1799] A REPORTED RENTING 337 1 Upon the terms, however, herementioned, having no... inducement to build) you may become the occupant of my lots and the Improvements thereon in the Federal City; keeping them in repair as is customary; and it rests with you to say yea, or nay, to make it a bargain, or otherwise. The whole amount of the cost can, and shall be shown to the minutest fraction, to whomsoever is disposed to accede to these terms; because the prices of the lots are known, and everything being new, . . . ready, and can easily be shewn to any one. ... You may reasonably, and justly suppose that the Lots are obtained upon the best terms, because building the condition thereof; and because the materials were procured without credit, for I pay on demd. for them, and the Workmens wages. All parts of the Work will, I persuade myself, from the character of the Undertaker, be well executed, and in a neat and handsome but not costly style. With this explanation and information, you will be requested to give a definitive answer; which I shall shortly expect, that I may know whether to consider you as a Tenant or not. One of the Houses, by contract is to be finished in November next, the other in March following. I am etc. *To FRANCIS DEAKINS [N.Y.P.L.] Mount Vernon, August 17, 1799. Dear Sir: Your favor of the 10th. Inst enclosing a letter from Mr. Veatch of the 7th. instant, came duly to hand. The receipt of which ought to have been sooner acknowledged as he appears to be waiting directions. I am very well satisfied with the Rents of my part of Woodstock as they now stand; but if you, on consulting Mr. Veatch, 'The press copy was poorly made. Words indicated by leaders [ ... ] are illegible. should be of opinion that they could be placed on a better footing now, or at any time hence, it would be equally agreeable to me that you should make the alteration and it shall be confirmed by Dear Sir Your etc. *To ROBERT LEWIS [N.Y.P.L.] Mount Vernon, August 18,2 1799. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 7th. instant came duly to hand, but being received with many other letters, it was laid by, and entirely forgotten, until I came across it yesterday again. Mr. Ariss's draught on Mr. James Russell for £42 pounds shall be presented to him, but if he is indisposed to pay it, or wants time to do it, he has a good pretext for delay, as you have sent it without your Endorsement, although made payable to you. Of the facts related in the enclosed letter, relative to the loss of his Crop, by the Hessian fly, I know nothing. If it should appear to you evident, that Kercheval has used his true endeavour to raise the means to discharge his Rent, and is deprived thereof by an Act of Providence, I am willing, however illy I can afford to do it, to make some reasonable abatement therefrom; of wch. you, from enquiry, will be the best judge. It is demonstratively clear, that on this Estate (Mount Vernon) I have more working Negros by a full moiety, than can be employed to any advantage in the farming system, and I shall never turn Planter thereon. To sell the overplus I cannot, because I am principled against this kind of traffic in the human species. To hire them out, is almost as bad, because they could not be disposed of in families to any advantage, and to disperse the families I have an aversion. What then is to be done? Something must or I shall be 'Ford prints this letter under date of August 17. 1799] NEED OF MONEY 339 ruined; for all the money (in addition to what I raise by Crops, and rents) that have been received for Lands, sold within the last four years, to the amount of Fifty thousand dollars, has scarcely been able to keep me a float. Under these circumstances, and thorough conviction that half the workers I keep on this Estate, would render me greater nett profit than I now derive from the whole, has made me resolve, if it can be accomplished, to settle Plantations on one of my other Lands. But where? with going to the Western Country I am unable, as yet to decide; as the best if not all the Lands I have on the East of the Alliganies, are under Leases, or some kind of incumbrance or another. But as you can give me correct information relative to this matter, I now early apply for it. What then is the State of Kerchavals lot, and the other adjoining? are they under Leases? If not, is the Land good? and how many hands would it work to advantage? Have I any other good Land in Berkeley that could be obtained on reasonable terms? Is that small tract above the Warm Springs engaged for the ensuing year? How much cleared Land is there on it? and what kind of buildings? How many hands could be usefully employed thereon? Information on these points, and on others relative thereto, would be acceptable to me. The drought has been so excessive on this Estate, that I have made no Oats, and if it continues a few days longer I shall make no Corn. I have cut little or no Grass, and my meadows, at this time, are as bear as the pavements, of consequence no second Crop can be expected. These things will compel me, I expect, to reduce the Mouths that feed on the Hay. I have two or three young Jacks (besides young Royal Gift) and several She Asses, that I would dispose of. Would Fauquier, or where else, be a good place to dispose of them? I am glad to hear that your brother Lawrence is so much amended, as your letter indicates, whether it be from Sulpher application, or other causes: but if Doctr. Ingraham under whose hands he was, was unable to effect a radical cure, I should not place much confidence in Voss's Spring, as the disorder must be deep rooted. Your Aunt unites with me in best wishes for Mrs. Lewis, yourself and family and I am etc." [N. Y. P. L.] *To ROBERT LEWIS Mount Vernon, August 23, 1799. Dear Sir: Enclosed you have Mr. Ariss's draught on James Russell Esqr, returned. It was presented to the latter for acceptance, by Mr. Anderson, who received the following answer. to wit, that he had only £19 of Mr. Ariss's money in his hands, and could pay no more. This Sum Mr. Anderson refused to receive; and thus the matter ended with Mr. Russell. Enclosed also you have the Press copy of a letter I wrote to you on the day of its date, and was on the point of sending it to the Post Office in Alexandria, when Mr. Anderson (just returned from that place) informing me that he saw you there, and that you proposed to be in Winchester as on Monday or Tuesday last, I put it under cover to Mr. Philip Bush to be delivered to you in that Town. As it is probable some delay, or miscarriage may have attended the Letter, I send the Press copy of it; which you will return to me, whether the original gets to your hands or not; as it is a custom with me to keep copies of lettrs. on business. In the Toner Transcripts in the Library of Congress is a typed copy of this letter which has the following P. S.: "Since writing the foregoing Mr. Anderson informs me that he saw you in Alexandria yesterday, and that you told him you were to leave Winchester on Monday or Tuesday next. Being desirous that this letter should get to your hands as early as possible and especially while you were over the Ridge I have put it under cover to Mr. Bush of Winchester with a request that if you should not be there to send it by Post to Fauquier Court House." 1799] PAY OF OFFICERS 341 Not knowing with certainty where your Brother Lawe. is, the enclosed letter for his Wife, from your Aunt, is committed to your care; and she begs it may get to hand safely, and as soon as convenient. as also one from Mrs. Law. As there is a regular Post from Alexandria to Fauquier Court House, you have only to learn on what day and hour the Mail closes at the latter, for the former, to insure your letters getting into my hands in two or three days after they are written, as I never fail sending to the Post Office in Alexandria three times a week. Mine to you may lye longer in the Office at the Court House, if you are not in the habit of making frequent enquiries there, for letters. Since my last we have had a sufficiency of fine Rain, but what effect it will have upon the poor, and miserably looking Corn, and before parched up Meadows, no one can yet tell; especially if the season should continue to be seasonable henceforward. Your Aunt unites her best wishes to mine for Mrs. Lewis, yourself and family, and I am etc.* *To THE SECRETARY OF WAR Mount Vernon, August 25, 1799. Sir: Some of the Officers of Cavalry, who accepted their appointments, and were informed by you in the Public Gazettes, that their Pay would commence therewith, have applied to me to know where, and what manner they were to draw for it. Not being able to supply them on these points, I take the liberty of troubling you with this Address, on the subject; that I may be enabled to answer any enquiries of the sort in future. With great esteem etc. From a photostat of the original through the kindness of Dr. A. S. W. Rosenbach, of New York City. |