Your letter of the 4th has Just come to hand; that of the 23 Ultimo was recieved some days earlier. I shall use my best exertions to fulfill your wishes expressed in both & am now engaged on the subject of the War tho with nothing like certainty as to its success. I will write you the moment that any thing occurs worth mentioning.
I have examined my papers very thoroughly & the only information I can give on the subject of your Suit is contained in the enclosed Certificate. Yrs respectfully
I am much gratified by the visit which my nephew has made me, as well as with his improvement in every respect. I doubt not that his future progress in life will Justify the expectations which, from present Appearances, his friends may fairly entertain of him.
I recd your letter returning the order of Shepherd which will compel us immediately to bring suit against him. we do not think it would be proper for us acting as executors to charge the debts due to the estate which would be the effect of assigning the whole of the debt to you and receiving from you a security for the excess.
I beg leave to introduce to you, your Nephew, who is so much grown that I suppose you would scarcly know him, he arrved here the 21st after a tedious passage of 20 days, and being anxious to see his Relations at Mount Vernon, & his Brother informing him you were to leave home in a day or two, he imbraces the present opportunity of visiting you; he was happy in meeting his brother & Sister here, who arrived the day before him; Bushrod and his Wife at present appear quite happy— God grant they may always be so, I wish to see them happily & comfortably settle
I am extremely distresd <mutilated>y of my claims upon your attention, but the necessity I am under of collecting the sum due me from the estate oblidges me to address you again— enclosed you have your dft on Sheppard with its fate— he appears to have no wish to pay his debt untill perfectly convenient to himself— this will not suit me— I will if you are willing accept the whole amount of his debt and prosecute him for it immediately giving you security for the repayment of the balance[.]
I had the pleasure to recieve your letters by Mr Deleport and Mr Parish, and whilst I feel flattered by these proofs of your recollection, I have to thank you for introductions to two gentlemen who seem so well to deserve what you say of them. The former having favoured me with a visit, I had an opportunity of presenting him to Mrs Washington. The latter I saw in Philadelphia in May, and recieved from him a promise of his Company at Mount Vernon whenever he should go to the banks of the Potomack.
Since my return from Richmond I recd yours of the 11 Inst.
Permit me this liberty of enclosing to you the Copy of an acceptance by the Executors of the late Genl Washington for one hundred and fifty Dollars which I have had a long time in my possession— more than once I have presented it to Mr Lewis & once to Mr Washington without the desired effect of payment. will you please to inform me if it will be agreeable to the Executors now to discharge this obligation, being very desirous to have it done. with great respect I am Sir your mst. Obed. Sevt
Having sacrificed from necessity so much of my wards fleur, I must wait for better prices before I sell more; I think it will not be long before a favorable change will take place.
I will thank you to send by Jerry twenty dollars for Jno. & Bushrod which charge to my guardians a/c. Yrs respectfully
Since my return from the Northward I am informed by Mr Lewis that Mr Peter and Mr Custis having orders upon us from Doctor Stewart for £350 each have refused to accept our orders upon your favour for that amount.
Mr Lawrence Lewis was here yesterday, & informed me that he had consented to a proportion made by Robert & Howel Lewis that the former might settle with the latter $4537.86 of his debt, and in lieu thereof that Mr Parks of Baltimore should pay his debt to you instead of Howel Lewis. This he was induced to do because in consequence of some bargain between his brothers such an arrangement would accomodate them, and he was convinced that Robert Lewis would not have been able to raise the mony for you.
I now enclose you a draft of the United States Bank or the branch at Boston for $201.50/100 which you will please dispose of in the manner mentioned to you in my last letter.
I mean that you and Bushrod should leave Andover very soon, and shall put you to some other school more within my reach, where I shall have more frequent opportunities of attending to your education, and where I hope you will improve much faster than you have hitherto done. I am merely waiting until I can hear that Colo. Dade has sent down mony enough to enable me to pay what is due to Mr Philips & others on your account.
I yesterday recd your favor of the 7th, and now subjoin an extract from the will of Genl Washington containing the clause respecting the establishment of an University in the district of Columbia vz."I give and bequeath in perpetuity the 50 Shares which I hold in the potomac Compy under the afsd acts of the legislature of Virginia, towards the endowment of an University to be established within the limits of the district of Columbia, under the auspices of the general government if that Governt should incline to extend a fostering hand towards it; and until such semina
Not having with one a copy of General Washingtons will, I cannot with any degree of precision give the information you request; but as soon as I get home I will send you an extract containing the clause which relates to the National university.
I am very sensible of the honor done me in the election which constitutes me a member of the military academy of the U.S. of which, your favor of the 1t Decr but lately received, gave me the first intimation.
Should it be in my power to make any communications which I can think worthy the attention of this institution, I shall do so without reserve & with sincere pleasure. I have the honor to be Sir very respectfully yr mo. ob. Sert
As we cannot flatter the creditor Legatees with any considerable collections from those whose purchases exceeded their shares, it has occurred to us that it would be convenient and agreable to the creditors to recieve an assignment of the debts from which they might derive an immediate benefit; indeed this idea has been suggested to us by many of the Creditor legatees.
Captain Hammond has expressed a desire for me, to take his share of the Kahnawa Land, that was Left to my Children at his death as I am placed in this business in a delicate situation it is my wish also Capt. Hammond's that you would be kind enough to give us your opinion what compansation he aught to receive for giving up his right to it. I should wish your opinion on the subject in Three ways, firs[t]. If Leased of him for his Life what I aught to pay per year secondly. If purchased what I augh[t] to pay, Thirdly.
In one of your letters enclosing the request of the bar that the Circuit Court might be adjourned, you speak of the first monday in January as the day mentioned by them and approved by you. But as the determination to adjourn was not positively fixed at that time, and no notice of it has appeared in any of the Phila. papers which have come to my hands, I think it necessary to ascertain at once the precise day; that is whether it is to be the 1st day, or the first monday.
In consequence of your note of the 8 June last, I have seen Mr Burwell Bassett, and delivered him the contract upon the authority of which I held the land the property of the late General Geo.
I am extremely troublesome to you regarding the Deed of Trust from Genl Lee— Your last Advertizement was not inserted in the papers owing to some Overture of Genl Lee's which I hoped would have rendered the Business unnecessary— It is in vain for me I believe to expect Relief except thro' a Sale of the property &ca. I must request you will be so good as to authorize me to insert the annex'd Advertisement— The sooner you can send it to me the better— I am Very Respy