Mr Wm A. Washington requested that I would get the Organ conveyed to this place, that he might the more conveniently procure a water carriage for it from hence to his House. I send a Cart for this purpose, and if it can be removed in this manner without injury you will oblige me by assisting my Servants with your advice about the proper manner of bringing it. I am Sir Your Obedt Humbl. Servant
Altho' I have little expectation that this letter will find you in Richmond I still send it thither. Under this persuation, I shall add no more than to acct for the enclosure being so long in my possession.
I thank you for returning to me the letter of the 6th of august last. for your attendance on me i do not demand any thing. nor do i wish to receive any thing on the other account mentioned in my last and two former letters, if you be not satisfied that the tobacco was due to mr Madison. i hope you will not put yourself to the least inconvenience in this affair.
A Mr H. Banks, of your Assembly is disposed to be kind to me or has some view of being so to himself. Charity leads to the first suspicion to the latter opinion. He has informed me that the Sherif of Greenbrier has a considerable demand upon me for the taxes of my land on the Great Kankawa, in that Country—but has forborne (through his means) from proceeding to extremities till he could advice me thereof. This is the first intimation directly or indirectly I have had of these taxes.
Permit me, sir, to remind you of a promisory note to pay me, some total to (250 lbs. if i remember rightly, for i have not the note by me) which you received six or seven years ago from Mr Cabell. a student at college at the same time with you, delivered to Mr Madison some tobacco, i believe a hogshead, to be divided between mr Madison and mr C. desired him to retain the whole upon his consenting that i might receive what you should be indebted to him.
In due course of Post, I received your letters of the 19th & 26th Ult.; and since, the one which you committed to the care of Mr Powell. I thank you for the communications therein, & for a continuation, in matters of importance, I shall be obliged to you.
Well knowing how entirely our Country is cut off from information on public affairs, I take the liberty of enclosing you a copy of the federal Constitution and of the Resolutions of our house thereon. I have no doubt but that you will discover some imperfections in it, but when it is considered that it is the child of mutual concessions between States different in Situation and Interest, and that without some Efficient Government we must shortly be involved in Anarchy that certain1 road to Despotism. I think that we should not hesitate concerning its adoption.
I take the liberty of Enclosing you a Copy of the foederal Convention, and of the resolutions of our house upon the same subject. An attempt has been made to repeal the Port law, but it has been rejected by a very great majority who nevertheless seem disposed to amend it, in such a manner as to confine the restrictions to foreign vessels only & either to have but one Port at Norfolk or a great many. if the latter method is adopted I hope we may get one at Yeocomico.
I ret'd1 to Town yesterday Evening and in Fredg, found2 your Note of the, 6 of august in the Post office of that place; this will account for its not having been sooner answered[.] I am this moment furnished with yours of the 3d Instant. The language of the first gave me some degree of astonishment, as it was unexpected, so I am conscious it was unmerated & I therefore take the liberty of enclosing it back to you..
I condole most sincerely with you, my Sister & family, on the death of my Brother. I feel most sensibly for this event; but resignation being our duty, to attempt an expression of my sorrow on this occasion would be as feebly described, as it would be unavailing when related,
The Post will sett off in 10 Minutes so that you may expect that that time can only be devoted to Business.
Your letter of the 31st of Octr in reply to mine of the 30th of Septr came safe to hand.
It was not the intention of my former letter either to condemn, or give my voice in favor of the Patriotic Society of which you are a member. I offered observations, under the information you gave of it, the weight of which were to be considered. As first thoughts they were undigested, and might be very erroneous.
The motives, which gave birth to the Society, were these.
If it should be necessary for the Garnishees at the Suit of Foust & Stoddart to give Bail, Mr Thomas Bond will enter himself, and if thought insufficient will find other Bail. If it should be necessary to have the depositions of the Legatees taken, please enclose three seperate Commissions to me, I will give the proper Notices, and attend the taking of them. I imagine that Blank Commissions might be sent, and the Commissioners names inserted in Virginia, as I am not much acquainted with the most proper persons in the County where one of the Legatees resides.
I was from home when your Servant arrived, found him in a hurry to begone when I returned, have company in the house, and am on the eve of a journey up the river, to meet the Directors of the Potomack Company. These things combining, will not allow me time to give any explicit answer to the question you have propounded.
We have lately instituted a society in these lower counties, called the Patriotic Society. As it is something new, and there are a few men both good and sensible who disapprove of it, it will be a high gratification to me to know your sentiments of it, if you will be so kind as to communicate them.
I was very much delighted at recieving your last Letter; I began to fear that you had also blotted me from your remembrance. The reasons you assigned for your silence was entirely satisfactory; I know that business must be done, and that none requires a more devoted attention, than that in which you are engaged.
If royal gift will administer, he shall be at the Service of your Mares, but at present he seems too full of royalty, to have any thing to do with a plebean race. perhaps his stomach may come to him— if not, I shall wish he had never come from his most Catholic Majesty's Stables.
Your Papa has not been here, yet. I am just come in from a ride— the Dinner bell rings— and your Man says he must go off after it— so offer me affectionately to all— and believe me to be sincerly Yrs
It is with real pleasure that I acknowledge your agreable favor of the 10th Decr—such a friend and Correspondent is worth possessing; I may almost say, that you are the only one I have in the world; others I have had, but absence has weened me from their affections and Remembrance, and by this time, I suppose it is scarcely within the Memory of any in Philadelphia that such a creature as B— W— ever was there. Your solicitude my friend makes one exception and it is with delight, that I acknowledge it.
Know all Men by these Presents that I John Augustine Washington of the County of Westmoreland and Parish of Cople for and in Consideration of the natural Affection which I bear unto my Son Bushrod Washington of the County and Parish aforesaid as well as for and in consideration of five shillings to me in hand paid by the said Bushrod Washington before the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged.
As I have not the Honor of your acquaintance, it is with diffidence that I make this application for your Assistance in obtaining the Clerkship of the Assize Court for the District of the four lower Counties in the Northern Neck, being well assured, that your choice will fall on the most deserving Candidate. I am now pursuing the practice of the Law, and I flatter myself, that the little knowledge I have of it, will enable me to conduct with tolerarble Accuracy the business of the Office I sollicit.
To erase from your Mind any Suspicions that I am indifferent as to your Concerns I am induced to break through an established Rule of never writing to a Gentlemam that does not correspond with Mr Powel. I thought your knowledge of what is proper & your Attachment to him would have rendered it unnecessary for me to give you any Intimations on such a Subject. I cannot ascribe your Silence to any other Cause than a misplaced Diffidence. Had you, attentively, read the Note you received by Govr. Morris this Explanation would have been altogether unnecessary.
John has asked permission to go down; I suppose it is to be marryed; I have consented, although it is very inconvenient to want a Servant— he has promised me to return on Tuesday next, which I have insisted upon his doing, though I hardly expect it— whether he can wait on me with a wife in Westmoreland is a matter of great doubt, but he is clear that no inconvenience will attend it, and expresses so much anxiety to remain with me, and makes such fair promises of amendment in his behaviour, that I intend at least to make the trial.
Your letter of the 20th Ulto did not come to my hands until the 31st— Whenever you have occasion to write to me from the line of the Post, always put your letter into the Mail. all other conveyances are uncertain; at best, irregular.