George Washington Papers, Series 2, Letterbooks 1754-1799 http://www.loc.gov/resource/mgw2.018 transmit to you the Virginia gazette and Alexandria advertiser, wherein you will find advertised for sale by Messrs. Hooe and Little of Alexandria, sundry parcels of land, among the rest one called the Catoctan tract, on the Potomac river, which he thinks would answer your purpose as it will be sold in a body, or divided into small tracts as may suit the Purchaser, and from what knowledge he has of that part of the country, he believes the land to be pretty good.
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