I had the pleasure of receiving your late letter yesterday. The question which you state is indeed an important & delicate one. I have never yet had reason to decide it although it has been twice within my view.
Your letter of the 13th reached me this morning. the question you propose had never before attracted my attention. Without examining the subject I had taken it for granted that the power of passing bankrupt laws resided in the states. It now appears to me more doubtful than I had supposed it to be.
I have written to Mr Wilmer and also to M. Lee informing them of those causes, which have given rise to the change of measures, which I have been obliged to adopt.
I have had a Visitation of my old Enemy the Vertigo. It is periodical, & continuous every Year, thro’ February & March, less or more vindictively, accordingly as good or bad Luck attends me; No Care or Attention will repel it entirely. It has been very oppressive & destressing to me. I am getting the better of it; but it retreats sourly. I should have acknowledged the Receipt of your Favour of the last of January, sooner, but for this embarrassing State of Pericranium. I cannot now satisfy myself on the Points you say you shall differ with me in.
I have just closed a very laborious autumnal circuit, in the course of which many highly important questions have been decided— I would send you an abstract of them, if I could command leisure just now; but my whole attention is directed to affairs connected with my departure for Washington— I shall however either bring the original opinions with me; or an abstract per your use.
The situation in which Providence hath placed me, and the blessings with which my labours in this City have been attended, would render me extremely culpable, were I to listen to any invitation, or to consent to any change except such an one, as bore the evidant traces of his own divine appointment.
I intended to have made Report, not of the Doings but of the Nullities of the Circuit Court; but I have been busy in other Matters, & added to other Concerns, I have been sick, with my old Tormentor the Vertigo. A Bleeding I have had. A Cupping in Addition, will give him his Quietus, Why dont you build, as you have long threatned, at some Place distant from Mount Vernon? which every body says, venerable as it is, is unhealthy? I hope you are now staunch & seaworthy; & the better for staying at Home, in Port.
Permit me to introduce to you, and through you to our friends, Mr Biderman Son to a very Respectable Gentleman for whom I Have long Since Entertained much attachment and Regard— I am Happy in the Conviction that a Letter of Recommendation from me does still insure a friendly Reception at Mount Vernon.
I returned this day from a three months tour to the springs for the re-establishment of my health; and was put into possession of your letter hearing date the 15th of July last.
After my grateful Acknowlegements of your Attention to the Circumstances of my Sires' Land, and the agreeable Information transmitted by you on that Subject, I proceed to answer your Inquiries concerning Mr Milnor.
The Court of Appeals adjourned last Spring without a decision in the case of Carter vs. Carter. Were it not for this large undetermined claim, it would give me pleasure to acquiesce unconditionally in your proposal to pay the whole amt of my claim on the 1st January 1815.
I received on my return from North Carolina your favor inclosing a check on the bank of Virga for $500 being my share of the third instalment from Mr Wayne.
I hope this letter will reach you on your return to Mount Vernon safe from the Enemy and what I deem more perilous, the dangers of the roads to & from Philadelphia— On our return Judge Livingston & myself suffered inconceivable anxiety from the unparelled state of the roads, and he received an injury from which I fear he has not yet fully recovered.
I have the honour to introduce to your acquaintance Mr Simeon Putnam, the gentleman, whom I have engaged, at the request of Mr Turner, to be tutor to his children. He is a very respectable and excellent young man, whom I recommend to your notice, with great pleasure, being assured that he is every way worthy of your attention and not doubting that he will entirely answer the wishes of your friend. With respects to Mrs Washington, in which Mrs Quincy joins I am very respectfully yr hle st
there is an account standing open in the day Book of Captain Mathew Sleght Late of this place dated the 30 day of November 1776 wich runs thus
["]General Washington Dr
By a box of spermacity Candles weighing 35 pounds 5s per pound by his servant —£8:15..0["]
I have recd from Mr Kirkland a letter containing [the] following paragraph.
“I have not learned Mr Turner's tutors salary. When I shall know this I can soon ascertain whether a suitable person can be obtained. An excellent young man 22 years; but very discreet, though young thinks he may like the offer.”
I presume from your letter of the 19th Instant (which I have received) that your Nephew has not informed you of the reasons which induced me to sell my land on Coan River, in the purchase of which he has unfortunately become involved, & which from the first moment of our interview, I beged him not to be concerned with.1 My object in making this sale was to provide a fund to meet the payment of the frying Pan Claim which was then in Litigation.
I beg leave to call your attention once more to your bond which became due on the 1st of Sept. last—Also to remind you of that which will become due on the 1st of the next Month— I have before fully explained to you my situation, & distress for money. Should you neglect to take up these bonds very shortly my situation will justify the most prompt measures which can be adopted for a speedy recovery. I am Sir your Most Obdt Servt
Upon the receipt of your letter I communicated to the intended purchaser my being impowered to sell, and at same time informed him, that I was offered at the rate of One Hundred dollars more, by Mr Minton, for your undivided third, that he had Offered.
I have the Satisfaction of forwarding to you a Draught on the Agent of the Dis: Swamp Co[mpan]y for sixteen hundred Dollars. Your letter for me to represent you at the general Meeting of the D.S. Compy did not authorize me to draw your Dividend, or I would have received it, & placed it in the Bank of Virga to your Credit. If this will be any Convenience to you in future, you can before next annual Meeting, which is fixed for the first Wednesday in June, authorise me to receive the same.
In order to complete the conquest which Mrs Washington has happily made in part over her Attachment to Laudanum, it will be proper for her to continue to lessen the dose of it gradually Until she ceases to take it altogether.
Your sometime ago authorized me to dispose of some land in Nansemond. I am today offered by Mr Wright who lives in the neighbourhood for two of the tracts one of 100 acres and one of the 20 acres the sum of $1000 payable one half cash, and one half in 12 mo. bearing interest. Or if you profit it he will give at the rate of $800 per 120 acres be the same more or less under a new survey, and he offers the $1000 under an impression that the new survey as usual, would yield a considerable surplus in quantity. Your ob Sert
At a Meeting of the Managers of the Dismal Swamp Company some time ago, it was resolved "that letters be written to the different Members of the Company requesting their Consent to postpone the general meeting until the first Thursday in June next." By our Regulations the general Meeting is to be held on the first Thursday of May.
I have the honor of transmitting to you the inclosed letter from General La Fayette, and beg leave to inform you, that I shall be glad to be the medium of Communication between you and him— Mr Graham, of the State Department, will take charge of the Documents in question I am, Sir, with great respect, your most obedient and very humble Servt