It is with sincere regret, that I learn from you that it is not possible to supply me with any particulars, respecting the early life of Genl Washington. The interest and value of the work would be greatly enhanced by such additions, but as these cannot be had I must do as well as I can. With the materials now on hand I shall be able to throw much light on the part he took in the French war. Govr Dinwiddie’s Letter Books, and the papers in the Plantation Office in London, have furnished me with numerous facts.

In beginning to examine the papers in detail, I find great inconvenience in consulting the letters received by Gen. Washington. They are filed according to their names, but it is quite important, for every purpose of consultation that the whole mass should be arranged in strict chronological order. If you have no objection, therefore, I shall arrange them in this way, & have them bound in volumes. They will thus not only be more easily consulted, but be preserved in a better condition.

Since my last to you I have received your two favors of May 31 and June 14th. I could find no papers whatever relating to Mr David M. Randolph's case. I wrote to him on the subject immediately.

Enclosed you have a copy of three of Genl Washington's letters to Genl Andrew Lewis, according to your request; they are all I can find, but they do not seem to meet your views. 

Since I left Mount Vernon, it has forcibly occurred to me, that it will be best to have all the letters received by General Washington sent to Boston. Those remaining are comparatively unimportant, but I shall occasionally wish to refer to them, and the inconvenience of not having them at hand will be much greater than the trouble of shipping them. You will observe that they are all contained in the case next to the outer door, and are tied up with brown paper over the ends of the parcels and lettered.

Your favor of the 29th ultimo has reached me, and I need not say that I am gratified with your consent to have the papers removed, on the conditions stated in my last letter. I have, also, received an answer from Chief Justice Marshall, which accords so entirely with yours that I consider the arrangement as now settled.

4 vols. of Letters, Orders, and Instructions, from the Year 1754 to 1757.

3 vols. of Letters, Invoices, &c., from 1752 to 1774.

43 vols. of Revolutionary papers, as follows:

Your kind favor of the 9th instant has been received, and I am much gratified with the expressions of confidence with which you honor me.

By a letter just received from the Chief Justice, I find that he has had in his possession the copies you mentioned of General Washington's letters during the French war, which he has sent to Alexandria. My doubts on this subject are thus cleared up. 

He informs me, moreover, that he has sent a volume of letters for the year 1787, which he had retained by accident. The third volume of Orders does not yet come to light.

Having been here two weeks, very diligently employed in taking a general survey of the papers, I am happy to inform you, that my expectations in regard to their extent and value are fully realized. As yet I have been able to give them only a cursory examination, preparatory to a more particular inspection of their several parts.

I write merely to remind you, that I shall be prepared to visit Mount Vernon in the first week of March, and propose to spend about three months in close application of examining the papers.

It will be proper I presume, that some written instruments should exist between us, and I hope you will have it prepared when I call on you in passing through Washington.

Before I left Boston I received your favor of the 24th. Novr stating that you had under consideration my proposal respecting the papers of General Washington, and that you had written to Chief Justice Marshall on the subject. I also soon after received a letter from the Chief Justice, in which he expressed a full approbation of my plan, and sad he had communicated his opinion to you. In a few days I shall be in Washington City, which I visit for the purpose of prosecuting my researches in the public offices.

Your favor of March 13th, declining to aid me in a publication of General Washington's Works, was duly received. I had already made such progress in the undertaking, that I could not reconcile myself to the idea of abandoning it, although compelled to prosecute it under many disadvantages. Since that time I have visited all the southern and middle states, examined thoroughly the public offices in each, and procured copies of all General Washington's letters, and the replies of the Governors.

You may perhaps recollect, that nearly two years ago I wrote you concerning a design, which a friend of mine then had, of publishing an edition of "General Washington's Works." As he did not carry his purpose into execution, I was myself led to examine the subject, and have read with great attention such of the writings of General Washington as I have been able to obtain. I have also made numerous inquiries, respecting his official letters to the Governor's of the States during the revolution, and to the principal officers of the army.