Your note of the 28th. ult. by Mr. Frestal was received on Friday last. My expenses are so great and my resources so small that it is but little in my power to promote such plans as you advocate. To clear me out of Philadelphia, and to lay in a few necessaries for my family, I sold two valuable tracts of land in the state of Pennsylvania a short time before I left the city for 22,000 dollars; and since my arrival I have sold other lands in Virginia, the proceeds of all which (so far at least as hath been received) are nearly expended. To encourage, however, a Hotel at the Capital, I authorize you, if the plan is likely to succeed, on the terms you have suggested to put my name down for five shares. I am glad to hear that the public buildings progress well. As the period for their completion approaches there can be little doubt but that private buildings will also advance rapidly. I wish they were in such a state of forwardness as to claim the attention of Congress, if the calamity which is inflicted on Philadelphia and other sea-port towns should render the removal of that body from the present seat of the Government necessary. L. C., 1901 Calendar. TO GUSTAVUS SCOTT. MOUNT VERNON 8th. Jan. 1798. Dear Sir, Your letter of the 21st. ulto. from Annapolis, has given me the pleasure of knowing that the State of Maryland continues to act like itself, in granting a loan to carry on the Public buildings in the Federal City.-Another object of equal importance to it-the Navigation of Potomac-lays claim to its attention, and I hope will meet with equal success. L. C., Letter Book 16, p. 33. TO ALEXANDER WHITE. MOUNT VERNON 11th Jany. 1798. Dear Sir, Your favor of the 8th. has been duly received, and I now write more for the purpose of acknowledging the receipt of it than from any sentiment I have to communicate relative to the Public buildings in the Federal City.-You are perfectly acquainted with my sentiments on that subject already and if not they may be comprised in a few words-thus-every effort should be made to obtain the means, and every exertion used (in the short time left) to accomplish the end for which they are obtained.—and if they could be had without applying to Congress I should prefer it—but, if this is impracticable (of wch. you are the best judges) then to do it ;-because there is no alternative, and because no event is more to be deprecated than the arrestation of the buildings, or a limping progress of them this year.— If the answer which the Commissioners expect from the President should result in your Journey to Philadelphia, I shall sincerely wish you all the success your assiduity in, and management of the business will entitle you to.—If you should not go thither, or from Frederick, if you do, I shall hope to see you in George Town at the meeting of the stock holders of the Potomack-Navigation the 8th. of next month by notification, for I think that business requires, serious attention also; & perhaps amendment or explanation of the licence to a subordinate, or other Company to open the navigation of the River Shanondoah, having understood that the Resolution entered into at the last general meeting of the Potomac Company relative to this matter, has not had the effect which was expected, or that it lingers at least. With great esteem & regard I am, &c. Lossing. DIARY, FEB., 1798 February 7. Went to a meets of the Potomak Co. in George Town-Dined at Col°. Fitzgeralds & lodged at Mr. T. Peters.29 8. Visited the Public builds, in the Morn, met the Comp. at the Union Tavern & dined there L. C., Letter Book 16, p. 35. TO ALEXANDER WHITE. MOUNT VERNON, 25 March, 1798. Dear Sir, Your favors of the 10th and 14th Inst. have been duly received, and for the information contained therein I feel grateful. Rarely going from home I have nothing in the way of news to offer you in return.— It has always been my opinion, and so I have expressed it, that the proprietors of the City of Washington (with some exceptions) are by their jealousies and the modes they pursue to promote their local Interests, amongst its worst enemies.But if your present exertion to obtain a loan from Congress should succeed, of which the prospect seems good, all doubts respecting the intentions of that body towards the permanent establishment of the Government, at that place will be removed;-confidence will take place in every mind; and the public buildings will be accompanied by private ones for the accommodations of its members. My wishes and my labors have always tended to the accomplishment of these points; the first is all I have left to offer, and these shall be fervent. -The principal which operated for fixing the site for the two principal buildings, were understood and found necessary at the time to obtain the primary object, i. e., the ground and means for either purpose.-But it is always easy from an ignorant or partial view of a measure, to distort and place it in an unfavorable attitude. Nothing short of insanity can remove Congress from the building intended for its sittings to any other part of the city in the present progress of the work. Where or how the houses for the President and other 29 Thomas Peter was the son of Robert Peter. He married a sister of Mrs. Thomas Law and granddaughter of Mrs. George Washington. The houses 2618-20 K St. northwest have been marked by the D. A. R. as Mr. Peter's residence. public officers may be fixed is to me as an individual a matter of moonshine; but the reverse of the President's reason for placing the latter near the Capitol was my motive for fixing them by the former. The daily intercourse which the Secretaries of the Departments must have with the President, would render a distant situation extremely inconvenient to them; and not much less so would one be close to the Capitol; for it was the universal complaint of them all, that while the Legislature was in Session, they cou'd do little or no business;— so much they were interrupted by the individual visits of members (in office hours) and by calls for papers. Many of them have declared to me that they have been obliged often to go home and deny themselves in order to transact the current business. No person will congratulate you more sincerely than I shall on the final success of your mission if it answers your expectations; nor is there anyone who reprobates more than I do improper interferences of all sorts. As your perseverence however is likely to be accepted, and as this will open a view which promises a pleasing prospect, I hope you will suffer no difficulties or differences, to divert you from your course, and that you will not give out the business until you see the Legislature seated in the Capitol of the United States. The last message from the President to the Houses of Congress has brought the matter to an issue. Sparks, Vol. XI, p. 231. TO JAMES MCHENRY, SECRETARY OF WAR. MOUNT VERNON, Dear Sir, Amongst the variety of matters which have come before Congress for the purpose of preparation in the dernier resort, in short, as a salutary measure at all times and under all circumstances, arsenals and cannon founderies have occupied its attention. This leads me to ask, what steps have been taken relative to the site for one at the mouth of the Shenandoah. I will pledge myself that there is not a spot in the United States, which combines more or greater requisites for these, than that does, considered either as a place of immense strength or as inaccessible by an enemy. It is open to inland navigation in all directions, as well crosswise as to the shipping-port at the Federal City and water transportation to the western country. Department of State, D. C. Papers, Vol. III, p. 122. TO THOMAS LAW ESQ. MOUNT VERNON Dear Sir, After you left this on Friday last, Mr. Lewis put into my hands your letter without a date. It is unnecessary I hope, to assure you that your generous offers of a lot near the Seat of Congress, and of five thousand dollars on loan to commence a building in the city, were received with grateful sensibility & thanks, at the same time, let me entreat you not to consider as a slight, my declining to accept the advantages of either. Already, I have more lots in the city than I shall be able to improve, and I have no disposition to speculate in them.To prevent jealousy, while the concerns of the Government were under my guidance, and suspicion that I had a greater predelection to one part of the city than to another, I purchased four lots at each end of it-valuable in my estimation, for different purposes-those on the Eastern branch on account of Commerce, which I always did, and still do think, will center there the other as a site for a private Gentleman to live at. It has always been my intention to build on the latter, whensoever the means were within my reach;-hitherto they have not; and as it has been a maxim with me from early life, never to undertake anything without perceiving a door to the accomplishment, in a reasonable time & with my own resources, the measure has been delayed, rather unexpectedly. |