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Subject Area: War and Peace
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO THOMAS LEWIS. 1 - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. X (1782-1785) [1891]

Edition used:

The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890). Vol. X (1782-1785).

Part of: The Writings of George Washington, 14 vols.

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TO THOMAS LEWIS.1

Two things induced me to Lease my Lands in small tenements; the first was to accommodate weak handed people who were not able to purchase, thereby inviting and encouraging a number of useful Husbandmen and Mechanicks to settle among us: The other, that I might have them restored to me at the expiration of the term for which they were granted, in good order and well improved. One step towards which was to prevent a shift of property without my consent, and a covenant was inserted in the Leases accordingly.

Sir,

From the first I laid it down as a maxim, that no person who possessed Lands adjoining, should hold any of mine as a Lease, and for this obvious reason, that the weight of their labors, and burden of the crops, whilst it was in a condition to bear them, would fall upon my Land, and the improvement upon his own, in spite of all the covenants which could be inserted to prevent it. Having no cause to depart from this opinion, and without meaning to apply the obsertion particularly to Mr. Throckmorton, whose person and character are entirely unknown to me, he must excuse me for declaring in very explicit terms, that I will not suffer his purchase of Collet, to be carried into effect. Of this, Mr. Lund Washington, who was acquainted with my sentiments on all these matters, and who superintended my business, informed me he acquainted Mr. Throckmorton (hearing he was about to purchase,) either directly or by means of his acquaintance in September last:—he has not paid his money therefore, or erred in this business, without warning of the consequences.

After an absence of almost nine years, and nearly a total suspension of all my private concerns, I am at length set down at home, and am endeavoring to recover my business from the confusion into which it has run during that period.

A good price and ready Money might induce me to part with the fee-simple of Collet’s Lot—perhaps of the other also. Without these I do not incline to sell, as Lands are rising very fast in their price; which will be enhanced by the emigration of Foreigners, and the demand for them. I am, &c.

Among other matters which require my attention, indeed in which I need information, is the state of the Lands which I am entitled to in my own right, and by purchase, under the royal Proclamation in 1763, (west of the mountains). My papers are so mixed, and in such disorder at this time, occasioned by frequent hasty removals of them out of the way of the Enemy, that I cannot, (it being likely too, that some of them are lost,) by the assistance of my memory, come at a thorough knowledge of that business. In a Letter which I have come across, from Capt. William Crawford, who appears to have acted as your deputy, dated the 8th of May 1774, I find these words—“Inclosed you have the Drafts of the round Bottom and your Shurtee’s Land done agreeably to Mr. Lewis’s direction.” For the latter, I have found a patent signed by Lord Dunmore, the 5th day of July 1774, for 2813 acres; but the other is not in my possession, and I am unable from any recollection I have of the matter, to account for it, unless it should have been arrested there by some very ungenerous, and unjustifiable attempts of different people, at different times, to disturb me in my right to it—a right, I will venture to say, which is founded upon the first discovery of the Land, the first improvement of it, the first survey, and, for ought I know, the only report by authority that ever was made of it; which will be found in the words of the enclosed copy, the recital of which, if I mistake not is in your own hand writing, and the whole with your signature.